Make your own hand made walking stick holder

Create a Walking Stick Holder

        What do your do with all your walking sticks you made? How do you display or store them? This section will give you a couple of ideas on how to display your walking sticks or staffs with a bit of class.

Step 1: The idea is simple idea of how to store your hand made walking sticks and you have two ways to do it. Find a log slice that is at least 10” thick and 20” in circumference. If you have many walking sticks you will need to get slices with larger circumferences.     

      The thickness is needed to give it some weight. When the log section dries it looses 40% or more if it’s weight due to water loss. yes, you can add weight to your walking stick and hiking staff holder to keep if from tipping over.

Step 2: If the bark is interesting then do not remove it. If it is damaged or you like to see the wood grains then strip the bark and sand the wood.

Step 3: Get a wood drill bit that is larger than the measurement of each sticks circumference. You are going to drill holes into the top of the wood section to hold the walking sticks made by you upright. Placement of the holes is critical so all your sticks fit in place and provide a pleasant arrangement. Make each hole location with a pencil.

        Do not overcrowd the holder or it will be an eye-sore. The best holders hold odd number of sticks. Create a circular pattern with the hole marks and then place 1 or 3 in the center.

Step 4: Now drill the holes 7” to 8” deep. Then test each hiking stick or walking staff to make sure it fit in the holes. Making walking sticks presentation holders is a get add-on to your hobby,

 

Step 5: Finish the wood with stain or other finish. Now you have a completed walking stick holder for the wood staffs you made by hand.

How to make hiking sicks self collected wood

    Spring is here now and its time to check your walking sticks that you are curing from the wood collected in the fall. Depending upon your location and wood type you need to cure wood self collected for making walking and hiking sticks. Curing properly greatly limits wood splitting and cracks than can destroy a walking stick making project. Most people collect walking sticks wood when the sap is not flowing because it decreases the time it takes for the wood to cure and the chances of cracks as the hiking staff dries out.

    Wood should be cured in a climate controlled environment that is low in moisture. Here in south Florida this means inside a home with A/C. We are in a tropical environment and curing walking sticks outside is not an option with our high humidity.  If you are in an arid area you can cure the wood for your hiking stick making project in a garage out of extreme heat that can cause warping of the walking stick wood. The walking stick guides give more details on how to cure wood including methods to prevent wood warping.

     Yes, depending upon the variety of the wood you are collecting you can collect during other times of the year. Collecting wood to make walking sticks is half the fun with this hobby. Whether you want to make a hiking staff, walking stick, wizard stick or walking cane it better to prevent hobby frustration and problems before they happen.

Hand made walking sticks

Walking sticks and hiking staffs are an great asset when ascending or descending hills during back pack trips. What even better is using your own hand made walking sticks and hiking staffs from wood collected during your hiking adventures.

I live in South Florida but venture to all areas of the USA exploring the national parks and state parks. Hand made hiking sticks and staffs are tolls and in many areas a fashion statement. People continually ask where they can buy hiking sticks like ones I made. I tell them its hand made.

Using the walking sticks will save you energy and possibly from injury when traveling in the back country
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With airlines travel restrictions and so forth a hand made walking stick may be to long However, there are ways to make a hand made walking stick or staff to fit into your luggage. Look for an article soon on how to split your handmade walking sticks and adding connectors in the middle of them so you can pack then in normal luggage.

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.