How to make the best conkers

Ok, so this is really financially related….

You can’t send your kids off to school without giving them the best chance. We help with the schools fees planning, university funding, residency ideas for uni, such as buy-to-lets and in general try and help with ideas.

Anyhow, school is also about having a bit of ‘street cred’ and if little Timmy can smash his way through to a double figure conker that Dad has prepared, then that’ll surely bring you a smile.

Here are two of my methods, but don’t blame me if they bust on the first swing!

Preparations :

Gather plenty of conkers, bigger in this case is often better. Get something out of the garden that has water in it (as opposed to using the tap!) and see if the conkers sink or float. Discard all the sinkers as they will have either fractures or internal damage. Then with the others, put them in a warmish, dry place for next year!

Ok, so you didn’t do that last year and need to crack on with this year…

Method One: soak in vinegar for 15 minutes, then bake on high for 5 minutes. Leave to dry, drill a hole through the middle and it must be the middle and don’t use skewers or such, you need the drill to pull out the debris so as to avoid damage to the conker! Then coat in ‘sneaky marine varnish’, get a couple of coats on there and once dry, get nylon cord probably 4 or 5 mm and get a big knot the other end, cord should be circa 250 to 300 mm.

Method Two: soak in olive oil for a week, then use the same method for the hole.

Both have worked pretty good and should get you up to a ten-er, I do prefer the first one though I have to admit….

Safety Disclaimer…Oooh, don’t forget to wear safety goggles when drilling and playing, get an adult to secure the conker in a vice before drilling, wear gloves and other safety apparel and shin pads, when engaging in conker games….. yeah right, nothing like a bruised shin when you miss!

Johnny