HURLEY CARE AND MAINTENANCE
I naturally season all the Ash for at least 9 months, this gives the timber every chance to season slowly before I use it. It is very frustrating when a Hurley splits, so here are some guidelines on the care and maintenance of your Hurleys, as I want my customers to get the best value when buying my product.
DO’S AND DON’TS OF HURLEY CARE
- Do not store Hurleys in direct sunlight as this will cause the Hurley to dry out and warp.
- Do not store Hurleys near a heat source such as radiators or in a warm room.
- Store Hurleys in a cool place, for example, a garage.
- During periods of warm weather allow moisture into your Hurley which will prevent it from drying out too much. (Guidelines below)
Please read below for more guidance on Hurley care and maintenance
Where the Hurley is stored is particularly important for its care. I recommend that a Hurley is stored in a cool spot where the temperature is cool and consistent. I would keep them away from radiators or any heat source. If the Hurley is kept in a warm place or near a heat source it causes the Hurley to dry out, which may cause the Hurley to crack over time.
I would advise not to keep a Hurley in the boot of a car as the heat builds up in the boot and this will cause the Hurley to dry out.
If a Hurley is kept in a warm place the moisture is drawn out of the timber and this can cause them to split. In addition, if the Hurley has bands and they are kept in a warm place the bands can come loose and pop, due to the timber shrinking in the heat.
There may be a defect in the timber.
Weather conditions. If there is a period of exceptionally dry weather this can cause the Hurley to dry out as it will lose its moisture. What you could do here is leave the Hurley outside the door in the morning or the evening for about an hour if its misty or raining to soak up the moisture or the dew in the air.
In the warm summer months, you could wrap the Hurleys in a damp towel which will allow the Hurley to soak up some moisture. The timber needs to breath and this will help the Hurley as it will prevent it from drying out in the warm weather. Just make sure that the towel is damp NOT soaking wet. You can do this when you experience any period of dry weather.
Sliotars can also have an effect, if the Sliotar is hard like a rock, after being left out in the rain all winter and then dries out, it can cause the Hurley to split when you strike it. This especially happens with the Cork Core Sliotar.
I personally think that putting bands on a new Hurley can weaken the timber at the point where the nails are put in. When the Hurley needs to be repaired the bands can be put on the Hurley then, as the timber is weathered by then.
A Hurley getting a bang or a knock during a game or practice can sometimes cause a split in the Hurley. This may not appear straight away and could happen the next time you strike a sliotar.
Another good tip is to have a lighter Hurley you like for summer hurling, then a Hurley that might be a bit heavier for Winter hurling.
All the above are ways of what can cause the Hurley to split and a guide on how to help maintain the Hurley to avoid this from happening.