A hiking or walking stick can be useful during our paths in the mountains to support us whenever we feel unsafe during a descent, ascent, or if we want to eliminate shrubs and obstacles from our path. If you want to make a suitable DIY cane for your child or yourself, it is necessary to have some available tools.
First, we need to look for an ideal piece of wood that is hard, not fresh, and of course, without detaching live branches from trees that we find in our path. If you are a little patient, looking around in the woods and tree-lined areas while enjoying the landscape, you will find the piece of wood that suits you.
Read also: What To Put In The Trekking Backpack
To know the stick's ideal height, hold it in front, and hold it with two hands with outstretched arms at your feet. The stick should protrude from the palms of the closed hands by about 5 centimeters. The diameter of the piece of wood should be more or less than a couple of centimeters.
At this point, remove the branches with the help of a hacksaw. Then move on to smooth the stick's surface with a pocket knife, careful not to cut it. Make small and slow movements from bottom to top, without removing the wood in-depth, to eliminate growths to grip it better and avoid splinters or scratches. Next, move on to file it with a small plane.
To make the handle softer, cover it using grip tape from the rackets' handle or cover it with a cord to be glued with strong glue. The most crucial factor is how comfortable it is.
Leave the stick to dry but open area. Then we can move on to sandblasting the piece with fine-grained paper to make it even smoother.
Also read: What To Put In The Trekking Backpack
Finally, it is possible to make carvings or drawings by working with the knife, to customize the stick and make it unique. An idea is also to make the initials or a symbol that represents us. Then apply a wood sealing lacquer and then a matte or glossy enamel to finish it.
We will be so satisfied that we will proudly show it to our fellow travelers on our mountain tours.
Adapted and translated by The Cop Cart Staff
Sources: Donnad
