[Lewey]

Just finished a new one. This one is Oak with Walnut. I decided to start the finishing by "sanding in" the first 3 coats of tru oil. Took a lot longer but resulted in a much smoother final finish that before. Gotta get stocked up for Father's Day.

 

[Lewey]

My methods are not complicated. The ones on this cane are basically done with forstner bits to drill about 1/4 inch into the cane and I used a set of plug cutters to cut walnut plugs.

On other items that are not round, I use a dremel cutter in my drill press to cut the inset then shape the inlay on my belt sander. I epoxy the inlays in. Maybe I'll do a "how to" next time I start one.

 

[Lewey]

Shawn, Yes, that is brass rod you're seeing. For the handle on this cane, I put two pieces of oak board together so I glued and pinned them with brass.

I've never used soapstone or catlinite but I have used some rhodocrocite with some of my canes. I made a cane one time for an Irish gentlemen and he wanted a green shamrock in it. I decided to use jade. Man that stuff was hard. I used about 5 diamond burrs just shaping it.