There's magic in the air when I'm working with Blackthorn. I think it stems from a combination of the following: Difficulty in finding and harvesting it, it is truly an awful endeavour! Its usually filthy, the best bits are right in the middle of the Bush, it's horribly prickly. Then there's the time it takes to season well, with larger pieces taking up to four years! Its very difficult to straighten, even with steam, but....when all that is done, I have the most beautiful, strong, and hard-wearing material available for stickmaking anywhere. It's at this point that the magic starts to happen. Gently sanding the bark reveals all manner of Gold, Silver, and multi coloured streaks and specks. When the sunlight strikes one of these pieces, it's like a gift from heaven!