[firie000]

These are my first efforts.

Left to Right:

Old eucalypt stick I have had for years. straightened as best I could and topped with horn and french whipping with turks heads each end.

Bamboo ( I have a large stand quite close to home) topped with horn and tuks head grip.

Thumb sticks. One is hazel not sure of the other. Both sticks I purchased at the stick shop (and what a shop!!!) in Tobermory last year.

Currently working on a poplar thumb stick with a wood spirit and antler topper.

Poplar is easy for me to get here. Anyone else work with is timber???

 

[cobalt]

Looking good. like thumb sticks. starting a collection eh>

Tobermory Scotland? the stick shop has a good range of products nice to poke around in

never worked with popular

 

[CV3]

Nice work firie000. They look good.

 

[MJC4]

Very good looking pieces firie000. What are the wraps on the sticks made of, paracord?

I have made sticks from tulip poplar. The Tulip tree or yellow poplar is the state tree of Indiana and is fairly common where I live. It is a hardwood, though it is a relatively easy wood to carve, comparable to American basswood or European lime. I have found it doesn't take stain too well without a conditioner first. Not sure how it would take oil as I didn't try to finish with boiled linseed oil.

The 1.25"-1.5" diameter walking sticks I made were fairly strong for their lightweight.

I know a couple others on this sight have made sticks from Aspen which is another poplar native to the mountain west and northern regions of the U.S. I believe it's similar in appearance and workability to our tulip/yellow poplar.

 

[firie000]

I have looked at Aspen as a possibility for purchase through a US supplier. It's nice looking timber.

 

[gdenby]

Aspen wood is quite beautiful, but is very soft, as are all the true poplars.

One of the most common around here is called cottonwood. Almost always grows near water courses, and can grow very large. Essentially if is a giant sponge. The tree survives because it doesn't die when wind damaged, and also makes huge numbers of seeds. I live near some big ones, and when they release the cotton like seeds, the ground for blocks around will be white with a fluffly coating.

If you look here, you will note that aspen, cottonwood and true poplar are not considered durable, and prone to rot and bug infestation

Tulip poplar is also quite light, and relatively soft, like real poplar, but the wood is a little denser. While it flourishes in wet land, it grows well in drier soil, and so tends not to be spongy.