Walking Sticks

Our walking sticks came about from Rex’s habit of cutting a stick for use when walking over rough terrain when carrying bundles of twigs. It seemed a shame to cut a stick and discard it when done so he started peeling and sanding them and giving them away or leaving them on walking trails for others to discover.	TWIGMEISTER & friend out enjoying Oregon ’s liquid sunshine.
Wood spirit stick waiting for a walk.	A sturdy walking stick can steady you on uneven ground and act as a balance when traversing obstacles. Rex also uses his to clear spider webs and brambles from the path. Kitty’s father started adding leather grips and beads to a few sticks and got a tool to carve them. When he passed away we got a big box of leather and beads and his old Dremmel carving tool. We started making our sticks with leather hand grips. We use buckskin when available, and also recycle leather from old coats and furniture.
Kitty wanted to add things like pictures and people’s names and got a wood burning pen. Rex started to carve wood spirits on the sticks using Kitty’s father’s old Dremmel grinding tool. We quickly decided that we needed better tools and now have a temperature controlled pyrography, also known as wood burning, tool. We also got a good set of carving chisels and most of the carving is done by hand.
A sampling of carved Wood Spirits.	Kitty’s mother adds dangling beads to some of the sticks. She says this decorative touch makes a pleasant noise as you walk to “scare the bears away”. The majority of the sticks are made from Red Alder or Sitka Alder. When available Filbert, Bigleaf Maple, Poplar, and other woods are used. Any wood that is strong and light weight is suitable for a walking stick. The color of the finished stick is the natural color. Several coats of varnish are applied to bring out luster and protect the stick. A compass is added to the top and a rubber tip to the bottom. Each piece is signed and dated.