[Adjutant17]

Greetings all. I'm brand new on the forum and only marginally competent in using such things, so it will take a while before I can become anything more than a minor pain in the rear. But, I do have a problem maybe someone can help me with: I cannot find western red cedar stick blanks anywhere on line. They were once available from wupensticks, but sadly, he has passed on. Any suggestions?

 

[CV3]

I too have looked for western cedar sticks with no luck. Smoky Mountain carvers supply sells some red cedar sticks. they come with a finish on them and are a bit pricey,

 

[gdenby]

Hi, from up in central Indiana, near the Michigan boarder.

Are you just searching the term "western red cedar." I don't know enough about cedar species, but maybe if you broadened the search to "red cedar -aromatic" you might find a supplier who has eastern red. I suppose that is comparable to western.

I know there are lumber and timber suppliers who sell eastern online. Don't know if they would bother w. a small order. There are plank vendors on ebay. You'd have to cut thinner sections from those. Certainly not a natural look, but at least there would be the nice color and grain.

 

[Adjutant17]

Thanks for the responses. Yeah, I can find lots of cedar lumber and logs, but stick blanks are just not out there. Maybe I should come at this from another direction: the look I'm after is one that features the limb/twig nodes left. Hickory, maybe? I hate to give up on the rich, beautiful cream and crimson glow under Danish oil, tho. Any other ideas?

 

[gdenby]

Go to eBay and look up a vendor called Teraprom Land Company. Their primary business is rural real estate, but they remove non-native trees and thin the woodlots. It seems that they are offering more boards just now, but I see they have7 cedar sticks on hand just now. I bought some osage orange and hornbeam from them. They are central IL, so shipping was quick, and not too expensive.

 

[Sean]

Just a note...Wayne from Wupensticks is here with us and very much alive. He's taken a break from making

sticks and doing some other wood related projects.

cheers,

Sean

 

[Adjutant17]

Good news. Thanks for sharing.

 

[cobalt]

its the time of year to harvest your own, ask a local land owner for permission to harvest a few. and when he give it make him one and you will have a friend for life .it works a treat. Just as long you are selective in what you cut and don't leave a mess behind you.

you will have to season them , but don't try to straighten them until there seasoned it wont work

The advantages of harvesting your own is you can be selective in the size you want and don't cut any you cant straighten especially those that are bent where there's a knot. There impossible to straighten there also dangerous for the user if he relays on it for a lot of support.as it wont take much weight.

Most landowners are helpful if you talk to them and it often does the tree good to thin a few branches out.

 

[Rodney]

Welcome! I live where it grows. I'm in between legs at the moment so mobility is limited until my prosthetic is made. I may be able to help you out after that though. Were you buying limbs or trimmed saplings? Most limbs are going to have a pretty significant curve to them.

Rodney

 

[CAS14]

Cedars of both varieties grow like weeds in the central U.S.A. During the early 20th Century, especially during those "dust bowl" days, farmers in the western Great Plains and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma planted western red cedar along fence lines for windbreaks. Since then, the western red cedar has become a problematic weed as it has spread eastward.

I've dug up several saplings on my brother's place in east Texas when visiting over the winter months. The root ball sometimes makes a nice topper, either sanded just enough to smooth but leaving some knobs where the roots went out, or smoothing entirely in a shillelagh style. I haven't dug any for several years now.

 

[Rodney]

I hadn't thought about it being planted elsewhere in the USA. It makes sense though. It's a useful wood when it's grown though like most species the young trees don't have a chance to produce as nice of lumber as the old growth did.

Until now I hadn't given cedar much thought as a material for walking sticks. I've been looking only at hardwood species around here. Maybe if I find the right sapling I'll give one a go.

Rodney