Self Collected Willow Branches and Tool Used.

I just collected this willow branch while in Colorado last week. Willows branches come in various shades from rust color to a brown or brown/purple color. I collected 5 of these and each one was a bit different in shade. My son started to strip the skin/bark before I told him to wear gloves. As a result, when he finished his hands were stained with the sap - light rust brown. It took 3 days to wash off.

Some portions of the stick was stained with his hands and it turned out great.

In addition, I collected several great Aspen branches which were harder to find because aspen does not tend to grow straight.

Aspen is great to work with because it not too hard (the wood)and carves well. Once the skin is off is shows white wood. However, once you start to work with Aspen (sand/carve/cut out bad areas) areas of brown show up and creates a great look. Many times the brown is in streaks or lines.

Aspen is highly prized by the local people in Steamboat Springs for its white skin/bark and great fall colors. Many artists use Aspen to create fantastic walking sticks, turn bowls and flower vases.

You will notice the knife I use all the time to self collect sticks. It comes with a 3.5" blade and 3.5" saw blade. The saw blade cuts extremely fast and easy. People are surprised how easy it cuts (keep it sharp). The image shows the saw blade extended.

Remember to always to cut away from you. Control the pressure applied and make sure you keep safety in mind whenever you use the tool. Learning the correct woods to collect and how to work them is half the battle when making a walking stick. This is an active hobby from hiking to collect the wood, striping or not the bark, working the wood and then show off the finished project. Many people have made a business from this hobby.

P.S. I was able to collect a fir sapling while on a hike - very straight and light weight once it ages!

Five more days until Colorado bound. I'm still looking for good hiking spots in the Steamboat Springs and Estes Park area. Anybody have any suggestions? Also, does anybody know the hiking stick wood or wood staff collecting rules in the Rockies National Park? I know that I can collect wood for walking sticks in areas outside of the park and on private land if given permission. But what about in the national park.

Also, we will be fishing along the river behind the lodge we are staying in. Any suggestions of what to use as bait or fly?

Does anybody want to trade bamboo to make staffs and walking sticks for woods in their areas? I have a few neighbors who do cut back their bamboo a few times a year and I always go through the piles to get hiking staff making materials. I mostly make staffs and hiking poles not walking canes with curved handles. I usually add a good hiking compass, weaved rope handles, metal tips for traction and so forth on the cane staffs and walking sticks.

Have a great Friday!

Self Collecting Wood

Self collecting wood while on trips is a great way to bring wood hiking sticks projects home. However, you need to know your wood types and colelcting laws. Not all national forst or state parks allow collecting of saplings or even dead wood. Many times you can collect one type but not another.

Private land is a different story. If you own you own land its up to you. In fact, I have grown my ceder on land I own in Tennessee and even used ficus aeral roots in my area in Miami. Ficus tends to be heavy so I mostly use it for short walking stick that need great strength (I made one for my neighbor who has a bad leg).

Either way learn the walking sticks and hiking staff wood types and how to work them. Also, you need to check the wood of insects and wood boring worms. There are methods to get rid of worms inside of wood. In Montana, there is a carver outside of Bozeman that has made a business of making things from wood with worm holes. The holes and bores give the wood a great look (he collects old fence posts and turns them on a lathe).