[RandyL476]

Here is my first walking sticks they are made from sweet gum.

 

[CV3]

Looks like a nice grain in the wood. It does not look like you have put a finish on yet. Will you use a oil finifh?

 

[RandyL476]

I used a polyurethane finish.

 

[gdenby]

Nice looking wood. Sweet gum isn't native to my area, but its been planted as an ornamental for a few decades. I hope to find some if a storm takes one down, and the property owners need to dispose of it.

Whats the wood like. Tight grained? Long fibers? etc.

 

[RandyL476]

Sweet gum is sort of a tight grain wood depending on how fast it grew but a lot of sweet gum the grain is twisted I burned sweet gum in my fire pit at my shed and when you split it the blocks split in a slight twist.

 

[cobalt]

Good start and a good way of getting into stickmaking , you will have to post a photo when you finished it to see how the finish has enhanced the stick

 

[RandyL476]

Here is a close up of one of my sticks after a few costs of polyurethane the dark places on the stick is what I call blueing it where mildew formed on the stick after I pelled the bark off. It wasn't that dark aftre sanding but when I applied the polyurethane it pulled it out.

 

[CV3]

Good grain patrons Thanks for the enlarged picture. How is the sweet gum to carve or use a knife on?

 

[RandyL476]

I haven't tried any carving yet, not much of an artist but the wood is not that hard to cut with a knife I used my pocket knife to cut down the end so I could add a tip.

 

[CV3]

When most of us start carving we are not much of a artist. I just started carving designs in sticks then wanted to learn more. Give it a try. All's you need is a sharp knife and a box of band aids. I bet you will be surprised how fast you can pick it up. There are some good books and YouTubes on getting started.

Randy

 

[RandyL476]

I got a dremel tool and I have wrote me and my kids names on scrap pieces and not a bad looking arrowhead I even had it looking like it was flaked like a real one.

 

[cobalt]

You will find the rotary tool very useful for adding detail. i have three of them always eady to go in the workshop.

But tfind its better to get the basic shape done 1st then use the dremmel.

Its not difficult to follow a pattern even print one of the computer.

I have only been carving for about 18mnths and keep trying to improve these new found skills.

Your doing the right thing by playing around with it it ,you will teach yourself how to tackle carvngs and it will slao tell you what tools to use for different jobs