From the woodturning lathe to the ORF

Gerhard Wimmer and the success story of his ice stocks

A craft with tradition

Gerhard Wimmer, the owner of holzeisstock.at, was born with the passion for wooden ice stocks in his genes. As a young boy, he spent hours in his father's workshop. Initially intended as Christmas gifts for Gerhard and his siblings, the Wimmer family’s ice stocks grew increasingly popular. It didn’t take long before the small woodturning shop in St. Roman in Schärding was primarily producing ice stocks.

Since their early years, the ice stocks from the Wimmer woodturning shop have impressed with their durability and high-quality craftsmanship. "Our wooden ice stocks easily last for decades," Gerhard knows from his own experience.

Investment in the future

Upon taking over the family business, Gerhard Wimmer modernized the production of his ice stocks. The certified master turner laughs as he remembers the time before the workshop had a drying kiln: "To keep it from cracking, we used to dry the fresh pear wood in straw and rearrange it every few weeks."

Today, this laborious drying process would no longer be possible due to increasing demand. After a maturation period of approximately three years, the pear wood, sourced from local farmers, is gently dried in a modern vacuum wood-drying kiln. The handle of the wooden ice stock is also adapted to the owner’s needs thanks to a complex CNC program. Whether it's an ice stock for children or a wooden ice stock for ladies, the wooden ice stocks from holzeisstock.at fit perfectly in the hand thanks to Gerhard’s experience and precise craftsmanship.

The Wimmer ice stock woodturning shop produces up to 3,000 ice stocks per year. Despite the expansion, the basic ingredients have remained the same: high-quality pear wood, gently dried over a three-year period, handcrafted, and finished with the traditional profile pattern of the Wimmer wooden ice stock woodturning shop.

From the workbench to the ORF

The ice stocks that Gerhard sells in his online shop are now exported all over the world. Even though Austria and Germany are among the main buyers, Gerhard Wimmer sells his ice stocks throughout Europe and even exports to the USA. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the success of the wooden ice stock manufactory from Upper Austria is attracting media attention.

"I had to look three times when I saw the interview request from the ORF," Gerhard recalls. But anyone who thinks that the ice stock professional only cuts a fine figure in his workshop has missed the target completely—as they say in the sport of ice stock shooting. Without a trace of nervousness, Gerhard shares informative facts about his ice stocks during his interview with Radio Oberösterreich.

And the television station LT1 also recently filmed a report on the Wimmer wooden ice stock woodturning shop.

Even though Gerhard is happy to accept media requests, his heart remains with his wooden stocks. And what could be better than shooting a few rounds on the ice rink in good company after a hard day's work? Preferably with a wooden ice stock from holzeisstock.at.