How to make Wood Hiking stick or scout stick

    Adding details to your hiking stick making project, such as a web handle, is an easy addition when you want to customize your walking stick.  Adding the walking stick web handle is the last step, however, determining the height of the hole should be considered at the same time as your high adjustments.  Also, check the height or your walking stick before selecting the wood. 

     The hiking stick staff should be approximately the height of  your chin or if you are making a staff as tall as you.  Determine the comfortable height of where you want to hold the walking whiling stick when in use. The webbing material used for the handle attachment point will be higher than you hand placement.

   
       Webbing material for your walking stick making project comes in many varieties and styles. Webbing is a polyester material which is easy to use but very durable.  The image to the left shows a few we use and the tool we use to sew the webbing together. No you do not need the special tool to make your wood hiking stick - use a heavy / think needle instead.  Do not use regular sewing thread. In the walking stick making guides it details thread material what to use (yes, most home already have the thread we use but its not called thread) that is both very strong, durable and water proof so it will last many many years.

       The walking stick making guides gives complete details on the how to add the webbing, the correct height of the hole when making you walking stick, how to prevent fraying of the material and alternative material for you handle including weaving your own using para-cord for you hiking stick making project.

       Once you determine the location of hole when you make your walking or hiking stick go ahead and drill it.  Smooth the hole and hole edges.  Now go ahead and work on other details of your walking stick making project including adding wood burning images, carving, painting and finishing the wood all detailed in the walking stick guides.  Then at the very end of the project attach the handle when making hiking stick from wood.

Making magic wands and inserting crystals in walking sticks

Inserted quartz crystal to end of a walking stick or wand

         Several people have asked about inserting crystals on the end of their walking stick making projects. In the walking stick guides it shows how to prepare the wood and several ways to attach items to the end of walking sticks.  Making a magic wand uses the same methods as making a hiking stick or walking stick. I have inserted crystals, rock cabs, rough rocks, compasses, and other items  to a walking stick or magic wand.


        It's important when adding anything to the end of a hiking stick or magic wand is that its secure.  the walking stick guides shows step by step how to insert objects and secure them in a couple different ways. In the image above a crew is used to secure the quartz crystal in the wood.  The natural quartz crystal is about 1/2" into the wood and provides a unique tip for a walking stick project or magic wand.

Several finished magic wands made using the information in the walking stick guides

       If you are making a magic wand for your children make it a weekend project. Choose the wood together and work together ti give them an experience to remember.

       Also, it promotes a learning experience on how to use tools properly and planning a project from start to finish. In the second image it shows several wands almost finished. After the image was taken I aged the wands look using a darker stain wash (similar to a white wash but with a dark wood color).  Noticed I added cooper wire on then to give them a extra appeal. The darker crystal in one of the wands is a tourmaline crystal.

       The wood used in these magic wand making project is aspen left overs from making a hiking staff.  Other great wood for walking sticks and wands are willows found along streams. Make sure you cure the wood as directed in the walking stick making guides before carving to prevent future cracks and problems when working with the wood.


 

Making a walking stick from a christmas tree

       The holidays are over and now the time to go around your area and collect a couple pines or firs Christmas tree for you walking stick making project. I usually go to a tree lot and go through their pile of branches and tress they did not sell.  The tress that did not sell are usually thinner or not as full so making into wood walking sticks is easier.  This year I picked up three long skinny trees with very few branches that were not sell-able as Christmas trees. In fact, the people at the lot held them for me (I talked to them in November). They gladly accepted a tip and I received some great firs for my future hiking stick making projects.

       When you go out to collect your trees make sure they are not too fat at the bottom otherwise you will spend many hours thinning down the trunk.  You you can keep it thick to give you more walking stick carving room on your hiking staff. However, the thicker the trunk the heavier the stick.

      While you are out collecting wood for your walking stick making project look for thick branches to wood carve other things.  I always like to carve wooded knives which friends love to receive as gifts. Other projects I do with thick branches are carved wood flower vases (see the walking stick making guides), wooden knives, create a wood tree forest (see making walking stick guides), stick picture frames and more one afternoon projects.

      Once you collect the wood you will need to strip/cut of the branches as close to the trunk as possible without damaging the trunk. The closer the cut to less sanding you will need to do in the future. Yes, you can strip the bark off the trunk too. I usually leave the bark on because I like the way the stick looks with the branches removed (light areas) and the contrasting darker pine or fir bark.  I only strip the part I plan to carve when making the hiking stick or staff.