Carve a Staff / Walking Stick

Step 14 FAQ

Feel free to ask questions in the comments section.

Key: Q: Question A: My Answer RW: Rick Wiebe (What Master Whittler/Carver Rick Wiebe Says)

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Q: Do you know what kind of wood it is that you're using?

A: The wood I'm using is paper birch.

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Q: How do you recommend protecting the end that goes into the ground so that it doesn't split?

A: If you rounded it, I'm pretty sure it shouldn't split. I've also seen some people put a crutch tip on the bottom, like in this instructable.

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Q: I'm guessing the color of dried inner bark could be different depending on whether it's a softwood or hardwood. Also, if someone wanted to try their hand at carving some kind of pattern in the wood, should that be done immediately (while still green), or should you wait until the wood has been well-dried?

RW: The color of the inner bark is very Dependant upon the species. If you carve alder, you will notice that the inner bark and the outer bit of the wood will turn very red quite quickly after being cut. What is happening is the same as the discoloration of an apple after it is bitten into.

Some types of maple, (sugar maple for example) are very hard and probably aren't the best choice for sticks that will have faces carved in them. I often carve faces into the sticks while they are quite wet. Most types of wood are asier to carve when they are wet. Stick that are cut in the fall or winter will crack less as they dry because there is less moisture in them and therefore less to come out. As the wood shrinks it will crack. More moisture means more shrinkage and more cracking (usually called "checking"). It is helpful to let the stick dry a bit before doing extensive woodburning on it.

Hardwood and softwood are funny terms. Some hardwoods are softer than some softwoods. Balsa, the softest wood in the world is a hardwood. The trees called softwoods are the ones that are called coniferous, or what we usually call in Canada "evergreens" though some of them do not stay green all year round (larches and tamaracks for example). Hardwoods are what we call deciduous, which mostly lose their leaves in the fall and don't have cones, though some, alders for example, have cones, and others, arbutus leaps to mind, don't lose their leaves in the fall. I do not encourage people to make sticks out of coniferous saplings because they usually have a lot of pitch which will create problems. Also, many of the hardwood saplings that grow in the ditches etc., are considered to be weeds and there is no problems with cutting them down. Douglas maple, birch, alder, saskatoon, willow and aspen all fit in this category. It is fun to experiment with different kinds of wood and see which ones work for you and which ones you like.

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Comments

[James Haskin]

I cut some branches off of my see grape tree the other day and I saved a few branches to make waking sticks with them. I read online that some people let maple branches dry for up to a year. I think ill wait a few weeks and see how mine turn out. I also found this thingthats supposed to protect the end.

[thepelton]

The rule of thumb for drying is one year for every inch of diameter or thickness.  I would set those grape stems away probably for two with the ends sealed, if I were their owner.

[whiteoakart]

Agreed. One year per inch. You can seal the ends and cut-off knots with beeswax or paraffin.  This helps it dry evenly to avoid checks and splits.

[iceteamonster]

i have a walking stick I took out of the center of my fathers cherry tree last time he had me trim it. It is curved and I was wondering if there was any way of straitening it?

[Arbitror]

I would leave it in a bath of water for a couple of days, they use clamps to hold it straight, or tie it to something straight.

[digrat]

How do you recommend protecting the end that goes into the ground so that it doesn't split? Which kind of finish do you recommend: wax, shellac, polyurethane, or leaving it natural?

[Survivorman]

I have experimented with many finishes and combinations of finish, and the following sequence seems to work best: 1. Apply an oil-based stain like "Minwax" stain products - for both protection and to add color and beauty to your timber. Apply as many coats to develop the color you desire. 2. Apply a tung oil finish - at least 2 coats. And I have recently NOT been wiping down the applied tung oil after applying as per the instructions. Buff-out the tung oil finish after it completely dries. I allow 12-24 hours. 3. After buffing out the tung oil, I apply at least 2 coats of finishing wax - like "butcher wax" or "Minwax finishing wax". I apply at least 2 generous coats. I allow the wax to set and form a hard "haze" before buffing out with an old towel. I use a cord wrap for the bottom to prevent splitting as a result of impact, and I always apply a chair cap or crutch tip to the bottom after the finishing process in complete.

[zzoe]

Ditto, chair cap works fine, black hard rubber, though, not the cheap plastic kind... but you knew that, sorry.

[thepelton]

You could also cut it down to the size of a copper pipe cap available at a plumbing supply store.

[HOMEPIE64]

i have done none of those things and they were from different trees one came out perfect (the trunk) and the other one cracked very badly down the middle

[Arbitror]

I've added a sealing step

[thepelton]

try cutting down the end into a round tenon that will fit into a copper cap such as you can find in a plumbing supply store.