What sort of finish required for percussion sticks?

[Jerry Golick]

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->I have been asked to apply a new finish to two percussion sticks made of rosewood. They are hand held when used. In addition to be knocked together a great deal, I also expect them to be exposed to sweat (and of course body heat) as well. Not to mention being generally abused on stage.<!--[endif]--> <o =""></o>

My intent is to apply multiple coats of a poly, but I thought I would ask if anyone had another suggestion.

Thanks.

[Marc Spagnuolo]

Hey Jerry. As a drummer, I can only comment on what I have experienced with my commercial drum sticks. They usually have a light finish. And usually the heat and sweat wears the finish down super fast. Not to mention, there is no finish in the world that will withstand a nice rimshot or a nice hit on a cymbal.

Keep in mind you dont want alot of finish on there because the stick will get slippery. Its actually nice to have the stick absorb some of the sweat. So I would say 1-2 coats of a semi-gloss poly would be fine. Good luck.

[Paul Dwight]

As I recall, most commercial drumsticks are finished with something like lacquer. I always thought drummers weren't too worried about the durability of the finish because they figured they would break a stick or lose one of the pair long before they wore through the finish.

Something like poly would stand up to the heat, sweat and body oils. However, it seems like poly or any other film-forming finish would inevitably get dinged and marred when the sticks are banged onto the edges of drums or cymbals. Also, a built-up poly finish would be pretty slippery in a sweaty hand.

I wonder if an oil finish might not be better. If the percussionist in question is willing to give the sticks a light sanding and re-oil every month or two, an oil finish ought to keep them looking good through a lot of use. An oil finish would also preserve more of the "feel" of the wood and wouldn't be overly slippery.

Addy protocol: A former sax player, not a drummer.

Hope this helps. -- Paul

[Roy Wall]

I agree with Mark and Paul.... The sticks will be beat up in a couple of songs. A light coat of Poly will do.

The High Hat will chew up the upper third of the stick - I always have "sawdust" on my left foot after a session And the rim shots will dent up the middle areas.. I just rotate the sticks depending on the High Hat wear.

I use a touch of rosen to keep things "sticky".

Nice to know some fellow drummers!!

Maybe some of you guys in the Turners Formum can make a few...

SD2 Bolero
Round tip. Perfect for light jazz, studio, orchestral and pit work.
L=15 3/4", Dia.=.635"

[Michael Ballent]

Hey it's nice to see another Phoenix area woodworker on here I took a look at your WWW site and all I can say is WOW

Hey Jerry. As a drummer, I can only comment on what I have experienced with my commercial drum sticks. They usually have a light finish. And usually the heat and sweat wears the finish down super fast. Not to mention, there is no finish in the world that will withstand a nice rimshot or a nice hit on a cymbal.

Keep in mind you dont want alot of finish on there because the stick will get slippery. Its actually nice to have the stick absorb some of the sweat. So I would say 1-2 coats of a semi-gloss poly would be fine. Good luck.

[Jerry Golick]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

The sticks are not for drums. They are banged together.

My only concern about using a poly based finish was I had heard that rosewood contains lots of natural oils which make it more difficult for the poly to properly adhere. I think an oil finish might be a better way to go.

In either event, I'll make sure to let my musician friend know they will need to be redone every now and then as the finish wears off.

Thanks again.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Jerry, you're talking about claves, the fat "dowels" that get dinked together for latin rhythm stuff. (I use to work in a drum & guitar shop.)

I think most of the claves I've seen were finished with a clear poly of some sort, but I think any type of penetrating oil would also work well. Properly played, they don't get banged REAL hard together, it's more of a light to medium tapping.

I hope this helps -

- Vaughn

[John Bush]

Hi Jerry,

I was a tuba player (I didn't have to take my instrument home to practice) in H.S. and we sat next to the percussion section. I remember the "clavs " being banged around and it seems to me they were very highly polished but didn't seem to have any specific finish. I would try using a buffing wheel and polishing compound to see if you get the look your friend wants. Good luck, John.