Take your woodworking skills for a walk! Complete project guide to creating a variety of walking sticks, staffs, and canes - 15 stunning projects with step-by-step instructions, helpful sidebar tips, and full-color photographs - Range of difficulty , from a simple pine staff to a sophisticated brass-adorned turned cane - Stickmaking basics , including wood options, tools and hardware, and techniques for constructing, shaping, turning, and finishing - 25 original patterns for cane heads from renowned artist and wood carver Lora Irish - Inspiring gallery of Albert LeCoff's Tribute Cane Collection from the Wood Turning Center in Philadelphia Inside Make Your Own Walking Sticks , woodworker and author Charlie Self shows you how to craft more than a dozen different staffs! Whether you're looking for something simple and practical or looking to make a statement, you'll find everything you need to know inside this fun and easy-to-follow project book for woodworkers, woodcarvers, and woodturners. Including a brief overview on the history of walking sticks and reasons to make your own, the first part covers what woods to use, safety tips, the wood carving tools and hardware you'll need, and basic construction and finishing techniques. The second part is devoted to 15 projects with step-by-step directions, detailed patterns, and in-depth coverage of shaping, turning, and finishing techniques. Projects include flat, bark-on, willow, turned, and laminated canes, and range from a simple pine branch cane for the beginner to a brass-handled and stylishly turned two-piece cane for the advanced lathe craftsman. Also provided is a helpful guide to several North American woods—from white oak and sycamore to mesquite and cherry wood. The included 25 original cane topper woodcarving patterns from renowned artist Lora S. Irish feature dragons, green men, snakes, fish, owls, hawks and more. An inspiring gallery of canes and walking sticks from the private collection of Albert LeCoff, the executive director of the Wood Turning Center in Philadelphia, is packed with gorgeous full-color photos sure to encourage your cane-making creativity. From rustic walking sticks to fancy staves, with Make Your Own Walking Sticks , you'll learn everything you need to know to start making your own beautiful handmade canes! Large, clear photos are linked to excellent explanatory text in this beautiful book on walking sticks, canes and staffs. by Charles Self includes step-by-step instructions for making 15 different walking sticks. These projects range from a simple pine branch cane to a brass-handled and stylishly turned two-piece cane. The book includes info on what woods to use, the tools and hardware needed, and construction and finishing techniques. Also included is an inspirational section exhibiting the canes in the private collection of Albert LeCoff, the executive director of the Wood Turning Center in Philadelphia. Take your woodworking for a walk! Woodworkers, carvers, and turners of all skill levels will discover 15 fun walking stick projects that range from a basic pine staff to a sophisticated brass-adorned turned cane. Complete with step-by-step instructions, detailed patterns, and in-depth coverage of shaping, turning, and finishing techniques, this book also includes a valuable guide to woods and an impressive gallery of works from the private collection of Albert LeCoff, executive director of the Wood Turning Center in Philadelphia. TAKE YOUR WOODWORKING FOR A WALK From rustic walking sticks to fancy canes, woodworker and author Charlie Self "cane" show you how to craft more than a dozen different staffs in Make Your Own Walking Sticks . Whether you are looking for something simple and practical or looking to make a statement, you will find everything you need to know inside this fun and easy-to-follow book. The first part covers what woods to use, the tools and hardware you'll need, and the basic construction and finishing techniques necessary to complete your project. The second part is devoted to 15 projects ranging from a simple pine branch cane for the beginner to a brass-handled and stylishly turned two-piece cane for the advanced craftsman. To ensure your success, step-by-step directions, helpful sidebars, and full-color photographs are all provided. Also included is a helpful guide to North American woods, 25 original carving patterns from renowned artist Lora S. Irish, and a stunning and inspiring gallery of canes and walking sticks from the private collection of Albert LeCoff, executive director of the Wood Turning Center in Philadelphia. Woodworker Charles Self is an award-winning writer who has contributed a vast amount of work to the woodworking field. In 2005, he received a Vaughan-Bushnell Golden Hammer Award for Best Do-It-Yourself Book for Woodworker's Pocket Reference . His other books include Cabinets and Countertops , Woodworker's Guide to Selecting & Milling Wood , Creating Your Own Woodworking