Laminated Staff Info
People ask many questions on the topic of Laminated staffs. I will address every question I have ever seen or can think of here below.
What is Lamination?
Why do you use Laminated wood at all?
Are Laminated Staffs Safe for Karate use?
Will my Laminated Weapon eventually un-Laminate?
Will heat affect my Laminated Weapon?
Will Laminated Staffs hold up to weather for use on Hiking Trails?
Will Laminated Staffs Warp?
Does Lamination work with ipe wood?
What is Lamination?
Lamination is the art of gluing strips of wood together to make wider pieces of wood.
Why do you use Laminated wood at all?
When I started, I would use any scrap of wood to make staffs from. I used only reclaimed materials. If I had pieces thick enough to make staffs out of that were 1.25" and still had that today... I'd never have laminated anything in my life. When I ran out of thick materials (Which took about 3 days) my father who was a wood worker his entire life, suggested I laminate stuff together. I was VERY reluctant to do this. But having an almost infinite amount of material to use when I had just run out was appealing. So I began my journey into lamination.
However... I was not at all satisfied to sell a product that was inferior to solid wood. And I would not be doing it today if it were the case.
In my research which you may read below, I will share my findings that not only are laminated weapons PERFECTLY safe and strong, its actually an improvement in every way over solid wood. Which was a pleasant surprise and relief. Suffice it to say, it didn't take too long to go from doubtful to fully trusting the process. Lamination is an art... and it must be done correctly. I have never had a failure EVER, over thousands and thousands of staffs. They are beautiful and offer designs and patterns not available in solid wood.
So to sum up, I laminate wood because it is supremely efficient. An I can use every scrap of wood I have. And when I can't find wood that is thick enough to make certain staffs, I can be assured of having materials, and I can be assured that the resulting product is not a downgrade at all. Quite the opposite.
When I have solid wood, I use that. To cut up solid wood just for the sake of laminating it back together again is actually quite wasteful, and I will not do it. Whether the staff be made from hickory, ipe or purpleheart, or the weapon is solid hardwood or laminated, I will choose the best wood possible for the intended use. And no matter the method of construction, all of these staffs are overkill. The quality of the wood is FAR more important than if the wood is laminated or not. These are weapons designed to last a lifetime. And now if you choose, specific information on lamination follows.
Are Laminated Staffs Safe for Karate use?
The short answer is yes.
And here are the facts. The glue joint between the wood is actually stronger then the wood grain structure itself. So what this means is that if you try to tear apart the wood at the joint, the wood around the joint breaks first before the glue gives way.
But that is not all. Structurally, if a piece of wood starts to develop a crack, that crack will travel through the wood and and expand, or at the very worst break. However, due to the lamination of two or more pieces of wood, if a crack does develop, it can travel no further then where the next lamination of wood is. And because there is more than one grain structure, the crack can not continue. This makes laminated wood weapons actually safer and stronger then non laminated weapons.
Will my Laminated Weapon eventually un-Laminate?
No. There is no known limit to how long a glue joint lasts. For all intents and purposes, the joint is permanent and lasts forever.
Will heat affect my Laminated Weapon?
Yes it can. Under extreme heat the glue joint can be lessened and actually ripped apart. But lets talk about this for a second. I have tested this. And have heated a glue joint with a heat gun to the point where the wood was so hot you could not touch it even for a moment. And then I had to take a crowbar, and lift the two pieces of wood apart, and I had to make sure I had a seperation already in the wood before I heated it to get the crowbar in. Even with that heat... it wasn't the easiest thing to separate the wood. It took quite a bit of force. Also... if the wood gets hot, to the point where it could separate, if it cools down again, the glue joint regains its original strength. So leaving a laminated weapon in a car, could possibly SLIGHTLY weaken a joint, once it cools off it is just as strong as it ever was. And this can happen as many times as you want. And due to the TREMENDOUS heat I needed to apply to even get the glue to think of separating, a car temperature in the summer, although not ideal, would most likely not be the end of your weapon.
As with all things... please use common sense and proper care with your weapons. Leaving any wooden object you care about in a car is not good for it. Wood expands and contracts with temperature and humidity. So leaving it in a temperate controlled place will have less impact. Temperature and humidity can sometimes cause it to warp.
Will Laminated Staffs hold up to weather for use on Hiking Trails?
The glue joint itself is completely waterproof. The glue I use is designed for outdoor uses such as decking... etc. So it will absolutely be fine in the rain or inclement weather including freezing.
As a common sense rule of thumb, weather WILL wear your staff... slowly. But if you keep proper care of your staff... it should last a VERY long time. I would of course suggest to keep your staff properly oiled, and dry it after it comes in from the rain. But I would not worry at all about getting it wet however much you want. These are companions that are meant to be with you at all times. And they will do so.
If you would like to make you staff completely waterproof, I suggest using Birchwood Casey's Gunstock Finish. It is Linseed Oil based, which is the oil that I use. So you may apply coats directly over the staff. And it will keep it in like new condition, depending on how many coats. 3 gives a semi waterproof condition with a small shilne. And 6 is completely waterproof with a real beautiful shine. I have used this many times and fully endorse it. The coatings do not stick as well, so you can still use your hands to glide during martial arts use. Highly recommended. I do not offer to apply these coats here on premises.
Will Laminated Staffs Warp?
Wood kept in a heated environment can warp. However the good news about laminated weapons, is that due to once again the different grain structures, the structures are more random then if it was one piece of wood. So again, it resists warping and keeps its straightness better.
Does Lamination work with ipe wood?
What about oily wood such as ipe? I personally started using laminated ipe when I made archery bows (which are under WAY more stress and pressure then a martial arts staff) And I have NEVER ONCE had a failure. And even with a crowbar... the wood breaks first before the joint. I have heard of people having trouble, but I attribute this to faulty gluing methods, rather than the glue or the materials used. I am very meticulous and use the best wood glue available and the best gluing methods, and have never once had a problem gluing ipe to either hickory or white oak.
So in summary... laminated weapons are safer, very beautiful, straighter over time and permanent lasting (I have no personal experience or reports from anyone of any problems at all (so the lifetime seems infinite) In all my years I have had ZERO glue failures in my archery equipment or martial arts equipment. And I trust laminated weapons implicitly. I hope you enjoy their functionality and their beauty.
-Adam