Today, we’ll take you on a captivating ten-minute adventure as we explore the age-old art of carving a polo stick from locally available wood twigs, using traditional carpentry tools. This manual process has been handed down through generations and is still cherished by polo players in international tournaments. Let’s dive in!

Our journey begins with the careful selection of the right wood for crafting a polo stick. These artisans often prefer locally available wood, as these materials offer the perfect balance of strength and flexibility required for the game.

Before the carving process can begin, the selected wood twigs are seasoned, to ensure they are dry and stable. This crucial step prevents the polo stick from warping over time.

Now, let’s head to the workshop, where this skilled artisan will start by shaping the shaft of the polo stick. Using a centuries-old carpentry tool called a drawknife, they begin to remove the excess wood, slowly revealing the stick’s elegant shape.

Once the basic form is achieved, it’s time for meticulous fine-tuning. Artisans employ a spokeshave and rasps to perfect the contour of the shaft, ensuring it’s comfortable to hold and maneuver during play.

Meanwhile, the artisan is meticulously crafting the mallet head. This part of the process involves selecting a perfectly weighted piece of wood and carving it into the desired shape using a traditional carving knife.

With the shaft and mallet head both complete, it’s time to marry the two components together. The artisan drills a hole in the shaft, inserts the mallet head, and secures it with a wooden peg, ensuring a tight fit.

To provide players with a secure grip, a leather binding is added to the handle. This step not only enhances control but also adds a touch of elegance to the polo stick.

The polo stick is now taking shape, but it’s not ready for the field just yet. It undergoes a thorough sanding and polishing process to achieve a smooth, lustrous finish.

Polo players often have specific preferences when it comes to their equipment. Artisans can customize the polo stick’s length, weight, and balance to suit individual player needs, ensuring peak performance on the field.

Before it leaves the workshop, each polo stick undergoes a meticulous final inspection. This ensures that it meets the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship, worthy of the international tournaments it will be used in.

And there you have it, the mesmerizing process of crafting a polo stick from locally sourced wood twigs, using age-old carpentry tools and techniques. These handmade masterpieces have been an integral part of the sport for centuries, embodying the spirit of tradition and excellence that polo players cherish.

We hope you enjoyed this journey into the world of polo stick craftsmanship. If you found this video informative and inspiring, please like and subscribe to our channel for more captivating glimpses into the world of artisanal crafts. Thank you for joining us today, and we’ll see you in the next video!