[mauldintiger]

So, I have developed a new hobby in retirement, making walking sticks!
I have neuropathy in my feet that causes numbness and a lack feeling. The biggest impact this has on my life is my balance. Walking sticks have become a necessity to prevent falls, 0 falls since my friend Vernon Atkins gave me my first stick. That led to me and grandson James making another, then I decided that I needed something a little larger to support my weight if necessary, so I bought a couple.
After they arrived I decided it it was stupid to buy them, so I started looking into several wooded areas I have access to and found a couple, worked them up and surprise! Instant hobby!
Later, I began to make them for friends and learn more about the craft and it became a daily effort to source the wood, remove the bark (sometimes), make a grip, a put on a protective finish.
I’m not currently charging any thing for them and have given them away to a couple of strangers when I learned of their need. If anyone needs one let me know.
My favorite wood is sassafras, it’s easy to work, light, durable, and strong enough for walking sticks. It also dries quickly.
I currently need more sources for sassafras, if any is willing to allow me to harvest some off their property, let me know.
Sassafras is a colony tree that sends up suckers from the roots. I guess most of what I harvest are about 10-12 years old. In about 10 years the suckers can be harvested again.

 

[dww2]

Cool sticks. I really like the texture you achieved on the first one. I did something very similar to a walnut cane shank a while ago.

 

[mauldintiger]

[QUOTE="dww2, post: 142454, member: 1458"
Cool sticks. I really like the texture you achieved on the first one. I did something very similar to a walnut cane shank a while ago.
[/QUOTE]
I took off most of the outer bark, leaving the deeper fissures. Apparantly ants love sassafras, hunfreds came out when I used my orbital sander!
I harvested two 30‘ sapling, one was dead and seasonEd, the other mostly dead, but had a few green leaves. I got three 6’ sticks and the cane which was 45”. I use it for mostly indoor events with the handle forward. It’s very comfortable since I’m 6’5”, so it’s easy for me to handle the extra length. Two coats of tung oil and 1 coat of my daughters soy wax from her candle busines and I was done.

 

[CV3]

Nice sticks. I like your wrap on the grip area also. This is a grip rap I use sometimes. You might enjoy trying it.

 

[mauldintiger]

Nice sticks. I like your wrap on the grip area also. This is a grip rap I use sometimes. You might enjoy trying it.

Nope, too complicated for me, but it looks great!