This cool piece of wood

[Sean]

I was out with my SAK which sports a saw on it thank goodness and came across a really neat
stick!  I am going to make a cane out of it.  I've only once ever come across a one
piece reasonably shaped for walking and finished it off and gave it to my Dad for
Fathers Day.
This one I think I'll keep for myself.

[J-sews]

That is indeed a fine looking piece of timber Sean. Lets have a before and after pic when you get it finished off.

[Sean]

Roger that! 

[Shane769]

I would like to see that as well. Walking sticks are always useful

[Chako]

I love walking sticks. I have about 6 myself by the front door as decoration/users.

Can't wait to see the finished product.

[Smitty44]

Thats a great start,like to show you mine,root of a osage orange hedge tree,very strong like oak or ash.



 

[Sean]

Hey guys thanks for your responses!  I've always loved walking sticks and canes.  My Dad has quite a few as well out by the door.

Smitty, that's a lovely walking stick.  I'm just wrestling with if I should remove all the bark or not?

[Smitty44]

The bark looks real rustic,I'd leave it like it is for now,you can always take it off,but you can't put it back on,and do you know what kind of tree it is?

[Sean]

I'm kind of working on the wood variety.  I have to take a picture of the leaves and forward it off to a higher power.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Now that look's like a fine bit of wood for a cane

[rp252]

Now that look's like a fine bit of wood for a cane

Agreed.

How long are you going to leave it to dry before working on it?

[Sean]

I'm not completely sure.  I know one knowledgeable chap tell me to strip it down right away whilst green
and then let it dry out and then sand it.  I might tackle it tomorrow.  I am just a bit uncertain if I want to
peel "all" of the bark off.  Like Smitty said you can't put it back on once it's off.

[Chako]

Depends on the look you’re going for.

I would at least strip where you are going to put your hand for comfort.

Here are mine.

The African one, I bought at a local store. Only when I got home did I find a hidden spear inside. That was a shocker.

[nuphoria]

I do like a nice stick 

I'm building a collection here, mostly of ones I am whittling... it's very therapeutic.

[Neil]

I remember my brother finding an old cane with a solid silver top/knob under the carpet of an old house he was living in. Very cool but alas too short for him to use (he normally uses a crutch but can make do with a stick for short periods).

[Sean]

hey guys/gals thanks for all the input + pic's.  I am a little concerned with the ends splitting as I've another
piece of this wood and that's exactly what it did.  Leaving it dry with the bark on and perhaps sealing the ends
with a latex paint apparently will slow the drying process and maybe avoid the ends from checking.  I might have
to leave this one for awhile.

[Sean]

The bark looks real rustic,I'd leave it like it is for now,you can always take it off,but you can't put it back on,and do you know what kind of tree it is?

Apparently it is "Orange Eye Butterfly Bush"

http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/buda.html

[Smitty44]

The bark looks real rustic,I'd leave it like it is for now,you can always take it off,but you can't put it back on,and do you know what kind of tree it is?

Apparently it is "Orange Eye Butterfly Bush"

http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/buda.html

Thanks for getting back on the type of wood,but that comment about it being light and brittle don't sound very good for a walking stick,unless it is more of a show peace.