Hiking Staff?

Hickory is definitely #1 IM<HO. Look for some regrowing that have been cut down in a power line cut, and use the knot that forms as a handle/thumb rest. Sourwood is good, dries easily with out cracking. Oak's allright and Maple's acceptable (we have red maple here, not sugar maple), but it's not hickory. I don't recommend any softwoods unless it's all you have when you need it.

Don't use pecan, walnut, or cherry for the shaft (too brittle), but they do make great looking handles for canes or vee's for thumbsticks. We don't have ash in FL, but it's probably good from what I know of it (shock resistance and flexibility with strength are the keys). I'm planning on trying to find some locally adapted Hazel varieties (filbert tree, not witch hazel). The UK makers use it a lot as the trees can be trimmed and then send up straight suckers (coppicing) similar to the hickories that have been trimmed.

Here's the link for the British Stickmakers Guild for some world class staffs. http://www.your-adviser.com/bsg/home.html
 
Find an Osage orange tre with a limb that wil meet your needs. I prefer to find a limb about2 or 2 1/2" about 5 1/2 ' long cutting just above a fork and a smal fork at botom. The top fork reversed while using the staf becomes a hook , I can hook a sapling to help me up a step hill . The botom fork is shortened and makes a better stabilizer. You should strip the bark and dry but it makes a great staff.
 
As a famous woodsman/warrior once said:

"Its actually a buck and a quarter quarter-staff. But I'm not telling him that"
 

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bikermikearchery said:
Rattan is another giant grass like bamboo, however Rattan has a solid core where bamboo is hollow. this makes Rattan much stronger when any lateral stress is put on the staff with out a noticeable increase in weight. Look in your area for stores that sell cane and Rattan furniture. Check nursery's that grow Bamboo. Met a guy a while back that grew his own walking sticks. He gave me one, been using it for around 10 years.
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I'm with the Biker on this one. My old hiking staff was made from rattan. It began life as a martial arts 'bo' staff, is about 6ft long and 1 1/2" in diameter. I waxed the sides with some old paste floor wax once, and I used 'Shoo-Goo' to make a substantial bottom covering about 1/2" thick with some cover going up the sides of the staff for about 8-10 inches to protect the bottom from rock scraps. There is (was?) a leather thong lanyard lashed around it using a constrictor knot. It's virtually unbreakable, will support ANYONE'S weight even when using as a pry bar under large rocks, and weighs next to nothing compared with hardwood. After about 25 years of use I gave it to my son, and he's been using it for that past 15! Except for a few dings, it still looks pretty new! Rattan makes wonderful canes too. Easy to work into shape and really lightweight.

Stitchawl
 
The Kingfisher looks like a great staff but a bit pricey if you have the ability to make your own. A lot of nice sticks are practically given away on ebay. If you can't cut your own you can even get unfinished sticks on ebay.

http://stores.ebay.com/UNFINISHED-WOOD-WALKING-STICKS

You can also search ebay for "bow stave" but you will pay a premium. A rake handle would be the easy cheep route. To me you need to decide what type of stick you want before you can pick a species. Do you want a simple light walking stick or a staff you could beat a bear to death with? If you want a light stick I prefer Sassafras. Sweet Gum, and Cucumber will work well too. For a heavy wompin stick I feel Hickory is king. Hornbeam, and black locust work well. I haven't used Osage or Black Gum but I bet they would be great!

If you do cut your own I would try to cut it in the winter. Try to keep the root ball with it. Sometimes they can be interesting. Cut it six inches to a foot longer than you want on each end. Seal the ends asap and forget about it for six months to a year. Store it someplace dry and out of the sun. The fancy British stick makers say they need to dry for a year per inch in diameter and should be hung from the rafters of a open air shed so they are kept dry at ambient temp.
 
I make walking sticks as a hobby and to give to friends. I have about 100 of them in my garage. I just go into the woods or shelter belts and find good looking sticks from five to six feet long. I test them with plenty of weight to be sure they are strong. Many times i don't have a clue as to what kind of wood they are but if they meet my specs I cut them anyway. Some of the fruit trees have very strong yet light branches. I have cut them green and stripped the bark and stained them without any drying at all. This seems to seal much of the moisture in keeping them a bit flexy. Some of those are several years old now and probably weight about the same as when I cut them If I stain or seal them right away they very seldom crack a t all. The good part is, if one turns out to not be much good, I am out about a dollar. Big deal, I just cut another one. So far I have never broke one even while using them pretty hard. I sometimes just use linseed oil or a mix of oil and oil base satin. I sand them just enough to get the rough spots off.

In our town they have a place for people to dump their grass and tree branches. I have found some darn nice sticks out there as well. They don't care if I look through the stuff and cut whatever I want. Lots of people go out there to cut their fire wood for winter. It works good for everyone.

Many places like Lee Valley sell cane and walking stick parts and accessories. It's a fun hobby for woods love old guys like me. I am starting to make canes from some of my shorter walking sticks.
 
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I just use an ash sapling I cut down and stripped, not very straight but it has character.
 
I have a lot of different hiking staffs but since I have broken both legs last year I have not been without my Pat and Wes Crawford Survival Staff with a special made shepherds hook. It has been a lifesaver for my limited mobility and reduced bending. Plus it makes a great conversation starter. Not cheap but I have absolutely NO regrets about getting it. It is tough, light, and breaks down easily.
 
rksoon said:
Good info everyone, nice to have options to look into. I agree, that kingfisher one looks mighty fine...but my wallet thinks those ladies might be out of it's league right now :) It's bookmarked though, thanks cgd160! I might change my mind and get it for christmas...
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LOL, mine was a birthday gift to myself.
 
I use a thin Osage orange limb. Its study and light. I left it forked on one end. The tines are about an inch and a half. The fork works better in soft ground. Use it to push vines , limbs.. Pin a snake with it. Roll rocks...It doesnt slip off of logs. Theres a thousand uses for a forked stick.
 
dipbait said:
I use a thin Osage orange limb. Its study and light. I left it forked on one end. The tines are about an inch and a half. The fork works better in soft ground. Use it to push vines , limbs.. Pin a snake with it. Roll rocks...It doesnt slip off of logs. Theres a thousand uses for a forked stick.
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Finding water? ;)


Stitchawl
 
Wow, i come back from a weekend trip to some good info on this thread, will be perusing those sites this week...and looking into rattan, I never knew it was so strong!

No time for a long post now, but randomly found an ash (sassafras and oak were also available) 5' walking staff with a simple leather loop at a store in Mendocino, CA this weekend for $10. I figure i'd just get it and use it while keeping an eye out for good saplings to make my own or saving some dough to purchase a good one from one of those sites you all have listed :) Will post a pic soon, if anyone is curious.
 
quick pics, just to tie loose ends :) ash, 4.5' I think...i want to find something a little larger and stouter, but this'll do for now.

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thanks again everyone for the suggestions. i think i'm going to start a staff collection now as well.... :)
 
I'm glad you made one instead of buying one. We are knife people for COL and if we can't use our knives for making a staff what good are we?

I live in an area that has bamboo so that is what my staff is made of. I epoxied a bolt into the bottom and shaped a champaigne cork to cap the top. The top section can hold some stuff but I have never put anything in there. I've been using this same bamboo staff for 6 or 7 years now and it's still great.

When I used to live in the north I would make a new staff several times a year and give them away or leave them in the bush on my way out as a marker.
 
OK, i just read your post above were you said you bought it for $10. That's not bad but look in the woods for you next one. When I see shops asking $85 for a stick I have to wonder what city slicker would pay that much for a stick?
 
yeah, i'm definitely looking to make my own next, I'd feel much more pride about it :) This one is just a placeholder for now.

I'm intrigued by bamboo and rattan since it's been mentioned several times in this thread. I am going to look into that.
 
collecter said:
OK, i just read your post above were you said you bought it for $10. That's not bad but look in the woods for you next one. When I see shops asking $85 for a stick I have to wonder what city slicker would pay that much for a stick?
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Hey, I resemble that remark :grumpy:. :D

If your referring to the Kingfisher, it's the wood and the production method. It's hand carved, and done to perfection. They are actually made for martial arts, for bludgeoning those who would oppose you :D.
 
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