[MJC4]

Had an idea for an eagle's head on a T handle cane.

This is my second attempt at the eagle head. The first one ended up as "designer" firewood, but I learned a couple things from the attempt.

Here are a couple of pics from the start of the handle. Its a piece of silver maple and its nice wood to work with.

 

[rdemler]

I wish I had the patience to carve..Maybe when I retire....Gonna be an interesting handle..

 

[Gloops]

The only way to learn - make mistakes, far better than reading about it. An old friend of mine told me carving is easy -"just cut off what you don't want".

looking forward to its progress.

 

[cobalt]

Should make a good walking stick handle , are you going to do some low relief work on it. with that size head you should be able to get the whols body as the handle?.

keep the work in progress on pics for us . we are all nosey. good luck

 

[CV3]

Nice start Mark.

 

[MJC4]

Progress on the eagle handle cane.

Eagle has several coats of washed out acrylic paint on head and beak. Still need some touch on the beak and to install the eyes.

Rest of handle is done with walnut stain.

The stick is actually an 1 1/4" red oak dowel from one of the box stores. I wanted an 1 1/8" dowel but they didn't have any in red oak. They had 1" but I thought that might be a little light. I was thinking about spiraling the shank and now that I have gotten an 1 1/4" diameter I think I will make that happen.

 

[rdemler]

Very nice..The spiral will look great too..

 

[Gloops]

Will look alive when the eyes are in, keep posting.

 

[CV3]

I wish I had the patience to carve..Maybe when I retire....Gonna be an interesting handle..

Rdemler, to carve you just need a sharp knife and a large box of ban aids. Patience comes after each bad aid!!

 

[CV3]

The eagle is looking good Mark. Especially being your first try carving the T handle. Look forward to the finish stick. 1 inch dowels are good for canes. Most all store canes are 3/4 to 7/8th's almost all the canes I make using a dowel are 1 inch.

 

[MJC4]

Got the spiral cut and sanded. Red oak is beautiful wood but hard to work, hand sanding is tough.

Put the eyes in the eagle and dry fit up the stick.

Shaft needs to be stained in walnut to match the handle, install all thread and gorilla glued up prior to a spar poly finish.

Stick is getting there!

 

[cobalt]

good job mark lovely wood shame to stain it

 

[CV3]

It is a nice looking T handle cane. Good job..

 

[MJC4]

Finished this piece up last night.

Cane handle is silver maple stained to dark walnut. Eagles head is painted with acrylics. The eyes are small crafting beads.

Shank is an 1 1/2" dia. red oak dowel with a spiral cut into it and stained to match the handle. Lanyard is woodland camo 550 paracord with wooden craft beads for embellishment. Stick is finished with 2 coats of spar poly on the shank and I applied a 3rd coat to the handle for additional wear.

This was a learning ( all my carvings are ) experience carving the eagle on the T handle. It was the second attempt at the eagle head. ( first one looked like an albatross) There will be another as I thoroughly enjoy carving the symbol of the USA. Next one needs more detail on the shape of the beak.

As an FYI all the big box stores carry red oak dowels from 1" to 1 1/2" dia. and are relatively cheap for a 36" stick that is arrow straight with no knots. I will definitely use the dowels again.

 

[CV3]

You are off th a good begging on the Eagles head. Dowels make a good cane shaft. I have used them many times.

 

[cobalt]

handy source for hardwood . all our local wood yards are nearly all softwoods

 

[Gloops]

Done a good job, it has made a nice looking cane, like the addition of the wrist strap.