UPDATE 5-2-2008:
You can see the finished cane in this project posting:
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Back to my original Blog:
This is a short blog, as I sort of spilled my insides out earlier this week with the previous blog.
So, not much to say tonight.
I’m working on a unique commissioned walking cane. The cane is for a man who wanted an Irish themed, carved face style, with Shamrocks. I’m having a lot of fun with it.
The wood is Kansas Black Walnut.
Here is the original bid sketch showing my concept (Not with sketchup):

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Here are some progress photos, after the carving was finished up, and as I am working on the painted areas. Who says you can’t paint Walnut? At least a little bit.

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The carving process starts out with a 1-3/4” x 1-3/4” x 37” block of wood. I machine the round shaft, leaving a large raised area where the carving of the face and shamrocks will be set.
Then, I carved this cane all with a sharp pointed whittling knife. I’ll post the project when the walking cane is complete. The handle will be a section of Whitetail Deer Antler, with some inlay work.
If you like canes, here is list of a few other Sculpted Walking Canes I have posted at lumberjocks:- Lady’s Carved Rose Cane: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/5808
- Sculpted Wood Spirit Cane: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/268
- Naturally Twisted Cane: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/243
- Amazing Grace Cane: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/1132
- Collection of Canes & Sticks: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/29
My Website page with Canes:
http://www.decoustudio.com/canes.html
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Thanks for reading,
Mark DeCou
www.decoustudio.com
(Note: this text, photos, and project design, are all protected by copyright by M.A. DeCou 4-14-2008, all rights reserved, no unauthorized use is allowed without written permission.)
-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

















19 comments so far
ChicoWoodnut
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904 posts in 1988 days
#1 posted 1865 days ago
Thanks for sharing your design process. This looks very interesting.
-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net
SteveKorz
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2119 posts in 1886 days
#2 posted 1865 days ago
Pretty cool Mark- how long does it take to do the carving?
-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †
jcees
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911 posts in 1971 days
#3 posted 1865 days ago
Way cool. I’m of Irish descent so I can say that. HA! Nice work.
always,
J.C.
-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein
Scott Bryan
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27262 posts in 1994 days
#4 posted 1865 days ago
Hi Mark,
This is a unique carving and it is looking pretty good so far.
By the way if you need some help in painting the walnut I am sure that Debbie will be glad to provide you some tips. She has some experience with this novel technique. :)
Thanks for the post.
-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine
MsDebbieP
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18320 posts in 2333 days
#5 posted 1865 days ago
See, Scott?? !!! IF Mark DeCou can paint walnut – so can I :)
great cane… I love how you wrap the design around the cane.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
dlcarver
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270 posts in 1903 days
#6 posted 1865 days ago
Beautiful Mark, I love canes…...... oh what the heck I love anything made of wood. Excellent piece of work. Years ago I bought a bunch of the rubber tips….. but never got around to making any canes. One of these days I’ll just let ‘er blow. Thanks for posting!
Dave
-- Dave Leitem,Butler,Pa.,http://dlcarver.etsy.com
Lee A. Jesberger
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6501 posts in 2152 days
#7 posted 1865 days ago
Hey Mark;
Once again….
Very nice!
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Dick, & Barb Cain
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8681 posts in 2472 days
#8 posted 1865 days ago
A great looking cane Mark.
You may hate me for this, but I’d prefer the Shamrocks unpainted, but maybe your client wanted it this way.
I just happen to love wood, for instance if I was going to buy a carved Duck , I’d buy an unpainted one.
That’s just me I guess.
Keep up the good work.
Dick
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
motthunter
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2129 posts in 1971 days
#9 posted 1865 days ago
interesting work
-- making sawdust....
Thos. Angle
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4400 posts in 2135 days
#10 posted 1865 days ago
Well done, Mark.
-- Thos. Angle, Jordan Valley, Oregon
Mark A. DeCou
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1947 posts in 2578 days
#11 posted 1865 days ago
Well, I posted this to show the customer the progress, and get his feedback on the direction it was heading. It isn’t what he wanted, so I’ll be starting over on this project. There just wasn’t much of it that was what he wanted, and he didn’t feel that it matched the original sketch.
So, I’ll try again. Thanks for your comments and input folks
Anyone want an Irish-themed cane?
Mark
-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com
jockmike2
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10636 posts in 2419 days
#12 posted 1865 days ago
Well as long as you’re going to through it away, I guess I’ll take it. I mean I’m about half Irish and half baked. That guy is all wet. Does’nt know a good thing when he sees it. Very nice Mark. In the end, you got to please the man in the mirror.. Mike
-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -
Dick, & Barb Cain
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8681 posts in 2472 days
#13 posted 1865 days ago
I’m sorry your client didn’t care for it,
but I don’t think you’ll have any problem selling this one.
It’s a beautiful piece of art.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
MsDebbieP
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18320 posts in 2333 days
#14 posted 1865 days ago
there’s a face and there are shamrocks… so what did he feel was missing?
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Dick, & Barb Cain
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8681 posts in 2472 days
#15 posted 1865 days ago
Maybe he wants the face hiding behind the leaves more, similar to the sketch.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
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