Making and selling Walking Sticks

Walking Sticks – Making a walking stick, and then selling it.

Or, just keep the walking stick, and use it yourself.

A walking stick is a wonderful thing. It can be as ornate as you like, or as simple as you like.

It can be short, or it can be long.

A walking stick can be made from just about anything.

Let’s start with the just about anything.

Traditionally, walking sticks were made from rough lengths of fallen trees, and were used as a walking aid over rough uncomfortable terrain. Very often these bits of branches were discarded when no longer required. Somewhere in the vague mists of history it was found that a section of an uprooted tree’s roots made very good walking sticks. A length of root stock would be of similar proportion to, but lighter and less tapered than a branch or sapling.

Of course not everyone has access to oak root stock, and generally walking stick crafters use what is locally available. After seasoning the raw timber, the craftsman will inspect the prospective walking stick, and decide what to do with the length of raw timber. Bark stripping, carving, polishing, are all part of the process, as are adding ferrules, tips or handles.

Here in South Africa we are at a serious disadvantage as regards freely available timber, and finding a good continual source of suitable timber can be a mission. Depending on where you are, you may be able to obtain blue-gum, Port Jackson, or weeping willow. these are all undesirable alien trees, and even if the government will thank you for using them, you will need to get permission from the owner of the property it is on.

Select your walking stick blanks, straight(ish) lengths, of between 850mm and 900mm are about right. If you can source them locally, add tips and handles. Failing which, make handles yourself, and fit them, using mortise and tenon joints, and a dowel. In my opinion varnish spoils walking sticks, and it is my preference to polish walking sticks. Use ordinary household floor polish, or, if you really want to, any of the wide variety of shades of shoe polish. The polishing process is long, and will take loads of effort, but is well worth it.

Handles may be nothing more than a length of rope coiled around the upper section of the stick, with a wrist loop. Really, when making walking sticks you can let your imagination run loose. If you get stuck for ideas, visit google images, using “walking sticks” as your search term.

I have not found a local accessories supplier, but if you don’t mind importing, visit Treeline USA

As a gift for a gentleman, a walking stick is ideal. In fact, many ladies would probably also like a walking stick as a gift.

© copyright Tony Flanigan 2010