Walking sticks?

[bowjock]

I noticed a lot of nice, some even disfigured, walking sticks while at the eastern. Is there a particular tree that are looked for, maybe haveing something like a vine wrapped around it, or is it just a stick that catches your eye?

My question would be, what sapling or tree makes the best walking stick? ::

 

[vradin]

I've made a few sticks, mostly for myself, but a few as gifts. Based on what the stick is used for- light walking, rough terrain hiking, load bearing, etc will determine the wood and amount of disfigurement to allow. Mostly it's just some random fallen limb that I'll pick up for a walking stick, or if I see something "interesting" I'll tote a stick home for some working on. If nothing else it can always go to the lathe and becone a trinket or the woodpile.

:imo: Hickory is almost always a good choice, if you can find a fresh-cut limb of the right diameter it can be bent to shape then cured. Some fruit woods can be figured (or disfugured) for a nice looking stick but have a bad habit of checking badly while curing and being too fragile for heavy use.

Oh- and if you're in the right area, fallen limbs from nut trees make great sticks. I've got a pecan cane and walking stick I made from a dropped limb in the MiL's yard. Beautiful wood, strong and pretty too. Just don't forget to band the bottom and put on a removable rubber cane tip.

vic

 

[musketman]

I like English Blackthorn sticks myself...

The Walking Stick Shop

 

[2172]

I've got a 25 yr old stick made from fire-thorn (pyracantha). I peeled it, stained it a dark dark color and then varnished it...while the wood was still green...it has held up very well...no checkering. It looks like the Irish blackthorn...I've also substituted apple and followed the same process. On the apple, I don't peel the bark, and I paint flat black....Hank

 

[BrownBear]

Mine looks like hell but works like a dream. It doubles as a walking stick and a shooting stick. For the latter, it is taller than most you see. That height turns out to be an advantage for descending in rough country, too. Turns out that somewhere between shoulder- and nose-high works best for me.

Why "ugly?" It's a hunk of bamboo I picked up on an Alaska beach more than 20 years ago. The tip end is about 1/2" in diameter and wrapped with twine for reinforcement, while the butt end has a hand grip made out of the same kind of wrapped twine. I included a wrist loop in the grip, but almost never use it. It would be nice to replace it with something perty, but most of those get heavy by the time they are long enough for my needs. I guess when something works so well, it puts new meaning on perty.

 

[Leonredbeard]

bowjock,
I like poplar or maple. They are light and strong. I just peel the bark and let them dry, they work for a long time. I cut them at about one and a quarter inches at the hand end and taper to about three quarter at the ground tip. I don't put anything on the tip.
God bless.
volatpluvia

 

[Stumpkiller]

My current favorite cane height is an Irish blackthorn bata.
Lollysmith Irish Gifts

I carry this when I walk the dog for those idiots that don't leash their unobedient dogs, and their dogs, to.

For long hiking staffs I use maple or dogwood. If you look around a bit, you can find dogwood with a root burl to make a nice handle for cane sized sticks.

 

[arilar]

Thanks Musketman for info about this great shop on walking-sticks. I am doing a regular walk with a friend each year on different locations in Europe (Norway, Denmark, Irland France,Spain et.c.) I can recommend "El Camino", "Chemin de Saint-Jacques". A very old walkingpath to reach S:t Jacobs grave in Santiago de Compostela. Now I can get a new suitable stick for the road. ::
ARILAR