Custom Fancy Cane #055: Claro Black Walnut Feather Crotch w/ Ebony Accents

This is a custom cane made for a gentleman’s 50th birthday present commissioned by his wife. The handle is made from extra fancy feathered Claro Black Walnut and the shaft is cut from a center crotch piece of Claro Black Walnut that also has some feathering in the grain. This is one of my most favorite woods to work with, as the grain is so unique and beautiful. Traditionally the grain of wood should be going along the length of the piece for strength. I have followed this rule with the length of the handle, although the feathering of the grain flairs out and swirls around. The shaft is cut cross-grain. Completely against tradition and theory of strength for a piece of wood, but I was determined to use the crotch of the wood for this effect.

I added an Ebony collar and spacers, as I had to drill a hole through the shaft pieces to imbed a 1/4” threaded steel rod to strengthen the shaft. Without this, the cane would be quite unstable and bend and eventually snap. I epoxied the threaded steel rod into the shaft and saturated the wood with CA glue for extra strength. It is quite stable now, and since the gentleman is of moderate weight, I could use this technique. The final cane measures 38” tall. [I would not recommend this use of grain for a very heavy person, at least not this diameter, and not without the addition of a steel rod.]

Hopefully he will not have an issue going through security at the airport, but I will warn him just in case.

Comments and inquiries welcome. For more information please visit: http://www.bigstickcanes.com .

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