Maple woodspirit hiking staff

[Colin-Partridge]

Hi Gang,
Remember last week when I found that maple stick with all the roots on the side of the trail. Well I found a woodspirit hiding in the roots. I trimmed the roots off a little because it was too much and would get in the way. It is pretty well finished except for the final coats of varathane. It was a really fun stick to do it isnt every day that you find a stick like that it is my first stick in all my walks that I have found with roots on it.
Hope you enjoy looking
Colin

[brushpilecarvings]

Wow! I really like that. Especially the way his eyes are shifted, as if he is looking at those roots saying "little help please? Something sticking out of my head!"

[MelNM]

Very nice Colin I can also see it being a handy back scratcher.
Itchy Mel

[Lightningbolt]

That is a nice (and unusual) one for sure!

I began harvesting my walking sticks, whenever practical, by digging them up with the root system intact after purchasing a great little book called "The Fantastic Book of Canes, Pipes, & Walking Sticks" by Harry Ameredes way back in 1996. He really went into detail about how he dug up his sticks by the root and how to make some super nice sticks with a little imagination.

Sometimes it takes a mattock to get some of the stubborn ones but the extra effort is always worth it. I'll usually just "scratch" around at the base of a good stick to see if the root system looks like it has potential beneath the soil.

For those out looking for sticks be sure to keep the potential of a root system in mind because they can help you produce some extraordinary sticks!

Thanks for posting this!

[Linda L]

VERY impressive Colin! I'm still fighting an ongoing battle with my maple staff Head Bange! I'm winning the battle, but slowly!

Just curious, did you use power or hand tools? I also found "my" maple stick, still attached to the downed tree, but dry and clean. Hard as a rock!

LOVE the expression!

Linda

[GaryMc]

Hello Collin,
Great stick! Looks like he is having a bad hair day! hehe
GaryMc

[Arnold-Smith]

Like that stick

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Good carving Colin, but the stick looks like a punk rocker! He needs a haircut ha haIce Cream

[Irishman]

Someone perhaps mentioned this with your earlier posting but the staff reminds me of Madusa...if I have that mythical character correct. The extensions on the head could be shaped into snakes.
The branches definitely give it a unique look.
Patrick

[woody01]

Nice carving!! Your Woodspirts always look very nice.
woody01