Why Olympic Curling Stones Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider

A single curling stone certified for the Olympics costs over $600. That makes a full set of 16 stones worth $9,600. Since 2006, every stone used in the Olympic Winter Games has come from Kays of Scotland. The company has produced curling stones since 1851. But making these stones isn't easy. For every stone it makes, Kays uses granite from one tiny island off the coast of Scotland called Ailsa Craig. By combining Ailsa Craig's common green and blue hone granites, Kays produces the only stones allowed in World Curling Federation contests and the Winter Olympics.
MORE SO EXPENSIVE VIDEOS:
Why Oboes Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider
• Why Oboes Are So Expen...
Why Chiso Kimonos Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider
• Why Chiso Kimonos Are ...
Why Honma Golf Clubs Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider
• Why Honma Golf Clubs A...
------------------------------------------------------
#Olympics #Curling #Businessinsider
Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more.
Visit us at: www.businessinsider.com
Subscribe: / businessinsider
BI on Facebook: read.bi/2xOcEcj
BI on Instagram: read.bi/2Q2D29T
BI on Twitter: read.bi/2xCnzGF
BI on Snapchat: / 5319643143
Boot Camp on Snapchat: / 3383377771
Why Olympic Curling Stones Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider

[@kojosmith1210]

I passed stones once; but the doctors informed me that it was a common medical condition and not a game. As an American, it also cost me $600 per stone.

[@mcope9233]

@@flmang so did the stones they passed 💀

[@lovescoober1993]

Lmfaooooo 😭 💀

[@graemelliott3942]

Blue or Green ones?

[@pelvicpunisher2245]

As an American you should have just pissed them out. We arnt Canadians. We don't play around with our stones like it some kind of game kojo. Edit M cope is the coldest mother fucker on the Internet

[@gohanson8846]

Kidney stones?

[@C22772]

considering they basically monopolized the prodcution of those stones, thats a surprisingly reasonable price

[@ijustfelldown]

I think the Market for kurling stones isn't really large enough that they can gouge prices too heavily despite having a supply monopoly. There maybe 20 countries in the world at most that have regular kurling tournaments. People just won't bother getting into the games if they make it too expensive.

[@TonkarzOfSolSystem]

If they made it too expensive curling tournaments would find other manufacturers.

[@C22772]

@@TonkarzOfSolSystem yeah but since they were the only ones allowed to mine the island they'd have to change materials or something

[@SebVEVO]

Compared to my tennis or even table tennis rackets, I would say they are not that expensive. xD

[@TonkarzOfSolSystem]

@@C22772 Yes they would. But they wouldn't be the first sport to switch out traditional materials for cheaper materials that can be more easily sourced and manufactured. They'd probably even be one of the last.

[@Heroesworkshop]

-Handmade curling stones made out of rare granite. - The stones come from one island in the world. -You have to ship to these stones to someone in the mainland by boat to make the curling stones. -They only cost $600?! That’s an insanely reasonable price.

[@Roger-wr1cm]

Clearly its machine made with hand-assisted polishing and assembly.

[@Davisrullzs]

My man, it's 600 dollars for a glossy rock.

[@gentrymyler4038]

That's what I was thinking...thats a steal of a price 🎉

[@BlackDragon1035]

meanwhile apple monitor stand cost 999$

[@lanoche]

@@Davisrullzs And people pay Thousands to millions on smaller but shinier rocks that are surprisingly common as well aka Diamonds. Remember De Beers get Diamonds by truckload but only release a fraction of it to keep the "value" high.

[@MM-te8tz]

When they said expensive, i was expecting a lot more than $600 dollars. The finished product is a work of art.

[@jeremiahadisa8062]

!!!

[@nicoladc89]

You need 16 stones to play. So 600*16 = 9600 dollars plus expedition price (more than 320 kilograms) and taxes means more than 10k for a single set.

[@noobusprimus4908]

600 for a stone

[@TheJadeFist]

@@nicoladc89 Ya shipping those have gotta be expensive.

[@ShoyuRamenBreakingBad]

Being rich must be nice eh? $600 for a shiny rock w/ a handle IS expensive. They only hiked up the price bc they know the Olympics can afford it 😂

[@CheesyHotDogPuff]

$600 is way less than i was expecting. No wonder so many small towns in Canada have curling rinks along with hockey rinks

[@nothing2see315]

That and you don’t need a $500,000+ ice resurfaced to clean the curling ice every period

[@medleyshift1325]

@@nothing2see315 Just a hoser with a backpack :D, and the clipping machine.

[@kareandersson]

A bowling ball in this granit and then we are talking...

[@mikee2zz858]

You need more than 1, though

[@christophermccoy151]

Olympic stones. This video is about Olympic stones.

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

I had never heard of curling until sitting at my pub and the winter olympics were on the tele. The volume was turned down but I noticed many people focused on it. All the sudden they all erupted in cheering and it was a jump scare like no other. Then someone explained the game to me and by the fourth match I was hooked. Been following it every since and it's my number one sport at the winter olympics

[@smoothpants]

People think it's a difficult sport to understand, when it's quite the opposite. I usually tell people, when getting into a new sport...just worry about how to score The rest you will pick up over time.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

The only slightly more important sport at the olympics is hockey, also dominated by friendly Canada lol.

[@eliasholenhannouch807]

Even the island looks like a Curling Stone, then you know the rock has got to be good!

[@yoda9518]

I didn't know what they were made of. I always took them for granite.

[@btg323]

Such an underrated comment lol

[@m.dewylde5287]

@@btg323 Because it only works in spoken language, not in writing. Such an over rated comment!

[@btg323]

@@m.dewylde5287 Lol. Then read the comment out loud, bud.

[@m.dewylde5287]

@@btg323 Or, maybe you don't know how the word "granite" is pronounced.

[@btg323]

@@m.dewylde5287 Or, maybe you just can’t appreciate a pun.

[@vxxiii4160]

Considering they can last for decades, and that they are handcrafted, I'd say it's worth the money

[@miloradstrbacki4248]

Considering you got Lateralus on your profile pic, i'd say your comment is worth a like

[@xspindrift8737]

It's a rock!

[@trucutru3]

Pffft, I have multiple rocks in my backyard that have lasted for millions of years. (I can handcraft them into a shape and sell them to you for a few mil)

[@manuelpenalva9278]

@@trucutru3 try it then

[@pikkivs]

@@trucutru3 man is so smart, man knows everything

[@jamielockhart4239]

I worked with the company for three years, and unfortunately was one of the people who had to be let go at the beginning of the pandemic. I can safely say that the price of the stone is a bargain for the time, effort and craftsmanship that goes into not only making, but every stage of the process. From Ailsa Craig to the finished product, it certainly takes a momentous effort and quality from the team to make the stone as "perfect" as it currently is!

[@dazzershell]

Why do they call themself "Masons"? I thought its the name of magnificient and hidden organization of politics and buisiness elite, ruling the world.

[@smoothcriminal7118]

@@AnotherOpinionatedIdiot why would you ask stranger about his wages?

[@RyanTosh]

@@smoothcriminal7118 Because the taboo surrounding pay is entirely made up by rich business owners to hide the fact that they underpay many of their employees? There's nothing wrong with discussing pay.

[@Whoami691]

@@smoothcriminal7118 Only in America is it taboo to ask. Because that way they can underpay you and you don't ask questions.

[@akirachan9391]

@@Whoami691 in germany we also have the saying „you shall not speak about money“ id agree on saying that its culturally dependant but not only in the US

[@agapyz]

I'm surprised these guys have been producing stones for so long. like, it's amazing that there is still a demand for stones that are simply eternal after their manufacture. what athletes do with them, that they need new stones? it's a damn stone that slides on ice, its bottom can't wear out

[@XpetraXpazlX]

They hit other curling stones too.

[@sebasstein7014]

As stated before, stone hits other stones= bad

[@fpalas]

It feels like they eat them or something that they always need new ones

[@AverySuzuki]

The stones wear out after a lot of play. The striking edge (the part that hits the other stones) gets thicker and thicker after lots of play and eventually the stones don't bounce off each other very well and can't be played with (on Olympic or championship level)

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

They are resurfaced/scuffed each day of play, and are replaced quite frequently in competition. Most sets of stones only are used competitively for a year, maybe 2.

[@TheZoan007]

This is the type of random knowledge that I love to learn. Thanks for this

[@thezfunk]

A set of stones can last decades. So, they are expensive but a curling club isn't ordering a new set every year.

[@arthc.castillo8982]

There are clubs for this senseless "sport"?!

[@frosty_friends1807]

@@arthc.castillo8982 Oh but 300 pound grown ass men tackling each other is senseful? Americans...

[@MikeJones-mf2fw]

@@frosty_friends1807 look at all my sense!

[@coffeeuwu7127]

Maybe some sports aren't done to make sense bro

[@millermike5739]

@@arthc.castillo8982 this is no different than any sport in the world

[@IDStudio737]

Wow, didn’t know they were stone. Never take learning for granite 😃

[@Tuck-Shop]

That joke is marbleous.

[@pieterlindeque7798]

@@Tuck-Shop It's a rock solid joke not gonna lie.

[@priyanshugoel3030]

Such an igneous attempt at humus made me sedimental.

[@bikarebetter]

These replies rock

[@silkygoldbutter1676]

I’m too stoned to make sense of these puns right now

[@alecaquino4306]

I'm curious as to how the sport was invented in the first place and how these rocks were discovered and determined to be the best option to use considering their rarity in the world.

[@brianconnelly7823]

Because the sport was invented here in Scotland and they used the nearest source of top quality granite i.e Ailsa Craig

[@Alexandros.Mograine]

You are curious but cant look that up yourself? Doesnt seem like you are all that curious.

[@williamfreeman6935]

​@@Alexandros.Mograine. Same reason most people are on these platforms. To socially interact. tHat'S wHy It'S cAlLeD sOcIaL mEdIa....d*mb*ss.

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Contender Series Cold Storage

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

Because Scotland invented the game, and then Scots came to Canada and we perfected the play of the game.

[@NotThatBob]

Is balance of the stone an issue? If one edge of a stone weighs more, would that effect how it curls? I didn't see any mention of this.

[@nielsdenijs1931]

It sure does

[@InsaneHunter01]

That's depending on the curl that the player uses when "throwing the stone". If the density of the rock is not even, or more dense to 1 side, the curl will veer off either right or left. Hard, into the side of the sheet, or off it's proposed path set by the player. In all probability, eliminating the stone from play before it reaches the destination down the ice.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

The players are so well practiced that they can tell which stones will perform in which ways, and choose which to use to accentuate their ability. The worst is having to use 2 stones that are not evenly matched.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

To other people, curling is a boring sport. To me, it's parents putting their sweeping skills to the test. It's great to see curling embrace its Scottish roots like the Olympics using stones made from authentic Scottish granite, the British curling team always having Scots, and bagpipes played before the beginning of each session as part of ancient tradition. I'm not Scottish myself, but it doesn't take long to see why Scottish culture is appreciated so much, it's too cool not to like!

[@EM-sc3pr]

It’s DUMB!

[@blacksheepshepherd]

LOL...

[@themonchlife]

Got a rock in the backyard you can shove on the ice. Riverrock bro, smooth as baby bottom 👌 annnnnd you don't have to spend money on it

[@letwan]

I can't even call it a sport, its too lame

[@b_f_d_d]

It's kinda lame

[@pauldarbishire7226]

The Trefor quarry mentioned at 5.43 was founded by my family. My grandfather Huw Darbishire was the General Manager for a time and the post was taken over by his brother Stephen Darbishire until the quarry was bought by Bath and Portland Stone. I have a photograph of my mother drilling a boulder with an Holman Silver 3 drilling machine sometime in the early 50's so that it could be split into smaller pieces. I spent many happy days there as a boy watching all the many facets of the production of granite for memorial stones, curling stones and road chippings.

[@chaplainmattsanders4884]

Very cool. Thnx for that bit of history!

[@pauldarbishire7226]

@@chaplainmattsanders4884 you're very welcome

[@Chance57]

Very interesting addition. Sounds like fond memories.

[@sander4916]

Awesome!

[@bobhenry6159]

What, what are the odds? Thanks for sharing that.

[@alameano]

Curlings a fun sport. I did it growing up and have not played for a long time but I look back on it and enjoyed doing it a lot.

[@bryanelam7431]

This is a intelligent topic, outstanding in every element of this production!! I never woulda even thought about curling stones being this interesting!!

[@bryanelam7431]

@@bluewolfe96 since this is KZbin I find your English lesson confusing. Is your response thoughtful & informative or arrogant & petty? Or both?

[@Stuntman707]

Answering a question I never had for a product I never thought about. Still a fascinating process. And great to see a Scottish craft still surviving.

[@portman2396]

It doesn’t have a lot these days. Unfortunately the SNP has turned it into the worst drug addicted country in Europe and people are struggling

[@allwrighty100]

@@portman2396 The SNP? You're talking through your arse.

[@portman2396]

@@allwrighty100 touched a nerve

[@GB-vn1tf]

@@portman2396 sadly you speak the truth. The snp are both dividing and destroying the country and doing little else.

[@portman2396]

@Scotty good luck with that SNP fairytale. No evidence. No plan. No money. Can’t wait to see it. 🤣🤣🤣 🤡

[@LAK_770]

Ngl, $600 sounds like an incredible deal for a big, heavy work of art painstakingly and precisely made by a skilled artisan out of rare stone harvested from a remote island…

[@deepmcs2669]

This video made me really look into curling. I'm hooked now!

[@bensk8in467]

The fact the granite only comes from that island only adds to the mystique of the game. It ensures the consistency of how the stones react to impact. There really isn’t many games where the playing conditions are going to be the same anywhere quite like this. I love the sport and enjoy watching it. It’s really shuffleboard with controlled variables and played by individual specialists. A puzzle game played in real time. I bet it’s fun to play.

[@rsla30]

They sweep frantically in front of a rock sliding on ice, I don't understand how it's so cool

[@leandrotami]

as i see it they should make them from an artificial material made with the properties they need, with a process that can be replicated anywhere, so that competitors can make their own stones, lower the price and make the sport more accessible for other people

[@jamesbizs]

There is no mystique lol. Some janitor was probably bored one day and make a new sport.

[@jamesbizs]

@@leandrotami lol why does this sport need to be accessible

[@fatcatinchair719]

Curler here, it is fun and you should try it if there is a curling club near you. learn to curls are usually not very expensive and likely you can borrow every thing you need

[@rajkumardhakad8773]

This is great that a traditional game and its dependent industry is not only able to survive, but it infact is thriving..

[@MaestroAlvis]

Thriving? The Olympic committee probably has this company by the balls.

[@garrysekelli6776]

İ don't like it. Hope they go bankrupt.

[@rajkumardhakad8773]

@@garrysekelli6776 Even if we don't like something, that does not mean that we should pray for their mis fortunes...

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

It is also spreading around the world, watched Canada play Turkiye, Japan, New Zealand and tomorrow Korea at the women's world championships just the last 2 days.

[@paddington1670]

Honestly I feel like $600 for one is actually a pretty good deal. That's what good manufacturing costs these days, if it were made by automated robot machines in China and not by hand then sure charge $150 for it, or cost plus 20% or so. Sure in that case cost is lower, but this is hand made by the exact same artisans every time - a monopoly, and I think given that, the price is fair.

[@Red1676]

@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ go away, stop trying to spread religion to give attention to your youtube channel for personal gain. You're no different than crypto scammers.

[@a_lexine]

reminder that machines are more precise AND faster than these same artisans in question, so, with the proper adjustments, settings, and materials, those "150$" "made by automated robot machines in China" curling stones would be MORE consistent than these ones, since they'd be made in indistinguishably identical movements

[@JackyBoiiii]

@@a_lexine Did you even watch the video

[@OurLordandSaviorSigmar]

@@a_lexine measurement-wise they may be more consistent than those made by an artisan. However, as any mason would tell you, when cutting rock a machine can cause fractures for seemingly no reason. That's why it's better to leave it to people because they can prevent these from happening.

[@garrysekelli6776]

Seems like a scam. There should just be specific demensions and weight and bouncyness. İt shouldnt have to come from a specific quarry. Should be made like poolballs or bowling balls.

[@MrPoopypants]

I never knew those stone were so hard to make. I guess I took it for granite…

[@lwfozzy6925]

Quick answer, there expensive because the Olympics are involved

[@twilight1599]

Affirmative

[@woohoobarz]

They’re*

[@crocodile2501]

OR because they are made by manual labour in an industrialized nation🙄

[@Hawk7886]

Theiyre're

[@alalalala57]

They're

[@supraguy4694]

Glad I'm not the only one who expected it to be way more than $600 a stone

[@Leo-gt1bx]

Well as long as idiots pay to watch it you can expect any price.

[@jaberwoky_]

I'm pretty sure the stones they're using at the Olympics cost way more than $600 each. Club stones, perhaps.

[@hectorsmommy1717]

I come from a curling family. South Central Wisconsin born and bred and my family now is on our 6th generation of curlers. I love learning all of these weird things.

[@unturned1529]

No matter how pointless a profession ultimately is, seeing people in that profession care so deeply about their craft is always awe-inspiring

[@northpaul707]

In what way is it pointless?

[@randybobandy9828]

Most professions are pointless.

[@northpaul707]

@@randybobandy9828 Nah

[@randybobandy9828]

@@northpaul707 ya.

[@northpaul707]

@@randybobandy9828 I suspect you don't understand what the word "pointless" means.

[@rontropics26]

"Harvest" is a fun little rebranding of mining.

[@quakers200]

Who knew! I guess I won't be taking curling stones for granite anymore!

[@lukraniom8731]

Boi what the hell boi 😂

[@AlexCio]

This was fun to watch! Didn‘t know how these stones are made. :)

[@titan1235813]

Six hundred dollars? I was expecting somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000, considering the logistics, extraordinary quality, and craftsmanship involved in these beautiful works of art 🎨

[@Ibakecookiess]

If you were expecting between 1k and 2k, i wouldn't say 600 is too far off.

[@mtark9988]

It says "so expensive" so i expected at least 50k per rock.

[@K1ddkanuck]

To be fair, you need 16 stones for a playable set, so the cost is more like 10 grand.

[@badmaniak]

@@mtark9988 600 is too expensive for basically "a rock". With nothing else than stonecutting. ;)

[@FluffyDragonDrawing]

@@badmaniak Can you cut stone like that? You say that as if Stonecutting is an easy craft that doesn't involve hours of hard work and training to pull off.

[@pschroeter1]

A few years back I remember I stumbled upon and enjoyed watching the Russian woman's curling team play. Then I figured out that the brooms and a players actually had an effect on the play and started to enjoy the game.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

The Russian team came to live in Edmonton in western Canada to train and learn for a year. They were really great people and awesome athletes.

[@Tennisisreallyfun]

I can honestly say that I have never in my life thought that the hand manufacturing of curling stones is even a thing or that one company taking granite from one island has lease over the Olympic Games! You know, every once in a while you come across a completely random nugget of information that just shocks you not only with how incredibly unique it is but with the notion of how unlikely it is that you would have ever pondered it yourself to the point where you might have looked it up online or something online. So, in other words, I probably would have gone my entire life completely oblivious to this process or this company or the history behind this unless I saw this video today. This is very cool and I am delighted to have come across this video!!!

[@neilbain8736]

Ailsa Craig is also called Paddy's Milestone. It's on the old shipping route from Glasgow to Belfast. It's at the Southern end of the Lower Firth of Clyde. It's basically a bird sanctuary and home to a vast population of very noisy birds. But there was a manned lighthouse at one time and there is the remains of a narrow gauge railway running round the island, possibly for the quarrying. It's pretty exposed and the next land South is North coast of Spain. For the pedants, that's strictly a direct line south from Strone Point on the Upper Firth. It might be exposed but it's not exactly remote. If you want to sail round Ailsa Craig, the Paddle Steamer Waverley usually does the occasional trip on her Clyde itinerary between June and August. It's a great day out and if you don't believe the direct line South thing from Strone point, ask to the navigator or the chap doing the commentary. (I had OS map 63 and can vouch the ruler didn't hit any land and ran off the page though it came within sneezing distance of the Islands of Bute and Cumbrae).

[@Krishnakumar-wl7ih]

These stones are work of art. I won't buy one, but sure respect the artisans who make these perfect stones

[@K1ddkanuck]

You don't buy one. You buy 16. You need a full set to play the game (8 red and 8 yellow). So that's about 10k.

[@Omni0404]

@@K1ddkanuck A quick search online confirms you can indeed buy a single stone. Imagine if one cracked, you'd have to buy 16 more to replace it?

[@ozanozenir2503]

@@K1ddkanuck my man buys a whole library when a single book gets a scratch

[@18skeltor]

@@Omni0404 I think his point is that if you're new to the hobby you wouldn't buy just one.

[@Omni0404]

@@18skeltor OP was talking about getting one for artistic value not starting the sport.

[@derekbaker4763]

I have no idea why, but this sport caught me when I was a young child watching it at the Olympics and 30 years later, it's still the only sport I watch during the Olympics.

[@jaberwoky_]

It caught me as well when I was 13. I had to give it up 53 years later.

[@Aethgeir]

This is one of those videos that's way more interesting than you'd expect!

[@ms_games_and_tech]

Very interesting to learn about the Curling stones.

[@yellowboat8773]

I mean I think 600 bucks is actually pretty cheap considering the logistics and skill needed to make the stone

[@ramencakes5196]

It's also just stone so can't really be super expensive

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

@@ramencakes5196 The diamond industry blacklisted you for that comment 😀

[@MCXM111]

You can get exactly the same quality stones from other places. But the monopolists invented that whole bs story that you can get the stones only from that faraway island and bla bla bla

[@jaberwoky_]

@@MCXM111 Uh, no. Blue Hone is the superior granite for curling stones.

[@andy4an]

Curling was so fun back when I lived in Alaska. But it was so hard and I was rather crap. Can't believe how much goes into being a good curler, and I appreciate watching the games so much more now

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

The women's worlds are on now. If you watch closely there are now 2 sweepers but only one sweeps most of the time, one type of broom cuts the ice to add more curl for the rock to grip, and the other polishes the ice to let the rock slide and run straighter. The sweepers can carry a rock up to 12 feet and can swing it side to side as much as 6 feet. The throw, and spin added to the handle can also create many different swing paths. It takes enormous skill and strategy to be even a decent player, plus strength and endless cardio.

[@donaldpump1282]

good video if im ever in the market for curling stones

[@RHILDRICH]

So interesting thanks for sharing

[@RMBII91]

1:07 It's fitting that from a distance the island with the granite used for curling stones looks like a giant curling stone.

[@herropreasesankyou]

Wow, did not know any of this! Guess I was just taking it for granite

[@SJNaka101]

Boo

[@nothing2see315]

I can do one, that guys made of rocks!

[@normie2716]

Geology rocks!

[@michaelwilson939]

Talk about the ultimate hustle...cornered the market smooth

[@JosephTomasone]

That was way more interesting than I expected it to be.

[@IComplainAboutHighlights]

When I saw the title I thought that the stones would cost like 15~20k each. $600 seems like a really reasonable price considering it's pure granite and it can last for decades

[@franciscopozole]

Yeah but the olympics last a few weeks and then move to another country. So they get to sell a new tournaments worth minimum every 4 years. Pretty sure they love making those stones because they bribed the olympics committee into having a monopoly. I don't believe for a second they are the only people capable of making them, or their super special granite is the only material that can be used. Its just corruption hiding behind a mask of snooty pretention.

[@FrojiRice]

i have 0 idea what curling is but its satisfying hearing those rocks slide across the ice

[@reedr7142]

Great video. Great sport. I also loved the fact that the one mason still uses dot matrix printer paper :)

[@contextspecific]

Pretty competitive vs the price of an Olympic road bike, and looks a lot more durable.

[@bigdro5227]

Curling feels like an AI generated sport

[@jhoover8734]

I was thinking toddler generated, but that works too

[@trashcontent4851]

To be fair if you told someone, who didn’t know of the sports, a vague description of any sports it would seem like an A.I made it.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

Curling is literally the furthest you could get from AI in a sport...throw rocks across ice. Cave men would understand the concept.

[@alexescobar2805]

$9,600 is the final price that the Olympic Games has to pay after ALL this work to make the stones? Seems cheap as heck lol

[@MKRM27]

Per set. There are many sets

[@phyviction589]

There is usually 4 sheets with two sets each, coming to 64 rocks (usually they have two sets of spares too, but I won’t count them) meaning the total cost is just under $40,000.

[@PanduPoluan]

@@phyviction589 But does the Olympic Committee only ordered 4 sheets for the _whole_ Winter Olympics?

[@Ettevrocevol]

@@PanduPoluan The World Curling federation has a few sets of stones dedicated to international play. I’d be surprised if they’ve even ordered new ones in the past decade.

[@Riotdrone]

one of the biggest problems in sports these days is the cost of participation. we're basically excluding the vast majority of the talent from competition

[@TheSmeggyBean6000]

wtf I’ve literally never watched any curling before, i dont even know how it works or what the rules are, but i still watched the entire thing and found it pretty interesting

[@sholland42]

I discovered curling a couple years ago watching the Olympics. At first I was laughing at how ridiculous it seemed, but had my mind blown after seeing an impossible shot. I literally jumped out of my seat.

[@MooN-wm2oy]

For me this video takes the exclusive credit for the discovery of an interesting sport coming from a people as nice and culturally rooted as the Scottish. I'll definitely watch out for the upcoming world curling competition.

[@chicagotypewriter2094]

I'd found out about these earlier thanks to an excellent article on BBC Travel! Glad to see it covered, although in an event as big as the Olympics, $600 feels "relatively" cheap (compared to the other stuff in the series)

[@hurricane9851]

$600 per stone and you need 16 for a set. So it's about $9600.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

@@hurricane9851 Plus 1 or 2 back up sets, and that covers 1 ice sheet, and most arenas have 4, with most curling clubs having 6-10 sheets.

[@user-sf2jt8cy3u]

lol yesterday after watching the series "three pines" I wondered how much curling stuff cost and today youtube gives me the answer xD

[@Reddude24]

Without starting it yet. I could see them being expensive for the time and effort it takes to make them as perfect as can be. Weight must be spot on, angles spot on and smoothness as well, also type of stone or possibly fused stones together adds to cost. Okay now to watch lol

[@clivebriesemeister3042]

I love how the island in the first shot looks like a giant curling stone

[@MRREE-zw6xc]

I used to core concrete. I can't imagine how long it takes to run the bit through that granite!!

[@Felipera_]

I bet it takes Quite a bit

[@WhipahSnapah]

This was fascinating.

[@allwrighty100]

We used to have to put the curling stones away before we could use the rink for hockey practice. The only time I've tried curling was when I was wearing skates and a full hockey kit. That was 40 odd years ago.

[@igordesaparecido9288]

please take a second and admire the amazing floor cleaning abilities of the guy who runs with the stone.

[@johnc3525]

Their houses must be spotless.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

@@johnc3525 They had to outlaw vacuums as the Americans wanted to cheat.

[@grendal4503]

Wow I’ve seen that island before while I was on a ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland to watch a football match when I was a kid and years later I’ve found out it has a interesting story😂 the island even looks kinda like a curly stone

[@witterquickly]

I can see it from my front window :) Pretty stark island, great views of it from Troon etc

[@EvadNarg-ve2eq]

I really enjoyed that.

[@BlackJeepsMatter]

Awesome video, thank you🇺🇸😇

[@cryptout]

This knowledge will come in handy someday

[@carsonmoon8934]

Damn that’s my old company, I miss those dudes. I wasn’t in the photo but I got there shortly after it was taken. The story was nuts, taking shots with your Division CG

[@ahmadrizaldi7039]

Who doesn't love curling? It has to be the most loved sport in the world! Very fun to watch!

[@FMHikari]

I'm sorry to be the first to tell you i hadn't heard of it until today.

[@aightcool9998]

@@FMHikari same ngl

[@justsomeguythatlikesart]

@@FMHikari I've seen it, but didn't know it was a sport much less played at the Olympics.

[@billiebluesheepie2907]

It’s fun to play, too! I have been today and my team won, I had loads of stones in the house :-)

[@avva4090]

I wouldn't expect curling to crack the top 20 sports worldwide, but it's really cool and it's awesome to learn about the stones are made 🤘🏾

[@Good_BorisAV]

_Thanks! Very interesting!_

[@TheEulerID]

They are surely called cheeses because a lot of hard cheeses are formed into very large moulds, called "wheels of cheese", which can be of a similar size and shape to a curling stone. I think a wheel of cheese is sometimes just shortened to "a cheese".

[@dustinplatt6882]

As an American: _Ah. The winter solstice is upon us. Curling season has begun. We hath remembered this sport_

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

As a Canadian... geez its 90F outside why don't we go curling and cool off... Winning is an attitude lol

[@stephenshoihet2590]

Nothing feels more Canadian to me than being in a small prairie town where they only have a few hundred people but they have a curling club and a hockey arena 🙂

[@KickassTechnology]

Amazing how Canada is not winning every gold, Sweden with just a handful of curling teams is way more successful right now

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

@@KickassTechnology Canada's women's team is 10-0 at the world championships today... so...

[@KickassTechnology]

@@user-sm3ii5dk1u so what?

[@death13a]

I love Olympic Curling. The skill that players display is phenomenal.

[@luckyman1170]

It doesn’t belong in the Olympics. Many athletic sports belong there, not this.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

Oh, you've seen Canada curling!

[@smooth9169]

My fav sport to watch during the Olympics.

[@healthytalk666]

Amazing......👌👌

[@shawnlawrence973]

Here in Hawaii there is a game called "ulu maika" it's similar to this sport but with the ulumaika game you roll the stone on its edge like a tire.

[@lukeboulter8735]

sounds like lawn bowling. Are you aiming to be the closest to the marker in the middle?

[@shawnlawrence973]

@@lukeboulter8735 yes! I like that term "lawn bowling" you put two wood stakes in the ground and roll the stone in-between

[@rftulie]

And I’ll just assume no ice is involved 😁

[@shawnlawrence973]

@@rftulie no ice. The stone puck is similar though

[@disneymore7941]

For those calling it lame, apply that same logic to EVERY other sport: - Throwing a ball back and forth and some tackling...and call it American football - Cars going in circles...racing - Catching and batting a ball and throw in some adults scramming to snatch balls from children...baseball - hitting a puck back and forth...ice hockey The point is not all sports are for everyone. People can enjoy curling while others can enjoy ice hockey. What happened to COEXISTING?

[@KingOfTresune]

My man just said ice hockey was just hitting a puck back and forth…

[@chrisl9934]

All those sports you mentioned involves a lot more physicality than curling which people tend to enjoy seeing in sports.

[@daniellukov]

@@chrisl9934 what about chess 5head?

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

@@KingOfTresune And then 2 guys kicking the crap out of each other with knives strapped to their feet.

[@RefrigeratedTP]

Kay's Curling, Kay's cooking. Both from Scotland. We need this crossover episode

[@supern0is349]

never watched a curling game in my life and always thought its a s h i t t y sport i still do but hey these stones are cool af and they definitely take a lot more work to be made than i realized. Really cool video.

[@jaberwoky_]

Strong opinion for someone who has never even watched a game. Give it a chance - it really is an amazing sport.

[@phil-zz5hk]

the times i have driven on that coast , and never knew Ailsa Craig' was used for this purpose .

[@km3455]

The process of making the curling stones is more interesting than the game itself.

[@Petothegreatone]

So true.

[@johnc3525]

Watching paint dry is more interesting than the game itself.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

It is more fun to watch than a damn superbowl

[@apolinocaballo1145]

What happens to all of the old stones? Do they go to some stone cemetary?

[@duykhang91]

they go to stone heaven

[@daemonicflame]

They get sent to Ireland and put on the giants causeway.

[@pramodm3540]

Will be supplied to sports club newbies, for practice.

[@joeyj5538]

Yes KZbin I will definitely watch a 8 1/2 minute video about curling stones!!!

[@jmw77]

I wonder if aliens look at us like idiots

[@alalalala57]

We look at aliens like idiots.

[@brandonmiller8117]

As a mason/stone engraver, I was geeking out watching this and now wish to visit Kays to one day help make a curling stone

[@TravelBreakthrough]

Never liked this game but I do now it’s amazing

[@davidsnyder2000]

Didn’t realize what went into these stones for competition. My hat is off to the craftsman skill and the athlete’s sKill👍

[@ejedwards988]

$600 is incredibly reasonable for the masterful craftsmanship. I think the argument for expensive comes from the fact that you buy them in sets.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

The rocks (min 16 per sheet), the arena, the shoes, brooms, bar (yeah, but its curling) all add to the cost.

[@nexusofice9135]

People rolled their eyes when this first debuted in the olympics.. and they're still rolling their eyes when it's played at the olympics...

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

A clever aside indeed. Did you know that the 2 most profitable and broadly watched olympic sports are curling and hockey? These 2 virtually pay for the olympics.

[@rayfoster6980]

Years ago my brother came home from a garage sale with 2 curling stones and 4 boxes full of trophies. We used the stones as weights for laminating wood with epoxy. Cost $20 US .

[@Grovreicraynth]

I come from a place without freezing temperatures so curling is a very curious sport. It also seems very expensive. The stones are expensive, plus I understand playing on a frozen lake just isn't good enough so maintaining your ice would cost money and stuff. Really interesting sport indeed.

[@Michaelonyoutub]

Generally communities have curling rinks where the ice maintained, and the rocks are bought, by the people who run it, and regular people can go in and rent an surface for a bit and play for not that much money, not actually that dissimilar to bowling alleys if you are familiar with that. It doesn't actually end up being that expensive compared to many other winter sports.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

Canadians have always curled and played hockey on frozen lakes and ponds and also homemade ice in backyards. But, the surface is more bumpy and pocked than would be ideal. Sort of like golfing in a park instead of on a course. Arena or curling club ice can be created and maintained for almost any surface type or condition the curlers would want. We happen to be blessed with many hundreds if not many 1000s of curling rinks and arenas... of course, mostly paid for by volunteers, clubs, or through taxes.

[@vermilliontoaster3063]

I curled a few times before. I was naturally really and incredible amounts of force and nearly broke 3. They’re very nice to the touch and heavy.

[@jaberwoky_]

Funny - I curled for 53 years and played a lot. In all those years, I never saw a stone break or even chip.

[@chrisbraun8803]

I like how the island looks like a curling stone from a distance

[@craw81_]

Tunnocks tea cake

[@MukeshPathak-dxb]

This game has always intrigued me mainly because of the way how the trajectory of the stone is mopped.

[@user-sm3ii5dk1u]

It is sweeping, although that itself is a bit of a misnomer. In the old days long corn brooms were used, which had the dual effect of cleaning the ice, but also warming it a bit so the rock would slide on the created bit of water. The high tech brooms of today that look like "swiffers" have different surfaces, one sweeper can make the ice smoother allowing the rock to glide further down the ice, and the other sweeper can abrade the ice allowing the rock to grip a bit more to enhance the distance it can swing, or curl.

[@Turbo_TechnoLogic]

Good price actually, respect!

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

Curls right that's why it's expensive