How to Whittle a Staff or a Walking Stick. :2)

First I want two say that I DO NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGE OR INJURY .
(also sorry for any spelling mistakes or punctuation as I am only 13 years old)

So you want to make a cool looking walking stick but you don't know how to. This is the instructible for you!!!

What you will need:

-A good stick,
-A sharp knife,
-sand paper,
-two hands,
-Varnish (optional)

Step 1: Finding a Good Stick

-Step 1

Now if you are going to make a walking stick you will have to have a good stick. You should choose one about shoulder height, as straight as possible, thick enough to not brake but thin enough to be easy to move and with as little knots as possible.

Step 2: Draw the Outline.

-Step 2

Now that you have your stick you should draw the outline of what you are going to carve. In this design I don't carve a shape but I just make a pattern out of the plain wood and the bark. Don't worry if you make a mistake, you can just rub it off.

Step 3: Start to Carve.

-Step 3

Now that you have drawn your outline of the pattern on the bark you should start to carve it. To get started all you have to do is round off the top so that when you walk with it it wont be sharp on the top. First cut shallow near the top then cut more into the grain as you get closer to the end creating a half circle on the top of the stick.

Step 4: How to Carve.

-step 4.

After you have done the bottom and top of the stick you should start to make the pattern on the bark. just do small controlled thumb pushing cuts on the bark. remember your knife should be really sharp or you could loose control and cut yourself and make the wood look messy.

Step 5: Finish Off!!!

-Step 5

Now that you have carved the pattern on your stick you need to sand paper it and varnish it. If you are happy with what you already have then you don't have to do this step. It is only if you want a perfect finish. I don't know how to varnish properly as I only sandpaper my work. I am sure that when you want to varnish you can just find info on the web or at the library.

When you sandpaper you want to try to get picture one to look like picture two.