[valky307]

My professional tree trimmer and wood seller friend says Locust is the top seller for resale right now, but that is for retail lumber and commercial use,
I think for hiking sticks and canes fruit branches are far better and more pleasing to the eye and much more economical for our craft.
Truth is I use what ever I can find that fits!

 

[dww2]

I have a few bits of black locust in the shed drying. Managed to find some fairly straight pieces in the old cow pasture behind my folks' house last year.
Fruit wood is great to work with, true. Harder to find, which is why I started growing my own.
My regular faves for hiking sticks would have to be ash and maple. Good balance between strength and weight.

 

[CV3]

The answer is going to be a regional one based on what is avalible to the stickmaker. When I could get out a walk the woods I liked oak, hickory, dogwood and peacan.Walnut is my pesonal favoret. When I can get. As dww2 said your fruit woods are good. I have to order it but I am a fan of aspen, diamond willow and ash. In the UK Hawthorn, holly, blackthorn and hazel are popular. I do not use any thing less the 1 inch in diameter. Most woods get to be a bit heavey over 2 inches. The variety is one of the things I find fun about making sticks.

 

[BigJim]

I usually use what ever looks good and is strong. 90% of the hiking/walking sticks I look for are the twisted ones but if I see one that is unusual I will go with that one also. I do have several sticks that aren't twisted though.

 

[valky307]

Well for me it's not going to be Tobacco wood! LOL!
I received 6 sticks today and they were not cylindrical but actually square in diameter. So much work ahead to finish them as projected. I think from now on I will stay with the fruit tree limbs if I can find them. To me they seem to have more aesthetic character than the traditional yard findings like maple, sycamore, elm, oak etc.

 

[CV3]

Well for me it's not going to be Tobacco wood! LOL!
I received 6 sticks today and they were not cylindrical but actually square in diameter. So much work ahead to finish them as projected. I think from now on I will stay with the fruit tree limbs if I can find them. To me they seem to have more aesthetic character than the traditional yard findings like maple, sycamore, elm, oak etc.

valky307 You can round them out with a bench plane pretty quickly. I will buy 2"x 6"s rip them into 3 sticks and round them off. With a sharp plane it goes fast. Make a circle on each end with a compass, It will not look like so much to take down.

 

[valky307]

Your skill and advise it way beyond my talents but will try my best! Hold on to see what I can do.

 

[ndncowboy]

Hold on to see what I can do.

Uh ho, is that a hold my beer statement???

 

[valky307]

Uh ho, is that a hold my beer statement???

No! It's a hold on to your whisky glass statement!
Beer is for bikers and whisky is for us granddads!