blowin
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making walking sticksDo we have any stick makers on the forum ? I need some really basic advice , like :-
- would you strip the bark off blackthorn before or after it has dried out ?
- when you do remove the bark , do you have to take care not to damage the shiney surface on the wood beneath , or doesn't that matter ( because you should sand it anyway ) ?
- do you treat the stick in any way ( wax / varnish ) ?
- how on earth do you get the dry bark to come off in the first place ? It is taking me hours !
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paul S
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Stick MakingBlowin
Missed your post, now I'm convinced I'm losing it.
I do a bit of sticking when time allows.
Why do you want to remove the bark from Blackthorn? I'm assuming its coming off after seasoning as it can be difficult to keep it on sometimes.
The best way I've found to remove bark is to soak the seasoned shank in a water butt for several days and then scrape with a blunt blade. i've never tried with Blackthorn but I'm sure the process would work with this too.
There's a good book on Blackthorn can't remember the reference off the top of my head but could probably dig it out if you were interested.
With regard to finishing I tend to varnish my shanks with satin varnish and finish heads if they are wood with boiled linseed oil.
Rub down first with ever decreasing grades of wet and dry and finally apply oil and rub well in with your finest grade paper. That way as you use the stick the heat and oil from your hand will over time produce a better finish than varnish.
This post reminds me I'd better get some shanks cut as spring is on the way here the hazel are already in catkin.
Have you thought of joining the British Stick Makers Guild cheap and you get 4 magazines a year full of advice and contacts. I can give you the secretary's contact if you want.
Hope this rambling post has been of use.
Best regards
Paul
Freshwater Isle of Wight
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blowin
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Hi Paul , many thanks for all that info . Really useful . I will join the Guild if it isn't too expensive . I'll google for the address but come back to you if necessary if that's ok .
I hadn't thought about stripping blackthorn until someone mentioned that you get a good effect from the very dark thorn shoots against the pure white wood . I tried one stick . The stripped wood is indeed very white but it seems to need several years growth before the thorn wood goes really black . I'll try another one , using your technique -- mine took hours !
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wayland
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Reading this reminds me of an old bloke I met in Norfolk. He made walking sticks. He would start with a whippy sapling and over a period of days would bend and tie a section around a poney shoe. He then would leave it for a year or so and then remove the shoe. The branch with this custom built kink in it would then be left to mature, untill it was of sufficient girth to cutt and make into a walking stick.
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wayoutwest
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now that's thinking in advance...
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FerretLady
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I know this thread is old, but do you remove the bark?
I dont think ive ever done that.
but anyone work with horn from stratch on sitcks?
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blowin
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I removed the bark from one stick of blackthorn but did not get the dramatic black / white contrast I had hoped for . Then got talking to a bloke who makes some amazing sticks & staffs . His advice was to always leave the bark on this wood . He also pointed out that there are different types of Blackthorn . The better / traditional one has thorns which grow out in groups of three . The few I cut from the hedge only have thorns protruding in ones or twos , so I have done no more with them . I have been too busy strimming , anyway ! 
I am afraid I have no experience beyond that . Are you still out there , Paul S ?
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FerretLady
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ahhh, getcha now... i was wondering what you were talking about with removing the bark, i had never seen it done before.
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wayland
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I like to cut designs into the bark on certain staffs. So what is the best wood to use for walking sticks. My uncle always swore by Holly being the best and thought a nut stick useless. I have a good heavy stick made from a Brier but I am always on the lookout for a decent bit of Hazel with the woodbine twists in it.
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