Material suggestions solicited for walking stick

[JimGo]

I have an aunt who had a stroke about a year ago that severely paralized one side of her body. She has since regained limited use of that side, and continues to show improvement, but she still needs to use a cane to help her get around. When she came to our baby shower about a month ago, it was obvious that she's still dealing with depression (divorcee and her only child lives about an hour away in NYC without a car). I have decided to make a replacement for the very beaten-up looking aluminum cane she currently carries as a surprise Christmas present for her, so she'll always have something with her to let her know that her family is thinking of her. I will be using the three-part walking stick with "faux wood" brass handle that CSUSA sells. I've already ordered the kit, and am looking forward to turning the pieces and sending it to her for Christmas (our baby is due some time in the next three to four weeks, or I'd make the trip to NJ to give it to her personally).

I'm only struggling with one decision, whether to use Lignum Vitae or Cocobolo for the body of the walking stick. I love Cocobolo, and it is a pretty hard wood, but my aunt is rather heavy-set, and I need something that's going to support her if she starts to fall and needs to catch herself on the cane. That's why I'm also thinking of LV. I have large enough pieces of both to be able to do the cane for her, and although I love LV, I think the Cocobolo would make a stunning cane that people would ask her about, whereas the slightly greenish tinge that LV tends to develop over time when exposed to the elements (as the cane will be) might make it less appealing. But, on the flip-side, most of the Cocobolo I have has a lot of figure to it, which I understand can make the wood less strong than if it were straight-grained.

Any recommendations as between these would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tangboy5000]

I say Tiger Maple, with the inside cored out for a length of metal rod to add stability, or you know Cocobolo is good too.[]

 

[Scott]

Hi Jim,

I have been making some canes lately. It amazes me how strong some of these woods are! I don't think I'd hesitate to use the Cocobolo. I think it would make a wonderful cane! The stresses that a cane has to survive are a lot different than what a pen would endure. Almost all the stress is weight bearing down along the grain of the wood, and it is quite capable of handling that. Even with wild grain, you should be OK. Now, if she intends to use the cane to whack old men across the head, it may eventually break! [8D]

Just go for it! She will love that cane, and it will mean a lot to her, and to you. And show us pictures!

Scott.

 

[JimGo]

Dang it, you WOULD have to suggest something like that! Now you have me thinking that I could get some narrower aluminum, brass, or steel rod and use that to basically make a big, solid core pen.

Alright, so I'll broaden the scope of my original question, and ask people like Fred, Bruce, and anyone else who might know, what diameter they'd recommend for the inner rod. I think I need a rod, because of the way the couplers are made in the CSUSA kit. For those who haven't seen them, the couplers are shown here:
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=904-0100

The couplers screw into the center of the cane body, and if I use an aluminum tube inside the cane, I'm not sure how I'd attach the coupler to the tube, other than maybe making a plug that goes inside the tube, but then there's a question of how well the glue (epoxy or poly glue is what I'm planning on using) will hold in that kind of arrangement.

For those interested, the full kit is here:
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=904-1175

I'm modifying the kit to include this on the bottom of the cane:
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=050-7088

 

[JimGo]

Thanks Scott, that makes me feel a lot better!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Almost any wood is strong enough for what you want. For insurance, though, go with proven stress bearing woods, ash, hickory are very good. I have made two for myself (when the day comes I need them) from hickory. Osage orange is excellent. Irish blackthorn is a classic walking stick wood. If she has a sense of humor, get a bull penis bone.

 

[JimGo]

Frank, that last like has me ROTFL (I know your penchant for acronyms). The goal is to make her MORE stable on her feet, not to distract her while she's walking.

Ash, Hickory, and Osage Orange are good ideas too, although most of the ash and OO I've seen haven't had a lot of figure (which may be a good thing).

 

[wayneis]

I have that kit and I think that I may be concerned about it breaking at the joint if she put to much pressure on it. If you have a full size lathe I would think about a one piece cane if it were me. Then you wouldn't have to put a rod in it.

Wayne

 

[JimGo]

Wayne,
It's not the size of the lathe, but rather the size of the LV and Cocobolo pieces I have that is the limiting factor. I have some pieces of each that are 18" long, hence the need for a coupler. Maybe I'll see if I can get some thicker boards.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by wayneis
<br />I have that kit and I think that I may be concerned about it breaking at the joint if she put to much pressure on it. If you have a full size lathe I would think about a one piece cane if it were me. Then you wouldn't have to put a rod in it.

Wayne

I know it's done. But I haven't had success with turning long and slender items like a cane. Trying hickory, which is a bit 'whippy', there is just too much flex in a 30 to 36" slender shaft. Even using a center steady rest I haven't been able to do it. That is why the coupler method is favored. Shorter pieces are turned avoiding the whip.

 

[rtparso]

If you want a really strong cane instead of cutting it out spilt it out of a small tree. This keeps some of the grain running the full length of the cane. If you look at a good walking cane the grain runs the length.

 

[Scott]

The canes I've been making are one single shaft. The one I made for my Dad's birthday was one long shaft of highly figured Afzelia Xylay. I bought an antique handle of English Blackthorn to top it off. Whippy? Yes! But I do use a spindle steady and a lot of hand holding to keep it steady. I would also be worried about a two-piece cane breaking at the joint, but again, the stresses are downward along the shaft of the cane, not against the side of it, and it should have no problems. And I can't even imagine the difficulty of drilling an 18" hole through the center so you could insert a rod. Maybe with a lamp auger. I wonder how straight that would drill? Never tried it!

Good Luck!

Scott.

 

[rtjw]

Question. Has anyone ever turned a walking stick that was segmented? Would you have to put the rod through the middle to make it more sturdy?

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by Scott
<br />The canes I've been making are one single shaft. The one I made for my Dad's birthday was one long shaft of highly figured Afzelia Xylay. I bought an antique handle of English Blackthorn to top it off. Whippy? Yes! But I do use a spindle steady and a lot of hand holding to keep it steady. I would also be worried about a two-piece cane breaking at the joint, but again, the stresses are downward along the shaft of the cane, not against the side of it, and it should have no problems. And I can't even imagine the difficulty of drilling an 18" hole through the center so you could insert a rod. Maybe with a lamp auger. I wonder how straight that would drill? Never tried it!

Good Luck!

Scott.

The ones I made for myself have brass horse hame ends on them. They are deliberately heavy for a reason. I had a friend, small guy, about 5'6", who at age over 75 was mugged. He had a cane because he needed one. On that particular day he refused to be a victum. Despite never having had any martial training or being athletic, he beat the stuffings out of his would-be muggers. My thick hickory shaft and heavy brass head will be available to deliver a message, if needed.
And, as far as drilling that straight long hole, builders of muzzle loading rifles do it all the time for the ramrod. There are various techniques. I believe one is the use of a spoon bit.

 

[Darley]

Jim why not to mix to wood to give a contrast to the cane

 

[johnson]

Totally unrelated to turning, but have you thought of diamond willow?
Grows like a weed in the midwest and makes a very strong cane/walking stick. The wood is a creamy white with reddish brown contrasting knots where the branches came out. I carve wood spirit faces in them. Largest person I made one for was 450 lbs and she didn't break it. Rockler Woodworking in Maplewood MN has 8/4 cocobolo for I believe $20 board foot. Just bought a bunch but don't remember what the price was exactly. Some of the pieces were 6 feet long and 8 inches wide.
Dale

 

[JimGo]

Thanks for the info Dave! Serge, I thought about mixing it, but I've done a coco and LV pen and didn't think they looked that great together. Frank, thanks for the idea on how to drill the necessary hole should I decide to do a reinforced body cane.

And to the rest of you, thanks for your support!

 

[Doghouse]

I have turned a few so far, and when I needed one I turned it. From a comfort standpoint, I prefered the one with a hickory center and cherry laminates on the side. Looked, good, and the hickory absorbed much of the shock from the tip Hitting the ground.

 

[mrcook4570]

Originally posted by JimGo
<br />I've done a coco and LV pen and didn't think they looked that great together.

Coco & maple looks very nice together.