Walking sticks (staff)

[phalanx]

They are great for hiking , and climbing like you have a third leg. I also use them when hunting, shoulder my rifle until i find a good spot. My new one is very nice , but it was costly. It came with a leather strap that says Jesus Saves.

[BUGEYE]

I have a couple of light weight bamboo sticks I used when I could walk unsupported.
Now I have a heavier one that can take some weight if you have to lean on it.
They all have rubber cane-tips.
And I have a metal stick that's only 5 foot long but it's really too short.

All that said, I don't get more than 50 yards from the truck now.

[Graybeard]

All that said, I don't get more than 50 yards from the truck now.

Boy do I ever resemble that remark. For me 50 yards is a really long walk these days. I have to do longer at times going to doctor appointments but otherwise I try not to.

We have a couple of store bought walking sticks here and they also came with a leather strap. But I most often use one I made myself from a dogwood tree I found up back of my house in the woods. It has a sort of knob like top end that was from the root ball. It's a little thinner than I'd like but my store bought one is too thick. My oldest favorite finally broke on me many years ago. I had used and abused it a very long time.

I've used river cane and it sure makes a fine lightweight walking stick. IF ya can get one the right diameter for you and right length it's as good as it gets but don't try to use it to break off limbs when walking in woods with no real trail. I did that for years and ended up breaking my two best walking sticks that way. Just cuz it looks dead and ready to be broken off a tree doesn't mean it is.

If she isn't using it I like to use Faye's store bought stick, it is about perfect. The one I bought is a little too fat for my hand, it's kinda like me, too fat.

[phalanx]

My new one is redwood and just right. Ill give it a test drive in the woods and see if it helps. Now my wife wants one.

[Dee]

I've got 2 canes, one store bought, and one I made from a black walnut sapling. The ground end is drilled out and poured full of lead. Haven't had to use either in a while.

[phalanx]

I've got 2 canes, one store bought, and one I made from a black walnut sapling. The ground end is drilled out and poured full of lead. Haven't had to use either in a while.

I still like the one i bought. Canes are too short and wobble around. But staffs freak people out.

[BUGEYE]

All that said, I don't get more than 50 yards from the truck now.

Boy do I ever resemble that remark. For me 50 yards is a really long walk these days. I have to do longer at times going to doctor appointments but otherwise I try not to.

We have a couple of store bought walking sticks here and they also came with a leather strap. But I most often use one I made myself from a dogwood tree I found up back of my house in the woods. It has a sort of knob like top end that was from the root ball. It's a little thinner than I'd like but my store bought one is too thick. My oldest favorite finally broke on me many years ago. I had used and abused it a very long time.

I've used river cane and it sure makes a fine lightweight walking stick. IF ya can get one the right diameter for you and right length it's as good as it gets but don't try to use it to break off limbs when walking in woods with no real trail. I did that for years and ended up breaking my two best walking sticks that way. Just cuz it looks dead and ready to be broken off a tree doesn't mean it is.

If she isn't using it I like to use Faye's store bought stick, it is about perfect. The one I bought is a little too fat for my hand, it's kinda like me, too fat.

Heh, I'm at the other end of the fat spectrum, went from 190 down to 150.
Anyway when I do drive down to the woods, I chose a path where my stick is used mainly for knocking down spider webs.

[O-mega]

I use a trigger stick, which can double as a support staff, when needed.  The great thing about this is that using the trigger, it can extend to the length you need.  Not sure it can take all my weight, but it helps keep my balance on uneven ground.

[Graybeard]

Over the years mine sure have knocked down a bunch of spider webs.

[oldandslow]

My wife is having pretty serious walking problems and is doing therapy while waiting on nerve ablasion to help or cure the problem. The head of the pain & torture department had her get a cane with a four footed bottom. She won't use it and I can understand why. I tried it and it requires you to hold it so far from you to keep from kicking the bottom it keeps you off balance plus making your back hurt worse. Medicare bore the cost but she just purchased one of the tall ones that allows you to grip it like a walking staff. I offered her my willow one but nope, no go. Guess it isn't pretty enough.

She is starting pool therapy shortly and don't get me started on the search for a swim suit. Wimmin can be weird. 

[BUGEYE]

My wife is having pretty serious walking problems and is doing therapy while waiting on nerve ablasion to help or cure the problem. The head of the pain & torture department had her get a cane with a four footed bottom. She won't use it and I can understand why. I tried it and it requires you to hold it so far from you to keep from kicking the bottom it keeps you off balance plus making your back hurt worse. Medicare bore the cost but she just purchased one of the tall ones that allows you to grip it like a walking staff. I offered her my willow one but nope, no go. Guess it isn't pretty enough.

She is starting pool therapy shortly and don't get me started on the search for a swim suit. Wimmin can be weird. 

OandS,  I had shots in my back for years and at first I was good to go for 6 months at a time, then it changed to 4 months and then 2 months and then two weeks and the insurance company then said I could only get 2 per year and I quit.
Now I'm virtually crippled.  Your wife is now on my prayer list.

[ironglow]

  I have over the years, made quite a few hiking sticks.  Generally I cut and age Maple saplings.
  Then I forge a top piece such as a twig with leaf, a big horn sheep head or a longhorn cattle head.

     While they are also handy as a prop when shooting, they are also useful, just in case a bad dog wants to dispute your passage.

[oldandslow]

My wife is having pretty serious walking problems and is doing therapy while waiting on nerve ablasion to help or cure the problem. The head of the pain & torture department had her get a cane with a four footed bottom. She won't use it and I can understand why. I tried it and it requires you to hold it so far from you to keep from kicking the bottom it keeps you off balance plus making your back hurt worse. Medicare bore the cost but she just purchased one of the tall ones that allows you to grip it like a walking staff. I offered her my willow one but nope, no go. Guess it isn't pretty enough.

She is starting pool therapy shortly and don't get me started on the search for a swim suit. Wimmin can be weird. 

OandS,  I had shots in my back for years and at first I was good to go for 6 months at a time, then it changed to 4 months and then 2 months and then two weeks and the insurance company then said I could only get 2 per year and I quit.
Now I'm virtually crippled.  Your wife is now on my prayer list.

I had the spinal shots a couple of times and they were good for around a year and a half each time. After that I just used ice packs late in the afternoon and got by pretty good until a couple of years ago. Things have really gone to pot this year for both of us. Ice does little good and Aleve or super tylenol aren't much better. I'm on the nerve ablasion list along with my wife. She's first up as she is in worse shape than I am. I finally get to see the guy that will do it in three more months. At the rate I'm going I may have to crawl into his office. If it comes to a cane I'm not proud. I'll just get my willow stick.

[phalanx]

I have two of them and they dang sure work better than anything else. To keeping my balance which got messed up after a fall of 20 feet. I’m seeing a lot of folks using them now in stores. They are not considered as a weapon anymore.

[wtxbadger]

I use a one inch diameter, four foot long oak dowel rod for a walking stick. It's good and stout and helps if a stray dog or neighbors dog takes a disliking to me when I go walking or if my knee goes out.

[Dee]

On the very rare occasions that I hunt, I have a telescoping set of shooting Stix. They are good sittin down, standing up, and every thing in between.
They're rubber tipped and when moving I use them as a hiking stick.

[BUGEYE]

Yesterday, my wife, during a yard work frenzy, was dragging some landscape fabric backwards and fell into the fire pit.
I was in the yard swing and heard her yell "oh sh*t" when I looked all I saw were two legs straight up in the air.
Normally she helps me up out of the swing but somehow I shot out of it and hobbled over and helped her up.
She was fine but the formerly round fire pit ring is now oblong.
She said it was like sitting in a large inner tube in the water and not being able to stand up.

[phalanx]

Yesterday, my wife, during a yard work frenzy, was dragging some landscape fabric backwards and fell into the fire pit.
I was in the yard swing and heard her yell "oh sh*t" when I looked all I saw were two legs straight up in the air.
Normally she helps me up out of the swing but somehow I shot out of it and hobbled over and helped her up.
She was fine but the formerly round fire pit ring is now oblong.
She said it was like sitting in a large inner tube in the water and not being able to stand up.

Age and a few accidents ,have affected my equilibrium to the point i keep a staff (stick) nearby just in case. I dont always need it but i never know. Especially doing yard work. Ive have had a few times where ive had to grab something to help me get back up. After my neighbor checked out one of mine he ran out and bought him one.

I would make one but a straight tree limb is hard to find around here.

[BUGEYE]

Yesterday, my wife, during a yard work frenzy, was dragging some landscape fabric backwards and fell into the fire pit.
I was in the yard swing and heard her yell "oh sh*t" when I looked all I saw were two legs straight up in the air.
Normally she helps me up out of the swing but somehow I shot out of it and hobbled over and helped her up.
She was fine but the formerly round fire pit ring is now oblong.
She said it was like sitting in a large inner tube in the water and not being able to stand up.

Age and a few accidents ,have affected my equilibrium to the point i keep a staff (stick) nearby just in case. I dont always need it but i never know. Especially doing yard work. Ive have had a few times where ive had to grab something to help me get back up. After my neighbor checked out one of mine he ran out and bought him one.

I would make one but a straight tree limb is hard to find around here.

Wtxbadger mentioned a 4' oak dowel, I think a lumber yard might have just what you need and if you put a cane-tip on it that'll save getting the end splintered up.
Actually I'd put a cane-tip on both ends because dowels are cut in such a way that a lot of weight in a downward direction can cause the dowel to sort of delaminate and drive a big splinter through your hand.

wtxbadger have you heard of this??

[phalanx]

4ft. Is to short for me i prefer 6ft. Grab it up high. Morgan on TWD was very handy using a six footer at killing zombies. Lol. My daughter still watches that, my wife thinks its silly.

[BUGEYE]

4ft. Is to short for me i prefer 6ft. Grab it up high. Morgan on TWD was very handy using a six footer at killing zombies. Lol. My daughter still watches that, my wife thinks its silly.

Yeah, old Morgan was pretty slick with his stick.

[phalanx]

author=ironglow link=topic=295306.msg1099807612#msg1099807612 date=1654464258]
  I have over the years, made quite a few hiking sticks.  Generally I cut an dage Maple saplings.
  Then I forge a top piece such as a twig with leaf, a big horn sheep head or a longhorn cattle head.

     While they are also handy as a prop when shooting, they are also useful, just in case a bad dog wants to dispute your passage.
[/quote]

Or whatever you may encounter in the woods. Great on rattlesnakes, but I wouldn’t try it on a bear.

[BUGEYE]

author=ironglow link=topic=295306.msg1099807612#msg1099807612 date=1654464258]
  I have over the years, made quite a few hiking sticks.  Generally I cut an dage Maple saplings.
  Then I forge a top piece such as a twig with leaf, a big horn sheep head or a longhorn cattle head.

     While they are also handy as a prop when shooting, they are also useful, just in case a bad dog wants to dispute your passage.

Or whatever you may encounter in the woods. Great on rattlesnakes, but I wouldn’t try it on a bear.
[/quote]
Thankfully there's no bears around here and up in north Georgia where there IS bears, it's too steep for me.
If the black folks around here keep adding to their pit bull collections I may add a spear point to my heavy bamboo stick.
I could mount the heavier part of the shank in the stick and if I felt the need I could screw the spear point into it.
Well, it's actually more the size of an arrow shaft but made from stainless steel.
I've tried to remember where I got that thing but can't.

[wtxbadger]

Yesterday, my wife, during a yard work frenzy, was dragging some landscape fabric backwards and fell into the fire pit.
I was in the yard swing and heard her yell "oh sh*t" when I looked all I saw were two legs straight up in the air.
Normally she helps me up out of the swing but somehow I shot out of it and hobbled over and helped her up.
She was fine but the formerly round fire pit ring is now oblong.
She said it was like sitting in a large inner tube in the water and not being able to stand up.

Age and a few accidents ,have affected my equilibrium to the point i keep a staff (stick) nearby just in case. I dont always need it but i never know. Especially doing yard work. Ive have had a few times where ive had to grab something to help me get back up. After my neighbor checked out one of mine he ran out and bought him one.

I would make one but a straight tree limb is hard to find around here.

Wtxbadger mentioned a 4' oak dowel, I think a lumber yard might have just what you need and if you put a cane-tip on it that'll save getting the end splintered up.
Actually I'd put a cane-tip on both ends because dowels are cut in such a way that a lot of weight in a downward direction can cause the dowel to sort of delaminate and drive a big splinter through your hand.

wtxbadger have you heard of this??

I haven't heard of doing that but it sounds like a good idea. Haven't had any problems so far with splintering or chipping but there's always that possibility. Got run over by a car when I was a teenager and have permanent damage to my right knee, it generally works okay but does give me trouble on occasion out taking walks.

[BUGEYE]

Yesterday, my wife, during a yard work frenzy, was dragging some landscape fabric backwards and fell into the fire pit.
I was in the yard swing and heard her yell "oh sh*t" when I looked all I saw were two legs straight up in the air.
Normally she helps me up out of the swing but somehow I shot out of it and hobbled over and helped her up.
She was fine but the formerly round fire pit ring is now oblong.
She said it was like sitting in a large inner tube in the water and not being able to stand up.

Age and a few accidents ,have affected my equilibrium to the point i keep a staff (stick) nearby just in case. I dont always need it but i never know. Especially doing yard work. Ive have had a few times where ive had to grab something to help me get back up. After my neighbor checked out one of mine he ran out and bought him one.

I would make one but a straight tree limb is hard to find around here.

Wtxbadger mentioned a 4' oak dowel, I think a lumber yard might have just what you need and if you put a cane-tip on it that'll save getting the end splintered up.
Actually I'd put a cane-tip on both ends because dowels are cut in such a way that a lot of weight in a downward direction can cause the dowel to sort of delaminate and drive a big splinter through your hand.

wtxbadger have you heard of this??

I haven't heard of doing that but it sounds like a good idea. Haven't had any problems so far with splintering or chipping but there's always that possibility. Got run over by a car when I was a teenager and have permanent damage to my right knee, it generally works okay but does give me trouble on occasion out taking walks.

Your dowel will probably serve you well, but if it were me I’d get a tree limb and make one, for some reason a limb about an inch wide is safer than a dowel.   Maybe some dowels are stronger than others depending on where in the log it came from.

[ironglow]

  I am surprised that any therapist these days would recommend the 4 footed cane.  Those are frowned upon by almost any therapist I know.  Here are the reasons they tell me;

  1) Most 4 footed canes are solid construction..which means all 4 feet must be touching th eground at the same time.

  2) Often, in order to get all 4 feet to touch before stepping..one has to place the cane just right..perhaps uncomfortably far from him.

 3) Solid, one piece construction is bad on any irregular surface...the canes with 3 pads are better..especially if they have a swivel near the ground.

  4) I have built some small forges to be used for outdoor demonstrations, as well as a couple podiums for outdoor..usually graveside services.  Three legs beat four every time..you can almost always get three legs to touch ground, while rarely can you get four legs to stand firmly.

  Hint for an all wood cane that works well...whether you find it natural, steam bend it or cut it from plywood..
  Bend the top 4-5 inches, so it fits the hand like the grip on your favorite pistol.  A pistol grip shaped top is so much more comfortable than a perfectly straight one.  It is t e natural angle for your wrist to be comfortable..

[BUGEYE]

  I am surprised that any therapist these days would recommend the 4 footed cane.  Those are frowned upon by almost any therapist I know.  Here are the reasons they tell me;

  1) Most 4 footed canes are solid construction..which means all 4 feet must be touching th eground at the same time.

  2) Often, in order to get all 4 feet to touch before stepping..one has to place the cane just right..perhaps uncomfortably far from him.

 3) Solid, one piece construction is bad on any irregular surface...the canes with 3 pads are better..especially if they have a swivel near the ground.

  4) I have built some small forges to be used for outdoor demonstrations, as well as a couple podiums for outdoor..usually graveside services.  Three legs beat four every time..you can almost always get three legs to touch ground, while rarely can you get four legs to stand firmly.

  Hint for an all wood cane that works well...whether you find it natural, steam bend it or cut it from plywood..
  Bend the top 4-5 inches, so it fits the hand like the grip on your favorite pistol.  A pistol grip shaped top is so much more comfortable than a perfectly straight one.  It is t e natural angle for your wrist to be comfortable..

I have to admit using a 4 footed cane in the house.
My favorite walking cane has the gearshift knob from a 1957 ford dump truck or large flatbed.
I'm making another one that will have a cue ball on top, besides keeping me upright, it'll be a good shillelagh.

[Ranger99]

I have and use several different kinds
for different things
The one I use hunting is similar to
one posted earlier in that it has a
cradle of sorts for a firearm and it
extends and collapses like a leg
on a older photography tripod.
I use it for steadying to make better
hunting shots, and as a stick as a
blind person would when creeping
to a hunting spot in the dark to
avoid snakes and varmints and such.
I have several other homemade ones
made of saplings and splits and a
couple of thick stock handling canes
from the farm store
Pictures are not posting for whatever
reason

[phalanx]

I dont care for canes they wobble.

[phalanx]

Staffs work much better.