Hello valky307. Thank you for the good wishes with back fusion. Suffered 16 years near to the day with it, got so bad I started collapsing from full body spasms. Had to wait 15 months to get surgery as a heart attack put me out in Sept last year. Am 73 days post op, a long road ahead. So far, so good.
Making Blackthorn Shillelagh walking sticks in Hawaii is not possible, there is no blackthorn growing here. There is ironwood but from my previous experience with iron wood the material is difficult to work with as it really is darn near iron. With the issues I face, I use my fingers to order completed Shillelagh walking sticks. So making them is beyond my scope.
I've entertained making lomilomi sticks however, these are used for shiatsu type self massage and are wonderful tools to help tight and sore muscles release. Lomilomi sticks are made best when using guava wood as there is some flexing with the wood. Am going to attempt to make a couple of them after I heal as hiking into the mountains at this point is not possible. It will be at least a year before I'd be able to attempt that.
