# Holiday family photos



## CAS14

Our son and his wife were visiting for a week over Thanksgiving. Now, we use that opportunity for family pics, and one winds up on Christmas cards.

They wanted to pose with my sticks, although my wife's was made by Louie and my son's was not yet stained and finished.


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## Thistle

Beautiful family! Very nice walking sticks. Looks like fun. I have not carved one yet.

My first order is to get my hands on a ShavingHorse. But it looks like everyone is making their own, either from Peter Gilbert's Plans or Brian Boggs. I don't have a shop or power tools, so I think I need to find a master cabinet maker in my area.


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## CAS14

Thistle,

My poor boy's bench works fine. You just need some wood screws, 4x4s, 2x4s, and 2x8s or whatever you wish, and some sort of clamping device with a quick release. You can pick up a clamp at Rockler's or Woodcraft, and that will be the most expensive component. In an hour or two you have a useable work bench.

http://walkingstickforum.com/gallery/image/161-workbench-with-quick-release-moveable-adjustable-clamp/


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## JJireh

Great Pics sir! Looks like a great family and great fun. They will have something they treasure forever.

Not to hijack your post CAS but,

Thistle what are you waitng for? I am always a proponent of "Less tools more doing". The best way is to take a walk and find a deadfall or nice sapling that fits your hand and yank her down or dig her up, whatever. Get a pocket knife (or K-Bar) and start cutting on it, get a feel for bark and wood, play with it. Get a vice grip and a clamp and you can do shaving standing up (sometimes easier in my mind)

I guess what I am saying, and maybe I say it too much now that I think about it, is to just get started, there is no teacher like experience. Make some firewood, it's ok there is always more.

Always remember superglue is great for gashes


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## Thistle

Thanks for the suggestions CAS and JJireh.

CAS your PB bench looks super to me!! And the stick that is clamped looks just about perfect. Hard to believe you used just a draw knife. I'm wondering what sort of wood you used for it. I have a small Woodcraft store located not too far from me. Yay!

JJireah, Less tools? Okay, I've seen the inside of many studios, garages, shops, etc. There is nothing "less" about what you guys have tucked away inside those caves. I probably can't name 90% of it what I see. Some pretty fancy stuff. I thought I'd start with something simple. I saw a Brian Boggs ShavingHorse, and said: I gotta have one of those. Simple. :blink: Okay, maybe not so simple. But I still gotta have one.


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## CAS14

No Woodcraft hardwoods for the bench, that would deplete my beer budget. Just ordinary (treated) pine lumber from any limber supplier, in this instance Lowe's.

The stick is eastern red cedar from my brother's place near Fairfield, TX.


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## cobalt

thistle your right about tools i have bands saw routermachine 4 rotary cutters 3 sets chisels rotary blades.draw knife spokeshaves mallets carving knifes its endless

Once you start you cant stop.Also i have a good drawing implement and good quality artist paint and brushes it takes over

All are being used or have been used apart from stickmaking i carve puppets puppet booth make tables. making some handles for the hall table at moment using a silhoutte of my wife for the handles its nearly completed ,all without nails or screws very old fashioned way of doing things but fun.

its difficult getting good quality sesoned woods have to travel 40 miles to get it

the oppurtinity of making green furniture must be great over there just natural materials.and the chance of using a whole tree to carve endleess chances of good sculpture


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## cobalt

Have you used your alpine spike yet CAS it looks good you can be trusted with i hope lol


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## CAS14

cobalt said:


> Have you used your alpine spike yet CAS it looks good you can be trusted with i hope lol


My wife says I will fall down and poke my eye out. No, I haven not been on a geological field trip with it yet. But when I do, and a group is standing at the rock outcrop arguing about it's origin or age, I now have a decided advantage for such debates!

"And some rin up hill and down dale, knapping the chucky stanes to pieces wi' hammers, like sae mony road-makers run daft they say it is to see how the warld was made." 
Sir Walter Scott - St. Ronan's Well


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## cobalt

eeeh lad se yea english is improving yaky daa boyoo

sure you havnt made it to do away with someone i can think of one or two


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## JJireh

"NEED" is the operative term. One only needs wood, a blade, and in imagination to work. Everything else builds over time. That's all I need...and a sander....and a dremel tool...and a chisel set...


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## CAS14

I felt the "need" to do a stone scuplture to honor some old friends. I could have bought an air compressor and a lot of power tools, but I decided to try it the way the Greeks and Romans, and others did it. Just hand tools made my Cheong Ryong, the Blue Dragon.

You can make a stick quicker and easier with power tools, but going minimalist can also provide satisfaction by relating more directly with the raw material. Any compromise in the middle works. Whatever I do, it has to be fun.


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## Thistle

CAS said:


> No Woodcraft hardwoods for the bench, that would deplete my beer budget. Just ordinary (treated) pine lumber from any limber supplier, in this instance Lowe's.
> 
> The stick is *eastern red cedar* from my brother's place near Fairfield, TX.


I think Woodcraft would definitely *deplete* my hobby budget as well. I thought I saw quite a bit of red in your stick, which is why I was curious about it. Texas seems to have lots of nice wood. It will be VERY interesting to see what kind of sticks I can find in the desert. It's been very cold here for two weeks. I thick the rattlesnakes have gone into hibernation by now. Gosh, I hope so. They've been aggressive this year.

Your rock carving sounds exciting. Feel free to show if you wish. I won't mind at all.  *I like pretty rocks -- carved or not!*

I've been bringing home some of this lovely red stuff lately (photo below) and cleaning it up. I found it among the manzanita bones. It's beautiful for taking photos of small items.












cobalt said:


> thistle your right about tools i have bands saw routermachine 4 rotary cutters 3 sets chisels rotary blades.draw knife spokeshaves mallets carving knifes its endless
> 
> Once you start you cant stop.Also i have a good drawing implement and good quality artist paint and brushes it takes over
> 
> All are being used or have been *used apart from stickmaking* i carve *puppets puppet booth make tables*. making some handles for the hall table at moment using a *silhoutte of my wife for the handles its nearly completed* ,all *without nails or screws* very old fashioned way of doing things but fun.
> 
> its difficult getting good quality sesoned woods have to travel 40 miles to get it
> 
> the oppurtinity of making green furniture must be great over there just natural materials.and the chance of using a whole tree to carve endleess chances of good sculpture


That's quite a bit of talent you've got going there. Lots of really cool projects you seem to have in the mix. Those puppets look incredibly fun in the gallery! Embracing traditional methods sounds pretty ideal to me too.

Yup, I'd like to keep tools to a minimum. Only what I absolutely need. I don't have much space, so I'm being picky. As long as I'm having fun. But I do droolingly admire all of the 'helpful' stuff you guys collect. Nothing wrong with making the job easier.


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## gdenby

CAS,

Family looks good together, and that photo of you alone makes me think your just about to head up a hill.

My wife tells me Christmas gifts should include offering what I've made to our "kids." Glad to, but I'm beginning to wonder how I might ship them. I'm readying one for an old friend, and am trying to figure how I will pack the stick, which is one of my "crooked" ones.


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## gdenby

Thistle said:


> Beautiful family! Very nice walking sticks. Looks like fun. I have not carved one yet.
> 
> My first order is to get my hands on a ShavingHorse. But it looks like everyone is making their own, either from Peter Gilbert's Plans or Brian Boggs. I don't have a shop or power tools, so I think I need to find a master cabinet maker in my area.


So far, my wife has been quite tolerant of my various hobbies/obsessions. The only thing she demanded was that I get a protective glove after I had slashed myself a few times. I haven't mentioned the total cost of the hand tools I've acquired, which I think might surprise her. But for the first year or so, I made do w. less than $50 in hand tools.

Along the way, I suspect I will drop a good bit of $. At least not going to have to spend money on power tools till I can up the amperage available to the space I have for a work area.


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## CAS14

Thistle said:


> Your rock carving sounds exciting. Feel free to show if you wish. I won't mind at all.  *I like pretty rocks -- carved or not!*


An ordinary slab of limestone from a quarry in Kansas:








This in honor of the Republic of Korea's 2D Marine Brigade, the "Blue Dragon" Brigade. I lived with and fought beside them for a year, and was inspired to attempt something in memory of those who fell.


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## CAS14

gdenby said:


> CAS,
> 
> Family looks good together, and that photo of you alone makes me think your just about to head up a hill.
> 
> My wife tells me Christmas gifts should include offering what I've made to our "kids." Glad to, but I'm beginning to wonder how I might ship them. I'm readying one for an old friend, and am trying to figure how I will pack the stick, which is one of my "crooked" ones.


I have yet to find a cheap alternative. I have used two of those triangular, long FedEx map tubes overlapping the ends and taping a lot, and I have let UPS package them. Whatever I do, it seems like the cost is $60-$90. The guy that sends me Bois D'Arc staves puts them in French drain tubes, so he must ship via UPS's cheapest option.


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## Thistle

gdenby said:


> CAS,
> 
> Family looks good together, and that photo of you alone makes me think your just about to head up a hill.
> 
> My wife tells me Christmas gifts should include offering what I've made to our "kids." Glad to, but *I'm beginning to wonder how I might ship them. I'm readying one for an old friend, and am trying to figure how I will pack the stick, which is one of my "crooked" ones.*


I was yesterday thinking about that as well. If I wanted to send a special stick (finished or unfinished) to someone, what would be the BEST way to wrap and send it. And if I wanted to send it internationally&#8230; I was going to suggest a similar solution as CAS. Get some sturdy mail tubes. "Crooked" ones might be a challenge. Maybe wrap that part in *bubble wrap and LOTS of tape*. I'd be really interested in hearing how this is handled as well.

I couldn't find anything on packaging "crooked" staffs, but *maybe* something similar to packaging fishing rods. Carpet stores might even have tubes they can give you.

eHow has an article: *How to Package a Fishing Pole for Shipping*.


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## Thistle

CAS said:


> Thistle said:
> 
> 
> 
> Your rock carving sounds exciting. Feel free to show if you wish. I won't mind at all.  *I like pretty rocks -- carved or not!*
> 
> 
> 
> An ordinary slab of limestone from a quarry in Kansas:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg
> 
> This in honor of the Republic of Korea's 2D Marine Brigade, the "Blue Dragon" Brigade. *I lived with and fought beside them for a year,* and was inspired to attempt something in *memory of those who fell*.
Click to expand...

I was wondering about that. Glad that I now know the special meaning of remembrance and honour that is behind it. You did an exceptional job carving it from hand tools. It looks perfect!

Also, thank-you doesn't say nearly enough, but it is sincere, so *THANK YOU* for your selfless service, to the courageous fallen who are remembered and honored, and to all those currently serving and sacrificing for country and freedom. My sincerest respect and appreciation. You guys rock!


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## Thistle

BTW, the error message says I have reached my *positives* for the day. Oops, sorry about that!  Sometimes I get carried away.


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## cobalt

thistle go to a flee matket oftern get good tools cheap,they may look rusty but soon clean up,oftren a better quality anyway, just avoid chinese stuff'

If you have a carving knife stick a lengh of leather to a piece of wood (old belt would do) put polishing waxe on it. then strop your knifes after 20 mins use for a couple of mins they will always stay shar and in good condition.

After all a good barber keeps his cut throat razors sharp that way

You have to respect all soldiers for what the have achievedfor us pity i cant say the same about some politicians

Cas i just post my sticks in bubble wrap havnt had a problem here


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## Rad

Nice Christmas card CAS! The family that sticks together .......


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## gdenby

CAS said:


> gdenby said:
> 
> 
> 
> CAS,
> 
> Family looks good together, and that photo of you alone makes me think your just about to head up a hill.
> 
> My wife tells me Christmas gifts should include offering what I've made to our "kids." Glad to, but I'm beginning to wonder how I might ship them. I'm readying one for an old friend, and am trying to figure how I will pack the stick, which is one of my "crooked" ones.
> 
> 
> 
> I have yet to find a cheap alternative. I have used two of those triangular, long FedEx map tubes overlapping the ends and taping a lot, and I have let UPS package them. Whatever I do, it seems like the cost is $60-$90. The guy that sends me Bois D'Arc staves puts them in French drain tubes, so he must ship via UPS's cheapest option.
Click to expand...

Your post mentioning the drain tubes jogged my memory. Rummaged around in the piles of stuff stashed in the garage, and found a piece of vinyl downspout. Just big enough and stiff enough for the stick I want to ship. Doing some further searching, I see they can be had up to 6" x 4" cross section. Not nearly as rigid as a drain pipe, but they would accommodate a fair number of my crooked sticks, and should be stiff when well packed w. newsprint. One more hurdle jumped.


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## gdenby

Thistle said:


> gdenby said:
> 
> 
> 
> CAS,
> 
> Family looks good together, and that photo of you alone makes me think your just about to head up a hill.
> 
> My wife tells me Christmas gifts should include offering what I've made to our "kids." Glad to, but *I'm beginning to wonder how I might ship them. I'm readying one for an old friend, and am trying to figure how I will pack the stick, which is one of my "crooked" ones.*
> 
> 
> 
> I was yesterday thinking about that as well. If I wanted to send a special stick (finished or unfinished) to someone, what would be the BEST way to wrap and send it. And if I wanted to send it internationally&#8230; I was going to suggest a similar solution as CAS. Get some sturdy mail tubes. "Crooked" ones might be a challenge. Maybe wrap that part in *bubble wrap and LOTS of tape*. I'd be really interested in hearing how this is handled as well.
> 
> I couldn't find anything on packaging "crooked" staffs, but *maybe* something similar to packaging fishing rods. Carpet stores might even have tubes they can give you.
> 
> eHow has an article: *How to Package a Fishing Pole for Shipping*.
Click to expand...

I was spoiled working at an art museum where we had at least $20K in packing materials on hand, ample space and tools. But we were also pack rats, saving any odd thing that we came across because very often we needed to handle items w. very odd shapes that were also highly fragile.

We did have a supply of carpet role tubes. They are really strong.

If you can get a supply of heavy duty cardboard, and have some common white glue on hand, it is possible to build containers for about anything, assuming you have the space to work in. Cardboard laminated w. the "grain" criss-cross can be very rigid. Something as common as an absorbent paper towel can wrap moderately delicate surfaces. (Careful, don't let any sticky tape touch the object) Then wads of newsprint, or better, wrapping tissue to snug the object into the purpose built box.

Bubble pack was often used, but it is problematic. Sharp projection on the object might deflate it, and over time, the air seeps from the bubbles. There are reasonably priced roles of soft paper padding from companies like U-Haul that are more stable. Often we used it in small rolls to fill in slightly irregular spaces.

Walking sticks should not be as big of a challenge, because by design they are robust. But assume common carriers will abuse the package. As mentioned elsewhere on this site, bang a stick at the start to see if there is rot or infestation. Just the same, take any package and toss it. Or, as I did when I was somewhat less heavy, stand on it.


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## CAS14

gdenby said:


> But assume common carriers will abuse the package. As mentioned elsewhere on this site, bang a stick at the start to see if there is rot or infestation. Just the same, take any package and toss it. Or, as I did when I was somewhat less heavy, stand on it.


Funny, this reminds me of a day, about 1977, when I asked my draftsman whether he thought a box of important stuff was packaged sufficiently well. He took it and threw it hard at the wall of his drafting room, and it survived. He said "looks like it will do." I about fell over laughing.


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## cobalt

you sure these guys dont work for the aitlines baggage section? 3 suitcase damaged so far

I get my shanks delivered by courier there only bubble wrapped yet never had a problem. Only talking about UK and French delivery service seem pretty good to me


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## Lewey

Great looking family Vance. I like that stick your wife is holding! :thumbsu:


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## CAS14

She likes it too, Lewey!


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