| What do you need to make your own hand carved | | | | and deeper in a circle around the tree until you can |
| hiking sticks? A pocket knife and a walk in the woods. | | | | snap it off. Cut the piece a bit longer than you want |
| Be sure your knife is solidly built. You don't need more | | | | your finished hiking stick to be. |
| than a three-inch blade, but it needs to be strong | | | | How long should it be? A general rule is to have the |
| enough that it won't snap on you when you hit a knot | | | | hiking stick come up to just below your armpit. This is a |
| in the wood. A locking blade is a good idea too, if you | | | | personal thing though. If you want a fancy seven-foot |
| value your fingers. | | | | staff, go for it. |
| What type of wood should you use? Any type you | | | | Cut away from yourself, removing all the bark. Narrow |
| want, but be aware of the differences. Many people | | | | down the bottom end, but not to a sharp point. You |
| like hardwood hiking sticks because they can be very | | | | can leave the top flat, round it off, or even carve a |
| beautiful once polished up. That's fine if you don't mind | | | | spiral design into it. Use you imagination. Almost any |
| the extra work it takes to carve hardwoods. Also be | | | | piece of sandpaper can be used to smooth it, and you |
| aware that they are heavy, better suited for | | | | can apply stain or a poly acrylic finish if you want, or |
| decorating the cabin than for using on long hikes. | | | | just leave it natural. |
| One of my favorite trees for carved hiking sticks is | | | | If you start with green wood, it is best to let it dry for |
| poplar. It's light, and one of the easiest woods to work | | | | at least a few weeks. Carving it while green can be |
| with. Young poplars often grow in over-crowded | | | | easier, but it will often twist or bend then as it dries. |
| stands, so cutting a few out won't hurt the forest. If | | | | You might prevent this by tying it to something straight |
| you cut it in the spring or early summer, you can | | | | to dry. Each wood is a little different in how it cuts and |
| almost peel the bark off by hand. | | | | drys. |
| Northern White Cedar is a much tougher wood to | | | | I wrap the bottom end with leather (with a small nail to |
| carve, but it is beautiful, straight, and one of the lightest. | | | | hold it) to keep the stick from splitting. I also usually put |
| In a cedar swamp, you can find many dead young | | | | a handgrip on it. This can be a piece of cloth or leather. |
| cedars that have not begun to rot. Cedar lasts | | | | Glue it on or glue and staple it. You can also drill a hole |
| forever, it seems, even when used untreated as fence | | | | throught the stick near the top, to add a wrist strap. |
| posts. | | | | Get creative. Use a wood burner to add designs to |
| Making Your Carved Hiking Stick | | | | your hiking stick. Drill a hole in the top and glue a glass |
| What if you don't know your trees? Find a straight | | | | ball in it. Mark inches on it, so you can measure with it. |
| young tree in any area that could use thinning, and cut | | | | Some of my best sellers had pewter animals nailed to |
| it. A short saw is the easiest way to cut your stick. | | | | them. Experimenting is one of the best parts about |
| Otherwise, you can use your knife, by cutting deeper | | | | making your own carved hiking stick. |