Walking Sticks

I dont own a walking stick but do tend to pick up a random branch when i'm out and about.

However if I were to get or make a walking stick I would add a little twist to it.

First it would just be a plain ski pole, made out of alumimum so that it is light

Then it would have a slot to put batteries in (wired inside the shaft)

4 led lights would be on the top facing forward, and it would have about 6-8 more led's going around. The 4 leds cna be used used when it is night time, and the other ones are ment for a camp. What I mean by this is, you can stick the pole into theh ground and turn on the other leds, these leds would go all the way around so that you would have a bright radius (Sort of like a house lamp)

A compus would be on the top for navigation (illuminated so you can see at night)

Thats abotu all I thought of, i've been thinking about this for a while and if I get my hands on some leds and an aluminum pole I just might make it, its pretty simple.

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"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic

That's really really cool. Good idea Troop. Sounds more like Gandalf's staff than a walking stick.

I've seen those disgustingly expensive telescoping aluminum "trekking poles" all over the place, and it really makes me laugh. People have been walking around in the wilderness, unaided, for thousands of years. Sure, sometimes a walking stick is nice for stability or something, but I'm with you Trooper, I'd much rather just grab a branch. There's no way in hell I'd spend $75 for a ski pole to take hiking. If it was a multi-function survival tool though, that's a different story. If you get a prototype going, I bet you there's a market for it. Find a developer! Go into business!

This is my walking/hiking stick. Ive had this for about 7 years. Found it on a trail at the side, nice & strait.
I carved little bands around for extra grip & raped some old boot lace around the top. Also put metal bands on the bottom for strengh & to stop wear. Its Pine. It ways nothing & is pretty strong. Cool

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Hey Dave thats pretty cool!

I might jsut make mine from scatch. Soon I will be done school so before I get employed I will have some time.

This time I will spend in the bush and creating electronic devicees.

_________________
"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic

Now that I think about it, my grandmother used to have a really cool walking stick with a top that unscrewed to reveal a compass, and a hollow spot for a little flask about the size of a test tube. I wonder if she's still got that...

I think thats a great idea troop Very Happy

I made a basic design scetch of it. I may post it later

_________________
"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic

my uncle gave us some hiking sticks that he had made. they have a really nice weight to them. and the tree had a vine growing around it so it made this really cool spiral up the stick at the top. he stained them and gave it to our family. my father drilled 2 hole in mine and made a little strap out of a narrow peace of hide so if you were tired you could just drop your hand down and drag it. also we found some liquid rubber coating (for plyer handles) and dipped the bottoms of the sticks in it to make it stronger it works! I don't have pics and can't access my stick right now. so sorry. also I like getting the madalions from the gift shops that you can hammer in to you stick to remind me of were I have been. It's just small metal plates that say the name of the park. Very Happy

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Allen Vizzutti plays Carnival of Venice. This cat is amazing.

Sound cool!

	wildthing wrote:
	also I like getting the madalions from the gift shops that you can hammer in to you stick to remind me of were I have been. It's just small metal plates that say the name of the park.

Good idea

eric

I am curently working on mine.

it really means more when you make your own or someone makes one for you. you can make it the way you want and it is one of a kind. Very Happy

_________________
quote of the week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDEI-M9Ljcw&NR=1
Allen Vizzutti plays Carnival of Venice. This cat is amazing.

Excellant Guys. I think makeing your own walking/hiking stick is the best way.
After all its something that you made, so it means more to you. Cool

Building what you need is the best practice to being prepared for the unexpected. I have watched Ray mears many times on building canoe paddles out of dead fall trees, so i feel more relaxed if such a task came up.
Knowledge is truly power !. Cool

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

I don't use walking sticks much, but when I took down a dead Mountain Ash tree I decided to make a couple. If anyone is thinking of making a stick but isn't sure where to begin, here are my suggestions for making walking sticks. You can, of course, modify these steps to suit yourself.

HOW TO MAKE A WALKING STICK
Cut a piece of strong hardwood so it comes roughly up to your shoulder.
Strip the bark off. One of the fastest ways is with an electric drill. Use a small attachment that looks like a barrel the size of your thumb, covered with little cleats. I don't know what they're called, but any place that sells drill bits should have something like this.
Use a rasp to file down any knots, if desired.
Sand the stick. How fine you finish the stick depends on you. Your goal is to have the bottom end about 1" in diameter, and the top end 3/4" in diameter.
Shape the top of the stick however you want. Just rounding the edge will do.
Get some of those small plastic caps that are used for protecting the bottom of chair legs. (They usually come in a pack of 4 or more.) Draw a line around the stick, the same distance from the bottom of the stick as the height of the plastic cap. File down the stick below this line, so that the cap will fit perfectly onto the bottom of the stick. Set the cap aside.
Give the stick a coat of varnish made for outdoor use. The easiest way to do this is to put a screw eye temporarily into the bottom of the stick and hang it upside down.
When the varnish is dry, lightly sand and give it a 2nd coat.
When the 2nd coat of varnish is dry, remove the screw eye and press the plastic cap onto the bottom of the stick. This will protect the bottom of the stick from damage by rocks and general wear and tear. When the cap wears out, simply replace it with a new one.
Go to a store that sells bicycle equipment and get a foam handlebar pad. Not some fancy kind, just a simple piece of foam tube. Pull it over the top of the stick and pull it down to a height that is comfortable to use as a hand grip.

Thanks for the instructions BushRat Very Happy

The wood has to be dry right?

eric

Thanks, turd. Yes, I should have mentioned to use dry wood.
I'm working on a couple more stick ideas; I just have to get the photos formatted right, then I'll post them soon.

HOW TO MAKE A WALKING STICK FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
Follow the instructions in the previous post, except leave the top of the stick squared off.
Drill a hole about an inch or so into the top of the stick. The hole should be 1/4" or slightly less in diameter.
Screw a 1/4" bolt into the hole. The bolt must fit very tightly.
Cut the head off the bolt, leaving exactly 1/4" protruding from the top of the stick.
Use a small file to remove any sharp edges from the bolt. Cut and file the bolt carefully to avoid damaging the thread.
You can now mount your camera on top of the stick by turning the bolt into the tripod socket on the bottom of the camera. Better yet, use a ball & socket. This is a device that mounts on a tripod and adjusts to hold the camera at whatever angle you wish. Mount the ball & socket on the stick, then mount the camera on the ball & socket. To take a photo, stand with your feet about 18" apart, and with the bottom of the stick on the ground about 18" in front of you. Lean forward just slightly. Adjust the ball and socket so that the camera is aimed where you want. It's pretty simple, but the camera is a lot steadier than if you just hold it in your hand.
To finish off the top, cut a piece of wood that matches the stick, about the size of a golf ball, for example.
File the bottom of it flat.
Go to a store that sells nuts & bolts and get a 1/4" bolt with spikes on it so it can be hammered into wood. (I'm not sure what they're called.)
In the bottom of the piece of wood, drill a hole that the nut will fit snugly into. Hammer the nut into the wood so that the spikes stick into the wood around the nut. The piece of wood can now be screwed onto the top of the stick, to give it a finished appearance and protect the bolt.

Cool!
I'm lookin forward to seeing those pics Very Happy

eric

HOW TO IMPROVISE A WALKING STICK FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
Want to use a walking stick to steady your camera, but don't want to carry a stick all day?
Get a plastic film bottle and remove the top.
Drill a 1/4" hole in the bottom
Put a metal washer inside the bottom of the film bottle.
Insert a 1/4" bolt (about 1/4" or 3/8" long will work, I think) through the washer and through the hole in the bottle, so the the head of the bolt is inside the bottle and it sticks out the bottom.
Screw the bolt into the bottom of a ball & socket, so it holds the film bottle tight against the bottom of the ball & socket.
Put this in your pack along with your camera and a piece of 1/4" foam rubber about 6" square.
Hit the trail. When you want to take a photo, look for a stick that is about chest high and 3/4" diameter at the top.
Place the foam rubber over the top of the stick, and push the film bottle down onto it so it is held firmly in place. Stand with your feet about 18" apart, and with the bottom of the stick on the ground about 18" in front of you. Lean forward just slightly. Adjust the ball and socket so that the camera is aimed where you want. The camera will be much steadier than if you hold it in your hands, but without the bother of carrying a tripod or walking stick.

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Cool! I like those ideas Very Happy

eric

Very creative.

A multiuse stick Smile

You know you can also screw in a camcorder use it as a tripod, both my camera and cam corder have the same screw size.

I might just have to make that bush Very Happy

Cheers good post

_________________
"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic