Making a Cane

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JimStC

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I was cutting my back field today and was evaluating a locust that had fallen.
Some really nice branches which I will be harvesting. My wood working skills are accurately described as basic. Mostly whittling which, by my definition, is taking a large piece of wood and making it smaller and smoother.
So, what tools do I need to make a cane from a branch to the finished product?
I also have a nice piece of osage orange and a piece of Kentucky horbean, so it is time to get started.
I could have gone to Google but will much prefer to hear from the collective wisdom of THR, which, by the way, is incredible.
Thanks,
Jim
 
The most important thing is time and age... get the wood while it's green, but DON'T CARVE IT YET. Carving or shaping wood green results in deformity when it drys. The slower it drys, the less likely it is to split along the grain. The best blackthorn sticks were often traditionally made by liberally coating them in butter and sticking them WAY up the chimney flue... a year or so later, they were well-seasoned and slow-dried. All carving is then done on seasoned wood with a stable grain structure. Best advice- cut it to rough size and shape, and do all final shaping with sandpaper.
 
I have learned on THR not to cut wood when it is hot. It is hot here but I have two black locust down. I am harvesting branches. Any recommendations?

Jim
 
Seal the ends IMMEDIATLY with prunung seal, tar or thick laquer and let it dry for a good six months before removing the bark. You really should wain until the dead of Winter to cut it when the sap is low.
 
Owen,
Is it better to leave the limbs on until winter? These are down trees with leaves turning brown. As I have mentioned in other threads, these two trees were rifle range backstops that I will harvest for firewood. Normally I will cut a tree and wait one year to burn it as firewood. What is the best way to get the limbs? There are some really nice ones with a bend right at the handle length.
I was working with a small limb today and it was very moist. I did this to get a sense of the wood.

Jim
 
I dry mine in the crawl space and seal the ends with wax

So, what tools do I need to make a cane from a branch to the finished product?
Click to expand...

Bark on - I sand by hand with a high grit and seal with polyurathane

Bark off- Pocket knife to get bark off, sand smooth ( power sander helps) Poly the natural wood or apply stain of your choice and poly

ETA: files help to smooth and round edges. Steel wool is good also
 
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One thing I've encountered with sticks (red cedar, specifically) is that in a longer length (over 5') they tend to warp into a curved shape, which obviously isn't what I want in a staff or cane. Thus you might try fastening it to a 2'x4' board of the same length with cable ties, or even insert it into a pipe of the same length, to keep it straight while it seasons.
 
sealing the ends with wax or tar and drying in the crawlspace it a good solution... again, just making sure it dries slowly... it takes time. the best sticks you make next year will be from the shoots you put up to cure this year...
 
best sticks you make next year will be from the shoots you put up to cure this year...
Click to expand...

Indeed, The stuff I am working now is from last years hurricane damage.

try fastening it to a 2'x4' board of the same length with cable ties, or even insert it into a pipe of the same length, to keep it straight while it seasons.
Click to expand...

This works

You can cut the branches off, just leave 2 or 3 inches of stub for now.
__________________
Click to expand...

Yes, saves a lot of aggravation.

Beware: cane making is as addictive as guns, shooting, knives, sharpening, and chocolate. :)
 
Just was doing some research on wood density and specific gravity. I was amazed at the numbers for sycamore. I have a huge amount of those on my place. I cut a few branches today from a tree that fell several months back.
I chopped off some limbs with my 1248 machete and then clean cut the ends with a circular saw. I sealed the end with packing tape. There are several great limbs on this tree. Any thoughts about sycamore?

Jim
 
Here are the green numbers:
Wood, Density, Specific Gravity
Sycamore .63 1.01
Oak .61 .98
Hickory .64 1.03

The dried numbers

Sycamore .34 .54
Oak .42 .67
Hickory .48 .77
Hickory is awesome, both green and dried. Sycamore takes a beating dried but is still formidable. Plus, sycamore is free. No hickory on my place but some oak

I had a nice chart but the posting compressed the data. Hope you can get the results

Jim
 
I would cut and dry larger than your planned length.

I have some curved sticks that I neglected to dry when I was young. I put spar varnish on them immediately and epoxied small compasses into the top. Kind of handy for hiking, probably not what you want for a cane.

Something you might think about is banding the end somehow so the end doesn't split out. I have just used an inch or so of pipe of the same outside diameter as the end of the stick. I fitted it pretty well, but also put some epoxy on it to make sure it stayed. Mine were more geared toward hiking though, so YMMV.

I have used sycamore, but it was one I didn't dry well, so eventually bowed a little. Nice straight sapling to begin with though.
 
Hunter,
I agree with the length comment. Mine are 6-8" longer than the finished tool/cane.
Yep, the numbers on sycamore aren't great dried, but given the amount on my place it will get some testing.
Banding the ends is a great recommendation. Thanks a bunch.

Jim
 
Many species have an outer layer of living sapwood and an inner core of dead heartwood that functions like a bone. If you are using this sort of wood you need to cut pices much larger in diamiter than the finished product so that when you whittle away the sap wood you will have nothing left but the hard heartwood.
 
Hi Owen, kinda new to this game, can you describe the heartwood and sap wood? I think I know what your saying, just wanting to clarify. Also, is there anything needing to be removed after the sapwood?

Thanks!
 
It is pretty simple. When you cut a piece of wood, if the center is a different color than the part near the bark there will be no question.
Again, this is the WORST time of year ro harvest wood for sticks, clubs and canes. Wait until the dead of Winter.
 
Just brought in some branches of black locust. Several to whittle away my afternoons and make some nice short sticks. I did get a great cane candidate and have already sealed and wrapped the ends.
I am amazed at the density and weight of locust. I am fortunate to have an abundance of that wood on my place. As mentioned above I am cutting the limbs in the heat of summer because the trees are down.
On another front, I received some custom hickory Escrima sticks in the mail today. Working with a trainer so the sticks are part of that project. What a wood!
A truly enjoyable learning process.

Jim
 
Jim, downed trees are a great source, just overcut, seal and dry them. Like I said after our hurricane last year I wandered around with a bow saw and got some nice limbs. Some worked out others did not, The fun is in the process ,not the final product.

Failures go to the wood pile for relaxing chilly night fires in the fire pit. :)
 
Doc,
Would you mind identifying the woods represented by the canes in your picture?
Also, when you attach a ball shaped handle, what is your method and adhesive?
Yep, the fun is in evaluating and harvesting limbs and having cane projects.

Jim
 
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