Back in the day, after a mishap with a kebab skewer, all conker treatment was undertaken by my mother, and they were returned to us strung and ready to go. I’ve found a load of pristine ones – exciting for a Highland resident because we don’t get them up there – so I was wondering, what is the current best practice in preparing conkers for battle before I give them to the boys? Ours used to go in the oven for a bit, but this was 30 years ago.

Vinegar I believe and some airing cupboard / oven treatment. I personally prefer injecting them with epoxy 😉

Solid lead replica natch

Ours used to go in the oven for a bit, but this was 30 years ago.

They’re probably a bit over done now.

I’ve got Araldite in the garage, whereas I would have to steal lead from the neighbour’s roof.

They’re probably a bit over done now

Walked straight into that one didn’t I!

😀

Having spent my childhood in Scotland where conkers were a rarity I’d have been overjoyed at the absolute glut here in the south, where there’s been a bumper crop this year

Perhaps some sort of export/import enterprise to be set up 🙂

Oven makes them too brittle, vinegar does nothing just string em

It’s more about technique. Attrition = repeat smacked knuckles and tangled string. Then go for the kill.

We’d hollow them out and pour in molten lead (melted on my mate’s mum’s kitchen stove).

Bugger messing about with vinegar, etc, this is what you need!

Ceramic conkers, drilling the hole for the string might be an issue, though…

There’s some sort of viral/fungal blight thingy doing the rounds isn’t there ? I’ll be gutted if they die out; one of my favourite autumn smells is shedding HC trees 🙁

The pesky Horse chestnut leaf miner moth no less!

http://www.conkertreescience.org.uk/threats

The kids loved collecting them this year and we got a big bag full. Unfortunately, at 2 and 4, they didn’t quite get the idea of how to play so…

The wife and I now have a game once the kids are in bed.

4:1 to me so far.. 😀

Perhaps some sort of export/import enterprise to be set up

In return we could smuggle hosepipes over the border next time theres a ban.

Definitely.

The kids loved collecting them this year and we got a big bag full. Unfortunately, at 2 and 4, they didn’t quite get the idea of how to play so..The wife and I now have a game once the kids are in bed

Same here,although our two are a bit older, but still not old enough.

I find it a lot harder to get a good hit than I remember, our games drag on for ages with neither conker even cracking (no preparation, baking, vinegar etc).

natrix – Member

our games drag on for ages with neither conker even cracking (no preparation, baking, vinegar etc).

try it again, pretending that you’re 8 years old, and you really don’t care if you conker your mate in the face with an overly-energetic strike.

collected about 20 of them with the kids last week..i would have had more but i didnt have anything other than pockets t carry them
best bit was hoofing the football into the tree to knock them loose!

just need to make the holes in the them and then battle between me, the wife and gonzy 1 will commence!!

try it again, pretending that you’re 8 years old, you really don’t care if you conker your mate in the face with an overly-energetic strike.

As marriage guidance goes that’s a gem