How do you make a walking stick?

Asked by: Greg Baxton

What is the best wood to make a walking stick out of?

Excellent woods for walking sticks include hazel, birch, cherry, blackthorn, ash, oak, elder, and holly. Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa, or “sloe”) is perhaps ideal. These woods also make excellent walking stick handles, either in the shape of root knobs or knots, or when turned into shape on a lathe.

How do you make a wooden walking stick?

So the first step is finding yourself a stick let's see we can find. Perfect so the next thing we're gonna do now that we've rounded up our piece of wood. We're gonna use a handsaw.

How do you make a quality walking stick?

Long roots and saplings with a diameter of 5 to 7 inches at the wide end work well look for sticks with a slight taper. And long enough to trim to about 5 feet 6 inches in length.

Can you make a walking stick from pine?

Pine will almost always be “sappy”, which will leach out past the finish and need to be covered with tape or leather over the handle area. It can be used for a walking stick but is not a “good” walking stick and has better uses.

How thick should a walking stick be?

To make a walking stick, start by finding a fairly straight, 1-2 inch thick stick that’s about as tall as the distance between the floor and your armpit. If it’s taller than that, you can cut it to size. Once you’ve found a stick, whittle off the bark and any twigs or bumps using a knife.

What is the correct length of a walking stick?

Here’s a good rule on sizing: Standing with your arms at your side, the stick should be about 6 or 8 inches taller than your elbow. Pick a longer stick if you’ll be tackling steep terrain. If you’re really just planning on walking with your stick, a shorter one will do.

How do you make a homemade walking cane?

I decided to cut multiple round plugs or little round segments stack them on top of one another and then attach them using a dowel.

Does bamboo make a good walking stick?

Bamboo is light-weight, easy to cut, and is available is extra-long lengths, making it perfect for walking sticks. Because bamboo is hollow between the branch nodes, special attention is needed when attaching a wood carved cane topper.

How do you seal a wooden walking stick?

Apply two coats of wood stain, allowing each coat to dry overnight, to give the stick a darker, richer hue. Then apply three coats of clear urethane varnish to seal the wood and prevent rot. Allow each coat of varnish to dry overnight. Sand the stick lightly with very fine sandpaper or steel wool after each coat.

What kind of oil do you use on a walking stick?

Some people prefer linseed oil, which I found superior for wood tool handles. For walking sticks, I prefer full gloss polyurethane in spray cans. 4 coats is usually enough. Lightly sand between each coat with 200 to 400 grit.

How do you keep a walking stick from splitting?

Coat the Cuts With Wax



Dip each end of the wood into the melted wax to coat the cuts. This prevents the wood from splitting, called checking, while it dries. Brush wax onto any places where you cut off twigs. Allow the wax to dry.