Thank you sir, for you have reminded me of my father. In his home I recovered the sticks, about two dozen, he had cut during a visit to Scotland from here in the States. That was during the late 1980's. Now is the time for me to finish his project with your graciously shared knowledge.
Thank a lot for this tutorial! Till now I left quite many sticks alive in the bush as they featured a bend somewhere. This way one can take advantage of more raw material available outdoors and fix the bends at home. Both thumbs up!
Thank you so much!!! I had no idea this could be done so quickly as you did it. I am just amazed 😂. Thank you again for so graciously making a video for your fellow man. I wish I could give you 50 thumbs up!
I am a bit off balance, and use a staff around the house, two canes for brief outdoor use, and a power chair for anything beyond that. I have a number of staffs that are simply too springy because of the dog legs and bends. Those are useless to me. I am excited to try your method of straightening to create a more stable support. I am getting too old to safely fall anymore. I never dreamed that you needed to season the stick before straightening. Here in the midwest USA, we rarely encounter a straight stick. Thanks for opening a new realm to me. Now, I can have staffs scattered about the place instead of keeping track of one or two.
I am so glad I came across your Channel ,my grandfather showed me how to find canes when I was young , now I will know how to straighten them ,I have a wallpaper steamer that I was just about ready to get rid of , but now I've found a new use for, thank you so much !
@@woodlandsticks1365 Thank you Sir. For how long do you keep the sticks in the steam? I just broke my nice very well seasoned hazelnut stick during straightening.
@@Ratzepuh I am sorry to hear that. The steaming time varies but 10_20 minutes is about right on full steam. My test is that I cannot hold it for more than a few seconds with bare hands. The other reason it broke, it was dead or part dead when cut. Hope this helps
@@woodlandsticks1365 Helps a lot. Yes, it was partly dead. I did not want to damage a whole tree to cut out a huge chunk for the handle, so I picked a dead one. Lesson learned. Thank you again for helping me.
Sir, I learned more and got more ideas about bending a stick and making a walking stick from 5 minutes of this video than any other video I have watched here to date. I thank you. I do have one question: can wet wood be steamed or hot air gunned to be bent rather than seasoned sticks?
Good morning to you sir. I must admit that you are really good at your craft, God bless you and thank you for showing me how to make a stick straight. I just started, in fact i found a nice piece in my yard, actually i had to climb the tree in my yard and get the piece i wanted. I bought everything i needed and went to work on my stick. When i finished, people were trying to buy the stick from me, one guy offered to pay $100 dollars but I couldn't sell it because it's the first one I ever made. To think that I made it from scratch, even got the carving tools. So my point to all this is to thank you for showing me how to make a stick straight, that I needed to learn. When I make my next one I'll find a way to show it. Again thank you and may God continue to bless you and your family..
True craftsmanship! 75 yrs young here, just getting into cane/walking sticks. Do you have a way to shaving down bigger diameter branches? Love your shop. Thanks Virgil
I know you didn’t intend this video to be of this particular sort of service, but your soothing voice has helped me immensely with my insomnia. Picked up a fascination with your craft as well! Thank you so much for this video.
Hi David Glad you enjoyed some of the video. Look out for my next video on, How i can help with insomnia !! LOL Dave
2 года назад+1
ive been setting a heavy dresser ontop of a bend and using a box fan blowing on them... never dreamed of doing it like this. so simple yet so ingenious... thank you for sharing
I've also used various weights & soaking them overnight trying to straighten out bends in my staffs. It works to some degree on dried woods but even better on green sticks which, you don't have to soak for very long. Hope this helps y'all N. PA USA here😮
Mr. Woodlandsticks, Thanks for the videos. One thing that I have found to stop/lessen end checking is to dip the cut ends in melted wax. Makes the wood dry from the sides.
Hi Luther wood turners use wax on there end grain, so it will work on sticks, but i still prefer to cut sticks over length to get the size of stick i want. Mine are stored in a shaded shelter with good ventalation so don't get enough end shake to worry about. Dave
I stumbled upon your channel this year and immediately watched all your videos in one sitting. I happened to cut a beech stick this past fall and have it currently drying as per your instructions. I hope to be able to replicate your steamer set up and make a straightening jig in time to straighten it this coming fall. I had a question regarding part of the steaming process. After you steam and straighten the stick, you mentioned to either stand it up as straight as possible or lay it flat. My question is how long do you then typically let it dry? Thank you for sharing your craft and expertise and for inspiring me to get out and start making my own sticks. Cheers and all the best from Nova Scotia, Canada! - Darby
Hi Stickmaker you are about to start on a great hobby, glad to help, the sticks only need to stay there until they are cold,but they will want a week to dry out from steeming, the steeming also takes care of insects inside the stick . good luck dave
Sir, Thank you for sharing. My wife came to me the other evening and asked what I had going on with my computer.There was nothing that I knew I was doing, maybe my granddaughter started RUclips, though I can't imagine why. I shut things down, but thought about what I briefly saw, and I knew I had to go back to it. Fortunately, I was able to find you with no difficulty, and I am very glad. You know stick making, obviously, and you are an excellent communicator. I will be watching all your videos, and then go finish some sticks I cut in Virginia about 20 years ago. Now I know how to straighten them, which is the major reason I have not finished them for so long. They are dogwood and hickory. Thank you again for so skillfully sharing your knowledge.
Thank you sir! I’ve got a couple of sticks I’m particularly fond of. Unfortunately, both have dog leg bends in then. Both are seasoned and will be straightening them tomorrow. Going to try the heat gun as that’s what I’ve got. Thank you kind sir.
Realy good videos mate. I have a couple ready to go, and your videos have help me out loads. Keep them coming. I'm going to sort a steamer out and straighten some hazle. Cheers
At 11 minutes, if they say they prefer it bent, they can’t straighten it. Very true. This is a very good video for beginners. Keep passing on the knowledge.
You remind me of my grandpa! I loved hanging out with him. He was always doing something fun and interesting then we would go sit in the shade and drink coffee and talk about life.
1:53 What a lovely picee of wood. We don't have blackthorn here on the west coast of Canada, but we have Columbia Thorn. Not as dense as blackthorn, but ice wood nonetheless.
Hi Dave watched all your videos 1 to8 enjoyed ever one I second every thing the gent before me I in the engineering come smithing , but now potter about making sticks/ you've leant me something new. ps very easy listening .and visual, great camera work. oldmick
Really nice. I attempted a similar steam process on my hickory and cypress wood for the lower Alabama delta bayou. Hickory won't budge no matter how long I steam it. Still my two favorite wood to work with because of their density.
Fugyoo, Luther from AL Delta here. Where do you find hickory around here? I don't see it very often down here. Not like up in Clark County and Northward.
@@OIE82 We have plenty of Hickory here in N. PA USA. A Very dense & heavy wood with soo many uses including bb bats & walking staffs. But you're right about it being difficult to straighten although I've had a little luck using this gentleman's steaming technique , it just takes much more pressure for a longer time, as it wants to return to its original shape. Good luck y'all✝️☮️
I have a old friend who is Retired and he does the same but if you go into the woodlands to Collect sticks you have to have permission and maybe a Written letter from the landlord but saying that it’s a very interesting craft thank you sir 👏👏
Hi very informative video. just a quick couple of questions how long do you leave the sticks in the steamer before you straighten them? after straightening how long do you leave them standing before working with them. Thanks.
that was very helpful to me to staighten my stick. Althought I am 24, but I like to have a sick in my hands like all the great prophets and wise old men do.
Carrying it for fashion is quite the opposite of why the greats took up natural stves and canes. Much as in a book may be learned from them. Also, they are great tools for meditative techniques and personal mind training
Hello, Could you recommend any book titles on how to bend a diamond willow stick, or a book on other things people can make with diamond willow please? Thank you and i am enjoying the series,ive never seen how much work goes into them,makes me appreciate hiking sticks even more
MagickalGoodies Hi in the UK we do not have diamond willow but I would think it is the same as any other timber and bend with sufficient heat, As for books I would look on Amazon USA you may find what you are looking for.Dave
Hello there, I'm absolutely making a straightening jig like yours. Thank you for showing your method; it's very helpful. I do have a question; in your experience, is there a significant difference between leaving the bark on the stick when leaving it to dry, or stripping it first?
@@woodlandsticks1365 Thank you for your reply. That indeed makes sense. I have just harvested a couple of hazel branches intended for walking sticks. I have them drying (with the bark) on a flat surface until next winter.
Question. I want to make a stick straightening form. Can you please give me the dimensions and the angles? I see from a previous question that it is made of aok and I plan to use ash. I assume this will work. Thank you.
love this tuition now need to sort out a tube...However i do have a question .I have found myself a nice stick do i need to season it or can I try and straighten
Good information thank you for your video. Can you straighten any stick in this manor? I have a curly stick I found years ago & hung it on the wall now its warped. I
bryan lewin All sticks will straighten the denser woods will take a little longer. Rough guide is softer woods like Hazel 10 to 15 minutes dense woods like Blackthorn, holly 15 to 20 minutes or when you cannot grip it with bare hands good luck Dave Maybe Blackthorn sticks one day.
Thank you for a really good video, you are a gentleman and a scholar, I’m just starting in the stick making game , could you give me your take on sharpening a knife as I’m not very good at it but willing to learn, take care.
Hi David I use these , they are diamond . www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3pc-Diamond-Whetstone-Knife-Blade-Sharpening-Set-3-Grits-All-Blades-Wet-TE316/121357073232?epid=22014040458&hash=item1c4171fb50:g:fDIAAOSw1RVahMe2
I have a Brazos walking stick (hawthorne) that gradually warped and is now a curved. Is that normal? I never exposed it to extreme heat and kept it indoors. Thanks for your demo.
Great video! I would love to have this man as a neighbour, I gladly help him, even is a cameraman, just to get so much knowledge. Do you have any video or information of how to make the wooden bending unit? I have a around 12 sticks, hazelnut and blackthorn, seasoning for over a year, so I’m looking forward to start next year working on them
I'm curious if you can used steam straightening on a very nice (lovely reddish black flawless bark) Blackthorn Stick (54 inches long, 1-1/8 inch tapering evenly down to 7/8 inch), that has just ONE spot in the middle that is not quite straight. The main issue is that it has a few coats of what I believe is a Poly finish on it, and I'm not sure if it will stay on with the steam heat. I've straightened other Blackthorn sticks with a heat gun, but I've always stripped off the finish first. (Mostly BLACK paint, which I hate!) I didn't want to use my usual heat gun on a poly finished stick, and end up with a chard finish mess. Your thoughts? Thanks... Joe T, Ti Rod Tactical
Hi Joe Using a hot air gun would upset the finish you have now. Without a steamer I would wrap a cloth a few times around the length you want to straighten, soak it with water and use the hot gun. that way you are steaming without burning the finish. But try an old stick first. My thoughts Dave
@@woodlandsticks1365 Thanks Dave,...appreciate your incite and will give that a try,..... once I can locate the heat gun! It's been awhile since I've used it (a few years), and with running a business from home it gets a bit cluttered. BUT I KNOW it's in here,....somewhere! :-)
i have watched this video and i am afraid i am going to use some horrible method involving a kettle and my feet because i need to bend exactly one stick ever, but know that i will be thinking of your lovely stick straightening device the whole time
So i already shaved my stick lol sorry if im not using correct terms. I have a pretty nice walking stick with a curve about halfway down will this method still work with my wood its pretty dry now and shaved lol
Hi Dave, I have been looking for U.K. stickmaking videos for ages on you tube and stopped looking after years! I just tried again on a whim really and HURRAY! someone who knows their stuff. Thank you so much for sharing your skill. I am going to watch all of your films now. Can I ask a quick question? Because one piece thumbsticks are used upside down (in terms of the way they grew) is it frowned upon because the taper is reversed, or do you sand or carve it down? I have one seasoned and have not worked on it because the taper looks upside down from 3/4" down to 1". Thanks for showing your films again! N.
+Neil “Slugger” George Hi Neil. Thank you for your comments. Natural grown Thumb sticks are always heavier on the bottom. There is not a lot you can do to alter that.. Thumb sticks found in coppiced stools or in thickets often grow more even, where they have to fight more for the light. Good luck Dave
Great info pops I make twisty sticks and have tried to straighten them with clamps and weights with not much luck. I give them as gifts mostly . But would like to sell some . Any suggestions
I’ve just started straightening sticks & wondered if it’s possible to get instructions how to make the stick making frame shown in your vice in your videos?
@@woodlandsticks1365 thank you for your reply. Could i just ask one more thing only i have a couple of sticks that have been drying out a few months and the ends have started splitting quite badly. Is there anything i can do to stop this splitting process pls? Thx.
@@bbwnpat The main reason sticks split is they have dried too fast. I would use melted wax to seal the ends. When you cut your next sticks cut them longer then if they split you can trim the end off. Good luck. You can always email me Dave
Maybe you can answer this question. Please. I am working on a staff from a maple limb I cut in 2014. It's got a bit of curve to it. Although not critical, I would like to take some of the bend out. I've heard of using a heat gun but it was unsuccessful. Do you have any tips aside from making a steam box? (Example: soak the stick then heat it?) Wish we had blackthorn in the states. That's a nice stick. Final question. How long did you steam your stick?
Years ago when i started i used a gas paint stripper. Try wrapping a wet rag around the bend ,then wrap with aluminum Kitchen foil And heat with electric hot air gun. the steam will help to bend. How long to steam you can't over steem so 10_20 minutes.Using the above method you should not burn the wood. Good luck Dave
Why would there be 84 dislikes, the man is giving his knowledge and time for free ?
-84 here and then some. He is the stick "god" of the Brits!
I do love comments like this it means a lot
@@woodlandsticks1365 no broblem you deserve it, keep up the good work Sir
Thank you sir
@@nipperparr6709 there's always negative eejits who will dislike everything.
The wallpaper steamer / bender setup is genius. It works well and is very inexpensive. Nice tip!
Thank you sir, for you have reminded me of my father. In his home I recovered the sticks, about two dozen, he had cut during a visit to Scotland from here in the States. That was during the late 1980's. Now is the time for me to finish his project with your graciously shared knowledge.
Thats great Farther will be pleased you are taking over where he left off .All the best Dave
Wayne, I see this has been a few years ago. How’d they turn out?
I would love to see your finished canes and saffs, thank you .
the stick chap should be on TV. very watchable & knowledgable
A true master of his craft. The wallpaper stripper is a great idea for a steamer.
What a marvellous video. I would never have thought the job would be that easy. Thanks.
Thank you Tony
Thank a lot for this tutorial!
Till now I left quite many sticks alive in the bush as they featured a bend somewhere.
This way one can take advantage of more raw material available outdoors and fix the bends at home. Both thumbs up!
Glad to have shared some knowledge
Thank you so much!!! I had no idea this could be done so quickly as you did it. I am just amazed 😂. Thank you again for so graciously making a video for your fellow man. I wish I could give you 50 thumbs up!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed watching them. as much as we enjoyed making them. Dave
I am a bit off balance, and use a staff around the house, two canes for brief outdoor use, and a power chair for anything beyond that. I have a number of staffs that are simply too springy because of the dog legs and bends. Those are useless to me. I am excited to try your method of straightening to create a more stable support. I am getting too old to safely fall anymore. I never dreamed that you needed to season the stick before straightening. Here in the midwest USA, we rarely encounter a straight stick. Thanks for opening a new realm to me. Now, I can have staffs scattered about the place instead of keeping track of one or two.
+Bill Pruitt Glad to help, any stick no matter how old will straighten good luck Dave
I am so glad I came across your Channel ,my grandfather showed me how to find canes when I was young , now I will know how to straighten them ,I have a wallpaper steamer that I was just about ready to get rid of , but now I've found a new use for, thank you so much !
You are welcome, I hope you enjoy your stickmaking.
Thank you so much for letting us participate on your expertise, Sir. Very much appreciated. Greetings from Germany.
Always will to help.
@@woodlandsticks1365 Thank you Sir.
For how long do you keep the sticks in the steam? I just broke my nice very well seasoned hazelnut stick during straightening.
@@Ratzepuh I am sorry to hear that. The steaming time varies but 10_20 minutes is about right on full steam. My test is that I cannot hold it for more than a few seconds with bare hands. The other reason it broke, it was dead or part dead when cut. Hope this helps
@@woodlandsticks1365 Helps a lot. Yes, it was partly dead. I did not want to damage a whole tree to cut out a huge chunk for the handle, so I picked a dead one. Lesson learned. Thank you again for helping me.
Sir, I learned more and got more ideas about bending a stick and making a walking stick from 5 minutes of this video than any other video I have watched here to date. I thank you. I do have one question: can wet wood be steamed or hot air gunned to be bent rather than seasoned sticks?
+Jess Hi if you heated fresh cut sticks it will not stay there it will revert back to how it was.Dave
this video and this comment thread... and I've all I need.. thank you both..
Your knowledge is well earned sir a pleasure to watch a traditional master craftsman.
50 years, and still learning.
So glad i stumbled upon your channel! Your very informative and i could listen to you all day. Thanks for the pointers. awesome.
Might not stumble so much if you had a good reliable walking stick in hand!
Good morning to you sir. I must admit that you are really good at your craft, God bless you and thank you for showing me how to make a stick straight. I just started, in fact i found a nice piece in my yard, actually i had to climb the tree in my yard and get the piece i wanted. I bought everything i needed and went to work on my stick.
When i finished, people were trying to buy the stick from me, one guy offered to pay $100 dollars but I couldn't sell it because it's the first one I ever made. To think that I made it from scratch, even got the carving tools. So my point to all this is to thank you for showing me how to make a stick straight, that I needed to learn. When I make my next one I'll find a way to show it.
Again thank you and may God continue to bless you and your family..
Thanks. Hector I am so pleased I was able to help with the first of many new sticks. All the best with your new craft, Dave
PIctures!
Very informative. I never knew this easy method of straightening before, excellent instruction!
You are welcome
True craftsmanship! 75 yrs young here, just getting into cane/walking sticks. Do you have a way to shaving down bigger diameter branches? Love your shop. Thanks Virgil
Thank you Sir for taking all this effort to learn us lesser gods the art of stickmaking..🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
(A new subscriber for the Channel)
I know you didn’t intend this video to be of this particular sort of service, but your soothing voice has helped me immensely with my insomnia.
Picked up a fascination with your craft as well! Thank you so much for this video.
Hi David Glad you enjoyed some of the video. Look out for my next video on, How i can help with insomnia !! LOL Dave
ive been setting a heavy dresser ontop of a bend and using a box fan blowing on them... never dreamed of doing it like this. so simple yet so ingenious... thank you for sharing
I've also used various weights & soaking them overnight trying to straighten out bends in my staffs. It works to some degree on dried woods but even better on green sticks which, you don't have to soak for very long. Hope this helps y'all N. PA USA here😮
Mate I'm pleased to see such enthusiasm. I'm new to being a 'sticky' but thoroughly enjoying it. Sold my first stick today for £40. I'm chuffed :)
Glad to have helped, on your way to make a fortune good luck Dave
I`m just starting out too
Mr. Woodlandsticks, Thanks for the videos. One thing that I have found to stop/lessen end checking is to dip the cut ends in melted wax. Makes the wood dry from the sides.
Hi Luther wood turners use wax on there end grain, so it will work on sticks, but i still prefer to cut sticks over length to get the size of stick i want. Mine are stored in a shaded shelter with good ventalation so don't get enough end shake to worry about. Dave
Thank you! I have an inherited old walking stick with a terrible bend 1/3 from the bottom. I'm looking forward to fixing it now
Good luck
Never Stop Watching This ,Fella. Brilliant. Old School. !!😁
I stumbled upon your channel this year and immediately watched all your videos in one sitting. I happened to cut a beech stick this past fall and have it currently drying as per your instructions. I hope to be able to replicate your steamer set up and make a straightening jig in time to straighten it this coming fall. I had a question regarding part of the steaming process. After you steam and straighten the stick, you mentioned to either stand it up as straight as possible or lay it flat. My question is how long do you then typically let it dry?
Thank you for sharing your craft and expertise and for inspiring me to get out and start making my own sticks. Cheers and all the best from Nova Scotia, Canada! - Darby
Hi Stickmaker you are about to start on a great hobby, glad to help, the sticks only need to stay there until they are cold,but they will want a week to dry out from steeming, the steeming also takes care of insects inside the stick . good luck dave
Lovely man and really enjoyed your video I am an artist living in Ireland and always love to learn new things again many thanks
Amazing tutorial. Thank you for showing the proper technique!
You are welcome
Sir, Thank you for sharing. My wife came to me the other evening and asked what I had going on with my computer.There was nothing that I knew I was doing, maybe my granddaughter started RUclips, though I can't imagine why. I shut things down, but thought about what I briefly saw, and I knew I had to go back to it. Fortunately, I was able to find you with no difficulty, and I am very glad.
You know stick making, obviously, and you are an excellent communicator. I will be watching all your videos, and then go finish some sticks I cut in Virginia about 20 years ago. Now I know how to straighten them, which is the major reason I have not finished them for so long. They are dogwood and hickory.
Thank you again for so skillfully sharing your knowledge.
Glad to have given you the inspiration to start again
Thank you sir! I’ve got a couple of sticks I’m particularly fond of. Unfortunately, both have dog leg bends in then. Both are seasoned and will be straightening them tomorrow. Going to try the heat gun as that’s what I’ve got. Thank you kind sir.
Good luck have fun and enjoy your stick making. Dave
Thank you for your time and knowledge love your teachings and learning loads from you thank you again
great video thanks! how long do you leave them in the steamer for?
This video was a tremendous help, thank you for your videos. They are much appreciated 🤙
Realy good videos mate. I have a couple ready to go, and your videos have help me out loads. Keep them coming. I'm going to sort a steamer out and straighten some hazle. Cheers
Thanks for that, email if you need more help
At 11 minutes, if they say they prefer it bent, they can’t straighten it. Very true. This is a very good video for beginners. Keep passing on the knowledge.
Thank you John i am doing my best
You remind me of my grandpa! I loved hanging out with him. He was always doing something fun and interesting then we would go sit in the shade and drink coffee and talk about life.
We had to make things as we never had the money to buy
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me and keeping the craft alive.
Thank you for watching
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience so clearly.
You are welcome
Very helpful, thank you. Your steaming setup is very clever.
Thank you for your comment
That is an impressive technique!
1:53 What a lovely picee of wood. We don't have blackthorn here on the west coast of Canada, but we have Columbia Thorn. Not as dense as blackthorn, but ice wood nonetheless.
Breath of fresh air in this mad world.
Thanks David
Love your videos
I will try to uphold this ancient art. Thank you.
Enjoy your new hobby
wow, your awsome. I absolutely love your video. Tons of wisdom
Now that was very interesting and I will have to try that! Nice work buddy! Thank you for sharing! Cheers!
You'r welcome happy stick making Dave
Hello
Great job! Do you do the straitghtening job before seasonning or after?
Cheers
Hi Dave
watched all your videos 1 to8 enjoyed ever one I second every thing the gent before me I in the engineering come smithing , but now potter about making sticks/ you've leant me something new. ps very easy listening .and visual, great camera work. oldmick
Really nice. I attempted a similar steam process on my hickory and cypress wood for the lower Alabama delta bayou. Hickory won't budge no matter how long I steam it. Still my two favorite wood to work with because of their density.
Fugyoo, Luther from AL Delta here. Where do you find hickory around here? I don't see it very often down here. Not like up in Clark County and Northward.
@@OIE82 We have plenty of Hickory here in N. PA USA. A Very dense & heavy wood with soo many uses including bb bats & walking staffs. But you're right about it being difficult to straighten although I've had a little luck using this gentleman's steaming technique , it just takes much more pressure for a longer time, as it wants to return to its original shape. Good luck y'all✝️☮️
Excellent demonstration !
Thank you
Great video, thanks for teaching your trick and experience!
You are welcome
Question: Do I have to wait the full year, or can I speed up the drying process using a campfire?
Very informative Dave just started out in the hobby , will be looking for some more information from the Experts
Thank you sir, that was most helpful. What I've just learned will be useful for the rest of my life.
Glad to help
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! I have one that needs straightening. I'll fix it up. Thank you for the video.
Really helpful and awesome video, thank you!
Glad to help
I have a old friend who is Retired and he does the same but if you go into the woodlands to Collect sticks you have to have permission and maybe a Written letter from the landlord but saying that it’s a very interesting craft thank you sir 👏👏
You are quite right all hedges and woodland belongs to someone so you do need permission. Dave
Greetings from southern Germany! I recently made some staffs too!
Great hobby, enjoy
Hi very informative video. just a quick couple of questions how long do you leave the sticks in the steamer before you straighten them? after straightening how long do you leave them standing before working with them. Thanks.
+Graeme m Most sticks 10-15 minutes denser woods like blackthorne a little longer .I leavemine over night to go cold Dave
+woodlandsticks thanks I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to me. your videos have been really informative and helpful. thanks
What a lovely man you are and a marvellous teacher. So interesting
Thank you for your comments
Great work. Really enjoyed.
Mr. you're really a Master !!!
So true!
that was very helpful to me to staighten my stick. Althought I am 24, but I like to have a sick in my hands like all the great prophets and wise old men do.
Carrying it for fashion is quite the opposite of why the greats took up natural stves and canes. Much as in a book may be learned from them. Also, they are great tools for meditative techniques and personal mind training
Would the steamer technique work on straightening blackthorne?
What a lovely man and so helpful a master of his craft thank you very much foe your help,
Hi Peter Glad you enjoyed the videos, thanks for a lovely comment. Dave
Fantastic and thank you.
How long are the sticks left in the steamer.?
Leave for 15 Minutes then try one
Hello, Could you recommend any book titles on how to bend a diamond willow stick, or a book on other things people can make with diamond willow please? Thank you and i am enjoying the series,ive never seen how much work goes into them,makes me appreciate hiking sticks even more
MagickalGoodies Hi in the UK we do not have diamond willow but I would think it is the same as any other timber and bend with sufficient heat, As for books I would look on Amazon USA you may find what you are looking for.Dave
ok, thank you :)
Thanks for letting us in on knowledge gained from years of experience . What an awesome gift. THANKS AGAIN!!!
You are welcome, enjoy your stick making.
I like my sticks bent.... or as I find them....😀 Sometimes thought.... it might be nice to have them a little straighter
Hello there, I'm absolutely making a straightening jig like yours. Thank you for showing your method; it's very helpful. I do have a question; in your experience, is there a significant difference between leaving the bark on the stick when leaving it to dry, or stripping it first?
If you peel the stick green you stand a chance of splitting, on the ends and through the middle. if you have a lot of sticks you could gamble. Dave
@@woodlandsticks1365 Thank you for your reply. That indeed makes sense. I have just harvested a couple of hazel branches intended for walking sticks. I have them drying (with the bark) on a flat surface until next winter.
@@LucasVieites Enjoy your stick making, It's a great hobby. Dave
Question. I want to make a stick straightening form. Can you please give me the dimensions and the angles? I see from a previous question that it is made of aok and I plan to use ash. I assume this will work. Thank you.
woodlandsticks.co.uk/walking-stick-shanks/ Try my web site saves me explaining have fun Dave
Admiring your work. Amazing
How long do you Leave them in the steamer for
How long do you leave it in the steamer?
love this tuition now need to sort out a tube...However i do have a question .I have found myself a nice stick do i need to season it or can I try and straighten
Hi Craig if it is fresh cut best to let dry, otherwise it will revert back Dave
@@woodlandsticks1365 Thanks for the reply..This was A feld tree which I cut the branch off..Not rotten but dry when I cut
@@craigeydmann OK
Good information thank you for your video. Can you straighten any stick in this manor? I have a curly stick I found years ago & hung it on the wall now its warped. I
Hi Vicky If you only have one stick you cauld use the steem from a kettle. Good luck
Hi , love your videos , is as easy to straighten" blackthorn" ? and are you going to make a video about blackthorn stick making ?.
bryan lewin All sticks will straighten the denser woods will take a little longer. Rough guide is softer woods like Hazel 10 to 15 minutes dense woods like Blackthorn, holly 15 to 20 minutes or when you cannot grip it with bare hands good luck Dave Maybe Blackthorn sticks one day.
Thank you for a really good video, you are a gentleman and a scholar, I’m just starting in the stick making game , could you give me your take on sharpening a knife as I’m not very good at it but willing to learn, take care.
Hi David I use these , they are diamond . www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3pc-Diamond-Whetstone-Knife-Blade-Sharpening-Set-3-Grits-All-Blades-Wet-TE316/121357073232?epid=22014040458&hash=item1c4171fb50:g:fDIAAOSw1RVahMe2
Wow, that looks like a great stick armory up in your shed! Keep making the great videos, you just earned a sub 😊
ThePrimitiveSurvivalist Thank you for your comments.Dave
Thank you for sharing your amazing talent and your a wealth of information , I love your videos . 😀
Thank you Hugh
I have a Brazos walking stick (hawthorne) that gradually warped and is now a curved. Is that normal?
I never exposed it to extreme heat and kept it indoors. Thanks for your demo.
If your stick has moved too much to use you can straighten it again
Great video! I would love to have this man as a neighbour, I gladly help him, even is a cameraman, just to get so much knowledge. Do you have any video or information of how to make the wooden bending unit? I have a around 12 sticks, hazelnut and blackthorn, seasoning for over a year, so I’m looking forward to start next year working on them
Not shore if you mean to straighten them , or make a national walking stick. Sorry for the delay
I saw you at the Fenland country show today and can't wait for the Wonder of Wood show. Jack R
Yes looking forward to it Dave
It was very nice to meet you,i think you will make a good stickmaker,keep in touch Dave
I'm curious if you can used steam straightening on a very nice (lovely reddish black flawless bark) Blackthorn Stick (54 inches long, 1-1/8 inch tapering evenly down to 7/8 inch), that has just ONE spot in the middle that is not quite straight. The main issue is that it has a few coats of what I believe is a Poly finish on it, and I'm not sure if it will stay on with the steam heat. I've straightened other Blackthorn sticks with a heat gun, but I've always stripped off the finish first. (Mostly BLACK paint, which I hate!) I didn't want to use my usual heat gun on a poly finished stick, and end up with a chard finish mess. Your thoughts? Thanks... Joe T, Ti Rod Tactical
Hi Joe Using a hot air gun would upset the finish you have now. Without a steamer I would wrap a cloth a few times around the length you want to straighten, soak it with water and use the hot gun. that way you are steaming without burning the finish. But try an old stick first. My thoughts Dave
@@woodlandsticks1365 Thanks Dave,...appreciate your incite and will give that a try,..... once I can locate the heat gun! It's been awhile since I've used it (a few years), and with running a business from home it gets a bit cluttered. BUT I KNOW it's in here,....somewhere! :-)
Thank you sir I learned a lot from you, best regards from Iran.
Pleasure to help
Your the best
Bob
i have watched this video and i am afraid i am going to use some horrible method involving a kettle and my feet because i need to bend exactly one stick ever, but know that i will be thinking of your lovely stick straightening device the whole time
So i already shaved my stick lol sorry if im not using correct terms. I have a pretty nice walking stick with a curve about halfway down will this method still work with my wood its pretty dry now and shaved lol
It will work, just be gentle with it
On the straightening block what increments did you use for the various sizes?
Reply is on post below
How long in steam? Love your demeanor!!
5-15 min At full steam or too hot to hold with a hot air gun
Hi Dave, I have been looking for U.K. stickmaking videos for ages on you tube and stopped looking after years! I just tried again on a whim really and HURRAY! someone who knows their stuff. Thank you so much for sharing your skill. I am going to watch all of your films now. Can I ask a quick question? Because one piece thumbsticks are used upside down (in terms of the way they grew) is it frowned upon because the taper is reversed, or do you sand or carve it down? I have one seasoned and have not worked on it because the taper looks upside down from 3/4" down to 1". Thanks for showing your films again! N.
+Neil “Slugger” George Hi Neil. Thank you for your comments. Natural grown Thumb sticks are always heavier on the bottom. There is not a lot you can do to alter that.. Thumb sticks found in coppiced stools or in thickets often grow more even, where they have to fight more for the light. Good luck Dave
Thank you for taking time to reply Dave, I look forward to the rest of your series. Regards. N.
Great Tutorial, no greater gift than knowledge, thank you for sharing. Do you sell that type of wrack?
No sorry it's only 2 lengths of wood one chopped up diagonally. Full making plan on my web site .Dave
@@woodlandsticks1365 Cheers Dave, thank you
@@woodlandsticks1365 Made one, massive difference, definitely prefer steam and this straightener. Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge
@@discotekmobiledisco2497 Glad to help, enjoy your stick making. Dave
Brilliant videos mate 🇬🇧👍👍🇬🇧
Thank you
Very informative i got some tips thanks for sharing
I may have missed it but how long do you steam them for? Thank you!
Hi Soft woods like Hazel about 15_20 min. Hard woods 5 min longer. Both at full steam .
Great info pops I make twisty sticks and have tried to straighten them with clamps and weights with not much luck. I give them as gifts mostly . But would like to sell some . Any suggestions
Do you mean you make the twist or is it natural
The twist is natural . I tried using clamps to straighten them .
Steam your sticks longer. i have steamed them for 30 minutes with no problem. make a straightening jig with wider spacings . to sell try ebay.
I’ve just started straightening sticks & wondered if it’s possible to get instructions how to make the stick making frame shown in your vice in your videos?
Hi Rosemarie You will find instructions on my web site, All written stickmaking help is on there. woodlandsticks.co.uk/walking-stick-shanks
woodlandsticks thank you I will take a look, your videos are invaluable!
@@rosemariealdrich6697 If i can be of anymore help,contact me through woodlandsticks web site. Happy stickmaking Dave
You make it look easy, but years of experience.
Very good. Is silver birch ok for sticks? And is it always best to keep bark on only i have watched some videos where the bark is removed. Thx.
Yes Birch is good. I never peel my sticks I like the beauty of the bark.
@@woodlandsticks1365 thank you for your reply. Could i just ask one more thing only i have a couple of sticks that have been drying out a few months and the ends have started splitting quite badly. Is there anything i can do to stop this splitting process pls? Thx.
@@bbwnpat The main reason sticks split is they have dried too fast. I would use melted wax to seal the ends. When you cut your next sticks cut them longer then if they split you can trim the end off. Good luck. You can always email me Dave
@@woodlandsticks1365 brilliant. Thanks!
Maybe you can answer this question. Please. I am working on a staff from a maple limb I cut in 2014. It's got a bit of curve to it. Although not critical, I would like to take some of the bend out.
I've heard of using a heat gun but it was unsuccessful. Do you have any tips aside from making a steam box? (Example: soak the stick then heat it?)
Wish we had blackthorn in the states. That's a nice stick.
Final question. How long did you steam your stick?
Years ago when i started i used a gas paint stripper. Try wrapping a wet rag around the bend ,then wrap with aluminum Kitchen foil And heat with electric hot air gun. the steam will help to bend. How long to steam you can't over steem so 10_20 minutes.Using the above method you should not burn the wood. Good luck Dave
Awesome, thank you. I will try that.