Chuck wrote:  "I wish that youth baseball teams still used wooden bats. "
 I've used a few old bats to make handles and other items.  The wood is
usually very good for that purpose.  I am like Chuck, wooden bats are
becoming a bit scarce.  At one point, I had the idea to go buy wooden bats
whenever I came across them at flea markets, thrift stores or junk shops.
 Unfortunately, most places around my area seem to have come to believe
that wooden bats are worth a mint.  If I see one for $1-$5 I generally buy
them, but most places seem to want $10+ for them these days.  I've made
some from old shovel handles as well.  In my area, shovel handles are
mostly made of hickory (at least that is what the labels say).

Doc



On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 7:33 AM, Chuck Ramsey  wrote:

>
>
> Mike- I, too, use ash for chisel handles.  Broken shovel handles provide
> my source for raw material.I wish that youth baseball teams still used
> wooden bats.  But aluminum seems to be the bat of choice in the 21st
> century.  I wish that hickory was available to me from a common broken
> household item.  I've also heard that hornbeam was a good wood for handles
> but I've never seen a piece here in the desert.  Recently I've come across
> a large supply of mesquite and have been using that wood for handles.  I
> like working with the mesquite.  The dark color makes it easy to tell one
> group/set from another.For chisels or carving tools that I know won't get
> struck then pretty is the wood choice.  I'll usewhatever scrap I have handy
> and want to use up.chuck
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John Holladay
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