Hickory walking stick for SD.

[mope540]

A 4' rattan stick is a good hiking choice. You can leave it that length, or trim to your preferred cane length (39", for me).

John

How wide does it have to be to have sufficient strength for a fighting stick??

Pretty close to finishing this piece of hickory, which is more of a club than a walking stick. It's 1 1/2" wide at the bottom, 1" at top. Length is 43". Making it for my former-Marine brother (who has corrected me with "once a Marine, always a Marine").

 

[Boattale]

How wide does it have to be to have sufficient strength for a fighting stick??

Pretty close to finishing this piece of hickory, which is more of a club than a walking stick. It's 1 1/2" wide at the bottom, 1" at top. Length is 43". Making it for my former-Marine brother (who has corrected me with "once a Marine, always a Marine").

View attachment 1114704

Semper Fi to your brother, who is shortly going to be on the receiving end of a nice stick as a gift. That is very nice work sir.

 

[mope540]

Thank you, sir...And thank you for your service!!!
I'll hand it to him hoping that he has forgotten about all the times i tormented him when we were kids.

 

[JShirley]

How wide does it have to be to have sufficient strength for a fighting stick??

Pretty close to finishing this piece of hickory, which is more of a club than a walking stick. It's 1 1/2" wide at the bottom, 1" at top. Length is 43". Making it for my former-Marine brother (who has corrected me with "once a Marine, always a Marine").

View attachment 1114704

It really depends on the wood. If you had a wood-appearing synthetic, it could be as thin as 7/8". Regular wood, I would want a minimum of 1", with a maximum of 1 1/4" at the outside.

John

 

[epags]

It really depends on the wood. If you had a wood-appearing synthetic, it could be as thin as 7/8". Regular wood, I would want a minimum of 1", with a maximum of 1 1/4" at the outside.

John

Like John says.....A martial arts fighting stick is 1-1/8" hard oak. The one shown was modified to include a strap so it can serve as a walking stick and a fighting stick. It is stained a walnut color.

 

[JShirley]

Like John says.....A martial arts fighting stick is 1-1/8" hard oak.

1 1/8" is an excellent general thickness. Generally, the longer the staff/stave/stick, the thicker you want it, because of the leverage generated by additional length. More than 1 1/4", though, is too unwieldy. A 72" 1 1/4" CE phenolic (canvas micarta) bo is close to 5 lbs. I still regret selling it, 21 years ago...

 

[sanpitch]

I like longer sticks for hiking. These are some oak root ball canes that I've done. I call them "Shillelaghs" and hope my 2% Irish DNA makes that ok.

 

[Atavar]

I have often wanted a good sheleleigh for walking but haven’t found an appropriate piece of wood and for spiritual reasons they should be made, not purchased.
I have thought that a nice branch of southwest desert ironwood would be perfect if not too heavy.
There is not a lot of Blackthorne to be found on this continent.

 

[mope540]

I like longer sticks for hiking. These are some oak root ball canes that I've done. View attachment 1115512 I call them "Shillelaghs" and hope my 2% Irish DNA makes that ok.

Welcome, and well done on your shillelaghs.
I'm liking the one in the upper right and closest to the trigger guard

 

[sanpitch]

More sticks, I ride the wheeler up into the hills looking for one "dead" stick to dig up. I brought the two big ones home just because they were all I could find that day. They have no practical use, too big. Call 'em war shillelaghs and stand them in a corner.

 

[Boattale]

Well, I'm calling it done. 49" length, 1.5" diameter at the top, shade over 1" at the bottom. It's a good thing I like rustic.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Looks good,I like it too...

 

[Boattale]

Looks good,I like it too...

Thank you.

 

[tactikel]

I live in a suburban area, a hickory cane is less conspicuous. I have a Purpleheart Armoury hickory cane.
1 1/8” straight grain hickory. Smacks like a ball bat, and I can take it anywhere: court house, police station, malls, parks. Never raises an eyebrow ( I have gray hair). Good for both 4 and 2 legged threats. Also works for my bad hip!

 

[JShirley]

How wide does it have to be to have sufficient strength for a fighting stick??

I only partially answered this. A rattan stick needs to be a little thicker for length.

 

[Seedy Character]

I got a Western Red Cedar stick

 

[WisBorn]

I wish we had Hickory on our property in Central Wisconsin.
I was taking down our portable blinds yesterday. So I started to look for a suitable piece of wood. I cut out a maple from a clump. Now to strip the bark and let it dry. I think I will add the para-cord handle to it like the last staff I made and gave to my father.

 

[kBob]

anyone think Pecan might be a good substitute for hickory?

-kBob

 

[mope540]

anyone think Pecan might be a good substitute for hickory?

-kBob

https://www.wood-database.com/true-hickory-and-pecan-hickory/

 

[Larry in wyoming]

anyone think Pecan might be a good substitute for hickory?

-kBob

Several folks earlier suggested pecan. Said it was very similar to hickory

 

[Seedy Character]

Pecan, oak, maple, Bo'dark, black walnut, red cedar, red wood, cypress, apple, cherry; anything hard and fairly straight would work.

 

[Boattale]

The next time I see a more or less straight Bois'Darc/Osage Orange/Hedge stick I'm getting it. That is one crooked growing tree.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

The next time I see a more or less straight Bois'Darc/Osage Orange/Hedge stick I'm getting it. That is one crooked growing tree.

Look for what is called a "sucker" tree. Usually a hedge tree that's blown down will send up "suckers" which can be nice and straight. Got more than a few here on my place. They also can make a pretty good simple bow.
Too bad you're in SW Mo. and not NW, I'd bring you some.

 

[Elkins45]

I want a stick with a handle like the ones they sell at the pharmacy. I suppose I could look for a branch with a crook at the right angle but I’m also considering gluing two pieces of 3/4” plywood together and then cutting one out and shaping it. It wouldn’t be as interesting as a natural stick but as a laminate it would probably be nearly unbreakable and I could control the shape and angle of the handle precisely.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I'm 73 and looking for a good walking stick. I normally carry a revolver but really not interested in shooting someone's dog unless I absolutely have to. Maybe a pit bull attack or some other incident where there will be permanent damage to me or someone with me. I don't like shooting animals unless there is an urgent need. I've dispatched animals but I don't like it.

Can anyone recommend a good walking stick that doubles as a deterrent to attacks by animals that don't necessarily need to be shot. I'll reserve that right for people that should be smarter.

We don't have any hardwood here that would be a good candidate except maybe Pacific Yew. Those are hard to find or I would have already cut and cured one.