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!