# Colorful cedar stick



## CV3

This is cedar stick. It has a lot of colors in the wood. I have roughed out the face I am thinking of carving a bear or Eagles head on the top not sure yet. But with all the color in the wood I can not wait to see it with the finish on it. It is one of two cedar sticks I got from Stixman at Kentucky Walking Sticks. The other one is just as nice. I also got a cherry, maple and sassafras sticks . They are nice also. Thanks Stixman.


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## Rad

Looking forward to the end result!


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## MJC4

Going to be another beautiful piece CV3. Wood spirits are so much fun, their appearance is only limited to the carvers imagination.

How is cedar to work with? I don't have a lot of experience with different woods how would it compare to say pine, cherry or hickory?


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## CV3

MJC4 said:


> Going to be another beautiful piece CV3. Wood spirits are so much fun, their appearance is only limited to the carvers imagination.
> 
> How is cedar to work with? I don't have a lot of experience with different woods how would it compare to say pine, cherry or hickory?


I like cedar, but carving it veries. Some times it is hard to work with. It will chip out when doing detail. Tools must be sharp. Slow shallow cuts not forcing the blade, letting it cut through. It veries also with the type of cedar. Some times pwoer tool work best. (Dust protection is a must!)


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## cobalt

Godo to see work in progress

See your finding your tool caddy handy

looking forward to seeing the next stage


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## MoroCreek

Looks nice, CV3.... I love the dark runs on the grain... Is it a bit of spalting? Keep us posted on you progress please. I've done a couple of cedar staffs, but have not carved on them... Although one had been subject to insects under the bark which had done some nice carving on their own. Thanks for sharing.


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## CV3

Got a bit more done today on this one. Started detailing in the beard.


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## CV3

cobalt said:


> Godo to see work in progress
> See your finding your tool caddy handy
> looking forward to seeing the next stage


Tool caddy is one of the best things I have done for my self in a while. I am enjoying it.


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## cobalt

its a handy piece of kit. i to also like to keep my tools in the same place ,just to able to grab them without even thinking about it is handy

nut keep the pics coming on the hiking pole it gives so much info on it

looking good so far


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## MoroCreek

Looking very nice... For sure! Keep us posted on the progress, please.


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## CV3

Had a chance to put a little time on this stick today. I got the hair line started. The hair flows back on each side. I love all the colors in this stick but having those color lines is may make it hard for the flow of the hair stand out. May put the hair in with a wood burner. Not sure yet.


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## MJC4

CV3 do you intend to use an oil finish on the stick?


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## CV3

I have not gotten that far in my thinking MJC4. It will be either marine tung oil or spar varnish.


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## CV3

I have not gotten that far in my planning MJC4. It will be either a marine tung oil or spar varnish.

IS THERE A WHY TO DELETE A POST THAT POST TWICE??


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## cobalt

The features on the face has been carved well lke the way you have done the cheeks.There is a good flow on the hair on the beard it does seen to hang naturally, nice job


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## CV3

Got some time to work on this stick this week. It is a fun project. I think before I am done It will b
Have a lot of carving on it. I keep getting new ideas for it.


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## cobalt

looking forward to the next instalment


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## rootcane

Very nice indeed ! Here in Quebec, we dont hjave the same Cedar. Cedar here is so soft its almost like paper.....


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## CV3

Have stated on the hair I there is a lot of it to do on this one.


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## cobalt

Looks like he is standing into the wind on a blustery day, the detail on the hair is very good .shows movement .looks like you have set yourself a difficult time consuming task . but by the looks of it it will be worthwhile


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## CV3

Completed face and hair. Other than some clean up. Moving to the top of the stick where I am going to do a eagle head. above the grip.


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## cobalt

you have got a good depth of cut there nice and clean, will look good with the eagles head on . a lot of work in it , looking forward to see the progression


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## rdemler

I don't have carving talent,but I know what I like.That is excellent!!


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## CV3

rdemler said:


> I don't have carving talent,but I know what I like.That is excellent!!


Thanks rdemler. All it takes to learn to carve is a sharp knife abd a box of Band Aids. There are some good how tos on youtube. It is not that hard to learn. It just takes time.


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## rdemler

Time is always in short supply for me.Maybe someday I'll have time to carve.


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## yaxley

Excellent work and enjoying the sequence (WIP). Is the "cedar" juniper? The reason I ask is I make a lot of sticks out of juniper and love the reddish/brown hue and excellent character. Yours looks very similar.


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## CV3

I am not sure Yaxley. I order some sticks from Kentucky Walking Sticks to fill some orders. He has nice air dried sticks. Two of those were cedar. It carves very nice. It is a titer drain different than cedar I have use in the past. I contacted him and he was not sure what type of cedar it was. I want some more.


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## yaxley

Very difficult to tell from pictures but it sure looks like juniper...especially the shaggy bark. It makes for excellent sticks (color and character) and is my favorite to date.When I was in Utah they would do "controlled" burns in the forest and I'd select the juniper that had scorched bark because it was even prettier than the regular.

I finish mine with tung oil. FYI

LAter, Bill


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## CV3

Sounds like we both spent time roaming the west. For a 15 year period I lived and or worked in almost every state west of the Mississippi River. I sent most of it in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and Texas. I use a marine Tung oil or marine urethane on just about all my sticks. Tung oil is my choice for most natural wood sticks. The urethane mostly on the painted projects.


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## cobalt

NOt familary with tung oil ,i use danish oil on my shanks and polyurethane on the carving


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## CV3

Tung oil is a old finish. It was used by the chines sense 400BC it is a good long lasting finish. It needs good ventilation when being applied. And it will darken the wood some. It takes time to build the finish to its beep luster but to me it is well worth the effort. There are allot brands out there. My choice is one called Waterlox.


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## yaxley

Tung oil was even used on "The Great Wall of China." Yes, it will darken the wood some but I've never seen that as a problem for me. It is a very forgiving finish, meaning the application is easy. I use a paste wax over the dried tung oil and really like it.

Tung oil, when dry, is considered non-toxic.

I never heard of marine tung oil and thanks for that tip, CV3. I was in a marine supply place today and they didn't have it but I did find it online. Will give it a try.

LAter, Bill


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## CV3

Bill,

A heads up on the marine Tung oil finish. It gives a higher gloss finish that the regular Tung oil. With Waterlox there is a tung oil marine sealer and a marine finish. I only use both when I want High gloss look. I use the Tung oil marine sealer like regular Tung oil most of the time. When I first ordered I got the finish and it is really a top coat.


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## yaxley

Thanks CV3. The regular tung oil I can get in a gloss, semi-gloss, or satin. I assume the marine tung oil is always on the glossy side?

LAter, Bill


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## cobalt

looks like i am going to have to try it.

danish oil is made from tung iol and one third varnish and gives a stain finish

Anything new to me is always worth a shot


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