OT... Poking sticks...

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Originally posted by Aardvark
Good luck doing ANYTHING with that pick handle you bought to practice on, if it's hickory. Everytime I have to replace and axe handle, I cringe. No matter what I use (Surform, knife, belt sander, file), it's always a MAJOR pain to shape it.
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:(

I have a rasp/file thing that I used on some hardwood a year or two ago. It seemed ok, except it was a little slow. That wood was harder than the hickory, so it should only take a lot of time. I'd post pics of it so you could laugh at me but alas, no camera. :)

I might try some drawknifery though. Do I need to wear armor in case I accidentally commit seppuku?

:confused:
 
I'd volunteer, but my hugarian axe may not get ordered for months. And I'd still be strictly an amateur. ( I think the dictionary describe amateur as one who participates for the love of it, rather than for pay. Hmm... maybe another word would be better - apprentice? )

:p :p :p :p :p :D
 
Experienced, yes. Sloppy, no.

Bruise, find a motorcycle dealer somewhere near and go pick over his palletwood. The bikes are crated in all sorts of stuff, some of it very light, some very dense, often very beautiful if you shape and finish the stick. Mind the nails... Best part is, the wood is free!


Stephen
 
You're probably right. I once saw a pallete made of oak. At least the grain looked like oak. Looked like it had been used for a hundred years.

The pickaxe handle only cost a few bux so it's a reasonable price for a couple of afternoons of entertainment. Plus, I don't run the risk of getting beat up by some motorcycle dealer for stealing his palletes. :)
 
Have a nie ebony walking stick at parents house(or had, as I haven't checked it in years)(. Beautiful hand carved one I picked up in Zimbabwe. About 36" or so long, so good for poking, but also nice decnetly desnse wood with a big round head so can use it for clubbing people too. :)
 
Hand carved stuff is a little difficult for me. I reckon if I drill a few holes in it, I can call it hand carved. I'd use a hand drill though.

I started this afternoon. It um.. doesn't look like a pickaxe handle anymore. Maybe... kinda, sorta. It's actually a little difficult to describe the shape. :)
 
Oh, hand carvig is way beyond me too. Heck, I have a khuk out there whos' handle isn't even relaly handle shaped because I gave up on it for now. ;)

But I cna pay someone else to hand carve stuff. :)

Well, I could before school loans anyways. :rolleyes:
 
Ramin is very strong, attractive (for a blond wood), and super cheap.
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Sheez, Bruise...I'd go for the strong, attactive, and cheap blonde---especially if the blonde would.

Each to his own, I guess.:)
 
Originally posted by Kismet
Sheez, Bruise...I'd go for the strong, attactive, and cheap blonde---especially if the blonde would.
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They usually say to me, "I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot poking stick". :(
 
Originally posted by Aardvark
Bruise, some time ago there were some posts about using walking sticks as weapons (I think Rusty started it, could be wrong), but one of the links provided a site for someone who made them out of cedar and wrapped the grip with parachute cord. Looked really good.

Good luck doing ANYTHING with that pick handle you bought to practice on, if it's hickory. Everytime I have to replace and axe handle, I cringe. No matter what I use (Surform, knife, belt sander, file), it's always a MAJOR pain to shape it.
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Hey, thats genius, I have 50' of para cord knocking around and I was wondering what I could bind my staff with, thanks for that one.

Incidentally, Bruise, isn't the obvious solution to that one to make a 11 foot poking stick?
 
Hi Bruise,
I make lots of walking sticks most of which I give away to friends & I find the easyest to make & strongest sticks come from selecting a straight branch of the right diameter {1 to 1.5 in.} growing upwards from a thicker diameter branch {3 or 4in. is ideal}.

I find Cherry, apple, blackthorn, hornbeam ,Yew etc all make great sticks.

Heres how I do it!

I Cut the large branch 6 in, either side of your futre stick. Take it home whittle its head to shape & seal both ends with pva glue to slow drying & then leave it in a cool place for a year.

Trim and whitle any twigs flush or slightly protruding from shank for impact effect!

Sand or whittle off the PVA , cut a copper or brass tube or cartrige case of the right diameter to make a ferrule drive,whitle to fit, & drive a short massonry nail into the pith after fitting ferrule, Aquire a rubber ferrule for use on shiny surfaces if you wish to use it for walking!

See some of my finished sticks at...

http://aol.photobox.co.uk/public/detail.html?c_album=560544

Cheers,
Spiral
 
Hey, Spiral, nice looking sticks. Thanks for the explanation, too.

I notice in your 'Friends And Co' picture folder that you (I assume that it's you) have one of those British Mariners knives. I bought of couple from Ragweed forge. Nice for the price ($9).
 
Yeah, there seems to be a bit of controversy about them. I've seen them from $7 at Atlanta Cutlery to $25 at MassArmyNavy, and the descriptions vary wildly, too.

Ragnar has the following on his website:

They were made for the Belgian military under British license for the NATO forces. They are stamped in different ways, mostly "A.B.L." (Belgian Army) and "Colasse" (the main contractor). The most common date is 1951, although there are other dates as well.
 
Sure, over 50 recorded English manufacturers alone! plus India, Australion,canadian, dutch,Belgium, Italy etc!

I have 6 or 7 but Friends & Co. is the best quality so far!
Spiral
 
Spiral, does Friends & Co have a website? A Google search turns up WAY too many hits.
 
Its a prevously unrecorded company that no one seems have heard of!
I think its commonwealth as the grips are hand cheqkered.

{The knifes dated 1941}

Spiral
 
I have 3 of them, 2 bought for £1 each and one that my Grandfather bought when he was in the OTC (1941), all of which are marked as made in Sheffield. IIRC the spike was originally intended to be used to remove stones from horses hooves, is that correct?
 
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