Shaker Pounded Ash

Nate’s Pounded Ash Splint

What is Shaker Splint?
Most all Shaker baskets were made of pounded black ash splint because of its strength and lightness of weight. The Shakers made baskets for two uses, community utility baskets for their own use and fancy baskets for sale to the World’s People. Shaker Fancy baskets get their name from the 19th century meaning of the word “fancy”. Fancy meant, “of the finest quality”, i.e. Fancy Grade A maple syrup. Their fancy splint was pounded from the tree trunk one grain at a time for strength second to no other weaving material. The best strips thickness was then split down the center into two strips. The center of the grain of wood becomes smooth as satin. This satin side becomes the finished side of the splint. The other side is then sanded smooth. Some wood grain remains on the inside sanded side.

Nate makes the following splints himself: Shaker Mini Splint, Shaker Fancy Splint, Shaker Community Splint, Shaker Fancy Lashing Splint, and Shaker Country Clean Splint.

The Original Shaker Splint

Shaker Mini Splint
Shaker Fancy Splint
Shaker Community Splint

Nate’s Specialty Splint Types

Shaker Fancy Lashing Splint
Shaker Country Clean Splint
Shaker Tree Run Splint
Pounded Ash Rim Packs

Nantucket Pounded Ash Splint

Nantucket Pounded Ash Stave Bundles
Nantucket Pounded Ash Weavers