Walking Sticks

[Scorp]

Hi Folks,

I've always been interested in walking sticks, hiking sticks, and canes. I've finally had some time to make a few. What makes them more special is the sticks come from one of many of our maple trees.

I've been carving with my deceased grandfather's pocket/fishing knife and it's pretty cool using that. I have a another pocket knife that I use for a different type of grasp in the stripping of the bark which gives it a different flare.

I'm not an expert at this, but I've made 4 so far and try to do something different with each one, and each has their own different characteristic and color.

Neighbors tell me that I should sell them at yard sales and/or flea markets. I just laugh and say nah who would buy these? They've given me the nickname Gepetto LOL...

I also am trying my hand at carving them. I recently purchased carving tools and am trying to go that route just for the heck of it. I'm not looking to make any type of profit from this and honestly wouldn't want to part with any of them.

Carving is difficult and I plan on learning a lot more about it whenever I'm able to dedicate a lot more time to it. That's something you need many years of experience to do. Some of the carving work I've researched is phenomenal. I have a whole new respect for folks who carve and make amazing things out of wood or any type of material(s). What a gift!

Best,
-Scorp-

[Jess]

Hi Folks,

I've always been interested in walking sticks, hiking sticks, and canes. I've finally had some time to make a few. What makes them more special is the sticks come from one of many of our maple trees.

I've been carving with my deceased grandfather's pocket/fishing knife and it's pretty cool using that. I have a another pocket knife that I use for a different type of grasp in the stripping of the bark which gives it a different flare.

I'm not an expert at this, but I've made 4 so far and try to do something different with each one, and each has their own different characteristic and color.

Neighbors tell me that I should sell them at yard sales and/or flea markets. I just laugh and say nah who would buy these? They've given me the nickname Gepetto LOL...

I also am trying my hand at carving them. I recently purchased carving tools and am trying to go that route just for the heck of it. I'm not looking to make any type of profit from this and honestly wouldn't want to part with any of them.

Carving is difficult and I plan on learning a lot more about it whenever I'm able to dedicate a lot more time to it. That's something you need many years of experience to do. Some of the carving work I've researched is phenomenal. I have a whole new respect for folks who carve and make amazing things out of wood or any type of material(s). What a gift!

Best,
-Scorp-



As soon as one of your sticks starts talking to ya there Gepetti... you know, the "OW, I'm a real boy!" kinda thing.. you best put the stick down and back slowly away! This ain't no Disney film!

This is actually very cool. Would love to see some photos if you are so inclined... hint hint.. no pressure... I've been learning a great deal about working with wood, in the reno/ building structures aspect of things and am looking forward to getting into more of the finer aspects of woodworking, like building furniture pieces and refinishing antiques.

I agree, it is a wonderfully zen craft. Learning the grains and how wood has memory ( like most things) and figuring out exactly where to make cuts and how deep, etc. Kudos to you and your new found hobby/passion! Love seeing friends find new things that bring them joy!

[Scorp]

LOL...Jess, I'll definitely post some pics in this thread soon.

Great, more weapons, just what I need ;) I may move on to billy clubs and spears at some point. So much for removing sharp objects from within my reach. My other nickname will be "Mafioso" wait, to some end it already is... :blink:

Anyway, I'm really diggin' all the possibilities with this sort of thing, but again, it's finding the time for a more detail aspect.

:)


As soon as one of your sticks starts talking to ya there Gepetti... you know, the "OW, I'm a real boy!" kinda thing.. you best put the stick down and back slowly away! This ain't no Disney film!

This is actually very cool. Would love to see some photos if you are so inclined... hint hint.. no pressure... I've been learning a great deal about working with wood, in the reno/ building structures aspect of things and am looking forward to getting into more of the finer aspects of woodworking, like building furniture pieces and refinishing antiques.

I agree, it is a wonderfully zen craft. Learning the grains and how wood has memory ( like most things) and figuring out exactly where to make cuts and how deep, etc. Kudos to you and your new found hobby/passion! Love seeing friends find new things that bring them joy!

[Jess]

these are gorgeous:
http://www.jackofcrafts.com/images/Sticks1.jpg

sherpas never leave home without them!:
http://basia.typepad.com/.a/6a0105369f72c0970c0115708deb24970b-600wi

a good stick can help you get to interesting places, like this:
http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/4022/PreviewComp/SuperStock_4022-29331.jpg

or this:
http://cdn-www.trails.com/imagecache/articles/295x195/benefits-walking-walking-sticks-295x195.png

or this:
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFSCYTlspA1hc5idyIbpxG6lDLCosTo IAltzdjqRZFp7cS5v39Sw

[Wryly]

Scorp -

Are you going to the Reunion? Maybe you could donate one to the raffle if you can.

But yes - pictures!

I bought a pair of walking sticks from Target last year - - however a friend borrowed them and I have yet to use them myself!

[AtLast]

What a kewl thread!

[Scorp]

Jess,

Awesome pics! My favorites are 1, 4 and 6 and my desire is to make sticks that look just like those!

That's exactly what I was talking about earlier and my vision is to make them look like that with carving. But hell, it's really difficult! I am NOWHERE near being experienced like that. That will take me an eternity. For now it's carving the bark off, and indicating little minut designs and shellacking them only. And I also, put rubber leg tips on the bottom of them.

One day I hope to make expert sticks like that.

[QUOTE=Jess;396921]these are gorgeoushttp://www.jackofcrafts.com/images/Sticks1.jpg


Wryly, I was actually thinking about that earlier when I first started this thread, (about donating them) but quite honestly, they're not perfected like that!! Those sticks in the picture above are truly amazing!!

AtLast, Thanks & WELCOME TO THIS THREAD!! :)

[Medusa]

I want a walking stick!

I would feel all "Gandolf" if I had one that looked like #6!

[Anastasia]

Most embarrassing first post ever, but when saw a thread about "Walking Sticks", I was excited and thought it meant these kind

http://www.oakwilt.com/images/WalkingStickInsects.jpg

Now I know I am a serious nerd.

Those carvings are really beautiful though, so I am still glad I stopped by.

[Scorp]

Hi folks,

I took a couple of pictures of my sticks the other day and need to figure out how to post them in this thread rather than in the gallery.

I'm working on another stick and "attempting" to do it with a little more detail. It' all trial and error but still my little creation. Of course there are major flaws because I'm trying my hand at carving with my own little designs. This stick is totally beyond a beginner and i'm my own worst critic. It's nothing to write home about and looks so juvenile, but it's fun to see what I come up with.

When I settled in from work last night I decided to do a little more carving. I was out on the back deck and happily carving away with the stick positioned on my lap. I was so into what I was doing that I didn't come inside and retrieve my finger and thumb guards like I should have. Needless to say it finally happened, everyone's nightmare of cutting themselves. I actually took a chunk out of my forefinger right beneath my knuckle. It was pretty deep.

Here comes the graphic part: Blood was gushing everywhere and I think I was more stunned than anything with the way it was bleeding. It was all over me. I called for my wife from the deck and I think she heard my tone. I didn't want to run into the house because I would have made a mess on the carpets and floors. Next thing I know she came running out with the roll of papertowel and got a little panicked and yelled at me to sit down and elevate my hand LOL...

We thought I may have needed to take a trip to the hospital for stitches. I applied pressure to see if it would stop bleeding and it slowly did. We washed the area and applied ointment and put one of those butterfly dressings on it and I'm happy to say no trip to the hospital was needed.

This may be gross to some folks, but...The area on the stick I was carving has some blood on it which dried. I'm going to leave it on there as a reminder of what happened. And when I'm ready to shellac it, I'm gonna shellac right over it for it's own characteristic and mostly as the reminder.

What sucks is my deck has stained blood all over it and didn't come out. But, powerwashing will clean that up.

Lesson for the day: ALWAYS USE YOUR FINGER AND THUMB GUARDS WHILE CARVING!!

[Starbuck]

I've joined a stick making class at the local Veterans hospital as part of their Recreation Therapy department. I have a cedar stick that I've begun cleaning....it smells sooo good! Wish me luck on it!

[Scorp]

That's awesome Starbuck! I also find it very therapeutic and really enjoy it.

Cedar smells so good. Good luck and take pics of the finished product! :)


I've joined a stick making class at the local Veterans hospital as part of their Recreation Therapy department. I have a cedar stick that I've begun cleaning....it smells sooo good! Wish me luck on it!

[Jess]

Christie and I took a drive last weekend up on the mountain and came back through Fancy Gap, a little area with a shitload of antique/ junk stores/ produce stands.

One place we stopped at near Meadows of Dan had a crock full of walking sticks hand carved by a local named James. Guessing they are all on a first name basis up there. LOL!... Here is a pic of James' sticks...

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/298544_1923084681262_1366450312_2376865_8216118_s. jpg

We wandered around the shop, which was set up in little areas kind of like boutiques of junk, and I saw a couple more high gloss shiny walking sticks that also had a tag hanging off them. " Made in China". My heart sank. It was time to go. I hope James sees them one day and whacks someone with his!


Careful with the fingers there Scorp!

[Scorp]

I just shellacked the stick that I've been working on and it's drying nicely. Looks pretty good so far. I'll wait until it's fully dry and do another coat tomorrow.

Next I'll be trying my hand at drilling a hole into the handle of each of the sticks I completed and will lace strips of rawhide through the holes as handles.

[Red Dirt Girl]

Very cool! Where are the pics??

[Scorp]

I still haven't gotten around to figure out how to upload them in here rather than the gallery. I will soon! :)

Very cool! Where are the pics??

[DCStone]

I am so happy there is a thread about walking sticks. I hope we can have more discussions regarding carving. Anyway, I bought a great walking stick in the hills of West Virginia many years ago. One thing I really liked about it was that it had a small compass fitted into the top of it. Since I can be challenged with direction in the woods, I loved the idea. It was a beautiful piece of wood that was also practical for hiking etc.

[Scorp]

Hi DC & welcome to the thread!

Carving is a bitch. I'm so not a carver but am trying and still don't know what I'm doing. I just let the tools take me wherever we end up. Like I mentioned in one of my prior posts, mine looks so juvenile, but still, it's my very own creation.

Have you tried going to YouTube to get some ideas? There are some things for beginners, but in my opinion it still takes years of experience to learn. Maybe one day I'll surprise myself and make something extraordinary.

That stick you mention sounds very cool. I would love to see a picture of that.

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

-Scorp-


I am so happy there is a thread about walking sticks. I hope we can have more discussions regarding carving. Anyway, I bought a great walking stick in the hills of West Virginia many years ago. One thing I really liked about it was that it had a small compass fitted into the top of it. Since I can be challenged with direction in the woods, I loved the idea. It was a beautiful piece of wood that was also practical for hiking etc.

[Scorp]

Now that Spring is here, I'm getting revved up to make more walking sticks. I saved tons of branches from a tree we had cut down last year and have them bundled in the shed. There must be 30 or so.

I think I'm gonna try something different for a little more variety by applying a different color to the each stick. There is a blue shellac and garnet shellac that I want to try out. I've used the amber and walnut shellacs a lot last year. My favorite though is clear shellac. There's just something about the finished product that looks rich and sharp.

I find doing this to be theraputic for me. Therefore, I can't wait to bust out my carving tools and few knives I use specifically for the sticks.

It will be interesting to see what comes out of it. Like I've said in earlier posts, I don't have anything specific in mind. Wherever my tools take me, that's what the outcome will be.

Happy carving folks!:woodchop:
:hanging:

[~ocean]

my grandfather ccarved w, wood .. he was amazing !! everything that was left i treasure to this day :)) enjoy ur hobby scorp !

[girl_dee]

There was some really awesome sticks at the resort in Oregon where i worked and lived, made by a local fella, of course they were way overpriced but they were pretty awesome..i couldn't find a website to show you but i found what i loved about walking sticks is no two are alike and each different kind of wood brings a different energy to the person using it. i found a couple of my own around the place but the old *helpful* men thought they were kindling :| i loved using one to walk the pups around, so 1) they wouldn't knock me down and 2) i felt protected

Since that time i've looked at walking sticks anywhere i can and one day i am so gonna make me one!



i found this very interesting!




Native American teachings speak of trees as 'The Standing People'.
These Native teachings speak of the special lessons and gifts each Standing Person has to give humankind.

Birch gives the essence of truth. It is considered the 'giving tree'.

Walnut teaches us clarity and focus, using our mental gifts wisely and how to best use our intelligence.

Oak teaches us strength of character and how to keep our bodies strong and healthy.

Cherry teaches us the lessons of clearing the pain of the heart and relating to others in a compassionate manner. Cherry is the tree of the heart.

Pine is the tree of peace.

Ash is peace of mind and promotes good health.

Maple is the tree of offering, giving of one's self so that others may benefit.

Arbutus (aka Madrone/a) amongst all the trees of the Pacific northwest, the Arbutus or Madrone Tree holds the title of most sacred tree to the original inhabitants of this vast region. In the legend of the great flood, the Salish First Nation describe how the Madrona tree provided an anchor for their canoes to hold steady and not drift away. On the British Columbia West Coast, the Salish Nation also honours the Arbutus Tree as their Tree of Knowledge because it knows how to find the sun. (source)

In Druid and Celtic mythologies Birch is valued as the tree of inception and beginnings. Birch is also a wood with great powers to purify and discipline. Birch is about new beginnings, fresh starts, creativity, procreation renewal and rebirth, purification and service. Birch is associated with the element of water. It is a tree of the sun and the planet Venus. It's herbal gender is feminine. Birch is considered to be a Goddess tree, the symbol of summer ever-returning.

Walnut holds the powers of the breath, teleportation, astral travel, and inspiration. Symbolic of confidence and mental wisdom. Black Walnut wood has medicinal properties that are useful in the prevention and treatment of disease.

Juniper (and Juniper Heart Wood which is simply the heart wood of the juniper tree) holds powers of protection, strength, healing, health, peace and love. Juniper is connected to good health and banishing anything injurious to health. Juniper is associated with Jupiter and the element of fire. Juniper is a symbol of longevity. In the language of flowers Juniper symbolizes perfect loveliness. In Ireland, the Juniper is called IUBHAR CREIGE "Yew of the rocks". The fine-grained, pinkish red to brownish red heartwood is fragrant, very light and very durable, even in contact with soil.



Maple is somewhat rebellious and tough. It holds the qualities of creation, communication, binding, revolution, rebirth, healing, beauty, art, and abundance. Full of imagination and originality. Maple is a traveler's wood. Those who are always on the move and changing will feel right at home with this type of energy. It enhances intellectual pursuits and learning.

Oak is one of the most sacred trees. It carries the energy of kingship and wise rule, personal sovereignty, authority, power, protection, sealing or opening doors, endurance, and invocation of wisdom, fertility, and abundance.

Cherry is imbued with the powers of making and doing, achievement, and self-assertion over obstacles and critics. It is the pure energy of will and desire. The cherry fruit is magically linked to the root chakra and so to sex and birth: the life force of attraction and renewal.

Ash carries the qualities of ambition, trustworthiness, faithfulness.

Beech holds the power of the creative. It is also about leadership and companionship.

Olive offers insight, inspiration, and aids communication.

Willow is a tree of emotion, love, intuition, and poetic inspiration.

Spruce The spirit of the spruce tree holds great knowledge about healing, especially in relation to the metaphysical causes of disease. Its spirit is gentle. It is not unusual for those who attune to the spirit of spruce to find that there follows an increase in animals within that environment.

Hawaiian Koa is a sacred wood used for centuries to build canoes, ceremonial bowls, musical instruments, tools and utensils. It has come to represent integrity and strength, sensitivity and protection. The energy associated with the masculine aspects of this wood are duality and balance. Koa in its feminine aspect brings a fiery energy with creativity, beauty, and wisdom and strength.

Rosewood has compassionate and lovingheart qualities. The energy of rosewood is primarily feminine, and focused on spiritual, intuitive health and beauty. It is spiritual and nourishing. Rosewood is especially effective in spiritual healing. In matters dealing with beauty, rosewood can be very effective. Carried or worn as a charm, this wood will enhance female beauty and feminine grace. Frivolous energies will not be enhanced by this wood.

Purpleheart is a spiritual wood. It enhances energy dealing with creativity and knowledge. One of the best woods when dealing with spiritual healing and health issues, purpleheart would be especially useful in eradicating the negative energies that create strife in the home.

Eucalyptus is one of the strongest healing woods known. It has been used for medicines for centuries as well as for ritual items pertaining to healing. The energy of this wood is good and pure, clean like the earth from which it is born. This wood is highly recommended for any purpose combating illness or promoting good health.

Grenadilla or African Blackwood is often mistaken for ebony, since it is such a uniform black color. However, African Blackwood is not part of the ebony family. Rather, it is a part of the rosewood family, and the black color is actually an extremely deep purple. This wood is strongly aligned with the energy of Saturn. It acts as a conduit between the physical and spiritual realms. African Blackwood is useful for exacting creative and intellectual changes in life and removing communication barriers.

Mahogany Spiritual growth and guidance are Mahogany's primary properties. It is an excellent wood for emotional and spiritual healing though since it is a brittle wood is best used as a band on a ring rather than as a main wood.

Zebrawood The primary associations of this wood are the moon, love, luck, wisdom, creativity, and beauty.

Birch Bark . . . since the dawn of human kind, birch bark has been highly valued and utilized for all manner of things of benefit to us 'two legged's'.... It is after all, the bark of the giving tree. The birch bark we use is lovingly collected from the ground around where we live. Rings with birch bark inlays or braids are beautiful and striking but are not the best recommendation for everyday wear. By it's nature, birch bark remains forever pliable so it can be easier to scratch and mark.

[girl_dee]

I just shellacked the stick that I've been working on and it's drying nicely. Looks pretty good so far. I'll wait until it's fully dry and do another coat tomorrow.

Next I'll be trying my hand at drilling a hole into the handle of each of the sticks I completed and will lace strips of rawhide through the holes as handles.


the hole in the handle with the strap was a pretty cool thing on my stick, i could hang it from my hand to shoot pictures when i needed to...

[Amber2010]

I have used walking sticks but not as much as I would like. Great pictures Jess of those walking sticks. I can't pick which one I like best. lol
I have always wanted to try those two walking sticks they sell now for fast pase walking but never have.

[Scorp]

Right Dee! I am going to drill holes in the stick collection I have and use rawhide shoelaces.

My only fear is that the stick may be a little brittle/dry and I hope it doesn't crack the stick.

We shall see! :)


the hole in the handle with the strap was a pretty cool thing on my stick, i could hang it from my hand to shoot pictures when i needed to...

[Dude]

Most embarrassing first post ever, but when saw a thread about "Walking Sticks", I was excited and thought it meant these kind

http://www.oakwilt.com/images/WalkingStickInsects.jpg

Now I know I am a serious nerd.

Those carvings are really beautiful though, so I am still glad I stopped by.

I thought it might be a "SAVE the very endangered walking stick" thread too.
My hackles even raised a bit because I'm sad they are all dying out :nerd:

[macele]

i've bought a couple in the smokey mountains, tn. great place to cane shop, ... see first hand how creative others are.

great creative adventure, scorp.