And now for something completely different

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Okiecruffler

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Well a little different anyway. I grew up using a staff while hiking, a habit I've never outgrown. Dad always made them from hardwoods or cedar, carefully cut sanded and finished, suitable for the best dressed wanderer. I've gone a different direction. Here's my current wlaking staff....
staff.gif
About 6 inches longer than I am tall, and bamboo last forever. Interesting thing about bamboo is the seperate chambers. Easy enough to drill into one and store things like water, dry rations, etc. I use the bottom chamber of mine to store about 3 pounds of 7 1/2 lead shot. You'd be surprised at what 3 pounds of lead shot will do at the edge of the arch of a 6 foot pole. I won't lie, you hit something hard with no give like a tree and that bamboo will break leaving you with nothing at the end but splinters. But when smacked against a soft target, or a hard target sitting on top of something flexible, like say a neck, it is impressive indeed.
 
Nice. I'll have to check out the one i Columbia. That looks really nice. Do you know where i could get some leather that i could wrap around the handle or something.
 
Guys,

Let me encourage you to carefully check your local weapons laws as "slung shot" and "weighted clubs" are frequently specifically forbidden weapons.

For example, before Florida adopted its current concealed weapons laws it was merely a misdemenor to have a concealed firearm. It was however a felony to posses and carry a specifically forbidden weapon, such as a "weighted club."

Even under our current very easy CWL system in FLorida, there are still specifically forbidden weapons, such as weighted clubs even a CWL holder is not permitted to carry.

Go figure.

Check those laws and be sure you explain the need of folks following your posts are aware they should before copying you.

-Bob Hollingsworth
 
Oh and I forgot to add

"Me old Bamboo, me olde Bamboo, ya never betta bother with me old Bamboo!"

Could Dick Van Dike swing a mean Bamboo or what?

My favorite part of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

If you don't know what I mean rent the movie and watch it with the family.

-Bob Hollingsworth
 
I don't worry much about my local laws on weighted clubs or any such. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where when I walk about I'm perfectly within the law to carry a pistol about on my being. Threaten me and you won't be getting 3 pounds of lead, but rather 460gr of lead and copper and right quick at that. But whereas I would dispatch a human who threatened me harm in such a fashion (I don't like humans much), I like dogs. I'd rather just give them abit of a nudge to divert their attention from mischief. But by all means if you live in one of those oppressive areas, and I know many of you do, learn your laws and weight your actions against them.

As far as leather, I have here a nice piece of black leather I purchased from Tandy Leather Co. You probably have one local, but if not I'm sure they are online, everyone is these days. You can get leather at Hobby Lobby, but it's more expensive. I haven't decided if I want to lace mine on or use brads. I also have some more work to do on the head. It is a wander's staff after all and one must keep up appearances.
 
3 pounds of lead at the very end? Doesn't that make it off balance and awkward to use as a hiking stick?

I've had a lot of trouble with bamboo splitting on me. You think Hobby Lobby sells stronger stuff?
 
Wait! You have three buttocks?
Click to expand...
Nope, used to know a man with 3 legs once, but he ran away.

I prefer the feel of a bottom heavy staff. I also use them as a wading staff and having that lead in the tip helps quite abit. I've never had a problem with bamboo splitting as long as I don't leave it out in the weather. This is the 5th staff I've made. The first split when I rather foolishly decided to try it against a tree. The second split because I left it in the bed of my truck and repeated rains and baking sun caused some cracks. Not real sure why since I have some bamboo tourches out back that I've had for 5 years now and they are fine. Maybe a different species.
I fish with a guy who has a wading staff made from PVC pipe with the tip weighted with some cement. It's abit more flexible than I care for, but it's pretty much immune to any weather.
Dad has one I made for him that actualy has lead in both ends. He wanted something that would give him abit of a work out as he walked. He doesn't need his for a dog deterant. They are way out in the boonies so any dog he comes across is a stray that someone dumped (reason #27 that I don't like humans) and usually a threat to livestock. They get dispatched with the 357 post haste.
 
Well I have some interesting areas and ways in which I fish. When wading rivers it's always a good idea to have something other than your leg to test the depth of the water in front of you. And then there's noodling. When you go poking about in holes sometimes a long stick comes in handy. That weight on the end will keep the staff where you leave it in all but the stoutest of currents.
 
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