# Giving it a try...



## CLos (Jan 12, 2017)

Hello all, looking for some feedback and suggestions...

First time making a cane for a friend of mine, I'm wondering what's a good wood to utilize for this project. I do have some beech wood, maple (red & silver) and some sweet (black) birch on hand. Or maybe suggestions for another type?

And for a finish, Dutch oil or a BLO/mineral spirits mix with some stain (found much success with this using on walking sticks, thank you MJC4!)

Thanks in advance :thumbsu:


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

Of the wood you listed I would use maple. I assume you are talking about a cane handle. Most any of the hard woods work as cane handles.


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## CLos (Jan 12, 2017)

Yes a cane handle, giving it a shot and why not lol. Thanks for the suggestion!


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

2nd CV3 on the maple. I use alot of silver maple as it is easy to come by around these parts. It's a sturdy wood that is relativey easy to work. Only problem with maple is it sometimes is tough to get a good even stain. To minimize the blotching of the stain that occurs sometimes with maple I use a pre stain conditioner or a water born gel stain. Here's a couple of T handles made from silver maple. The shanks were made from 1" & an 1 1/4" red oak dowel.


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## CLos (Jan 12, 2017)

The T handles are awesome! I picked up some pre stain conditioner several weeks, read somewhere that birch does the same. Will absolutely use on the maple when it's ready to stain. Thanks for the info


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## alador (Apr 25, 2013)

I like to use red maple with the bark left on. I did several sticks that way by going over the bark with fine steel wool. The grey surface will come off leaving a nice brown that resembles leather. I then use Danish oil to finish them. I had several people at first glance ask if they were leather.


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## dww2 (Feb 4, 2017)

Mostly ash and maple for me (mostly because I've managed to find a lot of cool natural handles). Got a couple of cherry burls I haven't made bowls out of yet that I think I might try cutting into handle blanks instead. I'm thinking the weird swirling grain will be a bonus as far as handle strength is concerned.

Two or three thin coats of polyurethane with sanding in between is how I usually finish mine. Comes to a nice shine and is tough. My regular using stick is about 25 years old and never been redone and still looks great.


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## LilysDad (Sep 25, 2014)

I'm not familiar with Dutch Oil.


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## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Basically it's a thin varnish.

No real wrong way to finish a stick. It's more a matter of personal preference and what works for you.

Rodney


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## CLos (Jan 12, 2017)

I like working with red/silver maple on other projects because of the brown bark as well. I made these business card holders from a maple branch. Used the BLO/mineral spirits mix and it really made the grains stand out. Haven't tried making a maple stick with just sanding down the grey bark. Alador, which Danish oil did you use? The natural or dark walnut?


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## alador (Apr 25, 2013)

I just used natural. I never thought of using dark walnut on maple bark. That might be cooler still.


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## LilysDad (Sep 25, 2014)

Rodney said:


> Basically it's a thin varnish.
> 
> No real wrong way to finish a stick. It's more a matter of personal preference and what works for you.
> 
> Rodney


I use a mixture of equal parts of BLO/spar varnish/turpentine Would that be the same thing?


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## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

I don't know the exact formulas for Danish oil products. I would expect your mix to behave about the same, maybe with slightly better grain enhancing ability due to the BLO.

Rodney


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