Know How to Handle Wood

How to Make a Wand or Walking Stick

Woodworking can be an intimidating process; carpentry is something people spend decades mastering and I don't claim to be an expert by any means. That said, these are the projects that opened my mind up to the complexities of woodworking.

Supplies

• A Stick or Branch
• A Linoleum Knife
• Several Grits of Sandpaper
• A dust mask
• Xylenes or Another Organic Solvent
• Brush
• Spar Varnish
• Colored Paracord
• A Cloth or Tarp

Optional

• Woodstain
• A Woodburning Kit
• A Rubber Cane Tip

Procedure

1. Cure your wood. This can take a few weeks for a small branch or a year for something the size of a walking stick. Trying to work a green piece of wood is destined for failure. If you can't source your own wood or simply don't want to wait, vendors on etsy and other markets sell cured wood ready to go.
2. Using the linoleum knife, strip the bark from the wood. The hooked shape of the blade is helpful here, but make sure to cut away from yourself. Minor defects will come out in the next stage, but any major flaws will have to be worked out with the knife.
3. Sand the wood, starting at the lowest grit of your sandpaper. You'll probably want to finish around 600 grit and the number of steps you take is totally dependent on how much you care about the consistency of the final finish. Wood dust is dangerous to breathe in, so do this outside with a dust mask on.
4. Apply any decorations to the wood, such as carving or wood burning.
5. Using a rag or paper towels, use the xylene to wipe down the wood. This is to remove any dust or chemicals that would interfere with the next step.
6. Make sure your space is protected by a rag, tarp, or paper. Using the brush, apply the spar varnish. Spar varnish will provide protection from both the sun and water, meaning your wand or walking stick will have no problem being outside. Clean your brush with the xylenes when you're done. Xylenes and other solvents can't just be thrown away, check your jurisdiction and dispose of them properly.
7. After allowing the varnish to cure for 24 hours, sand again with 400 or 600 grit sandpaper. This roughs the surface up so that the second coat of varnish will stick better. Apply a second coat of the spar varnish and allow to cure 24 hours
8. Tie the paracord to the end of the handle and knot it your preferred fashion to created a paracord grip. There are several ways to do this, here is one.
9. If making a walking stick, apply a rubber cane tip. You may need to order a few sizes to find the right fit. These will wear and need to be replaced, so don't glue it on.

So, now you have your own handmade walking stick or wand that is up to the task of going for a hike on a rainy day, being dropped into a mud puddle, or baking in the sun!