Creating a besom, a traditional birch broom, requires meticulous planning and patience. The quality of the brushwood is crucial, with birch twigs needing to be seasoned for at least nine months to avoid brittleness. Adam King, a skilled broomstick maker, meticulously selects and cuts his birch brush from his coppice in Buckinghamshire, ensuring the best materials for his brooms.
For King, preparation is key. He spends weeks each year between Christmas and March harvesting his birch, allowing the sap to settle. Additionally, having a stock of hazel handles is essential. King prepares hazel stakes in advance, ensuring he is ready for the demand that typically surges in autumn when people are looking to purchase brooms.
Handling the hazel to craft the broom handle involves traditional techniques. The bark is removed using a draw knife, and the handle is shaped with precision using an axe. The process is carried out on a wooden broom horse, a clever tool that aids in securing the handle as it is shaped. King’s horse, aged 80, stands as a testament to the enduring craftsmanship.
Once the brushwood and handles are prepared, the assembly of the besom can begin. Sitting on the broom horse, the brushwood is rolled and shaped into the desired besom head size. Galvanized wire is used to secure the brushwood, with each turn of the wire tightly wound around the head to ensure durability. The process involves careful clamping and cutting to create a sturdy broom head.
Inserting the handle into the besom head requires precision and strength. The handle is driven into the head, ensuring a secure fit with each strike. A peg is hammered into place to secure the head, completing the assembly of a durable besom that, if well-maintained, can last for a decade.
Besoms are highly valued for their effectiveness in clearing debris without damaging surfaces, making them popular among gardeners and groundsmen. Additionally, besoms hold cultural significance, featuring in Wiccan ceremonies and appealing to enthusiasts, including Harry Potter fans. Despite their practicality and cultural relevance, besom-making is a dwindling craft.
With the decline of traditional besom-making families, skilled artisans like Adam King are preserving this ancient craft. King, based in High Wycombe, continues to handcraft besoms, showcasing his expertise at country fairs. While the demand for besoms persists, the art of besom-making remains a niche skill, with only a handful of artisans making a livelihood from this time-honored craft.
As the legacy of besom-making endures through craftsmen like King, the artistry and meticulous process of creating these traditional brooms serve as a testament to the enduring appeal of handmade, quality goods in a world of mass-produced alternatives.
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