# Market Stick?



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Well, I've seen this style called a market stick. I'm not 100% certain that's correct though.

What is the correct name?

I've been working on this one the last couple days. I'm still trying to build up the finish on my other one. My latest can of tung oil I bought is a lot thinner than my old one. It's possible the old can's contents thickened up with age. Either way with the thin finish and cold weather it's taking forever to finish.

Anyway, here's the stick.





Spalted western red maple handle with a western red maple shank. The spacers are bubinga and holly.

This is a pretty heavy stick. The shank is about 1 1/4 to 1 3/8 inches diameter at the top and just over an inch at the bottom. The handle is about 1 3/8" wide.

The bolt extends nearly to the top of the handle to prevent breaking due to short grain. I have it indoors warming up so I can glue it.

I'm pretty pleased with it so far. I still have a long way to go.

Rodney


----------



## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

It looks as though its coming along great. the collar should give it a nice contrast .

nice job , the oil finish should serve you well prefer it to varnish finish and its easier to keep in good order as a quick wipe over with oil is all it needs occasionally

keep posting pics.


----------



## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Don't know the correct name for the handle style, but I like the stick! Nice job :thumbsu:


----------



## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

it is a market stick and a nice one


----------



## norson (Jan 15, 2015)

I'll be watching to see what you do with the spacers.

-neb


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

I glued it up yesterday and have spent about an hour and a half refining the shape today so far.

Here it is after glue up before trimming.



After a few minutes at the band saw.



I managed to nick the bark on the inside of the shank.

As it is now.



There's a gap in the joint at the bottom of the spacers that I need to fill.



While I drilled the hole in the handle on center, by the time I had rough shaped the handle it was offset about 1/4" to one side.

A slightly crooked glue up didn't help either.

I've almost got the handle aligned with the shank now but am looking at taking another 1/16" off the top portion of the handle on the side shown to get rid of the last of the bend. I'm at the point now where any more mistakes will get costly in a hurry. Most of the excess material is already removed so there's no room for error.

The shank has a slight bend in it that's about 1/2 way down. It doesn't affect the strength of the stick but it does bother me. I'm going to attempt to straighten it a bit more while I'm at it.

Even with the mistakes I've made so far I expect it to be a pretty good stick when I'm done.

Rodney


----------



## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

its coing on very well. its a little beauty well done

I would try gluing the collar onto the topper when you insert the threaded bar should make the job a little easyer for you to shape ..when you tweak the bits your after its going to look a treat nice contrasting wood


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

I was almost done trying to straighten it. Just one more bend and I would have been happy with it.

My own impatience got me. I should have stopped and reheated it again before continuing.



It's ok. I can cut the shank off the handle and replace it. There's still plenty of wood to work with on the handle. It was a pretty large shank to begin with.. I just need a slightly thinner shank for it now.

So close yet so far.

Rodney


----------



## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

the handles good anyway

must have used a lot of weight on it to break it.. sounds as though it wasn't heated through enough. heat the shank until its hot to handle .without scotching it.. but straighten the next shank before you shank the handle . pity it happened the shank didn't look to bad .and straighten it a bit at a time ,there's no need to put it into a clamp jus tweak a little and take your time on it,


----------



## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Handle will look good on whatever shank U end up with. Very beautiful piece of wood!

Side note: I would have had to get my mouth washed out with soap after I did that! :growl:


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Thanks guys, I do like the handle.

Usually I do straighten my shanks first. This one was pretty close to straight but I didn't like it after I put it together. Just enough of a bend for it not to be right. Some bends add character and interest. Some just make a crooked stick and look like poor workmanship. This was the latter.

I may have one or two more seasoned shanks. I'm pretty much out of cured shanks for the season. I'll look in the morning. If not, I have a good stock of them drying. It's just going to be a while before they're ready. I know I have some mahogany but it's the wrong color to go with the handle. I may have some thicker oak stock that's dry. That might work if I do.

I'm seriously considering buying some maple or possibly some other hardwood lumber and turning some shanks.

I jumped the gun a bit when I opened my Etsy shop. I only had 6 canes ready to sell. But then if I waited for everything to be perfect I'd still be waiting. I'm trying to build my inventory to at least 12 listings.

Enough to give people looking a little bit of a selection anyway.

Rodney


----------



## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

That's going to be a nice market stick when you finish it . I once had a similar problem and cut the shank off the topper, went ok..

When I have drilled the hole for the studding in the topper I use a circle template (the king with multiple size circles) and use it to draw a circle slightly larger than the shank on the base of the topper - gives a visual indicator when roughing down the neck to shank, I have also dowelled and re- drilled a out of center hole.

as an aside the market handle you are doing is termed a "Nose In" handle as opposed to a Nose Out crook, this shape allows the stick to be hooked over the forearm if using hands to look at something, and the height of the stick should be tall enough to allow you to put your hands on top and use it to lean on when at a livestock auction - hence Market Stick.


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

I haven't made up my mind about height. My first attempt was cane height. If I go longer like a traditional stick how long should it be and should it be fitted to the individual or is close close enough?

Rodney


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

I got lucky. I found a cured hazel shank I had forgotten about. It was behind some other stuff. Out of sight, out of mind.

Anyway this one has a bunch of knobs on it where the original was smooth. It completely changes the feel of the stick but still works. Pictures later.

Rodney


----------



## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

height of a market stick is usually around armpit height to comfortably rest both hands on about chest height to lean on. its down to choice .it will give you the option to cut it down to walking stick height if you want t0, but personally I think it looks better as a market stick just personal choice .

good luck with it.

. .


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Thanks Cobalt!

It's not tall enough to get a traditional stick out of it then. I'll have to make it cane height. I'll keep my eyes open for a longer hazel shank so I can make at least one traditional crook or market stick.

The shank transplant was a success.

Here's the stick after taking it out of the clamp.





The shank was pretty close to the same size as the handle. It only took minimal fitting to smooth out the joint.

It's currently hanging in the shop with it's first coat of oil. It's going to be at least a week before I can call it done.

It's quite a bit more rustic now than it was with the much smoother maple stick but I like it this way too.

Rodney


----------



## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

Over here we trim the "Knobbles" side shoots roughlydown to shank dia, this leaves a pattern of lighter coloured wood, looks good (or not depending on persoanal preference) against the darker shank when finished. Is going to be a good looking stic, well done.


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Thanks Gloops.

It's not what I set out to make but I still like it.

Rodney


----------



## Stickie (Mar 28, 2016)

Hi

Just a small point but will very much improve the stick, keep the inside line straight with the shank let the outside drift out (as now). This is true of all heads whether market sticks or crooks. This is always one of the points I check when judging.


----------



## LilysDad (Sep 25, 2014)

Is it possible to add a piece of wood to the bottom of the shaft which matches the handle? Or is that just wierd?


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Thanks Stickie! That's a good piece of information and I'll keep it in mind.

LilysDad in this case I don't think that will work, more because of the character of the stick than any other reason. It's just going to be a cane with a crook handle instead of a full market stick.

There's no technical reason it can't be done and I know I've seen it done on other sticks. I did it on one stick with a thicker shank. I think if I was to do it again I would either buy a connector and make a two piece stick or use contrasting wood and put the joint in the middle like I intended to make it that way.

Rodney


----------



## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

LilysDad said:


> Is it possible to add a piece of wood to the bottom of the shaft which matches the handle? Or is that just wierd?


Yes you can and no its not wierd. Hard woods tend to be better as a soft wood would not take the wear from pavements and would need good waterproofing. Here in the UK I have seen Rams Horn and buffalo Horn and was looking at one on Tuesday night that had been made from Cow Horn - the solid point end of the horn, looked good.


----------



## norson (Jan 15, 2015)

There's just something about the nice "feel" of a handle that wraps around the hand like this. As a full time cane user I LOVE it.


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Thanks Norson.

I sanded it down with some 400 grit to smooth things out a bit and put another coat on it earlier.

I like the handle so well I started another one. The second one is a little narrower in the back than this one but still fits well in the hand.

The handles take a lot longer to make than the shanks so while I'm waiting for more shanks to cure I'm roughing out handles to use with them.

Rodney


----------



## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

I'm calling this one done.









Not perfect but I'm happy with it.

Rodney


----------



## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

perfect in you eyes or not its a nice job . i would be pleased with it nice one.Like the contrasting collar


----------



## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Very nicely done Rodney! We all are our own biggest critics, I'd be proud to walk with it,


----------



## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

Nice stick, should feel proud walking out with that one.


----------



## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

Well done Rodney!! nice looking stick.


----------



## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

bet your thinking its time to think anout the next one now.Nice job Rodney


----------

