Ah, beware a change in properties. I have been spinning wool blended with silk, and just switched to alpaca with a bit of silk, which spins up slightly differently. I admit I was a bit cavalier and full of confidence, and was not as careful as I should have been at the start of a project. As a result, the spindle flew from my fingers and rather than bumping the base, the top tapped the asphalt. Crack. The wood split at the neck. Devastation.

The head of the spindle was still hanging on, so I took my yarn and wrapped it a few more times around the neck than I usually do. This allowed me to spin for the rest of my walk.

When I returned home, I put some wood glue in the crack and clamped it shut then wiped off the excess glue. When it was dry, I used 400 grit sand paper to smooth the area.

I love this spindle, even with the repairs and test holes. Apparently I need to make myself a backup!