What is the Word on Busks?

[cosmoblue]

What is you favorite resource for busks? Do you you use wood or metal? TIA

[Mme de Beaufort]

Never used one yet. I know they're available somewhere.

[cosmoblue]

It seems like people are ordering a wooden busk from Grannd Garb, but that it is creating problems with the fit of their patterns, so they are replacing them with a metal busk. It seems more period correct to have a wood busk, doesn't it? Maybe I should order the busk kit from The Mantua-Maker.

[Mme de Beaufort]

If I were to do a busk, I'd do a wooden busk. It seems if you're going to do it right, then do it right.

[dawnluckham]

Okay, you can laugh... I use a wooden paint stick. My hardware store gives them to me (free gifts!). I bring them home and cut them to length and sand them smooth. I sand the divot (where you're supposed to rest the stick against the paint can) out of the side. The resulting busk is perfect for Regency stays. It’s just the right width and thickness and length is easily adjusted.

[cosmoblue]

Wooden paint stick, That is a good tip. Have you ever used Steel?

[dawnluckham]

I've had the steel busk for the Regency stays in my hand and decided not to use it. I really prefer the wooden one and the steel sort is not a period busk.

Metal *separating* busks came into use (the earliest I can trace them) sometime in the 1830's and I've used them on stays from that decade forward, but for the Regency era, I'm most comfortable with the wooden paint stick.

[cosmoblue]

I have not been able to find anything that gives really god information on the busks. In Costume In Detail 1730 - 1930 it just says "The busk, used in the 16th c. to keep the front of the stays straight was still in use in the 19th c., made of wood, bone, whalebone, and steel, or silver if worn in tropical climates." It is not very specific. I clearly need to do more research, I am very new to all of this.

[Val]

My wooden busk was purchased from Hedgehog Handworks www.hedgehoghandworks.com/ at the Marketplace at Costume College, a couple years ago when I took a class for the Regency corset. It was prearranged by our instructor for us to pick them up from Hedgehogs. I don't see them listed on the website but it's possible they have a provider. And I have no idea how much it cost.
I haven't used it yet, as the corset isn't finished. I'd heard/read about how busks would be carved with messages from a bridegroom to his fiancee and given as a gift to her. So I asked my hubby to write his name on mine, and I used a wood burning tool to "carve" it. So sweet.