# Question to naturals experts



## joseph_curwen (Feb 8, 2010)

Hello,

i do love naturals, and some here in this forum make wanderfull ones.

How do you remove the bark from the fork, and how do you polish them?
I heared that some of you use a bit of breaking glass?
Any advices are welcome.

Also, i am used to dry my forks in microwave oven, with a little glass of water, and i am very pleased with it. I put 30sec full power, let cool down for 60sec, check the weight, and then 30 sec, cool down, check again and so on.
When the weight don't move anymore, it is done.

I had the chance to find a nice oak fork today, i think it will make a beautifull catty

Joe


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

well not to be speaking for the people who make wonderfull ones, but I find it depends on the fork there are some with thin bark that all I use is a piece of quartz rock that has a nice curve and a fairly sharp edge, others I whittle down with a pocket knife...as far as smoothing them I generally use the back of a knife blade or the back of a old brass key I pretty much keep for that reason, the ones I use the quartz on generally are good to go by the time I get the bark off..my forks tend to be rather rustic so other than hitting the ends with a little sandpaper, a little file work and the finish that's pretty much all I do..


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

I certainly don't consider myself an expert on any kind of slingshot, but maybe my methods can help you. I make a lot of Tamarind forks, because that's what I have. I also use some Ficus (sp) forks. The method of debarking is very different for the two types. Tamarind bark peels off, a lot like willow only thicker. Then I scrape off most of the gunk with an electrician's knife screwdriver blade. The ficus is much harder to debark. The rough outer bark comes off easily with the same electrician's knife blade, but then you are left with a brown inner bark that is much harder to remove. I scrape and sand most of it off, but usually leave some for contrast and character. Next, I boil the forks for a couple of hours in a heavily salted pot of water. At this point the forks are several inches longer than they will be when finished, because end cracking is very common. After the salt water boil, I put them in my home-made dehydrator at about 150 degrees F for 12 hours or so.

The reason for using glass or sharp stones to smooth the fork is mostly (in my opinion) a way of maintaining a link with the past. When I was a boy, I watched my grandfather work an ax handle for several days with a piece of glass. I am not criticizing this method, just stating that I believe there are less labor intensive ways to achieve the same results. I understand the personal satisfaction and pride that doing it the old way brings and salute those who do so. I'm just too lazy for the old methods.









Hope this helps.

Henry


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

I use a knife to debark. And I put my natirals in a warm area for about 2 weeks


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

Henry in Panama said:


> The reason for using glass or sharp stones to smooth the fork is mostly (in my opinion) a way of maintaining a link with the past. When I was a boy, I watched my grandfather work an ax handle for several days with a piece of glass. I am not criticizing this method, just stating that I believe there are less labor intensive ways to achieve the same results. I understand the personal satisfaction and pride that doing it the old way brings and salute those who do so. I'm just too lazy for the old methods.


Actually I used the rock because I was outside and was too lazy to go in and get my knife








It worked so I kept it... for knives I use aold Camco electricians knife and a Cold Steel Kudu that's sharp as heck and holds a edge like crazy, even though it's really not designed right fo this kind of work.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Listen, Mr Curwen: naturals are naturals. You finish them whichever way comes natural to you. Then everything stays "natural". Get it?
There is nothing like a pair of naturals.


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## joseph_curwen (Feb 8, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> Listen, Mr Curwen: naturals are naturals. You finish them whichever way comes natural to you. Then everything stays "natural". Get it?
> There is nothing like a pair of naturals.











Again, i do love naturals


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## bunnybuster (Dec 26, 2009)

joseph_curwen said:


> Listen, Mr Curwen: naturals are naturals. You finish them whichever way comes natural to you. Then everything stays "natural". Get it?
> There is nothing like a pair of naturals.











Again, i do love naturals
[/quote]
Amen , Brother


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

Like I said before, we decent naturals are thin on the ground in Hong Kong.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

ZDP-189 said:


> Like I said before, we decent naturals are thin on the ground in Hong Kong.


I happen to be a huge admirer of asian naturals. They feel wonderful in the hand and seem to last years longer than the oversized western naturals.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Well I guess everyone knows from the ones I've posted: I like my naturals to be hefty and strong.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

First I must state that I am no expert, so maybe I shouldn't even be posting here, but as naturals are all I make and shoot anymore perhaps I can help.

First, I cut my forks at least 1 1/2 inches/ 3.8 cm long and allow them to naturally season for at least six months. I hardly ever cut green wood but I know six months is a safe time for green wood. I have an entire room of my shop devoted to natural fork drying where they are exposed to the natural ambient temperature. There are a lot of people who swear by the microwave method and perhaps this is good for you. I personally don't use it but that doesn't mean it isn't good.

I use a folding wood saw both in the field and shop to cut my forks down to size. This makes a clean, straight cut.

I measure my naturals while holding them in my hand. I prefer the base to be exactly even with the bottom of my hand and the fork tips about 3/4 inch/1.9 cm minimum up to 1.5 in/3.1 cm above the tops of where my fingers rest. Keep in mind I use the fork-supported hold so I am actually converting the forks into part of the grip. This makes the handle portion much smaller and allows a larger, wider fork (easier, and safer to shoot) all in a smaller slingshot. Hammer grip dicatates a larger grip. It's completely up to you.

The only tools I use in making a natural are a good sharp pocketknife, folding saw, and sandpaper. That's all you need. Harpersgrace gets extra points for the simplicity of using rocks and old keys. That should show you don't need a full shop to turn out something that can shoot with the best of them.

Some trees have bark that will strip off easily or perhaps after being started with a pocketknife. Here in the American South the two that come to mind are hickory and white oak. Once they are perfectly dried these barks rip right off, saving much pocketknife work. And remember, the more you touch the fork with the pocketknife, the more sandpaper you are going to need.

Once you have debarked it, use the pocketknife to round off the fork tips and base of the grip. I spend a lot of time getting these right as the fork tips will eat your bands and the grip base will eat your leg as it rides in your pocket. Take your time with the base especially, for it is a focal point of your catty. The fork tips don't have to be absolutey perfect if you are going gypsy tabs but they should be smooth and have no sharp edges. Also use your knife CAREFULLY to lower the knots, but don't get completely rid of them. Leave them slightly raised. When you sand you'll expose beautiful grain in them that will become a focal point of your slingshot.

Once you've gotten all this done begin sanding with medium sandpaper. I spend hours sanding every slingshot I make to get them nice and smooth. When you get tired of sanding remember you will be judged by the product you turn out. Take a break and then sand more. When you think you are done, sand some more. And when you do finally finish, sand more. When you truly do finish the medium paper, go over it for a bit with the fine paper to get rid of any scratches the medium left.

Now you add your attachment point, be it notches, holes, or the tabs. Your choice here.

Once you have done all this, you must now attempt to break the fork with your hands. I don't jump/stand on them but I do my very utmost to break them with combined hand and arm strength. If I am going to pull elastics attached to this I need to have some trust. When a fork breaks off you know it's coming for your face. So do your best!

When it's passed the torture test apply your stain or varnish. I prefer a natural stain to let the wood speak for itself but again this is your natural and therefore you should express yourself as needed.

I made all the naturals below except for the lower right, which was made by Dayhiker. You should spend some time studying the attention to detail and skill he showed in his fork tips as this is an over-the-top flatband slingshot. He did a perfect job on this one. I believe it also was a microwave-dried one, which I am not a huge fan of but the wood is perfectly stable with no cracking. So he's on to something there.


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## Sam (Jul 5, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> Listen, Mr Curwen: naturals are naturals. You finish them whichever way comes natural to you. Then everything stays "natural". Get it?
> There is nothing like a pair of naturals.


LOL







Seriously though they're quality!


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## baumstamm (Jan 16, 2010)

ZDP-189 said:


> Like I said before, we decent naturals are thin on the ground in Hong Kong.


same here, but never stop looking for!


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## Gandolphin (Jun 28, 2010)

i debark with knife,
then i use glass paper to smooth it,
then i take lamination liquid and put it aside for the next two days.


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

baumstamm said:


> Like I said before, we decent naturals are thin on the ground in Hong Kong.


same here, but never stop looking for!
[/quote]
Who do u get to be in your pics? haha


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Gandolphin said:


> i debark with knife,
> then i use glass paper to smooth it,
> then i take lamination liquid and put it aside for the next two days.


Guy, What is lamination liquid?


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Best thread ever.


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

Now more than ever I am convinced that natural is best


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

As Henry says, a carving fork with pieces of glass has a lot to do with the old-fashioned ritual, since we already have better resources as they could be a good rasp, file or limatón, or the same or mototool dremel, I can say the glass is that it allows roughing asentuar detail without ruining what is already polished and will only need a touch of sandpaper to smooth away the track or trace of the glass.

For the rest, I agree that it may suffice a sharp knife, will and patience.



Chepo


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

A sharp knife used in a craftsmanlike manner can produce a slingshot that will shoot just as good as any other. You don't need anything else. There have been countless ones produced that way, I am sure. But a sharp knife used with great patience can produce a slingshot with a "tooled" finish that is very attractive and may, to some, look just as nice as a highly sanded and polished type of finish. Tool marks can enhance the appearance of a piece of carving.


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## Sam (Jul 5, 2010)

baumstamm said:


> Like I said before, we decent naturals are thin on the ground in Hong Kong.


same here, but never stop looking for!
[/quote]
LOL, where do you find these girls?


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## danny (Aug 24, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> Listen, Mr Curwen: naturals are naturals. You finish them whichever way comes natural to you. Then everything stays "natural". Get it?
> There is nothing like a pair of naturals.


i want her.


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## baumstamm (Jan 16, 2010)

Sam said:


> Like I said before, we decent naturals are thin on the ground in Hong Kong.


same here, but never stop looking for!
[/quote]
LOL, where do you find these girls?








[/quote]

if u have some real good slingshots, they will find u! but please take care, not all of them use them in the way we would do!


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## Sam (Jul 5, 2010)

Well personally baumstaumm I would rather play with them with other forms of latex...


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## NoSugarRob (Jun 3, 2010)

BOOBIES ! wonderous things boobies


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## Gene (Dec 28, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> Listen, Mr Curwen: naturals are naturals. You finish them whichever way comes natural to you. Then everything stays "natural". Get it?
> There is nothing like a pair of naturals.


My son would say... "That's what SHE said!"







LOL! Loved your quip!


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## stelug (Feb 6, 2010)

not shure if anyone jet told You but after peeling of the bark with a knife you can rearly smooth a natural with a glass bottle brocken. Just take a curved piece of glass hold it in a safe wahy and pass the edge on the wood. You'll be surprise on how clean you can get your's forks. Then a bath of hot oil, or wax, to finish all


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