Walking pole

[Lupis]

I went out for a wander in the woods yesterday and, while I was out, found a lot of cut pine branches in various sizes that had just been left at the base of the trees. That's handy I thought, I had been toying with the idea of geting walking poles so thought I'd see if one of these would do the trick. I got one, cut it to size, cleaned off the bark, cut off the knots etc and went on my merry way. It wasn't long before I thought "why didn't I try this years ago!" Especially when I was going uphill and got knackered, it gave me something to collapse against to get my breath back! I had intended to ditch it when I was finished but that seemed a bit of a waste so it came back with me.

My question is, what should I do with it? Should I oil it or just leave it to dry out in the garage? Or should I be treating it in any other way?

It was oddly relaxing waiting for my brew while cleaning off the bark, I might give wood carving a try after all!

 

[Crowe]

The resin in the pine should preserve it if left to dry naturally in the garage. You could always carve some decoration on it during your quieter moments. Good find, it will remind you of that walk everytime you use it.
Crowe

 

[fred gordon]

I seem to remember that native people in north America used to take a stick with them on their travels. They carved it and tied things to it as they went. When it came time to go back they would use the stick as a reminder of where they had been. It also served as a reminder when it came to telling stories back at camp to their fellows. Strikes me that any stick, or sticks, would serve as the diary of a Bushcrafter.

 

[Lupis]

The resin in the pine should preserve it if left to dry naturally in the garage. You could always carve some decoration on it during your quieter moments. Good find, it will remind you of that walk everytime you use it.
Crowe

Thanks guys, hopefully it will last a good long while, it seems sturdy enough. I don't know about carving decorations on it though, my artistic skill is non existant. I could probably manage to carve functional items like spoons, where I can use a template and cut to shape, but decorations... probably a bit beyond my capabilities, for now at least.

 

[hedgerow pete]

I collect staffs aswell when i go out i have on average 4 at the allotment drying out in the corner of the shed, some i leave alone some times i use an oil on them most will end up with a jubile clip on the foot to hold it into place or you could use a small section of copper pipe heat it up push in on a cool it down fast before the staff burns

 

[Laurentius]

Just let it dry naturally and it will outlast you.

 

[jojo]

I took to using sticks a couple of years ago when I had torn tendons in my foot, could barely walk for a few months so started using those aluminium poles from Millet. Horrid thing they were. So I started making some out of wood. Would not be without one now, it's something too useful and nice to have.

Mind you yesterday while on a long walk along the river, my dor, an English Bull Terrier crashed into the one I had (hazel) snapping it into 3 pieces... Lucky I wasn't leaning on it otherwise I might well have spiked myself! My next one is going to be Ash...much stronger.

 

[Teepee]

Lemon oil will preserve the wood and will not give blisters-I was told this nugget by a old timer carpenter/wood carver. He made me a roller handle for work, and he was right-no blisters.

 

[shaggystu]

wrap some cordage around it, it's a great way to keep it to hand and it adds nothing to the weight of the staff.
i carry an ash staff, about 5' long with a steel ferrule on the bottom (salvaged from the suspension linkage on a lelyand bus for those who are interested) and a hole drilled through about 8" from the top with a length of rope looped through it to make a handle. i'm constantly fiddling around with the bits and bobs wrapped around the shaft but there's more or less always: some sticky tape, needles and thread, some fishing kit (don't really know why, i guess i just can't shake off the survival bug!), some thin nylon cord/thick nylon thread, and some paracord. it's all built up in layers with the fishing kit and thin cord/thick thread wrapped around the staff with some insulating tape holding it in place, needles on top of that with the thread wrapped around to hold that in place then a paracord whipping over the whole lot. i've used the paracord, sewing stuff, sticky tape, and nylon cord whilst out walking, but i'm yet to have a need to fish for my own food!

cheers

stuart

 

[Klenchblaize]

A stick is for life not just tea breaks!

Cheers

 

[durulz]

Here's the one I made earlier in December.
It's about shoulder height.
I made it from a yew branch. Since the sap wood was lightly coloured I put some dark oak wood stain on it then a couple of coats of linseed oil. The foot of the staff is a rubber walking stick stopper, bought from a shoe-repairers (about £1.50, I think). The forked top is made from a deer antler. And the hand grip is bound in leather.
I always wondered why walking staffs had forked ends. I presume its for resting one's rifle on. However, not being a shooter, I have also found it very handy for grabbing things just out of reach.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9179907@N06/4321835121/

 

[Melonfish]

If your not up to carving then there's a very quick and easy technique you can pick up!

Kolrosing

but yeah i know what you mean about a good stick, just adds to the walking fun, i remember i'd had a hazel stick seasoning for a while and it came the time to use it so out i got it from the shed, stripped the bark and made a handle then took it out on my walk. at the top of kinder scout when i thought, hmm the bottom is splitting a little i wish i'd got a rubber for it. Lo and behold Calibanzwei spotted one amongst the peat and thus it got a rubber for the bottom, guess it must have slipped off someone elses stick, its sat snug on mine still
pete

 

[Lupis]

Some very good ideas here, thanks guys. The Kolrosing looks interesting, or having some cord wrapped around it sounds useful. Decisions, decisions... might need to make another!

 

[Locky]

Hi, im new to all this bushcraft, trying to got back to my scouting days, but we used to "temper" wooden pegs and poles similar to steel, when you got your fire going, put the tip of the wood until it goes bleack, keep checking it as you dont want it to burn, if you tap it with another stick, you should hear a dry wood sound, hard to explain that bit but im sure you will get my drift.

 

[Survivalmike]

Hi folks!

I´m reading in this forum for a while now and I decided to be more active and write something too

A good trick to harden up the tip of a wooden stick is to heat in near the flames and go over it with a flat and smoothe stone. With a little preassure you will dense up the fibers in the wood and so it become harder and harder each time you do this.
I´ve done this a lot of times before with my digging sticks and the strengh of the tip is amazing.

By heating up the fibers of the wood get be soften a liitle and the outter fibers spread away - when you then go over it with the stone you press all fibers together.

By only heating the tip you´ll dry it out - which will make it stronger too but not as strong as with the rock-method.

Hope this helps
greetings from Austria

Mike

 

[woodwalker1987]

Hi guys i'm brand new to the forum so greetings to all,

i make and have made walking sticks (both fancy and functional) for a few years and my biggest tip is to seal the ends of the freshly cut sticks with woodglue asap to stop the ends checking while drying out,

apart from that a nice brass ferrule will cost u pennies and look smart (and functional) on any stick!

Just my £2.50's worth!

 

[Lupis]

Welcome to the forum Survivalmike and woodwalker1987, thanks for your ideas. Any suggestions where to get ferrules from woodwalker? Not something I've really looked at before.

 

[jojo]

I make my own too. For ferules, I have used a length of copper tubing, 3/4" diameter, about 2" long, whittled the stick almost to the right size, and hammered the tube in, it had squeashed the tube a bit but made a nice end to it. Then drilled a hole through, put a copper roofing nail and riveted it. Also used a copper pipe end plug, also riveted. Also used alpine ferrules. There are a couple of stick makers suppliers, easy to find on Google.

 

[woodwalker1987]

thanks for the welcome! Try www.allgoodideas.co.uk/stickmaking_supplies/ferrules they are quite reasonable with a good selection...anythin else i can help with?

 

[BorderReiver]

thanks for the welcome! Try www.allgoodideas.co.uk/stickmaking_supplies/ferrules they are quite reasonable with a good selection...anythin else i can help with?

Great link, cheers.