Preferred wood to make walking sticks from

MVF said:
I have a rather large piece of wood that is now well aged. It's probably 3-4" inches across and 5' long. I have no idea what kind of wood it is, but really don't mind if it just ends up being "practice".

My question is, since this is so wide, can it be split and used to make 2 walking sticks, or should you always just thin down from the outside keeping the core in the middle?
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It depends on how the grain runs through the length of the piece. A split will follow the grain so if the grain runs out the side, you will not get an even split.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Do you use anything special on the bottom of your stick? I have one but it's being chewed up on the bottom by rocks, etc.

By the way, a couple of other interesting walking sticks are Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) and American Basswood (Tilia americana). They are nice and light weight, but not particularly strong. The good thing about them is that you have wood for friction fire with you at all times. (especially the Basswood).

Doc
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Do some internet searching on "carving supplies ferrules" and you will get a bunch of hits on different types of ferrules for the bottom of your stick. If you use it on pavement you might be better off with a rubber ferrule like the ones on canes or crutches. I have also used copper pipe "caps" available at the local Home Despot - copper sometimes works best because you can hammer it into shape and drive a finish nail right through it to hold it in place on an irregularly shaped stick - and it will develop a nice patina with use..
 
I did a little research on making shillelaghs while I was in Ireland, and was told the same thing, they were put in chimneys to smoke and toughen. However, originally butter was used, not wax. The "knob" on the end was actually the crosscut trunk of the tree. The tree was cut when the trunk diameter was about three to four inches across, just above and below the branch.
 
Bumpo I had one shillelaghs that had a branch grow out of the branch and go back in . My Dad has one in the bedroom that is only two feet long . It could never be used as a cane . It would settle a dispute very quickly .

Thats is good to know how they cut them . Now that you mention it that is how my Dad,s was cut . I hope to go to Ireland one day . I would like to rough it as much as possible to extend my stay . What parts did you visit ?
 
Kevin,
I have been to Dublin a few times, I have friends there. I spent two weeks in Northern Ireland, and One in the Dingle area. I loved Ireland and hope to go again, but it is changing rapidly. A highway is being planned to cut the Island in half from Dublin to Dingle, most of the main sightseeing areas are now heavily restricted where a few years ago you pretty much had run of where you wanted to go. McDonalds is vying for rights to put restaurants at the major sights, and overall, the mandatory mass immigration of middle European and African refugees are changing the charm of the Isle. That and the technological progress is rapidly altering the culture. None of it is necessarily bad, just different from what most people think of when they think of Ireland. I would think the northwest of Ireland would still have much of the charm left, and am planning to do some hiking there in a year or two.
It really is a great place and you might want to look into some of the hosteling tours- they are relatively inexpensive, quick and painless way to see the sights, and then go off and rough it in the lesser known still "real" parts of Ireland. Sorry about the ramble, Just happen to think Ireland is one of my favorite places.
Edited to add:
Yes, most shilelagh handles were too short to use as a cane, and there was a rule of thumb as to how long was the best length. I don't recall exactly, but I think it was shoulder to wrist. It makes sense, because a four inch diameter trunk is not going to give a branch thick enough much longer than two feet to use as a cane, let alone a cudgle.
 
Bumpo you may ramble on about Ireland as much as you wish . You have lit a fire beneath me to get there as soon as I can . It still might take me a couple of years .

I enjoy Gaelic singers and help out at an Irish music school to stay as close to it as I can . Visiting country pubs and learning as much as I could about legends and lore of music would be a priority with me . There is a legend that the last few words of some songs must be spoken instead of sung or the singer could be taken away . There are also some customs that are of interest to me . I would also like to learn more about their ancient laws . Now look who is rambling . ! L:O:L
 
Rubber cane tips work well on hiking sticks. You can get them at Ace hardware stores/
 
Question for the more experienced. I have started making walking sticks out of Alder. Very straight and common where I live. Seems to get fairly hard. Does anyone have any long term experience with this wood. I know that if left dead in the woods for a year or two it degrades badly. I also know they make furnature out of it that lasts forever. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Ron Athay
 
I use a 4' length of Rattan which is not hollow like bamboo. They use them for crowd control in India and I think they are called a Lathe. I cut a taper on the top and installed a Cold Steel Bushman and then wrapped and sewed a leather handle over the metal one on the Bushman. Then I made a quick and dirty leather sheath to slide over the Bushman so I don't cut my face while swinging the staff when walking. So far I have driven off two attacks by a pair of Chow Chow in my neighborhood. I actually had to draw some blood from one of the dogs nose with the Bushman before they took off.
Rattan is very stong and resilient and packs a real whollop at the end of its 4' length.
I got mine from Cold Steel and it came with a brass foot installed which I covered with a rubber crutch cover.

Ciao
Ron
:thumbup:
 
Way to go Muzzleup . chow chows are third on my list after Pit bulls and Akita .

Pit bulls cause one bit me . Had my wrist tendons in his mouth .

Chows cause one bit my dog on the paw through a chain link fence . Very determined dog .

Akita is just on general principles on my part . They just look like mean S:O:B:s
 
Kevin the grey said:
Way to go Muzzleup . chow chows are third on my list after Pit bulls and Akita .

Pit bulls cause one bit me . Had my wrist tendons in his mouth .

Chows cause one bit my dog on the paw through a chain link fence . Very determined dog .

Akita is just on general principles on my part . They just look like mean S:O:B:s
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Keven the grey,
My first attack was from a pit bull from 4 houses away. At the time I walked my Rottweiler after working swing shift. The pit came after me and my Rott. stepped in front of me and proceeded to chew him up a pit bull. The pit bull turned tail and headed home. The people from the police dept. who I called said that the pit tried to come through the houses front window at her and she said that if I had anything other then a Rottweiler then the pit would have attacked and chewed up both of us. Needless to say, until we had to put our Rott. to sleep, due to bad hips, he was my hero dog.

The first time the Chow Chows attacked, I was in my own back yard and they tried to keep me from closing my gate so that time I took a shovel to them and drove them off.

You are right, I don't trust any Chow Chow, Pit bull, or Akita...at least I have not seen any pure bred Akitas in my neighborhood but some 1/2 breeds that are a lot smaller then the pure breds.

Along with my Rattan staff with the blade on it I always carry 9X18 Makarov which has a bullet that is just a little biggger then a .380. The 9X18 dia. is approx. .364" and it kicks like hell for so light of a pistol.

Ciao
Ron
:eek:
 
tnmike said:
Rubber cane tips work well on hiking sticks. You can get them at Ace hardware stores/
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You can also go to the local Wal Mart in the pharmacy dept. That what I use on mine and they're only a couple bucks. Come in different sizes too.
 
that stuff will kill a brand new saw blade and is hard as you will find. Tends to get splits but I have never seen it weaken the wood.
 
White cedar. Very light weight and a nice wood to carve something while you take a break on your hike.
 
I actually like the look of an Akita . Something that mean and ugly looking has got to have his poop together or the breed wouldn,t have survived . ( Oops now I am going to hear from all the people with Akitas . L:O:L)
 
A couple of years ago I bought a really nice stick that had an extreme twisted pattern to the wood. The guy told me it was sassafras, from down south. He said that the stick was twisted because kudzu vine wraps itself so tightly around the sapling, that it deforms the wood. Craftsmen find these saplings, strip off the kudzu vine, debark the sapling, polish and varnish them. I'm happy to have it, it is a very cool looking stick for a nice walk...I probably would not want to try to pry up a boulder with it. However it is very stout, could smack somebody upside the head with.
 
Coldwood? Isn,t sassafrass root what they make rootbeer with ? If you ever get a chance taste a root ? Make dure you are near a hospital in case I am wrong . L:O:L
 
Wow I thought I was the only one who did this. I started making walking sticks about 3 years ago. Started out with dead branches I found on the ground in the woods. then about a year and a half ago I took a couple of live branches and dried them out. Finding straight ones is hard around me so I'm not too picky what kind of wood they are. They're pritty strong so what the heck. Looked for a straight branch that shot out from another branch. Cut it down from the parent branch so I had a "T". Then took a dremmel with a sanding wheel and carved the top of the "T" into a ball. Then sanded it all down, stained and poly'ed it. Added the rubber cane tip I got at Walmart and Bob's your uncle. I've made several different sizes, but found a waist high cane works best for me for jaunts in the woods.
 
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