[h=5]For my old age: I have made several walking sticks and canes, but I don't do 'bent wood', like the classic that is steam bent. (1/2 round perfect curve). I am especially proud of this one (and will most likely use this as the preferred 'stick' when I need it). The stick (inside, center) is actually the majority of the entire tree. I found this sapling back in the woods, still growing. The top had been broken off the sapling, and it grew at almost a prefect right angle to continue growing. It went out about 6 inches, then turned upward again. I cut this about a year ago, and it has been drying until this past weekend. it is a soft maple, polished to 600 grit, then stained with mahogany stain. I have put two coats of LIN-SPEED gunstock finish on it (mostly linseed oil with some dryers in it) and it is a hand-rubbed-in finish. I cut the grooves for the fingers (nope, it did not grow that way!) The other inset shows the base of the cane for some of the pattern. There were 17 little sprouts (now knots) on the length of the stick, where the tree tried to generate some leaves to stay alive. This tree was growing in a dense forest with trees 80-100 ft. tall, so it was trying to get any light it could.[/h]
for cane making.
