I have just completed my first walking stick. The wood i used is Hazel. I cut it in November 2008 and have been seasoning it in my shed.
The end finish was a bit of an accident really. I had some soot on my hands from my billy can, which i accidentally got on the blank. I then decided to rub a load of soot in to the stick using my fingers. I then rubbed it down gently with some wire wool, and then with a clean cloth. I then applied a final coat of linseed oil. I am unsure about the end finish but it is growing on me, it looks quite distinctive. Sorry about the pic quality.
cheers for looking
![tumbstivck.jpg](http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/2030/tumbstivck.jpg)
The end finish was a bit of an accident really. I had some soot on my hands from my billy can, which i accidentally got on the blank. I then decided to rub a load of soot in to the stick using my fingers. I then rubbed it down gently with some wire wool, and then with a clean cloth. I then applied a final coat of linseed oil. I am unsure about the end finish but it is growing on me, it looks quite distinctive. Sorry about the pic quality.
![stickb.jpg](http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6821/stickb.jpg)
cheers for looking