Hickory hickory and woods that are harder, but the combination of strength, toughness, hardness, and stiffness found in hickory wood is not found in any other commercial wood. It is used for tool handles, bows, wheel spokes, carts, drumsticks, lacrosse stick handles, golf club shafts (sometimes still called "hickory stick", even though made of steel or graphite), the bottom of skis, walking sticks, and for punitive use as a switch (like hazel), and especially as a cane-like hickory stick in schools and use by parents. Paddles are often made from hickory. This property of hickory wood has left a trace in
Stick in the Wheel songs to the repertoire. Stick in the Wheel was formed by Ian Carter, Rachel Thomas Davies and Nicola Kearey who had previously worked together on other projects including the Dubstep group Various. They were joined by Ellie Wilson, a school friend of Nicola Kearey and member of Revere (band), to record their first CD, "EP1". This was recorded partly in their kitchens, Nicola Kearey plays autoharp. In 2013 Rachel Thomas Davies moved to Wales at which point Nicola Kearey took on all the main vocals and was joined by Fran Morter, Si Foote and Ellie Wilson. . Their second EP,