Walking Canes

[jimmyc]

Has anyone made walking canes? If so what are the measurements of the cane and handle? What hardware was used with the handle. I see Craft supply has a handle and tips. Never made any of these and I got a friend that needs one.
Thanks All

 

[DougBrown]

Canes

I made one for myself years ago, since you're making it for someone the easiest way to find the length needed is to measure his existing cane if he has one, or measure him if he doesn't. Measure from the ground up to his hand while at his side and add a little to make it comfortable to lean on.
As for the handle, it again depends on the user, you might give him different diameters to try out and see what he prefers. As far as the joint between the handle and the cane, I used a tennon on the cane and mortised it into the handle. Hope this helps, good luck.

 

[gran]

canes

I've made about 10 recently--too many friends hurting themselves . I like to use the hame handles and the combo tips from treeline. They are easy to attach and look nice. There are a couple of different sizes of hame and tip to fit differernt sizes.

the sizing info that I found was to measure length to floor from crease of wrist.

combo tip

hame handle

 

[lumpy]

Walking cane

Lee Valley sells some nice tips and joints for canes and walking sticks
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspxc=1&p=43733&cat=3,48759&ap=2
While this isn't everything available they do have some nice stuff and it is of high quality.
Brad

 

[jimmyc]

Thanks all. This helps. I keep thinking it should be all one piece. but maybe it would be better (stronger??) if it was two sections. I also still need to think about the handle. I would expect it to bear a lot of weight so I want to get a strong joint there. Looks like it should be a gradual taper to about a 5/8 or 1/2.

 

[river rat]

I made one for my stepfather who lost his left leg in an accident years ago. I made it out of out of snake wood the over all lenght is 36 1/2 ". I bought a horn handle, the tip from the woodturner catalog. On the advice of a friend that uses a walking stick I ditched the horn handle it was to small. The handle is snake wood which split (the grain went a cross the handle) when it was dropped I glued it back togeter drilled a 1/4" hole almost the whole lenght and ca glued a brass rod to give the handle stenght. I drilled a 1/4" hole 2" into the handle and 2" into the shaft it was also ca glued inplace. There is two bands of brass made from brass washers seperated by a layer of eboney. the ferrale has spike inside the rubber tip it was threaded and ca glued. The finish is ca glue 10 layers sanded to 2000 grit and buffed.

 

[Richard Preston]

Cane suggestion

Hi Jimmy,
I saw a can which is very strong. The top part of the stick was machined into a spline which fit into the handle and passed thru. It is captured only on 3 sides which makes this an easy joint to make.

After the spline was glued and dry, the upper part was rounded and smoothed. The care's handle is at a right angle to the stick.

 

[gran]

After seeing River Rats work I'm not sure if I should post this.