Hurley Care And Maintenance
Hurley Maintenance And Care
Hurley care and maintenance is a topic that comes up a lot when speaking to customers new and old in relation to how they should look after their beloved Hurley. With over 30 year’s experience in the Hurley Making business we’ve seen it all. While a lot of information is out there, some of it varies from Good to Very Bad. In this article we decided to lay out the best Hurl care advice to ensure you get the most out of your Hurley, in both performance and also to prolong its lifespan. We hope by following these guidelines it will ensure your new hurl is kept in optimum condition and is game ready when the time comes.
Best Place To Store Your Hurley
Good Hurley Care And Maintenance starts with where you store your Hurl. This is one of the most important factors to consider in its care and maintenance regime. Hurls are crafted from Ash, a natural substance which is susceptible to atmospheric conditions and changes. Wood is a porous material so storing your stick in a location that is ether too moist or too hot can have sever negative effects to the overall condition of the Hurley.
Places to avoid storing your hurl are the boot of your car, the hot press, next to a radiator or other heat generation equipment, in a damp garage or shed or outside exposed to the elements. Over exposure to moisture can result in your hurls moisture content increasing significantly. The results of this can be loss of Weighted Balance, Warping and Weakening Of The Shaft. All these factors increase the risk of breakage and reduce the hurls overall performance dramatically.
Hurley’s stored in areas where it is over exposed to heat are equally as bad for your Hurl. Leaving your stick up against a radiator or in the boot of your car in the summer season can effect Hurls natural moisture content which should be 14 to 16%. Reduced moisture means the wood is more brittle, less flexible and more prone to cracks and breakage.
So where should you keep your Hurl ? The best place to store your Hurley is in a cool dry place with plenty of ventilation. Most houses have an ideal area like under the stairs in a hallway or a utility room. The key is the area should not be prone to dramatic heat or moisture fluctuations or direct sunlight. If possible try to hang your Hurl as this will decrease the likelihood of the wood drawing moisture from the ground if excess moisture is present.
Breaking In A New Hurley
One of the most important factors commonly overlooked when buying a new Hurley is the need to break your new stick in. Avoid to urge to grab your new Hurley and jump straight into playing or training with it before you have taken the time to slowly break the stick in. This is a process that takes patience.
When speaking to Wexford Senior County player Diarmuid O’Keeffe recently we asked the question, How many Hurley’s do you currently own ? Diarmuid answer drives home our point of the care and time needed to break in each and every stick. I reckon I have at least 30 to 40 Hurley’s in my house with my name on then at any point throughout the year. Out of that I have 8 to 10 hurls that I have broken in, ready for action and would feel comfortable picking up at any-time for training or to play a match ( see our full blog post with Diarmuid Here )
Tips For Breaking In A Hurl
Using an old Sliotar gently puck the ball against a wall for 15 – 20 mins for the first 3-4 days. Vibration cause by hitting the ball acclimatise the fibre’s to movement while the natural sap hardens with the wood. Gradually build this up over the course of 3 to 4 weeks to the point where you are hitting the ball with full power.
Never use a new ball or wet ball when breaking in a new Hurley. Always use a wall ball or an old Sliotar. Using a new ball on a new fresh Hurley can split or crack the Bas
Leave your new Hurley at home for training session. Always bring and old stick for use in hooking or blocking drills. In a regular game the amount of times you perform Hooks and Block is limited. Using the same Hurl for training and the big game can dramatically reduce the lifespan of your stick.
Never put a band on a new fresh Hurley. Nailing a fresh unused stick greatly increases the chances of your Bas splitting. Up to 90% of the splits we see in broken Hurls travel through the nailed part of the timber. At L’Ash Go Leor we only ever use bands to increase weight and lower end balance.
Avoid full contact and striking of the ball at full power for 3 – 4 weeks.
How To Choose The Correct Hurl Size
Choosing the correct size of Hurl is one of the most important steps especially for new or younger players starting out. The old method of measuring the hurl up to the player’s hip has long been ruled out as inaccurate. Below are the 3 basic steps need to accurately determine the correct Hurl size you any player. For a full breakdown check out Our Guide To Hurley Sizing
- Stand Straight With Arms Hanging Loosely By Your Side
- Second Person Places Finger Horizontally Under The Grip Handle And Stands Hurley By Your Side
- Change Size Of Hurley Until Finger Meets The Wrist Bone
Hurley Maintenance
Like everything in this world your Hurley needs care and maintenance every once in a while. Ever since the game began people have been looking for the best ways to care for and maintain their favourite stick. While some of the advice and methods used in Hurley Maintenance might seem like they should work, sometimes it’s not the best for your hurl.
We advise treating your new Hurley with 4-5 coats of Raw Linseed Oil in first week , reduced to 1 coat a month thereafter. We find raw linseed oil better than boiled. The boiled linseed can prove sticky over time.
Use a P120 sand paper around the edges of the toe and Bas of your Hurley to remove fraying and rough edges. Reseal these freshly sanded areas by touching up with Linseed Oil.
Fix Minor Damage Fast
To treat light cracking use a good quality Super Glue worked into the cracked area. The glue soaks into the wood after which a quick rub down with a p.120 sand paper will finish the repair off. Dust created from the sanding works to creating a filler which also helps seal the treated area. One problem with glue is that it is not shock absorbent. Using the glue method can slow down cracking and the need for a full repair but it is only a temporary solution. Always remember to use the correct safety precautions when using any glue solvents. ( Children under the age of 16 should not attempt this and should enlist the help of an adult )
Never soak a Hurley in water to remove cracks or tighten a band. Soaking a stick in water greatly effects the overall performance. While cracks might seams to disappear and bands may tighten temporarily this is only due to the wood swelling from over exposure to moisture. The cracks will reappear and the band will loosen as the water content drops.
At L’Ash Go Leor we have moved away from the use of Bands in the repair process. Our repair team rely of two things, Craftsmanship and Glue, Really Good Glue. Glues used in our workshop must be waterproof, shock resistant and gap filling . We use Icema 8 R 145 / 44 and industrial strength glue which covers all the essential needs.
Use of Electrical tape on the shaft or just above the Bas before you start to use your new Hurl is a great way to prevent a crack or split travelling up the stick. In 90 % of the cases we see in our workshop a Hurley with tape applied stops the damage travelling past the taped area.
