087 - A t-handle walker stick with a stripped sycamore shank and a handle made from a natural fork of hazel.
I had intended to retain the bark on the handle, giving the stick a more "rustic" appearance. But when I started filing down the unwanted lumpy bits, the bark proved to be rather crumbly. I ended up removing it - but this proved to be a good thing as there was some interesting coloration underneath.
The natural shape of the handle is ideal for both comfort and support, the curve of the neck bringing the hand grip well forward over the shank for stability and strength.
There are some nice patterns in the grain of the wood.
Here we can see the change of colour between the neck and the crown of the
handle. Remember, this is all one piece; the darker colour will be the result
of water penetrating the branch higher up and percolating down through the
wood.
On the right are a couple of shots of the sycamore shank with its typical regularly-spaced knobbles. I have rounded these over and smoothed them down a bit, but (I hope) retained the character of the wood.
Sycamore is light in weight but surprisingly strong. This is a medium-to-slim shank, quite strong enough to support a medium-to-slim person but not recommended for supporting a heavyweight.
Maximum overall length is 47 inches / 120 cm, but the bottom end is a bit on the skinny side at this length. Probably best around 40 inches / 102 cm or shorter.
SOLD