Shambam1962 Posted Friday at 13:39 Report Share Posted Friday at 13:39 I made my 1st Black Walnut crook last year and thoroughly enjoyed making it, and to date is my nicest stick I’ve made. I recently acquired a nice selection of walnut offcuts for a few future projects, and thought I would try another walnut crook, and learn from the mistakes I made previously when making the first one. I marked out the profile using a template and cut on the bandsaw. I marked a few lines out as a guide on the blank and drilled the base to accept the stainless steel threaded rod.to fix to the hazel shank at a later date. It took a bit of sanding, which is a lot quicker with a power file sander and once happy with the basic shape, proceeded to sand by hand and the grain started to show. The sanding of the shape is the part I enjoy, and I just switch off and find it very therapeutic . Once I was happy with the initial sanded shape I fixed the handle to a nice light coloured hazel stick, I had cut last year, with 2 part epoxy resin. I did a bit more sanding today, before giving a coat of Alkanet oil I made up last year to give a bit more colour,and will give another coat until happy with the colour. It is currently a work in progress and hopefully once it has a few coats of oil over the weekend, it will look as nice as my 1st walnut crook. I will update once finished 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holloway Posted Friday at 14:29 Report Share Posted Friday at 14:29 Really pleasing to see ,its going to be superb ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted Friday at 14:30 Report Share Posted Friday at 14:30 That is brilliant craftsmanship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted Friday at 14:37 Report Share Posted Friday at 14:37 Core, what a beauty. Very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted Friday at 15:07 Report Share Posted Friday at 15:07 Very nice indeed 😊👍 thanks for posting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted Friday at 18:22 Report Share Posted Friday at 18:22 Lovely ..well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted Friday at 19:42 Author Report Share Posted Friday at 19:42 Thank you all for your comments 👍 I have just given the handle another coat of alkanet oil and brought the stick into the kitchen to dry overnight, as the shed is very cold , and the oil will be slower drying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted Friday at 19:49 Report Share Posted Friday at 19:49 The transformation from a chunk of wood to that crook is amazing 👏 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted Friday at 21:04 Author Report Share Posted Friday at 21:04 44 minutes ago, JKD said: The transformation from a chunk of wood to that crook is amazing 👏 👍 Yes I’m pleased when things go to plan, and definitely improving from 2 years ago, when I made my first stick 👍 My father made proper walking sticks, and as a kid I would sit and watch him carving heads for the sticks and making rams horn and buffalo horn crooks. He made them up until his early 80s and a few weeks before he died. My only regret is I didn’t pay more attention to what he was doing at the time, but then I never thought I would attempt to make sticks later on in life. Mine are quite basic compared to the likes of Holloway, gamekeeper1960 and boo, and as my school report used to say, Kevin must try harder. The real skill is carving a bird or an animal from a piece of wood and making it look realistic, which is way above my capabilities, but I’m in awe of the people that do make them, as the PW members above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted Saturday at 09:30 Report Share Posted Saturday at 09:30 Hello, Looks very nice Keven 👍 , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted Monday at 07:35 Report Share Posted Monday at 07:35 Lovely workmanship as usual Kevin. Thanks for posting. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkin Posted Monday at 19:53 Report Share Posted Monday at 19:53 VERY, VERY NICE, They look superb👏👏👏👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted yesterday at 13:28 Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 13:28 Thank you all for your comments. I have just finished oiling the crook, and very pleased with how it’s turned out. I watched a couple of videos on YouTube, yesterday and found this one guy making sticks and showing how to drill, perfect holes by hand with a drill in the top of the shaft to accept 8mm threaded rod, allowing you to attach the head or handle on the stick. I know a lot of stick makers prefer to cut a dowel on the end of the shank and attach by dowel and socket, but I use both methods when circumstances arise. I have always been lucky drilling the hole for the threaded rod, but some people find it difficult marrying the shank and handle together, as you can drill the hole off centre. I decided to make a few of his stick drilling jigs up , from a few pieces off oak offcuts and drilled one end out, the diameter of the shank roughly 25mm deep and drilled a 8mm through hole. I made an assortment of different sizes and tried them out today, and found them quick and simple to use, and perfect straight holes and not on the p—s 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted yesterday at 13:31 Report Share Posted yesterday at 13:31 Ingenious and a simple step to speed up production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted yesterday at 15:13 Report Share Posted yesterday at 15:13 1 hour ago, Shambam1962 said: Thank you all for your comments. I have just finished oiling the crook, and very pleased with how it’s turned out. I watched a couple of videos on YouTube, yesterday and found this one guy making sticks and showing how to drill, perfect holes by hand with a drill in the top of the shaft to accept 8mm threaded rod, allowing you to attach the head or handle on the stick. I know a lot of stick makers prefer to cut a dowel on the end of the shank and attach by dowel and socket, but I use both methods when circumstances arise. I have always been lucky drilling the hole for the threaded rod, but some people find it difficult marrying the shank and handle together, as you can drill the hole off centre. I decided to make a few of his stick drilling jigs up , from a few pieces off oak offcuts and drilled one end out, the diameter of the shank roughly 25mm deep and drilled a 8mm through hole. I made an assortment of different sizes and tried them out today, and found them quick and simple to use, and perfect straight holes and not on the p—s 👍 Simple and clever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobbyathome Posted yesterday at 17:28 Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:28 As always Kevin a brilliant job well done it looks lovely And making the jigs is such a simple but great solution to drill strait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted yesterday at 17:59 Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:59 I really admire you for your ability to make those jigs enabling simpler construction of many of the things that you make. Still in constant use are the two jigs that you very kindly made for me to cut and drill the pen sections prior to turning on the lathe. Thanks to your encouragement, I`m gradually making a few reasonably presentable pens but still not up to your standard. Many thanks for your help. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted 22 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 22 hours ago 1 hour ago, nobbyathome said: As always Kevin a brilliant job well done it looks lovely And making the jigs is such a simple but great solution to drill strait Thank you Rob, have you attempted any sticks yet ? 1 hour ago, Old Boggy said: I really admire you for your ability to make those jigs enabling simpler construction of many of the things that you make. Still in constant use are the two jigs that you very kindly made for me to cut and drill the pen sections prior to turning on the lathe. Thanks to your encouragement, I`m gradually making a few reasonably presentable pens but still not up to your standard. Many thanks for your help. OB Well done Chris, they look excellent, I bet you are pleased with them 👍 4 hours ago, Penelope said: Simple and clever. Cheers, I cant take credit for the idea though. 5 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: Ingenious and a simple step to speed up production. Cheers Dave 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobbyathome Posted 18 hours ago Report Share Posted 18 hours ago I have Kevin with antler tops nowhere up to your standard but fun making them I am spending far to much time at work at the moment and I think this will be my last year working so hopefully more time for me when I stop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted 8 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 8 hours ago 9 hours ago, nobbyathome said: I have Kevin with antler tops nowhere up to your standard but fun making them I am spending far to much time at work at the moment and I think this will be my last year working so hopefully more time for me when I stop That’s great Rob, I’m pleased you’ve made a few antler sticks, and hope you continue when you have more time 👍 One of the most important jigs to make when making walking sticks, is a straightening jig for the shank. You will be amazed how easy it is to remove the bends from the stick once seasoned. There is a selection of jigs out there, and I made a multi slot jig as used by Woodland Sticks, but I know a lot use the vice type as used by Keith Pickering with excellent results. Once the weather warms up a little, I have a good number of sticks to straighten, and I fix the jig into my Black & Decker workmate and sit in the garden straightening the sticks using a electric heat gun. Most are easy to remove the bends, but you do get the odd one especially blackthorn, where you spend a bit more time straightening. It’s worth spending a bit of time, and the end result will look very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobbyathome Posted 6 hours ago Report Share Posted 6 hours ago 15 hours ago, Shambam1962 said: Thank you Rob, have you attempted any sticks yet ? I did these very long sticks one for me and one for my son antler on top with buffalo horn caps the black under them is turned buffalo horn and the collar was 22 mm copper plumbing and I had them nicol plated ( as I was having some plating done for some motorcycle pieces I gave them a few copper pieces and some washers ) the stick is blackthorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted 6 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 6 hours ago 30 minutes ago, nobbyathome said: I did these very long sticks one for me and one for my son antler on top with buffalo horn caps the black under them is turned buffalo horn and the collar was 22 mm copper plumbing and I had them nicol plated ( as I was having some plating done for some motorcycle pieces I gave them a few copper pieces and some washers ) the stick is blackthorn They are very nice, well done Rob 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.