How to Make a Fancy Walking Staff
A fancy walking staff lets all of your fellow hikers know that you take hiking and fashion seriously. By making your own staff, you can add personal touches that identify it as uniquely yours. You already visit the trails, which are the perfect hunting ground for the wood needed, so take it one step further and create a walking stick from something that you have found in nature. The next time you hit the trails, everyone will know that you didn't simply pick up a stick to lean on.
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Things You'll Need
- Wood
- Sharp pocketknife
- 2-by-4 board, 6 feet long
- 4 wood clamps
- 180 grit sandpaper
- Clean cloth
- Distilled white vinegar
- Measuring tape
- Hacksaw
- Waxed paper
- Utility knife
- Clear tape
- 1/4-inch carving knife
- Wood stain stick
- Colored wood stains
- Small paintbrush
- Wood sealer
Instructions
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1
Locate a stick or branch that is straight and at least 60 inches in length. It can taper in width from the top to the bottom, but the smallest diameter should not be less than 1 1/2 inches for stability.
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2
Peal the bark from the stick by slowly scraping it off with a sharp pocketknife or curved carpet knife.
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3
Clamp the stick to a board in at least four places, to avoid the stick curving as it drys.
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4
Let the stick dry for at least three weeks. Though all types of wood dry at different rates, three weeks will allow enough time for the majority of its natural moisture to evaporate. You will notice a distinct change in color that tells you that your wood has seasoned and strengthened enough to continue working on it.
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5
Remove the stick from the drying board by releasing the clamps.
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6
Lightly sand the entire surface of the stick with a sheet of 180 grit sandpaper. Be careful not to damage any of the knots that will add character to your staff.
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7
Clean the stick with a cloth dipped in a solution of 50 percent distilled white vinegar and 50 percent warm water to remove the sanding particles and open the wood's pores.
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8
Measure yourself to fit the stick for use. Because a walking staff is controlled by your wrist, the grip should be between 2 inches and 4 inches below your shoulder and the top should be equal to or slightly higher than your shoulder. Use a measuring tape held by your foot and extended it to the top of your shoulder to measure the length needed.
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9
Cut the stick to length, from the bottom of the stick, with hacksaw.
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10
Cut a sheet of waxed paper to the length of the stick.
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11
Wrap the waxed paper around the stick and trim it to the stick's exact circumference with a utility knife.
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12
Lay the piece of waxed paper on a long, clean work surface with the top and bottom clearly noted. Mark the grip position on the paper to avoid adding any textural detailing that will hurt your hand. The grip should be 2 inches to 4 inches below the top and at least 4 inches plus the width of your hand at its widest point in length.
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13
Create a design on the waxed paper by etching it lightly with a dull pencil.
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14
Transfer the design to the wood by wrapping the waxed paper around the staff, taping it closed and pressing the design into the wood with hard pressure applied with a pencil traced over the design.
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15
Remove the waxed paper pattern to reveal to pattern that you etched in.
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16
Use a quarter-inch carving knife to carve the design into the wood and create the relief pattern.
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17
Use a dark stain stick to highlight the relief pattern by tracing it though the carved gullies.
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18
Use tinted wood stains to color the smooth areas of the wood and complete the pattern. A small detail paintbrush works well for this.
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19
Apply a thorough coat of a wood sealer to the entire stick, following the manufacturer's application instructions, and allow it to dry.
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Tips & Warnings
Stain pencils or sticks, colored stains and wood sealers like polyurethane are readily available at large home improvement stores.
Carving tools often come in sets that you can utilize for all of your future woodworking projects.
By combining a relief pattern and multiple stain colors, you can achieve an inlaid look without having to use veneers and fancy carving tools.
Avoid a highly textured design within the marked grip area. The friction created when sliding your hand across it on a long trail will hurt.
