# Corkscrew Hazel



## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

Here's the first slingshot I carved from a batch of forks harvested this summer from a hewn down hazel bush in a friend's garden. The wood is rather soft with twisted fiber and grain that have the color of bone and sinew.










It is a hammer grip design with a twist: The outward-facing side of the handle is hollowed to allow the pinky more purchase on the grip when shooting. The forks are shaped after PawPawSailor's "Fury", I liked the way the fork tips sweep back on this one. I first wanted to apply Leon Silva's band attachment method, too, but decided against it. It will be wrap and tie for this one.

So, sanded to 600 and polished with a coating of camelia oil, here she is:


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## Mister Magpie (Apr 10, 2013)

Love it!


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## eggy22 (Feb 3, 2013)

Bloody Hell.

That is one nice looking catty , you are very talented

Nick


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

My floor is wet, as I have run out of napkins to wipe my drooling mouth!


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

Stellar carving friend, she's absolutely gorgeous!


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## PorkChopSling (Jan 17, 2013)

Awesome!


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## tradspirit (Jul 23, 2012)

Beatiful workmanship!! Well done!


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## Sharker (Sep 15, 2013)

Very interesting shape you made


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## Mrs. Clever Moniker (Nov 3, 2013)

Art


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## LVO (Sep 25, 2011)

fantastic shape! That is beautiful work


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## Lacumo (Aug 18, 2013)

Excellent job! Your naturals are developing beyond the "well designed+shaped natural" and into the artistic sculpted type of natural. Not too many players in that league!


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## f00by (May 18, 2010)

That is absolutely stunning!!


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## NoForkHit (Jul 26, 2012)

Wow, wow, wow... perfect! Did you use your new rasps?


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## Quercusuber (Nov 10, 2011)

...my goodness!!!!!!

Perfection, symmetry and beauty in one piece!!!!

Your carving skills are TOP SHELF!!!!

Great work, my friend!!

Cheers ...Q


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## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

Mister Magpie said:


> Love it!


Thank you, sir. Very much appreciated. Cheers and best regards, M.



eggy22 said:


> Bloody ****.
> 
> That is one nice looking catty , you are very talented
> 
> Nick


Thank you Nick, for the compliment. I appreciate it very much . Best, M.



bullseyeben! said:


> My floor is wet, as I have run out of napkins to wipe my drooling mouth!




Tread carefully, then, lest you slip, fall, and hurt yourself 

Cheers and best regards, M.



Tentacle Toast said:


> Stellar carving friend, she's absolutely gorgeous!


Thank you, TT. Very much appreciated. Cheers, M.



PorkChopSling said:


> Awesome!


Thank you, porkchopsling, much appreciated. Cheers and best, M.



tradspirit said:


> Beatiful workmanship!! Well done!


Thank you, tradspirit. Very much appreciated. CHeers, M.



Sharker said:


> Very interesting shape you made


Thank you, Sharker. Very much appreciated. Cheers, M.



Mrs. Clever Moniker said:


> Art


:blush: - Thank you, Mrs. Clever Moniker. Much appreciated. CHeers, M.



LVO said:


> fantastic shape! That is beautiful work


Thank you LVO, I'm glad you like it. Cheers, M.



Lacumo said:


> Excellent job! Your naturals are developing beyond the "well designed+shaped natural" and into the artistic sculpted type of natural. Not too many players in that league!


Thanks for the compliment, Lacumo, I appreciated it a lot. Cheers and best regards, M.



f00by said:


> That is absolutely stunning!!


Thanks f00by, very much appreciated. Cheers, M.



NoForkHit said:


> Wow, wow, wow... perfect! Did you use your new rasps?


Yes, I did use them. They're rather finely toothed but bite away a lot of material in one go. See them here: http://goo.gl/ZAKQpm



Quercusuber said:


> ...my goodness!!!!!!
> 
> Perfection, symmetry and beauty in one piece!!!!
> 
> ...


Thanks, Q, very much appreciated 

It's thanks to the many ideas and abilities that comprise this forum that I learned so much in so short a time.

Cheers and best regards, M.


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## cairomn (Sep 4, 2013)

Wow! You truly are a very talented craftsman and carver


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## DougDynasty (Jul 8, 2013)

Stunning!


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## The Warrior (Jan 30, 2012)

Awesome. Ergos look superb.


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

That turned out really cool... topnotch carving!


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## bigron (Nov 29, 2012)

that is simply amazing brother so beautiful


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## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

cairomn said:


> Wow! You truly are a very talented craftsman and carver


Thank you, cairomn. Very much appreciated. I try to make and learn and am glad that some things work out 

Cheers, M.



FishDoug said:


> Stunning!


Thanks, Doug. Much appreciated 

Cheers, M.



The Warrior said:


> Awesome. Ergos look superb.


Thank you, Warrior. Much appreciated. Cheers, M.



e~shot said:


> That turned out really cool... topnotch carving!


Thanks Irfan. Very much appreciated  - Cheers, M.



bigron said:


> that is simply amazing brother so beautiful


Thanks, Bigron. I hope you're fine. All the best, M.


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## keramos (Nov 15, 2013)

Stunning! This is a sculpture, a slingshot of art.


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## HP Slingshots (Jun 12, 2013)

hmm. very nice, never seen a shape like that on the handle, I LOVE IT  great job

-Epic


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Man, that fork has it all, mate! Ergonomics, symmetry, beauty, craftsmanship... Spectacular is the word for it. :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:


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## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

keramos said:


> Stunning! This is a sculpture, a slingshot of art.


Thank you, I banded her up today and the sculpture molds itself quite nicely into the holding hand, the pinky hook especially gives a solid hold for the pull.

Cheers and best, M.



EpicAussie888 said:


> hmm. very nice, never seen a shape like that on the handle, I LOVE IT  great job
> 
> -Epic


Thank you, Epic. I have tried several times to make a shape like this. The other ones, well, I test my rasps on them 

Cheers and best, M.



Dayhiker said:


> Man, that fork has it all, mate! Ergonomics, symmetry, beauty, craftsmanship... Spectacular is the word for it. :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:


:blush: Thank you Dayhiker. I'm humbled by not one, not two, no FOUR headbangers of enthusiasm 

Cheers and best regards, M.


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## Samurai Samoht (Apr 6, 2013)

Wow! You did an amazing job. :bowdown: Thats definitely art right there.

Tom


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## quarterinmynose (Jan 21, 2012)

Dang man, beautiful work. :bowdown:


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## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

SamuraiSamoht said:


> Wow! You did an amazing job. :bowdown: Thats definitely art right there.
> 
> Tom





quarterinmynose said:


> Dang man, beautiful work. :bowdown:


Thanks for stopping by, guys 

:blush:


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

That is a fine work of art!  Way to go!


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## flicks (Feb 16, 2013)

What an amazing piece of SlingArt, Matthias!!!! I have never seen such a shape on a handle before. I'm completely stunned! :bowdown:


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## Bob Fionda (Apr 6, 2011)

Bravo Matthias! This is beautiful. I ike the carving as well as the shape.


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## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

Can-Opener said:


> That is a fine work of art!  Way to go!


Thank you CO, very much appreciated  - right. There's all the other forks of this particular cutting feast waiting in my box. Cheers and best regards, Matthias



flicks said:


> What an amazing piece of SlingArt, Matthias!!!! I have never seen such a shape on a handle before. I'm completely stunned! :bowdown:


Hello Flicks, thanks for your feedback. It's very much appreciated  - It's a comfortable handle to hold and release. I'll keep going in this direction, let's see what shapes lurk there. Cheers and schöne Grüße, Matthias



Bob Fionda said:


> Bravo Matthias! This is beautiful. I ike the carving as well as the shape.


Hello Bob, thank you for your feedback, I appreciate it a lot  - Cheers, all the best and buon natale, Matthias


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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

Nice work on that natural!


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Dude that is excellent. Great work Matthias.


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## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

Btoon84 said:


> Dude that is excellent. Great work Matthias.





Dr J said:


> Nice work on that natural!


Thank you, Dr J. Much appreciated. Cheers and best regards, Matthias



Btoon84 said:


> Dude that is excellent. Great work Matthias.


Thank you, Btoon84. Very much appreciated. Cheers and best regards, Matthias


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

Wow awesome, you make a little sculpture from the hazel, nice to see


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## alfshooter (May 11, 2011)

:bowdown: :bowdown: "Wow" masterwork


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

very nice work, the shape is outstanding, congratulations!


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## Danny0663 (Mar 15, 2011)

That is NICE! woah ... speechless right now.


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## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

Mr.Teh said:


> Wow awesome, you make a little sculpture from the hazel, nice to see


Hello Mr.Teh, thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it a lot 

Cheers and schöne Weihnachten, Matthias



alfshooter said:


> :bowdown: :bowdown: "Wow" masterwork


Thank you, Alf. Su alabanza me hace muy feliz. Gracias y saludos, Matthias :wave:



jazz said:


> very nice work, the shape is outstanding, congratulations!


Thanks, Jazz. I appreciate your feedback very much. Cheers and best regards, Matthias



Danny0663 said:


> That is NICE! woah ... speechless right now.


Thank you Danny, that praise from a master is very much appreciated. Cheers and best regards, Matthias


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## tnflipper52 (Jan 26, 2012)

I admire your skill and the patience it must have taken to work it into shape. Nice milky wood and looks comfy. Thanks for sharing man.


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

Ja danke wünsche ich dir auch, machs gut mr.teh !!

Yes thanks i wish it too, all the best mr.teh !! :wave:


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## Bob Fionda (Apr 6, 2011)

Still back to her....she moves in the air...mmmhhhhh....sotm?


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## matthiasdaues (Aug 16, 2013)

tnflipper52 said:


> I admire your skill and the patience it must have taken to work it into shape. Nice milky wood and looks comfy. Thanks for sharing man.


Thank you, tnflipper, your feedback is much appreciated. Freshly finished the fork looked like carved from bone. It has darkened considerably in the meantime but due to the fine grain of the wood it lends itself to a very smooth finish. Cheers and best regards, Matthias



Bob Fionda said:


> Still back to her....she moves in the air...mmmhhhhh....sotm?


 - A compliment I'll cherish for a long time. But who knows what would happen should she be nominated. As to moving in the air: Yesterday I remembered my long past obsession with a photograph from 1992 by Tono Stano, called "the sense". I feel like the contour lines on the handle owe something to this.

Cheers and best regards, Matthias


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