[Rodney]

We had about 5 minutes of sun earlier so I was able to get a few quick pictures.

The first one is completed.

It's a fritz style cane with what I think is an Elm handle and Pacific Yew shank



This next picture is of the canes I'm currently working on. Most have had at least one coat of oil.

You might recognize some of the handles from this winter.



From left to right:

1) Hazel shank with a White Oak handle

2) Hazel shank with Maple Cardigan Handle-I've decided it still counts as a Cardigan, though not a great example. Pacific Madrone burl spacer

3) Hazel shank with a lot of character with a good Cardigan handle. This handle is maple with both a lot of curl and a lot of nice spalting. The spacer is holly and madrone burl.

4) Hazel shank with spalted maple market stick handle. More holly and madrone for the spacer.

5) Mystery wood shank-it might be Cascara but I'm not 100% certain-with an Elm handle. Even more of the madrone and holly for the spacers on this one. Currently unfinished. It should be a pretty one when it's done. It will get it's first coat of oil this evening.

6) More mystery wood. One piece natural cane from the same wood as the last one. It's strong, light and stiff. I just don't know what it is.

Thanks for looking.

Rodney

 

[dww2]

Beautiful sticks Rodney. Especially love number three.

 

[Rodney]

Thank you!

That one is really nice. Number 5 is a great one too though it doesn't look like much in the picture. Turns out my memory was faulty. Number 5 actually has mahogany and holly spacers, not madrone. The oil really brought out the colors in the handle on that one. I was really surprised by how it looks with just one coat.

I'll post more pics when they're further along

Rodney

 

[MJC4]

Good looking work. U been busy!

 

[cobalt]

been busy I see well done

 

[Rodney]

Thanks guys.

The one in the top picture is heading off to it's new home in a day or two.

One, two and three in the group picture are all completed.

Here's a few more pictures.

Number 1: This one has a handle made from a branch of Oregon White Oak and a Hazel shank.



Number 2: Western Red Maple Handle with a small amount of curl and spalting with a Pacific Madrone collar. The shank is from the same clump of Hazel as the first stick. Some of the smoother, straighter hazel I've found so far.



The shank does have a couple small doglegs in it.



Number 3: Western Red Maple Handle, Pacific Madrone and Holly Spacers and a Hazel shank from a different bush.

This Hazel is more typical of what I usually find though with a little more character. There are a lot of grown over wounds in the bark on this stick.







All three of the handles are ones that I made over the winter waiting for my shanks to get dry enough to work with. The work then is paying off now.

The other sticks in the picture are still in progress but are getting close.

Rodney

 

[Gloops]

A nice set of sticks Rodney, you have been busy, well done.

 

[cobalt]

busy man eh

 

[CV3]

You have done a good job on those Rodney.

 

[Rodney]

EDIT: Thanks Randy, You replied while I was typing.

Yes, I've been spending a lot of my free time in the shop. I'm going through the sticks I've harvested quicker than I thought I would.

I'll have to get more for next year. I'm also getting more selective in my shank choices. Never ending learning process I guess.

I dropped #5 in the group shot and broke it. Apparently the dowel I used for the joint between the handle and shank wasn't as sound as I thought. It snapped in two. The handle will end up on a different shank now. I can save the shank too but it's going to be about 4 inches shorter. Better that it happened in the shop than after I sold it.

I've been steaming a few more sticks and roughing out a few more handles. I broke my band saw blade a couple days ago so I need to get a new one before I can make more handles.

I did build a new straightening jig today. Nothing fancy but it's much easier to use and to clamp to my bench than my old one was.

Rodney