[tucker1931]

Near where we live here is a very swampy area (great spot to watch all the deer in the evening). There are literally hundreds of willow sapplings growing within 10 feet of the road. They are the perfect size foe walking sticks. My question, would this be suitable wood to use for walking stick carving?
Appreciate all input as I'm new to the wonderful world of wood carving.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I have made several canes out of Navajo willow and it works fine, can't speak for yours, lots of different kinds of willow,.....but I would try it!

[tucker1931]

thanks Hi Ho, tell me, should I strip the bark rite away or leave 'em dry a while?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

It comes off extremely easy when green....but when it dries it cracks pretty bad, so cut a length longer than you need and seal the ends...anchorseal...or in my case I use parafin wax.

[Clifford_Parker]

I use a lot of willow for my walking sticks. It is strong, light, and carves well. Cut your stick blanks long so you can trim the ends to remove any splitting and leave the bark on for a month or so to help prevent checking (cracking along the stick grain due to the outer layers drying faster than the center). Check the willow stands carefully for flat spots or depressions around dead branch sites. If these are found you might have a source for diamond willow.

[tucker1931]

Hi Cliff, thanks for the response. I got in there Sunday afternoon and got a bit of a srprise. To be honest, at this point I'm not sure what I;m into. You see, willow tom me has a pretty smooth bark (almost skin like) thing is, some are a smoth skin, while others have a rough back, I'm thinling poplar. At any rate there's gotta be thousands of these at 1 1/2 to 2 inch diameter. I cut 3 to try them out, I put carpenters glue on the ends and where ever I cut off small branches, to seal them as per several suggestions, I only took 3 because it was roo damn hot yesteray.
I will go in on a cooler day and search for possible diamonds, that sure would be a bonus. I'll keep you posted, By the way, my name is Cliff as well.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Tucker...you are in a great position to experiment with those sticks....take one and seal the ends...take another and stripe the bark and seal the ends, and the third, do nothing to it.......you will find out in short order which way to go

[Clifford_Parker]

Cliff,
Some species of willow do have rough bark and young poplar often has smooth greenish bark so bark alone is a poor identifier if you are not used to harvesting your own stick blanks. Leaf shape is a better identifier. Most willow (salix) species have long, thin leaves while poplar (populus) leaves are more heart shaped. If the leaves have already dropped look at the leaf litter beneath the saplings.

[tucker1931]

Cliff, thanks again. I didn't go back there yet, it's too dang hot here today for me to be out in ther bush, it's 75 degrees and apparentely that's a new all time record for this part of Canada. Please don't laugh at me saying that, I'm on a new medication that gives me hot flashes (the same as a woman gets) and I try to stay cook or it brings them on.

[BobD]

Just use caution if you plan on power carving willow. While the bark is natural asprin, the dust is a known cause of nasal cancer!

Bob