I am not sure if I am looking for a stick or a "staff", but I will give you some background. I do a great deal of walking, mostly urban with light park trails. I was wondering if a decent walking stick would be beneficial to helping my aging body parts. Or maybe it would just look cool...
The Walking Stick
- Thread starter August West
- Start date
It's an opportunity.
Classic twisted wood is one way to go - one of those high-tech "survival staffs" is another. Firestarter, blade, .45 ACP bangstick etc. inside.
NOT a tiny compass on top. Please.
No, no, no.
A bayonet nosecap is a fine walking stick top/ornament, and you can mount a bayo in a flash.
AA
Classic twisted wood is one way to go - one of those high-tech "survival staffs" is another. Firestarter, blade, .45 ACP bangstick etc. inside.
NOT a tiny compass on top. Please.
No, no, no.A bayonet nosecap is a fine walking stick top/ornament, and you can mount a bayo in a flash.
AA
There are cool staffs and walking sticks for sale on this website, eh? www.warriorsandwonders.com
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks, Gents. I appreciate your input and time.
Wish I could rock a quarterstaff or the like, but have-to-have hands free when I hike ... climbing down or up, etc.
Would have one with a .45 Colt/.410 barrel, if I had to make it. Possibly a fold-out saw. And a Bic lighter!
No - a butane torch!
AA
Would have one with a .45 Colt/.410 barrel, if I had to make it. Possibly a fold-out saw. And a Bic lighter!
No - a butane torch!AA
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I walk with a stick, and for urban use I have a traditional wooden crook top stick, plus a Derby handled one. The Derby is fine for level areas, but I find the crook handle better for the Yorkshire hilly urban terrain.
When I get away from tarmac and flagstones, I prefer a telescopic hiking pole.
When I get away from tarmac and flagstones, I prefer a telescopic hiking pole.
- Thread starter
- #7
I think I can get into sporting something like that. It is quite hilly around here so I will keep that in mind. Glacial phenomenon and all that. @AimlessWanderer
canemasters.com offer a selection of staves which can be set up with very high-quality heartwood and any detailing you'd like at a length which works with your body. If you want a combat staff they do that as their primary objectives and you can learn their methodology of use for that too. Just one of many sources out there to help you find what you like/need/could benefit from.
- Thread starter
- #9
Thanks, Chris. I was wondering what the correct length would be for proper ergonomics. Any insight on that issue? Wonderful link.
- Thread starter
- #10
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
The Derby keeps your hand pretty much perpendicular to the shaft, whereas the crook handle lets you rotate your grip fore and aft around the crook, so the stick is helping you "propel" yourself a little uphill, or brake yourself somewhat on descents. As the stick is being placed slightly further from you, it does affect the wrist height when the stick is placed, but your wrist remains straighter and stronger. The crook is also more useful for hooking over your arm when you need both hands, reaching up to pull down a branch to pick fruit or nuts, or as I discovered recently, fishing a friend's shoe out of the canal
Despite being on the younger end of the walking stick user spectrum (45 later this year), I've not found any social adversity to it in terms of the opinions or attitudes of others. If anything, I find a lot of people are more courteous than they otherwise would be.
- Thread starter
- #12
The Derby keeps your hand pretty much perpendicular to the shaft, whereas the crook handle lets you rotate your grip fore and aft around the crook, so the stick is helping you "propel" yourself a little uphill, or brake yourself somewhat on descents. As the stick is being placed slightly further from you, it does affect the wrist height when the stick is placed, but your wrist remains straighter and stronger. The crook is also more useful for hooking over your arm when you need both hands, reaching up to pull down a branch to pick fruit or nuts, or as I discovered recently, fishing a friend's shoe out of the canal
Despite being on the younger end of the walking stick user spectrum (45 later this year), I've not found any social adversity to it in terms of the opinions or attitudes of others. If anything, I find a lot of people are more courteous than they otherwise would be.
I am now definitely leaning toward the crook if you will pardon the pun.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
With a walking stick, stand upright in your regular footwear, with your arms relaxed by your side. Correct height is at your wrist crease, to maybe 1/2" above (to give you some variation in sole thickness across different pairs of shoes)
- Thread starter
- #14
Outstanding.
I made my wife and I a pair of staffs a few years ago. Went down to a local farm/ranch supply and got a couple of garden hoe handles. I figured out a nice length and cut them, then worked down the end to take a 3/4" copper pipe cap, installed that then center drilled and put a 5/16 lag bolt in so it would have a harder longer wearing tip for off pavement use. It's sized right so I can put a rubber chair leg or cane tip for use on smooth surfaces.
The wife got to having back problems and eventually surgery. I had made my mother a nice cherry cane with a brass derby handle and she uses that for dressier occasions, everyday use she prefers a crook neck cane. We had one of those, and her physical therapist showed me the correct height so I cut it off. It was one of those fairly inexpensive models you see everywhere, finished with a reddish lacquer and had gotten rather chipped so I scraped it down and found that it was made of bent oak. I put a coat of brown stain on then a few applications of linseed oil and it's quite attractive and different with the wood grain showing instead of being hidden under tinted lacquer.
The wife got to having back problems and eventually surgery. I had made my mother a nice cherry cane with a brass derby handle and she uses that for dressier occasions, everyday use she prefers a crook neck cane. We had one of those, and her physical therapist showed me the correct height so I cut it off. It was one of those fairly inexpensive models you see everywhere, finished with a reddish lacquer and had gotten rather chipped so I scraped it down and found that it was made of bent oak. I put a coat of brown stain on then a few applications of linseed oil and it's quite attractive and different with the wood grain showing instead of being hidden under tinted lacquer.
- Thread starter
- #16
Fabulous.
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- #18
Thanks, Mike.
I used to use one stick about 5'-6' long but now I use two collapsible trekking poles, as do my hiking buddies with bad knees. They do really help take weight off the knees.
- Thread starter
- #20
Thanks.
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