# First Timer. Any Advise?



## Reckless (May 19, 2015)

Hey There,

I'm making my own walking stick for the first time. I've been researching through google for instructions and stumbled upon this forum. I've pretty much have all the details worked out. I've peeled it, sanded it, I'll be using a wood burner to add design, staining it, and finishing it with a gloss. The only thing I can't decide is if I should add a grip and/or a wrist strap. I've only ever used random sticks that I find on my hikes to walk with, so I'm not sure how important a grip or strap would be. Can I get along without one or the other, or maybe without both? And while we're here, I guess I should ask about the bottom. I haven't completely figured out an easy, cost effective way to protect the end of my homemade walking stick once its finished. Any advise would be appreciated. Again, this is my first walking stick and I'm trying to make it myself. Go easy on me. 

Thank you for your time.


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## rdemler (Jun 11, 2014)

I use a strap to go around my wrist.I adjust it so I can let go of the stick and still have it in a good position to grab on to.I go to the local hardware store and get rubber leg tips for furniture legs.they are cheap and come in a variety of sizes.


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## alador (Apr 25, 2013)

I like a grip of some kind on a walking stick, it lessens the stress on the fingers and wrist not to have to grip as hard. There are many different types of grip from paracord and leather knotted grips to just a simple leather wrap like a steering wheel cover type. Lots of instructional videos on You Tube. As for a tip, for use in the woods I like a metal tip. You can make on from a piece of metal tubing or buy one. The cheapest I've found are at Texas Knife Supply.

http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/product_info.php?cPath=911_995_1006&products_id=3843

I still have the first walking stick I made 40 years ago so take your time, your first one should be special.


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## gdenby (Apr 27, 2013)

I haven't used a strap on any of mine, but from what I've seen, a broad strap can help support the wrist on a long trekking pole. For myself, there have been a number of times I've stumbled in the woods, and if I hadn't been able to drop my stick, I would have ended up tripping over it too.

Haven't tried wrapping a grip so far. There have been some really well made ones shown here, so look back thru the posts for ideas.

The ground where I live tends to be pretty soft, even mucky. I like soft broad tips for most of my sticks. 1st I put some J-B Weld metal epoxy on the end. After that sets, I dip the end 3 - 4 times in "Plasti Dip" rubber coating. That way I can conform to any shape, and broaden the end if I think it needs it.

I have considered using Teflon tips such as are sold for medical canes or walkers. Its quite tough, and is easy to clean.


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Welcome to the forums Reckless.

Here's what I use for the bottom, they are a rubber chair tip I get them at Home Depot.

As far as the grip goes I sometimes "dimple" the grip area with a gouge.

I always attach a wrist strap of some sort, most times I like to use paracord.


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## Rad (Feb 19, 2013)

X2 on all of the above -- but most of all, have fun with it! I'd love to have my first stick still, but it got stollen about 40 years ago :-(


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## athanasius (May 6, 2015)

Reckless,

I just started my first stick about a month ago. One piece of advice I've received on this forum is to make sure and properly season your stick. I put in a lot of work on my stick when it was still quite "green." That's generally advised against. It's sitting in the corner of my office now waiting for a few more months before I apply a tung oil finish to it.

Also, I have used a stick for close to 10 years that I purchased at a souvenir shop in Rocky Mountain National Park. It came with a rubber ferrule like you'd see on a cane. It has held up very well for the entire ten years and I have done a lot of hiking with it. I've never even taken it off the stick and it has never come off. It works well when bouldering or on normal hard-packed trails. It was less useful on the slippery snow-dusted talus field at the top of Pike's Peak, but still better than nothing.

For my new home-made stick, I ordered a Switch Sticks replacement ferrule because I liked the color options they have. I didn't want a black one, which is what nearly everyone else has. I ordered a brown one and they have numerous other colors. They are 19mm in diameter.


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