Walking sticks make hiking more fun. They let your arms get into the act, so you cover ground more easily. Even better, they help you keep your balance, which means that heavy pack will stay on your back instead of tumbling down some deep ravine-and maybe taking you with it! Here’s how to create your own walking stick.
YOU’LL NEED:
and 55 to 65 inches long (DO NOT CUT ANY TREE; see Step 1.)
Step 1: Cut your wood to length, making sure both ends are free of splits.
You can use dead, dry wood, but it’s hard to carve and makes a weak walking stick. If possible, use fresh wood; hardwood from deciduous (leafy) trees is better than evergreen softwood because it is less gummy. Note: Scouts never cut just any live tree! Take wood only from approved sources, such as a conservation project that thins out a timber stand or trail-building and trail-improvement projects.
Step 2: Using your pocketknife, whittle the bark from your stick, revealing the bright wood beneath. This job takes patience, especially when you are working around knots. Keep at it. You make discover your stick has an inner layer of bark, as well. Carve it away too, or your stick will darken as it dries.
Step 3: Now is the time to carve a head for your stick, if you want one. Using a pencil, draw on the nose, eyes and mouth, then slowly and carefully use the tip of your knife to bring out the details. If you rush this part of your work, you risk slipping and cutting yourself.
Step 4: To protect the bottom end of your walking stick from splintering, whittle it down until the piece of copper pipe slips snugly onto it. Secure the pipe permanently with five-minute epoxy.
Step 5: Your walking stick is now ready for immediate use. However, if you’d like to carve it to a smoother finish and apply a protective coat, you’ll need to let it dry indoors for about a month. Use sandpaper or a spokeshave (if you have one) to make its surface even smoother.
Step 6: Optional: Add your personal mark to the walking stick using a wood-burning tool. When you have the stick carved to your satisfaction, apply a stain or other such finish and a protective coat of polyurethane. Take your walking stick with you on all your hikes. Whenever you pick it up, the stick will remind you of your past outdoor adventures and make you wonder what excitement lies ahead.
This is an awesome project!!! used it to introduce my Wolves to some wood working skills…!!! they and I had a blast making the walking sticks…
INTERESTING
I like to use recycled eucalyptus from our airport perimeter line. Works great! Very strong, and smells good too. Has an attractive grain structure when sanded and finished.
I find that using a 3/4 inch copper pipe cap is better for the end, this completely covers the end as it is only open on the side that attaches to the stick. And if this is too short for your liking, pipe first and then cap.
I get my walking stick basics from the piles of branches when people trim their trees. Free is as cheap as it gets
That is awesome! I am going to try it!
it is really good i think i might do loads and sell them it is a good way to make you would not think it would be that easy
I never had to do any of that other stuff, I just cut a small tree down with long hard branches. Hey, it worked for me!
It must be the feeling that celebities receive in a crowded room, everyones eyes following you across the room, complements of admiration are everywhere and then to say “I made it”. It’s my homemade staff, It was made with LOVE and each person, wishing they could own such a stick. Something happens when your fingers grasp a stick, it becomes a nature thing, gives comfort on the trail as far as the eye can see, and then take you home
a walkin stick give me confidence and a feeling of having security,if approached by a preditor. Its also wonderful for clearing the trail of spider webs and poking around in places you ought not be stickin your hands in. Its like a third hand on the trail
if you find a small sapling you can use the roots as decoration on top
Geocaching rocks!!!
I use to read about 15 blogs a day, but because my time is nowlimited, I only can read 1 or 2 now. And this is one of them…Great post!
Walking sticks are so much fun for the kids, in our troop each kid picked a color, eg yellow for sun, brown for earth, etc painted each color on each stick, plus the sign for each, when we finished everyone had a stick with all the colors, but their color was on top, kids loved doing this.of course dont forget add the feathers and beads, or whatever they want.
You may be able to chop down a small evasive tree (or, a tree that acts like a weed and eventually kills other trees), but it is probably better to use a branch that has already been cut.
I made mine 3 years ago. It is awesome! it was from a branch from my tree and
the tree is some type of tupelo tree and it is a awesome tree!
The handle is bent to the left and I made a leather slip cover to go over the handle.
sincerly, love guns
I made my own when I was at a Scout Camp. They really do come in handy! I carved my name and the date into it. Also, I put some other things. You can also use it not only on hikes, but many other places.
I made a couple of walking sticks using branches. I also have found that doing to a hardware store and buying dowels also work well as they are perfectly round and come in all types of wood. from there it’s up to your imagination as to what you want to put on it. I placed a small compas/ thermomiter on mine as well as used 550 cord (parachute cord) to make a hand grip. On another I tried my hand at ingraving. and staining the walking stick.
I LOVE THIS!!!!!
Whoop de doo! I get to make a hiking stick tonight. Thanks for providing this information! Peace out!
I like to use a round latching as a grip/handle. It keeps your hand from slipping and getting splinters, and it is a fairly simple knot. Also, I take the metal badges you could get at camps and nails them on. It makes a good souviner.
On my walkingstaff, I use a round lashing as a grip. Also, I use the medal thingys you can buy at camp, and nail them on. It makes a good souvineer. BTW, I named mine Nathan. ;^D
show how to make desigs and make it shorter!!!!!~
I made one a long time ago. I found a dying small tree that had a vine growing around and around and around it – it has a great natural curly appearance – I get lots of comments about it. After peeling the bark and sanding it I let it dry for several months and then applied a light wood stain and several coats of varnish. I also put a rubber tip on the end to keep the wood from wearing. I have had this for over 30 years now and it still serves me well.
I burn my name with a magnifying glass, since I can’t use a burning tool.
ha this is really good