[MJC4]

Greetings from snowy NW Indiana! ( 1st week of March and 3" of snow today yuck!)

I am newly retired and took up stick making and carving as a hobby a couple years ago after seeing some of the walking sticks for sale in the gift shops while traveling out west. The wife wanted to purchase one made from a broom handle with Custer State park wood burned on the handle, cost $35. I told her I could make a better one for a lot less and I have been fiddling around with sticks & canes ever since. ( Made her a nice hickory stick with bear bells and leather strap)

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble on this site and am impressed with the work I have seen from the members. I will have to get my I.T. guy, (g-son) to help me figure out how to post some pics of some of my work.

Glad to be here Mark

 

[gdenby]

Hello also from Indiana. I'm north central. Lots of good work and advice on this site.

I agree that this winter has been bad. Where I live, we have broken all records for snowfall, and are about 40% greater than average. W. the temp being so low, little has melted, and getting into the woods and fields to hunt for sticks has been too much for me.

Looking forward to seeing your work.

 

[Rad]

Welcome to the site Mark! Winter can't end soon enough!

 

[CV3]

Welcome from the deep south were the buds are on the trees. Look forward to seeing your work.

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome to the forum Mark!

 

[CAS14]

Greetings from snowy NW Indiana! ( 1st week of March and 3" of snow today yuck!)

I am newly retired and took up stick making and carving as a hobby a couple years ago after seeing some of the walking sticks for sale in the gift shops while traveling out west. The wife wanted to purchase one made from a broom handle with Custer State park wood burned on the handle, cost $35. I told her I could make a better one for a lot less and I have been fiddling around with sticks & canes ever since. ( Made her a nice hickory stick with bear bells and leather strap)

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble on this site and am impressed with the work I have seen from the members. I will have to get my I.T. guy, (g-son) to help me figure out how to post some pics of some of my work.

Glad to be here Mark

Welcome aboard! I too am very recently retired, or at least partly retired, and I've been tinkering with this for about a year and a half as time permits. My sticks for family and friends have cost me under $35, mainly because my time isn't worth anything except that it serves to keep me centered. The walking and looking for raw materials helps to keep me healthier.

So far, my favorite woods are bois d'arc (Osage orange) and honey locust, but I have great difficulty finding them around Tulsa. The oak varieties are the most prevalent around here. So far, I've had little time to learn to carve or wood burn, but those are goals for this year.

Best wishes to you in your retirement. I hope you are having as much fun as I am.

 

[JJireh]

Welcome! Can't wait to see what you bring to the table

 

[cobalt]

welcome to the site its agreat way to active and fit and teach your self new skills and ideas

Im sure we are all looking forward to see your work

 

[Lacumo]

Welcome to WSF!

 

[Fordj]

Mark,

Welcome to the site! I'm looking forward to seeing your sticks.

I've only been making sticks since New Years, but I'm having a lot of fun with it. I've learned a lot just reading these posts, hope you can learn as well.