Hiking Staff

[nugent725]

Recently, I've been working on my own hiking staff, and while looking for ideas on grips, customization, etc. I found this site. It's pretty clever with some points, but rather outlandish with others...nevertheless, its still interesting, so I thought I'd share the link.

 

http://sne.tripod.com/hikestaf.htm

 

YIS,

 

Ryan

[Stosh]

You're going to need a staff of a half dozen people to carry all that stuff.

 

The rest of us just wear a possibles bag.

 

Stosh(This message has been edited by jblake47)

[ScoutBox]

Ive already built my own stave, and its a simple design, with some Staff shields nailed on it. But none of all of the stuff listed on that site. just too much stuff. Id rather carry proper kit on a belt pouch.. but not on a stave. although Ive seen some with some 550 cord on them, and like mine Ive engraved information and measurement marks..

[red feather]

Have made hiking staffs out of bamboo, popular, oak, walnut,osage orange, apple, and one that is the one I use the most, and blast if I can identify the wood (found it as dead fall while hiking, may be shagbark hickory?). I like to find a branch that has a bit of bend that fits my hand for the top and then straight enough to provide a good grip when it hits the ground. One and a half inches to two inches in diameter fits my hand. It should be of a length that reaches just above your waist. A good staff has character and fits you.

 

just rambling

yis

Red Feather

[Eagle92]

I've made a few staves using some of the directions from the old Brownsea 22 handout(which is the sheet with the old style uniforms on it on inquirynet.com). On my last one, I didn't do everything and did some other things instead, and it is light enough for use still. I've gotten a lot of compliments on it, and have had folks ask for copies of the sheet I used to get ideas.

 

My current stave includes:

 

Ruler: 18" and then every foot thereafter.

Rope: 54" of parachute cord with a fishing kit(sinker, 25'of line, and hooks) underneath the cord. Cord doubles as a handgrip too.

orienteering holes

large rubber bands

Fire starter kit (matches and candle in foil covered in wax).

 

Modifications

lashed on a carabiner instead of using a hook (had problems with the hook last time I put one on a staff)It's been very useful.

Put air-ground signals instead of morse code.

Burned on the "stick compass" (sorry forgot the proper name, just know how to make it and use it)

Added a Turk's head knot for decoration and symbolic reasons (I am a Cocky Curlew ya know )

Placed 4 shields on it: World Crest, Eagle, Vigil, and 100th Anniversary.

 

My two older sons have similar ones to mine, but the oldest has been using my JLT staff lately as my youngest has stolen his.

[Stosh]

I have a 6' closet rod made of pine as a staff. It has a 2" hook in the end and a turk's head hand grip. I have added a few shields over the years. The staff has 1' marks on it and at the bottom it is marked off in inches. I have 50' of parachute cord wrapped in a French twist above the handle. I wood-burn dates and places on the staff as I attend events.

 

All the boys in the troop have 6' closet rods with hooks that they have decorated as they see fit. They have decided that the staff is "part of the uniform" and is expected present at all events, same as neckers and uniforms.

 

They have figured out over the years that at camporees that they always get bonus points at the stretcher carry competition because coats and staves work quicker than the blanket wrap most often used at the station. Not only that, they always come prepared to the station. They have also gotten bonus points for leg splints using neckers and staves.

 

It is somewhat big for a hiking staff, but being pine it isn't too bad and the boys have never complained. If it breaks, (trying to carry someone who is too heavy and they didn't double the staves on each side), it costs only about $5 to replace.

 

The PL's carry the patrol flag on their staff and the acting SPL/ASPL put a flag on their staff so they all can be quickly identified in a crowd and/or gather their patrol quickly if need be.

 

Leaving the events at Jambo, I simply held my staff up (I have a WB beaver patrol flag on my staff) and walked out. Everyone in my contingent simply followed me back to camp if they so desired. Rally 'round the flag boys! I also could tell where my PL's and SPL/APL were from quite a distance away.

 

We use the communication aspects of the staff over the practicality of using it simply as a walking stick.

 

Stosh

[nugent725]

jblake,

 

I must say, that idea is actually quite ingenious. I think I might have to adopt that idea (with some minor tweaking).

 

When I started this thread, I only meant it to be kind of a "look how ridiculous this thing sounds". But after hearing some the ideas presented, I like hearing how some of you have taken a simple stick (or other thick wooden object) and turned it into a tool of survival, communication, etc...KEEP THE IDEAS FLOWING!!

 

You never know, someone who reads a post on here might take your idea of how to turn your staff into a survival tool...and it might save their life in a survival situation. These are all great ideas that should be shared.

 

YIS,

 

Ryan

[perdidochas]

While I agree with minor modifications to the staff for survival situations and for outdoor usage, I think most of us would be better off with our survival kit in our cargo pockets or in a belt pack. I'm much more likely to leave a staff than a beltpack.

[sailingpj]

I can't even imagine a hiking staff with half that stuff on it. That would look very strange. I think it would be easier to stick it all in a back pack and carry that. There just comes to be a point when you are trying to do to many things with one item. I like jblake47's description, the staff is used for walking, and as stretcher parts, and as a flag pole. Nothing more. That makes sense to me.

 

Wouldn't a staff with all that stuff on it, or even just a fraction of it, be kinda unwieldy?

[Eagle92]

The only "unwieldy" part is my carabiner, and that is when I carry the staff in my left hand b/c I have it lashed on in a way that it is out of the way when carrying it in the right hand.

 

Seriously though the way I have it, I drilled holes into the staff and inserted the fishing and fire starting materials. Both are covered in wax to fill it out and secure the materials. The fishing stuff is under the paracord handle in a horizontal hole, while the fire stuff is at the top of the stave in a vertical hole. All markings and diagrams are woodburned, not tacked on like the updated sheet. Again the only problem I've really had is the 'biner when I use it in my left hand. And I've used the biner too to carry supply around CSDC this summer.

[ScoutBox]

Like I said above I wouldnt carry so much stuff on mine, but something that those of you who want too could do, Is drill a large hole into the top fo the staff, and put a small kit inside and then cork it or fix a wooden dowel or cap onto the top.

[RANBOW]

I must concur with the idea of using your staff for walking and carry a survival kit on/in your belt, pouch, pocket or pack. A good staff should be light (not much more than 1 1/2" in dia. at the top), about chin high and have character representing that of its wielder.

 

My staff is hand cut (from private property with permission), shaved clean and smooth, has a carved face toward the top to please the tree spirits, and has my name (RANBOW) burned into it. also burned into it directly opposite my name is Eagle and the year date I received mine. then scattered randomly over the staff I've burned "on my honor" "be prepared" and all twelve points of the scout law. The staff is finished with a light coat of varnish to brighten the burned in wording. The bottom end is covered with a double thick leather across tip and up the sides about 4" high and then wrapped with leather cord to secure and make pleasant looking (a clear urethane glue called liquid fusion, purchased at michaels along with the leather was used in this process). Its a very cool staff if I do say so.

 

See you on the trail, look for my stick, ----RANBOW----

 

[nugent725]

I finally finished my staff...considering it is my first home-made staff (which I found looking for firewood), I decided simplicity was the key. So I cut it down to a length where the bottom was just too wide for a rubber foot I had, put the rubber foot on with construction adhesive, made a handle with 550 paracord, and coated it with polyeurathane. I added a personal touch at the end by attaching, with a screw, a set of mala beads (kind of the Buddhist equivalent of a rosary). This way not only do I have them everywhere I hike...but it reminds me to appreciate the Zen in everything we see in life...

[sailingpj]

Eagle92, yours sound alright, I am thinking of the wrapping the thing in space blankets and that other stuff. It sounds a little much to me.

[nugent725]

all that jazz is just entirely too much. IMHO, as several others have said: walking staff, stretcher poles, etc. Emergency supplies/first aid should be kept in a separate pouch...with maybe the exception of a hole filled with matches and such for starting a fire if the need arises.