Preferred wood to make walking sticks from

I would like to try the hornbeams that jackknife described, but they don't grow here. I have been using a "hardwood" dowel from Home Depot and a rubber tip on it. Works pretty good so far.

Muzzleup, glad you're Rottie saved the day. I love Rottweilers, used to work in a shop where people could bring their dogs to work. Lots had Rotties, they acted like 100 lb puppies. I used to work on a large stool on casters, and the Rotties would sit down next to me, and lean against me for petting, and their bodyweight would push me sideways away from my keyboard. Pet, dismount, move Rottie, repeat. Didn't get a whole lot done that way, but I sure loved the breed after that.
 
Kevin, I do believe that sassafras root is what they make rootbeer with. You can smell it for sure in the raw wood pieces that I've come across before. I also believe that it is a tree. The piece I've got has been varnished, so you can't smell anything about it. I just took his word, and I liked the look of the stick. Seems strong and heavy enough.
 
dingobubba, there are all kinds of people up here in my neck of the woods (northern New York) who are making and selling walking sticks. Some of them are fetching $30-40 apiece for a fairly simple peeled and polished stick, no fancy carving - depending on what boutique shop you're selling it in - just because it's part of the Adirondack "wilderness experience." I have a huge stand of maple saplings that need to be pruned out, I think this might be my next career ;)
 
Here is a link to an outfit that makes hiking sticks from my favorite, Sotol,(Dasylirion wheeleri) a long spiny leafed shrub which shoots up a single flowering stalk that dries up and falls over at the end of the season. I harvest them well after flowering but before they fall over. Some of them grow straight as an arrow. Make sure any insect inhabitants(wasps) have vacated their home before working on a stalk. Very light and fiberous the stalks grow up to 12 feet tall. This gives you ample "cutoff" room for the parts too skinny or fat for your liking.




Pics of Sotol sticks-- no connection to me or endorsement implied.
http://www.westernwoodartist.com/

pictures of the plant.
http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/desertecology/sotol.htm
 
Severtech , very nice The Sotol sticks are a great idea . I also quite liked the Shamans stick . (First one)

How strong are the Sotol walking sticks ? They look strong enough to support someone . How strong are they as far as hoop strength (crushing) goes ?
 
the wife said I should make and sell them. Too much trouble for me. I just do it for pleasure and to pass time. Have only made about six in the time I've been doing it. The last two are my show off peices. Too pritty for ruff use. LOL. The others are ruff and I use them quite a bit when I go out for a stroll. If I start making them for profit I probably would end up not liking it after awhile and quit making them all together.
 
I like the "Home Depot" Dowel idea. I am overseas and there is no Home Depot nearby, but when I get back to the states I will pick one up. Are they just generic hardwoods or do you have a choice?
Also, What lengths does everybody use? Short, like a cane? Tall, 6 foot or longer, to probe, or lift .things like putting your pack out of easy reach to bears. Somewhere in between to push branches out of the way? Which diameter? Do you have a particular decoration or trail stamps on your hiking staffs? I find this interesting because I hike often, and even in cities people carry staffs or canes. Some of the street people here in China use them as yokes to carry their belongings, and have them for defense too. One staff, used to carry, probe, and defend. Almost universally here they are bamboo.
 
Bumppo said:
I like the "Home Depot" Dowel idea. I am overseas and there is no Home Depot nearby, but when I get back to the states I will pick one up. Are they just generic hardwoods or do you have a choice?
Also, What lengths does everybody use? Short, like a cane? Tall, 6 foot or longer, to probe, or lift .things like putting your pack out of easy reach to bears. Somewhere in between to push branches out of the way? Which diameter? Do you have a particular decoration or trail stamps on your hiking staffs? I find this interesting because I hike often, and even in cities people carry staffs or canes. Some of the street people here in China use them as yokes to carry their belongings, and have them for defense too. One staff, used to carry, probe, and defend. Almost universally here they are bamboo.
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They are just generic hardwood dowels. I put a rubber tip that they sell for chair legs, they come in a pack of 4, which is good as they wear through pretty quick.
 
You can go to a hardware store and buy a tool handle for a shovel or something like, usually made out of white ash. The same store will probably sell rubber crutch tips to put over the bottom end for good traction. Or, you can buy a 1/4 to 3/8 hex head screw and thread that into the bottom...good traction in the woods and a wicked weapon.
 
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