Overstood hazel uses

[Paul in the woods]

I keep reading hazel is too useful for firewood and I know well managed coppiced hazel has a myriad of uses but can anything useful be done with hazel stems that are 10+ cm DBH and often a bit misshapen? Apart from firewood or charcoal that is.

[SteveA]

I tried making a hurdle out of wonky Hazel from our wonky Hazel coppice.... I found that clefting wonky Hazel is pretty difficult.

My hurdle reached an awe inspiring height of 1ft 8inches before I gave up.

 

cheers, Steve

[timbernut]

We keep all the straight over stood hazel for hedge laying stakes anything over about 60 to 75 mm I cleave, point and store undercover. If you get good at cleaving you can split some of it into broches etc for thatching also greenwood furniture, hope this helps.😀

[Paul in the woods]

I've cleaved a few thick stems but don't have a huge use for them. I do have some hedges to lay but being Devon hedgebanks will not need many stakes.

 

How long does the hazel last in the ground? I a need for fencing takes but don't think hazel would last long?

[se7enthdevil]

uses for hazel can be quite a few when you dig up older records, just a few i've found on the net are, wattle and daub, thatch brooches, runner bean poles, net stakes, water divining sticks, hurdles and furniture, pea sticks , friction firelighting, basketry, walking sticks and shepherds crooks.

[SteveA]

Yep, they are great for making runner bean poles/ wig wam structures, we also use them for training our Sweet Peas. It's not a durable wood so expect to get a couple years use in an outdoor environment. cheers, steve

[Paul in the woods]

I've used a fair bit of hazel for bean poles etc but they're not going to be that thick, rather what I'd call normal coppice size (less than 10 years old).

 

I have made a few good walking sticks from shoots growing up from large limbs, part of the old limb makes a decent round handle.

 

But I can't think what would have been done with stuff that's logs size, well over 40 years old, apart from logs. I suppose in the days when coppice was worked then it wouldn't have been left so long to grow too large.

 

Has anyone turned it? A few pieces I've split have a very good grain.

[se7enthdevil]

wooden bowls for eating from were carved in medieval times and bodgers would have undoubtedly used the larger bits but i couldn't say what for.

 

split hazel can be used for carving love spoons or just a normal spoon and probably was used to turn spindle for holding threads in the old days.

 

sadly most of the uses of hazel have been usurped by manmade materials.

[gnfencer]

Hazel is the wood of choice for us livestock handlers, the look.of excitement when I produce one of my carefully procured sticks is a sight to behold.

[Peat]

The problem is the thicker stuff tends to be pretty gnarly and twisted so isn't great for much except firewood. Makes a decent enough spoon but thats not gonna make a dent if you've got loads of the stuff. the larger straight stuff can be cleft into thatching spars or sold cut to length to a spar maker. But we're talking pence here.

 

Cut it up for firewood. Saves you getting a log splitter as it comes in a nice variety of convenient to burn sizes!