Info Favorites Register Log in
myArmoury.com Discussion Forums

Forum index Memberlist Usergroups Spotlight Topics Search
Forum Index > Off-topic Talk > Walking stickDIY Project Reply to topic
This is a standard topic Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next 
Author Message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Wed 11 Sep, 2013 9:26 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

More pics showing the pieces of socket, cut off spear/lance head, the regular butt spike that ended up with the stick feeling a bit too short when walking and the original Hanwei component parts.

I still have a few of these spear lance/butt lance I bought from Kult of Athena and will use both butt spike and cut off sockets to use on other stick, as long as they last.

I think I will mount at least one as a full lance/spear as this seems to be a discontinued item that Hanwei is no longer making, so I should at least put one of these together on a tapering " BO " white Oak shaft.



 Attachment: 154.63 KB
Stick14 14.JPG
Butt spike with rubber crutch 1/2" diameter crutch tip.

 Attachment: 160.13 KB
Stick14 15.JPG
I less a little of the shoulder of the spear to make it wider to better hold on to a rubber crutch tip

 Attachment: 135.38 KB
Stick14 16.JPG
All the bits and pieces.

 Attachment: 129.88 KB
Stick14 17.JPG
Close up of the end of the butt spike and the lance part that was cut off next to an intact piece.

 Attachment: 129.13 KB
Stick14 18.JPG
A better view of the cross section at the end.

 Attachment: 132.12 KB
Stick14 20.JPG
All the bits and pieces from a different angle.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Ken Speed





Joined: 09 Oct 2006

Posts: 656

PostPosted: Thu 12 Sep, 2013 12:28 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jean,

Very nice proportions and workmanship on this stick, nice filework. Just a great job throughout.
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Wed 23 Apr, 2014 5:43 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Another stick in the same style as the previous two sticks using Pau Amarello for the head piece and adding two steel rings one over and one under the decorative collar.

http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identific...llowheart/

The butt end also made from a cut off spear/lance head but shaped to be optimized for walking on Icy or snowy sidewalks when the rubber crutch tip is removed.: The tip is a somewhat obtuse but blunted point.

The head of the stick is slightly wider in diameter at the top and tapers a little more.

The 4 nails in the top are larger headed masonry nails instead of the much smaller furniture nails I used on the two previous stick.

The shaft is the White Oak I use about 80% of the time, and the assembly method basically the same as most of my previous sticks so no need to repeat it this time.

I made this one midway in total length compared to the previous two sticks.

The next stick will probably be very different in style, but I do like this type varying the materials and length, and will probably make others some time later.

I have in mind trying some different things in assembly methods and maybe using steel strips as decorative and structural elements but these are just at the design stage in my imagination for the moment.



 Attachment: 94.55 KB
Stick15 02.JPG
The middle one with the two previous sticks for size comparison.

 Attachment: 115.67 KB
Stick15 03.JPG


 Attachment: 111.98 KB
Stick15 04.JPG


 Attachment: 108.24 KB
Stick15 05.JPG
Close up on decorative collar and the two rings that look as if they are all one piece. Dremel file work.

 Attachment: 92.43 KB
Stick15 06.JPG
Sorry out of focus, but shows the bigger headed nails.

 Attachment: 82.58 KB
Stick15 07.JPG


 Attachment: 86.47 KB
Stick15 08.JPG
Crutch tip.

 Attachment: 65.43 KB
Stick15 10.JPG
Blunted tip, but still pointy enough to be effective on ice, but not needle sharp: The heat treat of the spear head making the tip durable even on hard surfaces.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Tue 13 May, 2014 7:52 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Very different stick from the last 3 ones.

Used a found branch of Maple after the city work crews trimmed some tree branches many months ago and I Iet the branch dry out in my basement.

My friend Ken Speed sent me a nice piece of Tiger Maple some time ago and I used this block of wood to make the head for the stick.

The block glued to the branch and also with a steel pin linking the pieces.

With a Proxxon carving tool using a circular rasp tungsten carbide blade I roughed out the shape of the block of Tiger maple to blend it's shape onto the branch.

http://www.kmart.com/proxxon-carving-disc-for...923680000P


I later added a stainless steel wire wrap in part to hide the joint making the stick look like it might have been all from a single branch, the wire wrap is also decorative and gives a very good feeling grip.

Finished the walking stick with boiled linseed oil as usual after I did some designs on the branch using a wood burning tool: The drawing is different over the stick and doesn't repeat a symmetrical design.
I used a steel spear butt purchased from Kult of Athena that aesthetically matches the shape of the head of the stick better than other type of steel butts I've used before. ( Although for use it does get covered by a rubber crutch tip ).

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...r+Butt+Cap



 Attachment: 96.78 KB
Stick13 01.JPG
Branch with block of Tiger Maple glued and pinned to branch.

 Attachment: 158.38 KB
Stick13 03.JPG
Rear view.

 Attachment: 157.6 KB
Stick13 04.JPG
Close up of initial assembly before carving.

 Attachment: 100.48 KB
Stick13 05.JPG
After carving/shaping of head of walking stick.

 Attachment: 127.71 KB
Stick13 07.JPG
Close up of head and joining line.

 Attachment: 128.41 KB
Stick13 08.JPG
Plus stainless steel wire wrap.

 Attachment: 135.26 KB
Stick13 09.JPG
Close up of head at a slight angle.

 Attachment: 100.46 KB
Stick13 10.JPG
Finished stick with wood burning pattern/drawing.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Tue 13 May, 2014 8:02 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

More pics of stick showing the design of the drawing on each side of the stick.


 Attachment: 129.35 KB
Stick13 11.JPG
Side 1

 Attachment: 153.74 KB
Stick13 12.JPG
Side 1 close up of head.

 Attachment: 120.82 KB
Stick13 13.JPG
Side one close up of top half of branch.

 Attachment: 121.74 KB
Stick13 14.JPG
Close up lowe half of drawing on branch.

 Attachment: 98.66 KB
Stick13 15.JPG
Steel Butt and rubber crutch tip.

 Attachment: 140.26 KB
Stick13 16.JPG
Side 2 of head.

 Attachment: 153.11 KB
Stick13 17.JPG
Side 2 close up of head.

 Attachment: 122.65 KB
Stick13 18.JPG
Side 2 upper part of branch below head.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Tue 13 May, 2014 8:09 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

And a few more pics including pics of stick in hand.


 Attachment: 129.54 KB
Stick13 19.JPG
Top end of design side 2

 Attachment: 120.11 KB
Stick13 20.JPG
Middle part of design side 2

 Attachment: 117.54 KB
Stick13 21.JPG
In hand head away from camera.

 Attachment: 112.53 KB
Stick13 22.JPG
In hand head towards camera.

 Attachment: 113.81 KB
Stick13 23.JPG
Back of stick.

 Attachment: 118.77 KB
Stick13 24.JPG
3/4 profile.

 Attachment: 105.97 KB
Stick13 25.JPG
Steel Butt without rubber crutch tip.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Daniel Wallace




Location: Pennsylvania USA
Joined: 07 Aug 2011

Posts: 580

PostPosted: Wed 14 May, 2014 10:23 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

nice and natural - it brings to mind a skit from robin Williams "the invention of golf"

'NAW not a straight stick - use a &*^% up stick!" Laughing Out Loud
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Wed 04 Jun, 2014 6:38 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

New stick, this one with a carved MUN Ebony head in the shape of a large raptor bird roughly inspired by eagles.

The usual White Oak shaft but this time I didn't use a steel pin to do the assembly but instead did a mortise and tenon type of joinery.

The proxxon carving tool I bought really helps in accelerating the pace of the work of roughing out the shape, although the final shape is still done mostly with rasps and files before going to finer and finer sand papers and synthetic steel wool.

Some of the pics of the finished stick are a little out of focus unfortunately in the second posting of pic after these " Making of Pics ".



 Attachment: 113.85 KB
Stick16 01.JPG
The original block of wood.

 Attachment: 112.39 KB
Stick16 05.JPG
Mortise hole chiselled in.

 Attachment: 101.28 KB
Stick16 04.JPG
Close up of square mortise hole.

 Attachment: 106.83 KB
Stick16 07.JPG
Bottom view of hole in carved head.

 Attachment: 100.17 KB
Stick16 09.JPG
3/4 profile side view.

 Attachment: 129.29 KB
Stick16 10.JPG
Side view, pre-oil finish.

 Attachment: 129.53 KB
Stick16 11.JPG
Top view.

 Attachment: 130.38 KB
Stick16 12.JPG
Head, shaft and metal bits.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Wed 04 Jun, 2014 6:51 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

The finished stick with lots of Boiled Linseed Oil turns the head jet black and it seems rather harder to photograph.

I sort of rushed taking the pics, and they turned out a bit out of focus, but the previous pics do show the details more accurately.



 Attachment: 134.08 KB
Stick16 13.JPG
Close up of the harware: Copper inner collar and outer decorative collar with file work.

 Attachment: 109.32 KB
Stick16 14.JPG
Head just put on shaft before final assembly to check fit.

 Attachment: 102.34 KB
Stick16 15.JPG
The usal pic of the whole stick.

 Attachment: 116.34 KB
Stick16 16.JPG
A bit too dark, close up.

 Attachment: 78.46 KB
Stick16 17.JPG
A little too much lens flare on the very polished and oiled surface.

 Attachment: 75.63 KB
Stick16 18.JPG
3/4 profile of the side and rear of head.

 Attachment: 85.23 KB
Stick16 19.JPG
Sorry about the fuzzy pic !

 Attachment: 78.49 KB
Stick16 20.JPG
Side, underneat view.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jeremy V. Krause




Location: Buffalo, NY.
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,717

PostPosted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 8:40 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I love these sticks you make Jean!

They are great. Ever thought about making/selling some?
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 4:03 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jeremy V. Krause wrote:
I love these sticks you make Jean!

They are great. Ever thought about making/selling some?


I'm still doing these for the fun of it as I don't think I would even like the pressure of taking and filling orders for sticks, but maybe when I have sticks coming out of my ears I might occasionally sell one when I make a new stick of the same design but " Better ", or I get tired of some of the early ones.

Hard to sell these at a price reflective of the number of hours put in when in competition with Chinese makers of walking stick selling them for $30 or less ......

I guess mostly I only want to make sticks when I have an idea for a new stick that I want to make for myself.

I have made the occasional one for friends as the last one with the Eagle head has already been shipped to Ken Speed as a gift and I now have to make another one with an Eagles Head for myself: It will probably be very similar but I hardly ever make anything exactly the same.

After making one design any repeats of the design will be based on experience of making the first and subtle changes in proportions and details at the very least.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Ken Speed





Joined: 09 Oct 2006

Posts: 656

PostPosted: Fri 06 Jun, 2014 4:35 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jean has shipped the new stick to me so, barring any customs issues, I should have it in a few days or a week.

I think Jean is right about selling his sticks I don't think he can compete commercially but I have suggested that he should get them displayed as works of art. His sticks get more creative and more accomplished with each one that he makes.

Jean does most of the work by hand, for example, he chopped out the mortise in the bottom of the handle by hand with chisels. I think he told me it took hours just to cut the mortise because the wood is so very hard.

In any case, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the stick and plan to comment further when I have it in hand.
View user's profile Send private message
Daniel Wallace




Location: Pennsylvania USA
Joined: 07 Aug 2011

Posts: 580

PostPosted: Sun 08 Jun, 2014 11:28 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I have to say Jean that your carving on this last one shows quite a progression from earlier ones. simple and stylized yet also complex in showing the features of the creature.
View user's profile Send private message
Ken Speed





Joined: 09 Oct 2006

Posts: 656

PostPosted: Tue 10 Jun, 2014 7:46 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I agree with Daniel, I think this stick is a real step forward stylistically and technically. Jean has really produced a piece of art with this one.

Not that I'm knowledgeable about Mayan or Aztec art, the style of the bird's head brings some of the carvings and figures from those cultures to mind.

I received the stick yesterday and have had a chance to handle it a little, it feels wonderful in the hand. I hold it with the beak pointing towards me and my index finger and thumb just naturally close around the back of the head. The stick has a very solid feel and satisfying heft without feeling clumsy.

This is a very generous gift and one that I'm very proud to own.
View user's profile Send private message
Daniel Wallace




Location: Pennsylvania USA
Joined: 07 Aug 2011

Posts: 580

PostPosted: Tue 10 Jun, 2014 3:20 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Ken Speed wrote:


Not that I'm knowledgeable about Mayan or Aztec art, the style of the bird's head brings some of the carvings and figures from those cultures to mind.



this is exactly what come to mind when I saw it as well. it looks like cravings of the north American 'thunderbird,' or just a very native American look about it. every time I see Jeans work I just want to dig into a piece of wood again.
View user's profile Send private message
John Hardy




Location: Saskatoon SK Canada
Joined: 31 May 2014
Likes: 18 pages

Posts: 99

PostPosted: Tue 10 Jun, 2014 3:25 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Ken Speed wrote:
Jean has shipped the new stick to me so, barring any customs issues, I should have it in a few days or a week.

I think Jean is right about selling his sticks I don't think he can compete commercially but I have suggested that he should get them displayed as works of art. His sticks get more creative and more accomplished with each one that he makes.

Jean does most of the work by hand, for example, he chopped out the mortise in the bottom of the handle by hand with chisels. I think he told me it took hours just to cut the mortise because the wood is so very hard.

In any case, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the stick and plan to comment further when I have it in hand.


We have a group of craftspeople here called the Saskatchewan Woodworkers Guild. They get together, share tips with each other, and every year they put on a Wood Show in a gallery at the University of Saskatchewan. Displays of various pieces members have made - everything from willowbark carving to making Georgian-style tilt-top teatables. And demonstrations at various times during the week-long show of various techniques and tool uses.

Some of the members are professional woodworkers who do pieces on commission or sell in local galleries, and others are strictly amateurs creating for fun. Some of the pieces displayed have price tags on them and others are just displayed to show off.

If there is a similar craft group in your province, Jean, you may want to consider joining it and displaying your sticks there.
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Thu 10 Jul, 2014 10:34 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

New stick using the same eagle's head theme but a bit differently.

The whole thing is fairly massive with the eagle's head maybe 25% bigger in all dimensions, the shaft is oval in section and carved from Cocobolo.

The head is Osage Orange, and both pieces are assembled using the mortise and tenon method as the previous stick, the tenon is at least 3/4" wide by 1 1/8" long and 1 1/4" tall: So this is not going to break very easily to say the least.

Any slop in fit is filled with clear epoxy in which I mixed in a lot of the very fine Osage Orange powder produced by the Proxxon carving tool so that the epoxy takes on the colour of the head for what looks like a more perfect fit than I can achieve at the moment.

The Cocobolo was carved by hand firstly to an oval section and then a wide and rounded spiral was carved with round rasps.

The two narrow spirals where carved into the wider spiral but only using narrow rough files and the borders left sharp and not widened and rounded like the main spiral.

The Proxxon carving tool was only used on the shaft to rough out the tenon that was reduced to fit using a flat bastard file to produce square corners.

And as usual I sanded up to using 1200 grit sand paper and used undiluted Boiled linseed oil to slowly hand rub the oil finish: This is still a work in progress with daily oiling and rubbing in the oil.

The first pics are a comparison pic with other sticks I made before and with the head just put on the shaft before assembly.

The early " in progress pics " are before final sanding and oiling. The last batch of pics following the first post are of the finished stick.

The carving on the upper shaft is also of eagle's wings to harmonize with the design of the head but is slightly different on each side to blend into the curves of the main spiral that are higher on one side than the other, so although the length of the wings is basically the same on each side they terminate differently on each side.



 Attachment: 108.16 KB
Stick17 01.JPG
The stick is just test assembled here, and is shorter than when finished with the added steel butt.

 Attachment: 142.87 KB
Stick17 03.JPG
Head not yet glued on.

 Attachment: 120.8 KB
Stick17 04.JPG
Tenon.

 Attachment: 122.09 KB
Stick17 05.JPG
Showing wings carved in.

 Attachment: 109 KB
Stick17 06.JPG
Close up of lower part of wing, side1 of shaft.

 Attachment: 92.24 KB
Stick17 07.JPG
Tip of shaft before being fitted for the steel butt.

 Attachment: 126.99 KB
Stick17 08.JPG
Really nice grain pattern on the Osage Orange.

 Attachment: 148.01 KB
Stick17 10.JPG
Mortise hole.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Thu 10 Jul, 2014 10:44 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

More pics of in progress shots, and showing the other side of the stick and head from various angles.

Also the first pics of the finished stick.



 Attachment: 124.94 KB
Stick17 11.JPG
Top view of head.

 Attachment: 123.08 KB
Stick17 12.JPG
3É4 profile of head showing back.

 Attachment: 147.02 KB
Stick17 13.JPG
Tenon and top end of shaft with carved wings before sanding and oiling or assembly.

 Attachment: 136.91 KB
Stick17 14.JPG
Another angle.

 Attachment: 139.12 KB
Stick17 15.JPG
Top of tenon.

 Attachment: 106.53 KB
Stick17 16.JPG
First pic of finished and assembled stick.

 Attachment: 128.01 KB
Stick17 17.JPG
Close up of head and upper shaft with carved wings.

 Attachment: 114.34 KB
Stick17 18.JPG
Sort of a repeat of previous pics but after sanding and oiling.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Thu 10 Jul, 2014 11:01 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

More pics showing the other side of the shaft and head as well of pics in hand to better show scale and the way I use the stick with the wrist strap: Basically my usual way I prefer with a reverse grip on the head and with a wrist strap so that I can have a relaxed grip on the stick when using it.

The flat rear part of the top of the eagle's head make for a very comfortable hold with palm well supported and the eagle's beak gives finger control over the angle of the stick when walking with it.

Oh, this time I used paracord that I braided for the wrist strap instead of the usual leather laces I was using before: Mostly because I found some and it's less likely to break than the leather.



 Attachment: 120.63 KB
Stick17 19.JPG
Wings on side 2 of shaft.

 Attachment: 154.67 KB
Stick17 20.JPG
Rear view of shaft and head" Note that the stick is oval in section making it a lot less massive than if it was round and as thick all around.

 Attachment: 176.08 KB
Stick17 22.JPG
The front view of where the wings almost meet on the beak side of the stick.

 Attachment: 145.43 KB
Stick17 24.JPG
View of side 2 of stick head and shaft.

 Attachment: 147.42 KB
Stick17 25.JPG
View of side 1 of stick head and shaft.

 Attachment: 151.31 KB
Stick17 26.JPG
Stick in hand for scale: Big big massive stick .... LOL.

 Attachment: 149.96 KB
Stick17 27.JPG
My preferred way to hold the stick when using it for walking.

 Attachment: 163.08 KB
Stick17 29.JPG
The " You wouldn't like me if I was angry " look of the eagles head in 3/4 profile.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Marc Blaydoe




Location: Maryland
Joined: 29 Sep 2006

Posts: 72

PostPosted: Fri 11 Jul, 2014 5:51 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Your exponentially increasing skill as an artisan is wonderful to see. I think I may borrow some creative ideas here to finish off a raven-themed tiller I've been working on for our Viking Ship the Sae Hrafn.

Incredible work!

An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
View user's profile Send private message


Display posts from previous:   
Forum Index > Off-topic Talk > Walking stickDIY Project
Page 4 of 6 Reply to topic
Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next All times are GMT - 8 Hours

View previous topic :: View next topic
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum






All contents © Copyright 2003-2024 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Basic Low-bandwidth Version of the forum