Starting a new staff

Started a new staff this afternoon.

The wood was provided by my nephew-in-law Don, who is also the one who built my workbench and drying racks. I have no idea what caused this tree to grow in such an interesting way. Obviously there will be a lot of hand work involved with this one.

I’ll keep you posted.

Definitions

Definitions

Cane:
The basic cane is a wood stick with one end bent into a crook. The main purpose of a cane is to support and stabilize the person using it when they walk. The crook can be replaced with more decorative ‘handles’ as long as the main purpose of the cane is not compromised. If you need support and stability when you walk, then a cane is what you are looking for.

My personal cane, pictured here, is more finished than the usual ‘rustic’ cane. It is made from an oak branch and, while the curve of the branch may not make it appear so, the handle aligns over the shaft end and supplies great support.

Walking Stick:
A walking stick is a cane with a decorative ball or ‘knob’ on the end instead of the crook or ‘hand grip’ found on the more utilitarian cane. Walking sticks are intended to be for style and decoration more than for utility.

Staff:
Staves are usually associated with hikers and wizards. A ‘full’ staff should come up to your eye level and be held well below the top end. A ‘short’ staff only needs to be long enough to be gripped as a staff. The advantage of a short staff is portability. It’s easy to keep a short staff in the car for those impromptu explorations during a road trip. A long staff is better if you are planning several days of hiking and camping. It’s length supplies more leverage and reach for the obstacles that might be found on the trail.

I further divide all four categories into ‘carved’ and ‘rustic’.

Carved canes, walking sticks, and staves are, well, carved. They may, or may not, also be utilitarian. Highly carved items, especially staves, are more likely to be considered display pieces only meant for light use. The “Dance Styx” featured in the header, and the “Church Styx” shown in it’s own post are good examples of carved staves.

Rustic canes, walking sticks, and staves are made from natural saplings and branches with minimal finishing work. The area intended for holding is always well finished and comfortable, the rest is less finished. Knots are usually smoothed and rounded but not finished flush with the shaft. They are, generally, heavier and meant for more robust use.

Example of a rustic short staff. This one can be used by anyone up to about
5’8” in height.

Third RSCDS Spring Ball Staff

The RSCDS Sacramento Branch’s 2011 Spring Ball will be on Saturday May 21, 2011. For this staff I started with this oak branch that was given to me by the grounds keeper where I work.

Since the branch (oak) was already the length I wanted, I covered the exposed ends with silicone sealer to keep them from cracking during the year it has been drying. Today I debarked and sanded the staff to be.

Third RSCDS Spring Ball Staff

2010 marked our thirtieth birthday as an RSCDS Branch. This staff was created more to highlight the grain of the wood than to display carving. I chose to use a wood burner to add the ball information. One of my sisters won this staff and gave it back to me.

Secound RSCDS Ball Staff

Following the rave reviews my DanceStyx (see photo in blog header) received at the RSCDS (Royal Scottish Dance Society) Sacramento Branch 2008 Spring Ball and Workshop I did the TravelerStyx for our 2009 Spring Ball and Workshop. Since this ball was held at the third different location in three years, it was called the “Traveler’s Ball”. The short staff is made from a ‘twisted’ oak ( a tree that has grown with a vine wrapped around it). I carved the ball information and ‘hobo’ symbols between the twists.

Workbench

Since that long ago day when my last post to this blog was uploaded I have not been totally inactive. I have had my nephew-in-law build this nice covered workbench on my back deck.

Carving my sign

Technorati Tags: carving

Step one-

I outlined the letters using a small chip carving knife.

Step two-

I defined the frame using the same chip carving knife

Step three-

 

I removed the excess wood then smoothed the background using progressively shallower gouges.  After sanding I will stain the wood then finish with Tung oil.

Dragon Styx

The first picture is of the entire ‘staff’. I put staff in single quotes since this piece is far too big to be used as a hiking staff. It will be a display piece only. It is about six feet tall and weighs 14 pounds. It was harvested in Kentucky and is an oak sapling that grew with a vine wrapped around it. I have debarked the portions between the twists. I plan to carve it into mother and daughter dragons chasing down the staff.

Looking at the first picture you can see the top two thirds of the staff contains what will be the mother dragon and the bottom third will be the daughter dragon.

Bismuth

This nice piece of Bismuth could end up in the tertiary branch position.

Silicon

This hunk of Silicon is also a candidate for the secondary branch position.