Stick Making and Identification

[Onelifeoverland]

Made this today from a piece I picked up a while back.

What's the best protection? Will any old varnish do the job?

Also, can anyone confirm what wood it is. I think possbly hazel but I'm not at all certain.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[bobnewboy]

Definitely hazel. The best finish is whatever you have handy, from boiled linseed oil, varnish, wax and so on.

 

[Broch]

Yep, hazel. I tend to just rub down with bee's wax or bee's wax mixed with a little oil rather than varnish which is less likely to penetrate and can start looking tatty where you hold the stick. Wax/oil gives a nice natural look. But as Bob says, if it's a user, anything you have to hand that will just stop it splitting.

 

[John Fenna]

Nice!
I hate plastic varnish and use a mix of teak oil and Danish oil, finished with a beeswax and teak oil polish.
At present I would use whatever you have handy....

 

[Broch]

There you go, a very unusual outcome, three responses and we all agree

 

[Onelifeoverland]

Quite. Thanks all.

I just happen to have a tub of bees wax lying around so it has now had a liberal coating. It'll likely accompany me on its first outing tomorrow when I take my daily exercise.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[Onelifeoverland]

Decided the handle didn't work so well today so used a common whipping method with paracord and a twisted snake knot to make the strap.

Guess I'll get to try out on tomorrow's daily exercise.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[Onelifeoverland]

Today it got some useful additions.

Added some pacing beads....

What do you reckon

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[TLM]

What do you reckon

Hmmmm ..... Not bad.

Now a metallic shoe to the bottom end

 

[Onelifeoverland]

Will a plastic one pass?

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[TLM]

As can be seen it is better than nothing. It also can be seen that it has some limitations.

 

[mikehill]

Message me your address and I’ll pop a book on stickmaking in the post. Don’t think I’ll ever get round to making them !

 

[Onelifeoverland]

As can be seen it is better than nothing. It also can be seen that it has some limitations.

Where would you recommend getting a steel tip from. Or what would you recommend using?

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[Onelifeoverland]

Message me your address and I’ll pop a book on stickmaking in the post. Don’t think I’ll ever get round to making them !

Thank you, sir. Very kind offer.

I'll do that.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[TLM]

Best would be bronze or 316L SS. Brass would be the easiest and in most cases quite satisfactory. Ordinary steel would take rust fast especially if it ever ends in sea water. If the rust does not bother 3 mm thickness material would last a long time.

 

[Nice65]

Where would you recommend getting a steel tip from. Or what would you recommend using?

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

Google walking stick ferrules, loads about.

 

[Broch]

We've had this conversation before so I may as well put my two pence worth in

I do not put ferules on the majority of my walking sticks especially the users. OK, the tip wears a bit but I've never had one split. I have sticks that I'm still using after twenty years that don't have any kind of ferrule. I can't stand the noise a metal ferrule makes on a hard surface (or that anybody else's stick makes for that matter) and I don't like the look of rubber ones. Rubber slips on wet grass/clay and metal slips on stone/tarmac - wood is a great compromise.

Where I have used one, to finish a 'show' stick or something I've variously used copper piping, brass turned fittings or, on very rare occasions, commercial walking stick ferrules.

 

[Onelifeoverland]

Interesting thoughts.

I too have used copper piping, though not as a ferule, more as a join but it worked really well.

I quickly put together two random pieces I had lieing around so my daughter had a stick of her own because as every child does, she always wanted what daddy has so whatever stick I was using immediately became hers. Now, even at 2 and a half she wont leave the house without it if we going out for a walk

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[TLM]

Weather to have anything at all is a slightly different subject. With the few very temporary sticks I have used it did not matter. A metal shoe could be shaped to take a rubber insert.

 

[Robson Valley]

Lee Valley hardware has a whole section on findings for cane-making.


My sense of balance is damaged so I walk with a cane. I have 3 diamond willow canes.
I was measured and the canes were cut to fit me to keep my shoulders level and my back straight.

Call it plastic varnish if you like. 4 coats of MinWax Tung Oil Protective Finish.
It's a mix of things and really snaps out the wood colors and grain. Very durable.

All mine have the common black rubber tips, they are secure in both summer and snowy winters.
I could have spikes attached. Thought it over. No better than the rubber knob and I need the cane in my house.

Get the topper big enough so it doesn't hurt to hold (arthritis) and spreads the load
when you need to stop and lean on the cane.

I'm getting better at walking again. But I stop and the top half of me wants to keep going
so I need the cane out in front to keep from tipping over on my face!