Making Walking Canes?

[sylvie]

Has anyone made walking canes? From lumber or trees? What type of wood is best for strength? DH uses the cane to keep from falling and then after a fall to pull self up.
He uses a cane on good days instead of his walker or wheelchair and misplaces the canes at least once a week. Now he wants to try making some for spares and we are not sure what the best materials to use are.
The curved part where the hand rests is what has us puzzled, too.
Doc's orders to exercise so here we are.

 

[keljonma]

sylvie, I haven't ever made a cane or walking stick. I usually just look for solid branches when we are hiking. But I did find some interesting looking sites....

http://www.sticksite.com/making_canes/
http://www.woodcarvers.org/canes&walkingsticks.htm
http://users.netonecom.net/~swordman/crafts/sticks.htm

 

[Zenbirder]

Sylvie,
We make and sell walking sticks (not canes) from the flower stalks of desert plants like sotol and yucca. Whatever wood you use, try to make it as light as possible while still strong. That is why ours go over so well, they don't tire people out carrying them. I have had people hike the Grand Canyon with my sticks. My biggest tip for you is: paint the sticks that you make or buy bright patterned colors. It makes them much more noticeable and less easily misplaced. If you, or a friend, can paint something that has meaning to your DH (a totem animal, logo for sport or military etc.) then it will mean more to them and they won't mis-place it as easily.

 

[freemotion]

My dear friend has been disabled for a number of years due to a car accident. She is a very fashion-minded person (how many times have I heard...."You're wearing THAT?!?!?") and she collects canes. She has some beautiful ones made of hardwoods....I think maple and cherry. I would think any hardwood would work, and you can get the rubber stopper for the bottom at a medical device store.

One has a bit of a burl for the handle. One has a vine make that twisty-cool-thingy out of the stick part. One has a doorknob at the top for a different look. Another natural one looks like it was cut near a branch or maybe the root area and polished up for a nicely sloped handle. Another is carved with simple designs, like stripes and dots and an occasional animal.

I made her one from a hardwood dowel and a doorknob and some advice from the guys at Home Depot. I painted it with black oil-based enamel and made a bunch of different, removable decorations to match different outfits she has. She loved that gift, and has made many more decorations for it herself.

We all love her canes and it is common for her good friends to buy her unusual ones. I've seen some great ones at craft fairs. It will be a growing business as the baby boomers age, I'm sure!

 

[sylvie]

So many great ideas, links and suggestions!

He did buy a Sumac cane at our local Medieval Faire. It looks like they used the root for the handle. It looks beautiful but we have Sumac on our property and it isn't the strongest wood. He really leans on it and he's a big boy.

The cane he favors is aluminum with a molded plastic grip that completely fits his hand. It's like if he grabbed a piece of clay so it formed an impression of his hand. The comfort is unbelievable!
I'm a wood carver and can probably duplicate that but he wants it in a sturdy wood. I don't want it so hard that I can't carve it in less than a month, lol.

We want to buy some hardwood boards at a nearby Amish sawmill and cut canes out from those, too. Looking for guidance on this; with grain or off grain because of one piece cut with handle included in that cut?

 

[jessicasteven]

Where can I purchase a copy of the black walking cane with flames on it that House uses from time to time?

 

[freemotion]

Where can I purchase a copy of the black walking cane with flames on it that House uses from time to time?

Bet it would be easy to make, start with a plain black cane and go to a place that sells stuff for motorcycles, motocross bikes, a bike shop, etc and see if they have flame decals that are small enough. Tada!

 

[Dairyman88]

I have made several Walking sticks from Hickory. First cut a small sapling down leave long and Dry for at least 3 months then cut to length whittle off some of the bark at the top and the bottom and then sand. Rasp off the branch ends to the knots. Then go to the hardware store and get a piece of copper pipe for an end cap. Hickory is Super Strong and a very good defence Weapon also and It will last forever. I still have my grandfather's that he made in 1972 and used everyday until he died in 2000. Also Go into the woods and look for saplings with deformed roots cut low and you have a burl for the end. My newest venture is one from a old retired forester and that is Tying the small saplings in a Very loose knot when they are still spindilly and then let them grow into themselves and in 5 years or so you will have a real neat walking stick with it's own Handle. Faster growing trees like aspen or maple are better for this. I also have one I made from a Cherry branch that was real straight with the Copper cap on the bottom and a Brass Door knob on the top for a handle. I have had and used this stick for over 20 years for walks and Arrow Head Hunting.

Hope this helps

 

[fatfantasy]

I have a cousin who made me a walking stick years ago. He made alot of them and sold some and gave some away. They were made from Sassafrass (sp?) saplings that had vines that grew around them. After the vines are removed the sapling is a beautiful cane with deep corkscrew grooves all up and down it. I've had mine for about 25 years and it is still perfect.

 

[freemotion]

Cool ideas! Can't wait to get home and go searching my woods for likely cane prospects.

And...