Fancy Wood Canes

Very nice, I especially like the color and grain patterns on the 1st and 3rd ones.

-- It’s not so much what we know that causes the trouble, it’s what we know that’s not so.

1st Photo: This cane is made of Quilted Maple on a Tiger (fiddleback) Maple shaft.

2nd Photo: Tiger Maple w/ Maca, Black Walnut w/ Purpleheart, Amboyna w/ Padouk shaft. The first two handles are a Harrison style handle that I designed for a fellow who is very tall and has huge hands and needs to use his cane to get up from the chair by placing it in front of him and also needed extra finger grip to balance himself. This handle is fun to make as it has a lot of organic shapes and angles. It also takes twice the wood so I have to find thicker stock.

3rd Photo: This cane handle is also made from the same Quilted Maple stock as the first photo. It really is an interesting piece as each angle it is held shows a different grain in the pattern, almost like a hologram. It’s hard not to become mesmerized while working with this stuff. My husband accuses me of having way too much fun. Someone has to. Right?

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

The canes are really beautiful and the finish is splendid. Your craftsmanship can be seen in each stick. Are the canes a little oblong in cross section? Pl tell how you have fixed the handles as I can see two dowels.
Sharad

-- patanjali

Love all your canes man. What a great thing to make, an every day useful art object, that you can carry around and show off. Cool!!

-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.

Yes, the cane shafts are not symmetrical, they range from rectangular to oval to round along the length. I have done this on purpose to give a more organic shape and toshow that these are not done on a lathe, but by hand. I shape with both hand and power tools; ie: spoke shaves, files and sanders for the handmade look.

There is a 3+” dowel in the center of each joining the handle to shaft and then a 1/4” dowel in each to hold it in place. Unlike the cheap store bought ones, my canes should not fall apart. Some of them are quite heavy as the wood are very dense. The handles range from 5.5” – 8” long, depending on the style and size needed. They are formidable weapons. I call them Skull Crackers and Balll Breakers.

I am trying to bring back the cane as a fashion statement and an aide for walking that is comfortable to use with the strength that is needed to support one’s weight.

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Beautiful canes, especially the third one. Thanks for sharing.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

Very nice work. I hope you will keep posting more walking canes, I am hooked.

M

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com