What Kind of Wood to Make a Walking Stick?

A walking stick is an important tool for hikers and a fine handmade stick can be a source of pride for its owner. While varieties of hardwood make the most durable and sturdy walking sticks, there are no hard and fast rules about which type of wood is best. Choosing the right wood to make your stick is a matter of determining which wood has properties to suit your own preferences and style.

  1. Utility

    • Utility is the first consideration when choosing wood for your stick. You want a stick that will be durable and can take the level of punishment you intend to dish out. Soft woods, such as pine, do not make durable sticks. Soft woods deteriorate fast and splinter easily. Hardwood varieties will last longer and are stronger. Oak, hickory, ironwood, poplar, maple, hazel, black thorn, cherry wood, ironwood and diamond willow are all good types of hardwood for staff-making.

    Weight

    • Always consider the weight of the wood you want to use before making your stick. Ironwood is extremely heavy and while it may present no problem for a large, strong man, it is a bit heavy for the average person. Oak and maple are also beautiful and strong but very heavy woods. Poplar, hickory and diamond willow are light woods and are easier for people with less upper body strength to carry for distances. If a stick feels heavy in your hand, it's best to use a different variety of wood than to make yourself miserable carrying a stick that is too heavy even if you like the wood.

    Visual Characteristics

    • You may want to choose a wood for its visual characteristics. Some woods, such as maple and rosewood are smooth and straight. Their rich patinas take well to staining and make elegant, simple sticks. Alder is fairly straight, but knotty, while diamond willow is slightly bowed with light orange to brown diamond-shaped patches. Corkscrew willow curves and twists, giving it an air of fantasy. Whether you want an ornate or unusual wood or prefer a modest wood that can be carved or painted, is purely a matter of personal taste. You will still want to make sure the wood is the weight you are comfortable with and that it is durable enough for practical use.

    Carving

    • Some woods are better-suited for carving than others. If you are only going to sand the stick down and point the end of the stick, just about any wood will suffice. If you are going to carve designs into the wood, though, you will want a wood that is well-suited for carving. Alder, aspen, cherry, maple and sassafras are all good woods for carving. You can also personalize a stick with items, such as rope or leather macrame hand grips, if you prefer a wood that doesn't carve well but want to add some personal flair to it.