# Bamboo as an alternative wood for walking sticks



## bamboo (Jan 29, 2015)

Hi, I am the founder of Bamboo USA and have been exporting bamboo poles to the USA. We have at our farm a big Bamboo Certified forest where we harvest all our bamboo....

The question I have and hope you can help me is:

From our harvest we usually have small diameter poles, usually 20' long and would like to be able to turn them into walking stick. Does anyone here has the know-how in the USA to do this?

Looking forward to everyones reply.

Very best regards,

Santiago Perdomo

Founder

Bamboo USA

www.bamboousa.us


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## JJireh (Feb 7, 2013)

Can you clarify what your definition of 'walking stick' is?

Sometimes people mean walking canes which are smaller (around waist high) or trekking poles which can be chest high, or hiking sticks which can be shoulder/head high.

Bamboo is strong and light, so it is a great 'wood' to use (I know its a grass).

That said, they can be plain old bamboo cut to length with a hand grip and rubber crutch tip to a nice finished rod with handle and brass ferrule.

Most bamboo canes I have seen have been one piece, steam bent. The bamboo is harvested at the root ball, all tendrils are sanded off and the rootball end is then bent into a crook using heat/steam. You may already know this, but heat + bamboo can be explosive, so relief holes need to be added to each chamber that is being bent.

I gess you could also use 'toppers' inserted into a chamber as well.

That's about the extent of info I have, hope it helps.


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Welcome to the forum.

As bamboo is used for everything from scaffolding to housing in SE Asia I would think it is a strong enough material for a walking stick.

I have seen video of persons making walking sticks from bamboo and wrapping the grips with paracord for decoration.

I don't think bamboo would lend itself well to carving figures in the wood, maybe wood burning would be an alternative for decoration.. Having never used bamboo my question is does it take stain or oils?


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

Because I am a carver bamboo is not a wood I would use but it is very strong and And has been used as hiking sticks for ever in the areas were it grows. There are issues with cracking if it is not very well dried.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

I have seen bambo use for walking canes ,they look fine .I have no idea how they would go in such a competertive market .the home grown shanks which are produced here are produce very quickly and are pretty cheap when compared to a hand crafted one,. theres no reson i suppose they couldnt be made using the same principle as a traditional one but i suppose there could be a market for it , but that is another matter.As it would come down to price and duribility i suppose. I suppose the demand for them is about the same in the uk but think it would be difficult to break into our market.


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## bamboo (Jan 29, 2015)

Hi wanted to share some images about working bamboo wood.

Although its a very hard wood (grass) it still can be carved as well.

What is the diameter needed on a walking cane?

Thanks

Santiago

BambooUSA


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

I dont know much about bambo but for a general walking stick there about a inch made from hazel.I shouldnt think there would be any need to give the bambo a finishing coat it seems pretty duriable. theres information on u tube on how to bend the shank should be useful for you..

nice bit of work. never thought of trying buring it .

good luck


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