[Carl]

Not too long ago I picked up two different walking sticks. Both look (to me) like bamboo, although they aren't exactly alike in their appearance. Both are lightweight. But in looking on line, I can't find any genuine bamboo canes for sale, but rather "manila wood" with bamboo carving, or they are labeled "faux bamboo", etc. Further research on line tells me absolutely nothing about manila wood, and for that matter I can't find out much of anything about bamboo walking sticks. I realize there are many desirable woods for walking sticks. I have a few and although I'm not sure of the wood, they're very nice. I just keep my eyes open at flea markets and thrift shops and when I see one I really like, I snap it up. But it would be nice to have a better idea of what I'm walking about with. I don't just carry one to enhance my charm and good looks. I'm an old-timer with one ear and a cane really helps keep me on balance. any information would be appreciated. Thanks, Carl

 

[MJC4]

Could U post some pics of the canes in question?

 

[Carl]

I'm not sure I can do that. I'll look into it. I have a camera in my phone, bur at this point, I have a hard enough time answering a call, let along figuring out how to take a photo. All I wanted was just a phone and now I have this thing. I try to call a business and by the time a automated voice says, press one or two, I can't find any numbers to press. Oh boy...

 

[MJC4]

LOL I hear ya Carl! My G-son showed me how to get the pictures from the camera to the c-puter tech savvy I am not!! ic:

 

[gdenby]

I can't find anything about "manila wood," ether. Bamboo tends to split rather easily, and when thinner, be flexible, so probably not the best for a cane unless it was considered to be disposable.

A classic material for canes was a kind of rattan from around Malacca. It is lightweight and strong, and has segments like bamboo. I've read it is still harvested. Conceivably you have one of those.

 

[Carl]

I have some passable photos of three of my canes, but I can't figure out how to upload them.

 

[gdenby]

Are the pics still on the phone? What kind of phone?

 

[Carl]

I wasn't successful using my phone but my wife took some really nice little pics with her camera but so far I haven't quite figured out how to post them on this site. When I go to Image, it wants a URL. All I have is that little flat chip thing you insert into the computer.

 

[MJC4]

Carl, insert the SD card ( flat chip thing) into your laptop or desktop and download the images to the c-puter. Then when you go to more reply options on the bottom of your post, click on it, then on the lower left it will say attach files. Click on that and either go to your pictures files or recent places and you can click on the pics you want to post. Hope that helps.

Mark

 

[Carl]

The first one looks like bamboo, but I know they make faux canes that look exactly like this (New cost about $100. I paid $5 at Goodwill).

The light wood is heavy and sturdy. I picked it up some years ago at a flea market and have a vague feeling it may be something like mulberry. Although light, it has a lot of colors in it. The grip is a natural bend in the wood. Farther down is another probably faux cane. It has a great many very evenly spaced steps, but it's nice and also very light. Both the first cane and this one feel hollow, but I don't really know.

I hope this is going to be readable. Thanks for your interest, Carl Oh, I see by the preview that all the pics show up. Great!

 

[gdenby]

On the second photo from the left, it seems to me that it is turned wood. On several of the raised areas I can see different layers of grain. The wood appears to be fairly close grained, and regular. Of the woods I've worked, it resembles maple the most.

The next four, couldn't say. I've been working on several pieces of mulberry lately. I have some thin young sticks that are a pale yellow As they get older and thicker, the color becomes darker. But the pieces I've worked on tend to have a more coarse grain. Its a fast growing tree, and so the growth rings can be rather thick, and very irregular depending on how rainy a particular year was.

I think there is a good chance the last 2 pics are showing a Mallaca cane, a kind of palm. They were very popular in the 1900s. I did come across a few pics online of a type of bamboo called "whangee." It was the name of the kind of cane that Charlie Chaplin used. But the pics I've seen of it shows the joints to be more raised. Also, I've never seen bamboo that wasn't hollow, and it looks like the end of the handle is solid.

 

[Carl]

Thanks so much for your input. I can't tell, but I thought that possibly the end had been filled in, although I realize they make very clever faux canes. The two however, are very light and the darker cane is my favorite. Carry it everywhere. Others, such as the light color, and a pretty cane with a duck's pert head, etc. spend their lives figuring out ways of falling no matter where you place them. This darker cane has a perfect bend at the top and I can hang it anyplace without a problem. If I learn anything more, and/or find another nice cane, I'll post a pic, now that I know how.

 

[Blinky Bill]

Carl, I'm a newbie and certainly no expert but I think the sticks you have may be from Kale or "Walking stick cabbage" it may help to go to Google images and type "canes from walking stick cabbage" I believe the plant originates in the Jersey Islands and has been cut and dried for canes and walking sticks for many years..........I hope this is of some help.

Regards

John......a.k.a. Blinky Bill