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After my latest fishing trip, which I discussed in this group earlier, I decided to look into the design and creation of a handmade multi-purpose hiking staff. There is one on the market made by Crawford that is amazing in its versatility, but it's a little spendy for my blood, so I decided to make my own. YouTube has some good videos on this subject. Does anyone have any experience making one that they would be willing to share with the Group?

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Thanks, Hal.  What do you mean by "plenty of wax on cuts"?

Halicon said:

I would be very cautious about sanding and cutting completely fresh lumber. I always dry my harvested wood for at least a year before I use it, I mostly use high-figure wood and burls however (with plenty of wax on cuts) so you can probably get to work on a staff-sized limb much faster.

Robert, I will be de-barking the staffs, anyway, so I'll do that right away to speed up the drying process.

Terry,

I like the cut of your jib....come along a problem, followed by a solution.  Your make it happen attitude is wonderful...Cant wait to see V2...The new and improved TW walking staff. 

Thanks, Jan.  My OCD won't let me stop at "good enough."  :)

 

Stephen and Terry, this is a quick picture of a staff I'm working on, I don't have time to take a good picture. This will give you an idea of what I'm working on.

Looking good!  Please be sure to show us the finished product.

Robert Burris said:

 

Stephen and Terry, this is a quick picture of a staff I'm working on, I don't have time to take a good picture. This will give you an idea of what I'm working on.

Jan,

Just made a last minute improvement on V1:  I was having trouble getting the crutch tips off each end to access the spear point and the survival tube, so I cut/ground some vertical grooves around the perimeters of both crutch tips so I would have a better grip when I twisted them off.  Now, I think V1 is actually done and ready for my first fishing hike!

Jan Carter said:

Terry,

I like the cut of your jib....come along a problem, followed by a solution.  Your make it happen attitude is wonderful...Cant wait to see V2...The new and improved TW walking staff. 

Terry, I mostly use highly figured wood or burls and as such they have a tendency to crack or warp during drying. So if I had to cut through any knots which is often the case with limbing for a shaft, or the wood is of high figure I will wax the cut portion and let the wood dry for a year roughly, remove the wax prior to shaping it and then re-whet it a little to match the outer surface's dryness, put on wax again on crucial spots and and let it dry for a month or two and after that I'll go to work with it.

 

Terry Waldele said:

Thanks, Hal.  What do you mean by "plenty of wax on cuts"?

Halicon said:

I would be very cautious about sanding and cutting completely fresh lumber. I always dry my harvested wood for at least a year before I use it, I mostly use high-figure wood and burls however (with plenty of wax on cuts) so you can probably get to work on a staff-sized limb much faster.

Terry, The staffs I make are figured by nature. I look many hours in the woods for a small vine wrapped tortured little trees. I have just started to do alot of cutting to make them more pleaseing.

Terry,

Be careful out there but we will worry less on your next trip knowing you have your staff.  Fishing this weekend?

 

Robert,

That is a beauty.  You must look for quiet some time to find those vine wrapped brush.

 

Hal,

Wow, you really are a patient man.  I admire that you take the time to think it through and let the wood dry in a manner that works for you

Hal, is the wax necessary because the cut areas or highly figured areas are more likely to crack if not waxed?

Halicon said:

Terry, I mostly use highly figured wood or burls and as such they have a tendency to crack or warp during drying. So if I had to cut through any knots which is often the case with limbing for a shaft, or the wood is of high figure I will wax the cut portion and let the wood dry for a year roughly, remove the wax prior to shaping it and then re-whet it a little to match the outer surface's dryness, put on wax again on crucial spots and and let it dry for a month or two and after that I'll go to work with it.

 

Terry Waldele said:

Thanks, Hal.  What do you mean by "plenty of wax on cuts"?

Halicon said:

I would be very cautious about sanding and cutting completely fresh lumber. I always dry my harvested wood for at least a year before I use it, I mostly use high-figure wood and burls however (with plenty of wax on cuts) so you can probably get to work on a staff-sized limb much faster.

Jan, I guess I'm a fair weather fisherman, and the weather in Oregon has been extremely wet this year, so I will have to check the weather forecast day by day.  On the other hand, maybe I need to incorporate an umbrella into my next hiking staff.  ; ) 

Jan Carter said:

Terry,

Be careful out there but we will worry less on your next trip knowing you have your staff.  Fishing this weekend?

 

Robert,

That is a beauty.  You must look for quiet some time to find those vine wrapped brush.

 

Hal,

Wow, you really are a patient man.  I admire that you take the time to think it through and let the wood dry in a manner that works for you

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