Make a willow walking stick how to make a hiking stick

   The willow wood is perfect for making hiking sticks and walking canes.  Its a very recognizable tree species and is ready available in many parts of the USA. The willow trees love water and grow along rivers, streams and lakes.  the last willows I collected for walk-in stick making was in Utah and Colorado.  The best time to collect them is in the fall as their leaves fall so you see the limb size the best. You want to collect ones that have a diameter of around 1" to 2".  Its was not a weeping willow which its branches are too thin most of the time to make a hiking stick.

 The willow I collected he willow wood it had a red brown exterior which makes it a perfect wood for making a hiking stick with the skin/bark left on.  When I made the willow walking stick I left sections of the outer skin/bark on and carved several trout fish on the peeled away area.  Then I painted the fish and added some carved river rocks below the fish to make it look like it was swimming in a stream. The walking stick turned out great and now my father is using it when he hikes/walks.

  The walking sick guides has a fall leaf bonus project using willow  sapling. The walking stick and hiking stick making project has several fall leafs carved and painted. then a copper wire is added to the  give the walking stick now pizzazz.

Walking stick making and carving woods and methods

Walking stick making has developed a great hobby for some and for others a part-time/full time business. They make great holiday gifts and specialized help for people who are not as young as they use to be. Making my own walking sticks and actually using it if one of my hobbies has given me many hours of enjoyment. 

 Relatives and friends continually ask me for help in making their own sticks over the years has been making hiking sticks for fun, gifts and my own use. I try to collect unusual woods over the years and even make a few out of Queen Palm fronds. The last one I make (two weeks ago) was from birch I collected over 3 years ago. I have birch, aspen, pine, flamboyant, oak, bottle brush, drift wood and other wood ready to work. Some of the hiking stick and staff making wood is over 6 year old. 

Remember to cure your wood before making your walking stick and some wood such as diamond willow I would wait a good year before creating a handmade hiking stick. Why cure the wood?  Wood will shrink and even possibly crack so it you make your hiking stick from uncured wood you are asking for problems in the future.  Think about the time you will spend only to find out late that a crack has developed in the middle of your carved hiking stick.

My current project is using cedar limb and I’m carving the walking stick! Cedar smells great while carving but you need to wear a mask if you are using power tools!

How to collet walking stick making wood Make hiking stick

Do you plan to make your own walking stick from self-collected wood? Before you start your walking stick project you need to collect the wood. First determine the correct size of the stick you need before collecting wood from a forest for a neighbors tree cuttings.

We recommend that you collect the wood for your hiking stick making project longer than what you need by about 12” if possible. This gives you the ability to cut off bad ends or to adjust the height before you add the ferrules.

First, look for fallen wood or wood  cut form the trees.  Check to see if the wood is stiff and will support your weight. Do not collected wood that is protected or in a place where it is not permitted.  If you are in a desert look for fallen cactus with hard skeletons that make great walking and hiking stick making projects.  In the forest, know you wood because some wood is very difficult to carve if you plan to cave on your hiking or walking stick.

The how to make walking stick making guides is a great resource on what type of wood to collect, how to get the right length, how to carve your waling stick, how to add  weave para-cord onto your walking stick and other aspects of walking stick and hiking stick making.

 If you are taking wood that is alive from a tree or a sapling for your walking stick making project try to get it from an area that is overgrown with the same type of tree. Do not collect rare or protected trees even if not in a nation forest. If possible, when collecting a sapling try to leave a portion of the sample intact so it can regrow.