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 - Kansas Flint Hill's Artisan






















19 comments so far
ChicoWoodnut
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664 posts in 296 days
posted 174 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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1335 posts in 195 days
posted 174 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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465 posts in 280 days
posted 174 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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9026 posts in 303 days
posted 174 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.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
MsDebbieP
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11905 posts in 642 days
posted 174 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.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
dlcarver
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228 posts in 211 days
posted 174 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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2745 posts in 460 days
posted 174 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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5042 posts in 780 days
posted 173 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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1215 posts in 280 days
posted 173 days ago
interesting work
-- making sawdust....
Thos. Angle
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3236 posts in 443 days
posted 173 days ago
Well done, Mark.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
Mark A. DeCou
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1304 posts in 886 days
posted 173 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 - Kansas Flint Hill's Artisan
jockmike2
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4128 posts in 727 days
posted 173 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
-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com
Dick, & Barb Cain
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5042 posts in 780 days
posted 173 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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11905 posts in 642 days
posted 173 days ago
there’s a face and there are shamrocks… so what did he feel was missing?
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Dick, & Barb Cain
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5042 posts in 780 days
posted 173 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
Karson
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12887 posts in 881 days
posted 173 days ago
Great design Mark. Hope the next one matches his desire.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
Mark A. DeCou
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1304 posts in 886 days
posted 173 days ago
Mainly the problems were that the face in the drawing and the carving don’t match too well, and the green is too intense of a color. Both I agree with completely.
I should have taken time to walk into the office in the house to get my sketch. I was going from memory, and that wasn’t a good idea. We are working through it. He says now that he wants this one finished, and another one more like the sketch. I am always blessed by the folks that do business with me, in more ways than one.
thanks for the comments,
M
-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flint Hill's Artisan
DAN
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3191 posts in 464 days
posted 170 days ago
Hello Mark
Nicely done … great carving.
DAN
-- ..... art for lifes sake
Robert Smith
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86 posts in 402 days
posted 164 days ago
Good Work,well done
-- Robert, mountainwoodcarving@netzero.net