This is the first time I have ever used Colorwood from Rutland, Vermont. I had to resaw from a turning bowl blank 8×9x3 inches to get down to one inch I needed to work with. Expensive but I think worthwhile. All have oak shaftsand one has no spacer and one has a bolldwood spacer Also there is one walnut and yellowheart handle with a bloodwood spacer. Bought the bowl block from Craft store in Utah.

In the beginning I made Shepherd Crooks that I sold at Sheep Dog Trials that I participated in and have one or more in 28 states and three foreign countries. In later years I still use the Shepherd Crook motif for most of my walking sticks. I make them in both Walking Stick height (up to 36 inches) and Market Stick height, 42-44 inches. Handles are laminated for strength in same wood or contrasting wood. Shafts are usually oak or maple but on occasion Walnut, Cherry, or Cocobolo. On one of the pix you will see a turned up nose. That was used by shepherds in the lambing yards. He stuck the crook in the ground and hung his lantern in the turn up. Liking a high gloss, I finish my sticks with teak oil, followed by five coats of polyurethane and lastly three coats of paste wax.

These are some of the Shepherd’s Crook sticks that I have made. I like to use contrasting wood for handle and shaft. I also put a spacer between handle and shaft on most of my sticks and have used the Crook type handles almost exclusively.The real time consuming work comes into play after joining handle to shaft. I strive to leave no flat surfaces.