My latest Hiking Staff

[Creaky Bones]

Osage and black locust are my two favorite choices for sticks. Treeline has some nice brass tips, but they're for smaller diameter sticks. I usually use a copper end cap from the plumbing area of my local hardware store on the end of my sticks, and I drill a hole in the end and screw in a carbide ice stud made for horse shoes. Super durable, inexpensive, not too pointy, but offers great grip on slippery surfaces. I made a pair for friends who took them to the top of Mt. St. Helens.

 

[Mossyhorn]

How did you cure the Osage? I have been searching for a Osage staff to buy, but I guess I'll have to make one.

I found out the hard way about seasoning Osage. I had several pieces and they all split except for the one I made the stick out of. I always put glue or varnish on the ends of any stick that I cut. I only cut sticks from November to March. I read somewhere that to avoid cracks with Osage, wrap it in plastic wrap to avoid it drying too fast. That advise allowed me to get a nice usable piece with no cracks at all. Let any kind of wood dry for at least a year. Use a dry location such as a woodshed, unheated garage or outdoor shed. It's easier to strip the bark off after cutting and I found that as long as it's seasoned properly, it makes no difference.