Bobs Stickmaking Pages - Collector's item #C030: An unusual walking stick made from steel tubing with art nouveau capping


	And now for something completely different... C030 - Collector's item: This elegant-looking cane is actually made from steel tubing! Approx. dimensions: Overall length 35" / 90cm. Diameter of shank 5/8" /16mm tapering to 1/2" / 13mm
	I have never seen another stick quite like this one. The one-piece shank/handle is formed from heavy gauge steel tube finished in black, contrasting with the ornate art nouveau capping. I would date this at somewhere around 1890 to 1910. When I acquired this stick, the black painted finish was in poor condition and there were spots of surface rust here and there. I completely stripped off the finish, cleaned up the bare metal and applied a rust treatment; then re-finished it using many thin coats of Hammerite Smooth metal paint applied by brush. This stuff contains a rust inhibitor, further protecting the steel against future corrosion. Each coat was carefully rubbed down until I was satisfied the finish was as good as I could get it. Finally I applied many more very thin coats of Tru-Oil gunstock finish to achieve a high gloss and comfortable handling characteristics. Click here to see what the "naked" stick looked like before applying the finish.


This delightful white metal end-cap is decorated with an exuberant art nouveau floral design. It carries the marks "NICKEL" and "W.K.C.". The background has been finished with a faint pink-brown tinge. I'm not at all sure how this was achieved, but it is very effective. As one would expect for an item of this age there are a few minor dents, but it carries these very comfortably. When re-fitting the cap I filled it with a hard epoxy/filler mix which should go a long way towards preventing any further damage.
	These shots should give some idea of the quality of the finish. The white metal ferrule must surely be original and is tipped with steel.
This stick is, of course, extremely strong - whatever your weight you're not going to break this one! Naturally it is heavier than a stick of the same thickness made from cane or most types of wood. But it's just about the same weight (13oz / 280g) as an ebony stick of similar dimensions which I happen to have here awaiting restoration. Certainly it's very usable. SOLD Return to "Collectors' Sticks" page Return to "Sticks for Sale" page