I'm addicted to sticks

#1 04-18-2004, 01:32 PM

Hi Everyone,
A friend of mine got me into this stick carving this winter when it is a little too chilly outside it was something I could do in the comfort of my workshop. I have found that I have become very addicted to these stick carvings. My favorite wood to carve now is diamond willow. It is a challenge to find sticks just the right size for hiking staffs and walking sticks seems like all the good diamond willow is big stuff. I have done some maple, spuce,apple,alder and cedar but as I said diamond willow is a dream to carve and has so much character. How about you guys are there any of you out there that are stick carvers would love to hear from you and see your carvings. For those of you who have not tried it give it a try but be careful it is very addictive. I find that I have as much fun finding the sticks as I do carving them. The sticks take a little preparation but again the end product is well worth it.
Colin

Hi_Ho_Sliver · #2 04-18-2004, 03:26 PM

basswood is still my favorite, but poplar is ok and so is aspen...a whole world of sticks Colin! That ought to keep you busy LOL

#3 04-18-2004, 10:04 PM

I am a stickcarver also. I use mostly basswood, birch, and diamond willow but also have carved some nice sticks from Â*maple, alder, poplar, and even some oak.

Living in North Iowa I have access to thousands of acres of riverbottoms and wetlands (swamps) both private and public and I collect all of my sticks with the exception of DW locally. For DW I collect when on vacation in Northern Minnesota.

Welcome to the stickcarving crowd Colin. There are several groups online where stickcarving is the main topic of conversation.

A number of my sticks are on my site if you want to see them.

don · #4 04-18-2004, 11:52 PM

Clifford I was just looking at your sticks , the first winking woodspirit I have ever seen. I like it

. And the shrooming stick too. Do they run about 5 feet tall or a bit more? Don

#5 04-19-2004, 02:57 AM

Hi Don,

Thanks for taking the time to look at my site. I hope to get a few more gallery pages up soon with more sticks and some of my bark spirits.

My basswood sticks are usually around 5 foot long when finished. The winking woodspirit stick and the santa cane are shorter, around 3 1/2 feet long.

don · #6 04-19-2004, 11:33 PM

I look at most of the sites that get posted here and am impressed by them all. I don't post alot myself because I don't carve alot. And most of my questions seem to be asked before I think of them. :-[ So get that gallery filled up and let us know about it

Don

Texas_Jim · #7 04-20-2004, 07:13 AM

I have only carved a few hiking sticks but I am hooked also.
It seems like as soon as I finish one then someone will see it and bingo, another request.

I am working on one now and carving the entire length of the stick. I have to use a mallet on every inch of it because the wood is so hard. I kept kinda 'feathering' the edge on one of my gouges until I reground it to be about 20 degrees and it seems to be holding up better.

I plan to carve a stick in some bodark that a friend gave me. I don't know how the indians used to make bows out of the bodark wood. It is extremely hard and has a yellowish color.

Jim

#8 04-20-2004, 08:00 AM

If you DO get invited back - try carving a cigar!

Big Al

#9 04-20-2004, 10:58 AM

This has prompted me to ask another question seeing as we are talking about sticks and some of you say you cant keep them on the shelf they are so popular. How much does a stick sell for I have all of these sticks and my wife is threatening to burn them they are cluttering up the house. I just started carving because I got hooked especially on diamond willow. I now have at least two dozen maybe more done. I carve just woodspirits in them (who would have thought)

some of them have 6 faces in them. I now have to sell them but I am not sure for how much. I have been on line and some of them sell for over $200.00 so any feed back would be appreciated.
Colin

#10 04-20-2004, 02:34 PM

The local economies around here won't support some of the prices I've seen online so I usually price mine at $40-$85 usd. The upper range is usually for sticks that are very unique (ie, charge more for diamond willow because of the 'wow factor') or customized/commissions. I also sell 'plain' sticks for $10-$20 usd. These are simply debarked and a spiral handgrip carved on them.

I can usually sell around 5-6 woodspirit sticks and 8-10 'plain' sticks on a good weekend at craft fairs, ren fests, or rendevous.

I also use my sticks as barter goods with other craft dealers and have gotten some nice stuff simply by trading my 'art' for theirs.