Cane/stick help... please?

[Dogfish]

Hello again....
I know that I won't be starting a cane or walking stick anytime soon (I'm still quite a beginner), but I would like to know...

How does one go about carving a stick that has a raised design wrapping around it?
Kinda like this one, from www.awebdesigner.com/walkingsticks/stick2.html
Please note: I did not carve this, it is not mine. I merely found the picture as an example.

Can anyone tell me how this is done? I an dying to know. Do you just carve down the cane and leave spare wood for carving the design? Or do you carve the raised design seperately and glue it on or something like that?... I'd really like to know.

Thanks muchly,
Bones

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

they are carved or they find a stick in the forest with a vine wrapped around it....some leave the vine attached which makes a raised area , others like one I have, have the vine removed which leaves depressions where the vine was. Can't remember the mans name but there is a carver that starts with 6in diameter wood and carves down leaving a snake on the stick...not just a snake but "beautiful" snakes! all kinds....so like everything else in woodcarving....lots of ways to skin a cat....? err or a snake? Cowboy Hi Bones, not sure I have seen your name but, would you mind putting at least your state in your profile? that way when questions like this come up, we know at least where in the country you are and if someone else lives in your area, maybe could tell you where you can get "twistys"!

[Dogfish]

Hey, Silver...
I live in Central Alberta, Canada... So... Not quite in the States... Yeah, I am new to this forum... Actually, quite new to carving. I got bitten by the bug up in Prince George, BC. My uncle owns some cabins over there and I just started to whittle a nice little knife when I was there for the August long weekend. Now I'm diving right in and I want to learn as much as I can and get started right away.

[Goody]

A stick like that requires a few walks in the woods. Vines wrap around saplings and as the sapling grows the vine will cause the tree to grow like that. We usally cut them in winter when the sap is down and let them dry for a few months. I dig the vine out and then decide if the wraps look more like a snake or I can do a wood spirit or santa and use the wraps as his beard going around the stick.

I have also done this type of stick from a piece of square stock. First drawkinfe or spokeshave it down to some what round. Then take a piece of masking tape and do a spiral wrap down the stick. Draw a pencil line along both edges of the masking tape. Then remove the tape. You will have the spiral layed out on the stick. Take a round rasp (MicroPlanes are Great for this) and start removing wood betweeen the lines. Wont be long and you will see the spiral emerging from the stick.

I did a quick stick last Thanksgiving evening using the second method to use with my old world santa suit. Did A Carving show and ended up selling the stick. I had so much interest in the stick and I didnt want to sell it as it wasent my best work. I tried to put a redicuosly high price on it and it sold anyway.
Hope this helps.
Goody

[Dogfish]

Wow, that's a beautiful stick, Decoy... I live right beside a ravine, so I'll take a walk down there this afternoon and look for a some likely sticks and branches.

Thanks for all your help.

[DiamondWillow]

Dogfish
Here is a site that Hi Ho was talking about, at least I think it is. I am currently working on a stick with a snake on it. Patterned after the one on this site. Don't know how it will turn out, at least I will have very good fire wood. Good Luck

http://www.artsticks.com/SNAKEHOWTO.html

Gene

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Yep thats it Gene, thanks ! Ice Cream Great carvings!

[AlArchie]

Dogfish, as you walk those ravines, keep an eye out high on the sides and look for saplings that have started to grow there. They will start out horizontal nd then turn skyward, making a nice naturally turned cane handle!

Al

[Dogfish]

Thanks, Archie! There's a steep drop-off on both sides of my house, so I'll take a look-see down there... Wish me luck climbing out, though!

Uh, as well... Are there any specific places where vines might be more likely to grow? There used to be a creek down at the bottom of the ravine - is that a likely place to look?

Thanks for all your help, everyone. I really appreciate your willingness to help out a complete newbie.

[AlArchie]

I guess it depends on your area, where the twisty sticks (vines) grow. Around here, Michigan's UP, I look for low lying areas that are sort of damp but not swampy that have been clearcut in the last four or five years. Aspen is usually one of the first trees to regrow in these areas and at the same time, wild grape vines take hold. The vines and aspen growing together yield the twisty sticks. Another vine may be honysuckle, and I've seen some extremely large vines growing around here, that I am not sure what are. Some have been over 2" in diameter and seem to grow on large maple, ash, or basswood trees. These don't seem to grow into the trees like the smaller ones do on the aspen. Someday, I'll find a few of these larger ones and figure out what they are.

Al