How to make hiking sticks and staffs: hole placement for strap

      Am enjoying the walking stick guides guides. They are helpful and I am sure saving me some steps. I have a question...how do you determine how far from the top of the stick to place the strap / wrist hold when making  the hiking stick?  I have a guess but hate to drill out my first stick and put it in the wrong place.  thanks, Aaron 

     There are several methods of determining the correct placement of your walking and hiking stick strap hole. Stand up straight in the shoes you normally wear when hiking. Bend you elbow slightly more than 90 degree angle (slight angle up) and hold the walking stick you are are making. Where you hand rests is where the bottom of hiking sick staff strap should reach than you slide you hand through. In other words, when you hand is in the strap your elbow should be at a very slight angle up. Depending upon how long your strap will be will determine how far above this point you drill the hole.  Remember comfort and push off when using you stick.  It’s easier to push off with your stick if you elbow starts at a slight angle up.  If you snow ski it’s the same method used when selecting your poles sizes.

     The walking sticks guides will teach you how to make a variety of walking stick straps including rope weaving, strap making and more. Thank you for your question concerning the placement of your walking stick making project hand strap.

How to make wizard staffs and walking sticks differences

   What's the difference between making a walking staff, Wizard stick or septor? The actual way you work the wood is not different at all. The designs are different and what you do with the walking stick or wizard staff once its made. I do not know all the details about wizard stick magical properties and so forth. I know its base on the fact that wood is a living thing and even when cut it still holds some properties according to wizards. Beyond that the techniques to make a wizard staff and walking stick are the same. You put designs on the woods, wood burn images and even carve figures. if you are into wizard staffs please post some information here to inform other bloggers.

    Yes, even how you inlay stones, crystals and other objects are the same. There are several ways to inlay objects into the ends and sizes of walking sticks and staffs. Recently, I finished several wizard wands for some friends which I inlayed quartz crystals on the end and wired wrapped portions of the wand with copper wire. they turned out great. I used the same techniques as described in the how to make walking sticks and staff guides.

Wire wrapping adds  uniqueness to any walking stick making project. You can combine it with walking stick carvings, wood burning images and even rope work. Again, making magic wands, wizard sticks and other similar projects all use the same techniques. So branch out you walking stick making and try making a magic wand for your children or as a gift.

Walking stick making tools and hardware

One of the basic questions I always receive is "Do you need special tools or do most people already have what they need? when making hiking sticks and walking staffs?"  The answer is no and usually yes. First of all 90% of all the walking I make involve wood  bark peeling, sanding, painting, rope weaving and/or wood carving. Over the years I have purchased a few special tools (on Ebay) because the price was right. Once of the first walking stick making tools I purchased was a wood burning tool fro $20 on Ebay.

Yes, there are fancy wood burning set ups that cost $100 and more, but I have not purchased on yet. The small inexpensive one works fine for all my hiking stick making projects. Now, if you consider yourself a true detailed artist you may want to eventually purchase a higher end unit for intricate work but it's not necessary. I do not use special paint brushes or airguns when staining I use a old lint free rag. When painting I just use an inexpensive small detail brush that cost in packages of 10 about $3.00 (small model airplane type brushes).

Rope working is all done by hand so the only tools you may need to buy are tools to carve your walking sticks. If you have a good pocket knife with a few blades you may not even need to buy a wood working knife. The knife does need to be sharp and strong, and fit you hand comfortably. Wood carving walking sticks is the last part of learning how to make walking sticks. Not all your walking stick projects will include wood carving. In fact, may people never carve anything on their walking staffs and hiking sticks. If you do not have a good carving knifes or set check out Ebay for "Warren wood carving" set and you will fine one I use all the time for approximately $30. Yes, they have higher end sets but the $30 works great with its interchangeable blades. It's American made and they are strong.

Hwo to Make hiking sticks wood selections do's and do nots!

     This is an portion from the how to easily make unique hiking and walking stick guides that discussed the right and wrong woods to collect to make you won walking and hiking sticks or staffs. The actual how to make hiking sticks and walking staff guides has more information on this subject and other aspects of wood carving, wood burning, rope working, ferrule making, staining and other making walking sticks and staffs.

      Try to find Aspen, Basswood, and Butternut as your first walking stick making project. If you live in Canada Sumac would be a good choice too. I have carved various and unusual wood for hiking sticks and walking staffs. Most areas of the USA have various Pines and Firs that would work great. Aspen and willow from Colorado, Utah and other states are among my favorites.

      There is no exact guide to what wood is best for walking stick making. There are pros and cons to all wood types. If you find something interesting not on the above list - try it. Do not use heavy woods unless the end product is for decoration.

       Stay away from porous woods (cypress and other trees common to marsh areas) at first when making your hiking sticks if you plan to carve the wood. These woods are harder to work with and tend to chip when carving. I have a couple of great cypress walking sticks which are extremely light and strong.

Walking stick making proper height and wood collecting instructions

When collecting your walking stick wood to make your own hiking staffs consider the style and the height of the end product. The walking stick or hiking staff should measure, when the walking stick making project is completed, from the ground to a bit under the height of your chin. If you are making power walking hiking sticks then the height should be at a 5” to 8” higher than the level of your hand when you elbow is at a 90 degree angle.

It always better to collect wood from recent fallen wood or from an area being cleared. Usually you will need to cure the wood for 6 to 12 months before you start making the walking stick. Unless you like the look of the bark peel the wood as soon as you collect it (within 1..2 days). Otherwise if you try to remove the bark from your walking stick making wood it will take much more time and effort.

When stripping the wood try to peel not pry of the bard if possible to prevent damaging the wood you plant o use to make you hiking staff.  Do not start to sand the wood until it cured otherwise the moisture in the wood will clog up the sanding paper. The how to make unique walking stick guides is a great resource of information and instructions in all phases of walking stick making.  Whether you need to know what type of wood to collect, how to cure the wood, carving wood, staining, wood burning images, creating you own ferrules, and other custom walking stick making instructions.

Self collecting walking stick making wood

Once you select the wood you want to harvest fro your walking sick making project be careful to prevent damage to you and your future walking stick.

       How to cut: First remove any branches on sticking out from the limb you plan to harvest to make your walking stick. Start with the small branches and then tackle the larger ones. Support (hold) the branches you are cutting off to prevent splinting of the main limb. Use your saw blade to slow cut the branches. Do not rush through the branches which may cause damage to the area you plan to use for a walking stick or staff making.

       Once all the branches are removed, measure how much of the limb you need and mark it with your knife. If the walking stick project sapling or branch is large you may get two sticks out of it or use the thinner parts for a different project.

       Now, hold the limb you are harvesting above and away from the cut mark firmly. Use your saw blade to start a cut straight across it - do not cut all the way through. Now, score all around the trunk (cut through the bark).  
Flamboyant Tree Limb with a cut all around the limb.
  
          Once you score the complete trunk then continue to cut through the limb. You score the limb first to prevent bark/wood ripping. The straighter you cut across the less likely the wood will splinter. When selecting the wood for your walking stick making project make sure it the right type. Not all wood is good for a quality hand made walking stick or staff. Use the how to make unique walking stick guides for reference when collecting your wood.

         Always cut away from your body!  Remember you are in the woods and a deep cut could be costly!

How to make walking hking sticks by hand guides details

Excerpt from the beginning of How to easily make unique walking and hiking sticks by hand.

Ok, we all want to rush straight into Making Your Own Unique Walking Stick. However, we need to cover a few things first. Please, before you jump into things, read this section that has important information on various aspects of the hobby that you need to know before you start. 

         The guides are assembled in a manner to progressively take you from basic stick making, through wood burning images to carving.  It is a building process and it's highly recommended to review each chapter before you get started.  Many useful tips and tricks are revealed along the way that will give relief from hassles to make this hobby a great past time.

         Each How to make unique walking sticks and staffs guide Chapter will have a question and answer section. The Q & A area is reserved to answer questions by people just like you who need additional help; have suggestions; or just have a general question answered about stick making.  

         The making hiking sticks and walking staffs guides are designed to give you the knowledge to create unique walking sticks, hiking staffs or wizard staffs with little or no previous stick making experience.  If you have questions, need additional help or want to offer suggestions, please go to our blog.
 
       Many of us did not know if the walking stick wood could be worked. Is the walking stick wood the correct height? Or weight? Diameter?  We rushed home and started to work on the walking hiking stick and staffs What happened? In many cases the end result was trash. The wood cracked. It was too heavy or too short. In some cases we damaged the stick while trying to do something with it. In the end, frustration took over. Did this ever happen to you?

       Walking stick making is a great hobby or even a side business.  Who needs frustrations? With a bit of knowledge you will learn what to collect and how to work it. Let's get started!