Making Hiking Staffs

[ChiefThundercloud]

Shortridge, I prefer a good, sturdy wooden hiking staff to a flimsy aluminum pole. Aluminum can crimp and bend far too easily. You really have to abuse a wooden staff to the point of uselessness.

 

Those Hickory staffs are going to be great. But Hickory is a very hard wood and will take some serious sanding - be prepared.

 

I find that when the Troop Guide is teaching the proper way to whip a rope, the lesson is taught much better and with better retention if he uses a hiking staff and whips it with the rope to be used for his grip.

[AnniePoo]

I'm going to paint mine like this:

 

http://www.lizardkingarts.com/hikingsticks.htm

 

[Stosh]

That sheet is in the 1911 handbook reprint and I do believe Kudu has it on the www.inquiry.net site.

 

All officers of the troop have a 6' staff as part of their uniform. (Boys' choice)

 

Stosh

[scottteng]

We have a "tree weed" that grows here in South Florida wherever there is too much moisture. It can get to 2" staff size in one season of growth. It has a very pretty mottled brown and blond wood when the bark is scraped off the leaves that are on it when growing are 5 pointed fuzzy ones. It makes great walking staffs and is in abundant supply and has much more character than the broomstick versions sold at most scout shops.

[ChiefThundercloud]

I made a cane out of that "tree weed" this summer. I harvested a couple of pieces while vacationing and geocaching north of Tampa last winter. I thought it was a type of Holly.

 

The bark is mottled gray/green. The inner bark has several layers of varying shades of greens and browns (and patterns) and the inner wood is white. Made one of the most beautiful canes that I have created.

[ChiefThundercloud]

http://diamondwillow.homestead.com/Holly_Cane_op_201x600.jpg is the link to the photo

 

edited to add: Is this the "tree weed" to which you spoke? The lower part of the cane (kind of a greenish color) is the original bark only lightly sanded.(This message has been edited by ChiefThundercloud)

[BrotherhoodWWW]

When it comes to the staves sold at camps and Scout shops charcter is what you do to the stave to personalize it after purchase.

to wit

[cheffy]

Being a carver I really don't like the "broom handles" sold at the scout shops. Try this site for some really good wood and ideas. Their end caps are really nice.

treelineusa.com

 

[packsaddle]

When I read the words Florida and 'tree weed' this is the first thing that came to mind. Is this the one? If so, hack the heck out of it and make as many staves as possible, it's a really noxious invasive. Be nice if someone could make some money off it somehow, maybe the demand would knock it back.

 

http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/images/melqui/melqui5.jpg

 

http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/node/264

[ChiefThundercloud]

Sure wish there wasa better closeup of the bark for a sapling. I found mine growing an a marshy area near the shore. From what i can remember, it did look similar to those. It does have a mottled whitish bark.