One of my recent efforts, working today on the gentle art of stick making. This one I am calling Steptoe, would suit an owner with fingerless gloves. Crafted from blackthorn.
blackthorn aka sloe?
Aye, had one die and couldn’t let such lovely wood miss out on a regeneration.
Yes you can’t beat blackthorn have an old one 60 years old , solid and lovely feel to it. When chum heard I’d been zapped carved me one from a bit of yew I’d given him years before. Used both for while when wobbly and still take them for walk now and again
What, pink ferrules for girls and blue ferrules for boys?
I don’t make many knobkerries, I’m hooked on crooks, so to speak. Blackthorn does indeed make a rugged cane, I first started making sticks, many moons ago, to tackle the laurel invasion of our woods, not much of a carver but do work with bone a bit.
Blackthorn has the side benefit of the fruits
I planted 12 bare root bushes couple years ago. Didn’t all take but there are some that will fruit in a few years! The won’tbe good for canes for decades though!
Pink ferules sound like a thing!
Aye, this is true, my partner makes sloe gin, and I have even made a rather severe sloe wine.
Flipping blackthorn, at weekend helped the village litter pick. Saw a white sheet discarded in hedgerow
Turned out to be horticultural fleece, had a tug of war ripping fleece to bits wearing marigolds but got pricked.But come autumn will be picking sloes and looking out for. thumb stick
You want (or don’t want) to try Sea BuckThorn!
I don’t often make knobkerries but @Pds inspired me to make one this week out of ornamental cherry wood. I’m going to call it Green Thumb after Paul.
That’s a Nice stick…
Diolch yn fawr @SimonInEdinburgh, I worked a little too vigorously on the dermis in a few wee spots but have patched it up with trusty PVA.
I want one
I’ve always loved those type of sticks. Don’t need a walking stick but do have a modern metal tripod hikers stick now since my stroke, helps steady me getting down steep inclines
I use a stick for my upper limb rehab but not for walking.
I’ve a 3’ 3/4" stick that came from a pirate flag on a visit to Legoland which I use for wrist exercises by holding in the middle or at one end.
I’ve also got a copiced hazel staff that’s 6 ft long and 1 and 1/2" round I don’t really use that cuz it a bit heavy and clumsy but it has very pleasing bark where I’ve sanded off the roughness and knots
Good on you Simon, was asked as youth,
“Whens the best time to cut a walking or thumb stick ?” When you see it boy !