Sheaf advice from the Northsider.... let me get my notebook.

Bite the bullet and buy one..... you will save money in the long run as it may take a few efforts to get one that will last more then a practice session.  Buy a good one and it will last a couple years

If your from the south of boston area get out and fling some snow.  great way to perfect your form and God knows we have enough of it.

I am from the south of Utah area so I have never owned a snow shovel and it is beautiful throwing weather almost all year round. 60+ in the dead of winter, this is the place to be my friends. I have only worn long pants a hand full of times this winter.          ;           ;           ; I think I will just buy a good one, the excitement of making my own is dwindling with every failed attempt. The sheaf is frustrating and I don't even have one to throw yet! 

Thanks 

Brandon 

Brandon,

Get ahold of Gordon DeWall( the AD @ Lehi & Payson ). He makes the sheaves used at those games & they're awesome. His prices are reasonable as well. Email me if you need his contact info.

Rob Hatch's sheaves look to be the best out there imo.  Go with that.

I have had 2 Clevenger sheaf that have lasted 3 years of practice, games, and frankly, about a billion bad throws from me.  They are still games worthy.

Bag- I have made my own and prefer to buy but I put a heavy piece of metal in the middle and wrap it in twine a million times until the metal is covered.  This allows for somewhat smaller bag that can be easily changed b/c you have a core.

Fork- I feel like all my power comes from the middle tine (I need 3).

Training- Yes, you can train the sheaf.  I take a curl bar (preferably one that has those turning hand loops) and put weight on one end with a solid collar.  Now just hold and swing the bar like you would a fork.  It helps work flexibility of the movement and timing & strength at the bottom. 

 Way to go Wally. You must want those sheaf records broken.

I was serious when I said that I will pitch in a little for the sheaf.

Ryan Stewart wrote: You must want those sheaf records broken.

I was serious when I said that I will pitch in a little....

All donations are accepted, are greatly appreciated and go toward helping put on one of the best Scottish athletics competitions around these parts!

I have seen some crazy sheafs over the years.  Including one in colorado that at one point I was sticking it and a little, green pine cone fell out.  I also know of an AD that made his own that would weight on corner to get a good "flick" off of it.  If you paid attention to which corner he picked on then you were good to go.

I like a sheaf that you can stick the corner and get it to "flick" off the end of your fork.  Some of the newer ones are so compact you can't get a good flick.  It seems that the bags have a happy medium, when they are brand now they are good, as they age, they get a little loose and are better (in my opinion) and then they get too loose and they begin to degrade.  I will take a bag and I have a large, hooked sewing needle, and I'll stitch an old bag around the seams to tighten it up when it gets too loose with some poly twine.  I also will stitch the holes as they get too torn up.  Since we practice the sheaf all the time I have a couple of bags that look like Frankenstein.

AS for forks. I agree with the "love your fork and it will love you" philosophy.  I bought a union fork many years ago and repainted the metal shaft.  I put a small lightening bolt on it and "Wonder Boy".  (Let's see how many guys know that reference).  I took out the middle tine (which makes it illegal in some areas) and smoothed the tines until they were round and smooth (they will have a slight rib in them if you look closely, I ground that off and made the tine smooth).  I think this process made the tines a little more flexible and added to the release.  A few years back, I bought a new one, same brand, and kept the middle tine, used it for a year, but never liked it as well and went back to "old reliable".  I also had a fork given to me by a great friend (it's my back up) and another one that I made from a five tine cut down to two.  It was 5 bucks at Wal Mart, so I figured I couldn't go wrong.  I don't like it and it doesn't like me but I put it out for newbies to use at my games and it's happy.  I embedded a Marine Corp pin and a Gretna Green Anvil coin that Bobby Dodd gave me in the shaft.  I got a 33'er on the 16lb sheaf in Gillette Wyoming and by last count I've thrown over 30ft about 20 times in competition and probably a couple hunderd times in practice including a 34'3" that's my life time PR (not intending to break my arm patting myself on the back, I just get crazy jacked up when it comes to height events).  When it's all said and done, that baby will be hung over the mantel so that my kids can tell crazy stories about their Pops. 

JWC III wrote:  (they will have a slight rib in them if you look closely, I ground that off and made the tine smooth).  I think this process made the tines a little more flexible and added to the release.

Anyone else do this?  I am trying to recall forks I have borrowed in the past...but I was too focused on throwing and can't recall.  I have left that little ridge on the tine at the moment.  Those are usually there to make something more rigid...and I was nervous that taking it out might make the tine 'too' weak.

dl_buffy wrote: JWC III wrote:  (they will have a slight rib in them if you look closely, I ground that off and made the tine smooth).  I think this process made the tines a little more flexible and added to the release.  Anyone else do this?  I am trying to recall forks I have borrowed in the past...but I was too focused on throwing and can't recall.  I have left that little ridge on the tine at the moment.  Those are usually there to make something more rigid...and I was nervous that taking it out might make the tine 'too' weak.

Weather permitting the Tartan Day activities tomorrow, look at my fork. The tines are completely smooth.