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Some Basic Equipment required to make your sticks
It is not necessary to own a vast range of tools and equipment to make a plain wood or antler handled stick, a few good quality tools is all you require to begin this fascinating craft.
Vice or clamp: To hold the shank and handle
Saw: To cut the shank and handle as necessary
Sharp knife: To make a dowel on the shank, & used to shape the handle
Selection of files or rasps: To shape the handle
Abrasive tape / sheets: To dress and finish the shank and handle
Brace & bit: To bore a hole into the handle to take the dowel
Glue: To glue the handle to the shank
As with most hobbies if you decide to expand your interest and make a wider range of sticks you will inevitably obtain more tools and equipment. (We tend to buy too many) My advice is to purchase the best quality tools that you can afford as good quality tools will outlast and be easier to use than poorer quality alternatives. A dedicated room or workshop with good lighting is a huge advantage although many stick-makers use portable work benches to make their beautiful sticks from, especially when demonstrating at public events.
If you intend to decorate the handle or shank of a stick you can choose whether to use hand or power tools to carve your chosen object. There is huge range of hand held carving tools available. Sets of knives and chisels are available but most experienced carvers prefer to select individual tools that suit their particular style. Battery or mains operated power tools are now very popular for carving and again there is a wide range to choose from along with a massive selection of burrs and cutters to cut out the detail.
Another method of decorating sticks is burning an image onto the handle or shank using a hot wire or a hot tipped tool to burn into the material, this technique is known as Pyrography. A skilled person is able to burn very intricate and realistic images on most of the materials used in stick-making, most types of horn will burn very satisfactorily.
For horn work you will require a selection of equipment to heat, shape and dress the horn. Some of this equipment is made especially for bulking and shaping the horn and is quite expensive to purchase. If you are an experienced metal worker you will be able to make your own jigs and presses to keep costs as low as possible. Pre-shaped horns can be purchased which will save the need to obtain a lot of specialist equipment; these require fitting to a shank and are completed by finishing and polishing.
Vice or clamp: To hold the shank and handle
Saw: To cut the shank and handle as necessary
Sharp knife: To make a dowel on the shank, & used to shape the handle
Selection of files or rasps: To shape the handle
Abrasive tape / sheets: To dress and finish the shank and handle
Brace & bit: To bore a hole into the handle to take the dowel
Glue: To glue the handle to the shank
As with most hobbies if you decide to expand your interest and make a wider range of sticks you will inevitably obtain more tools and equipment. (We tend to buy too many) My advice is to purchase the best quality tools that you can afford as good quality tools will outlast and be easier to use than poorer quality alternatives. A dedicated room or workshop with good lighting is a huge advantage although many stick-makers use portable work benches to make their beautiful sticks from, especially when demonstrating at public events.
If you intend to decorate the handle or shank of a stick you can choose whether to use hand or power tools to carve your chosen object. There is huge range of hand held carving tools available. Sets of knives and chisels are available but most experienced carvers prefer to select individual tools that suit their particular style. Battery or mains operated power tools are now very popular for carving and again there is a wide range to choose from along with a massive selection of burrs and cutters to cut out the detail.
Another method of decorating sticks is burning an image onto the handle or shank using a hot wire or a hot tipped tool to burn into the material, this technique is known as Pyrography. A skilled person is able to burn very intricate and realistic images on most of the materials used in stick-making, most types of horn will burn very satisfactorily.
For horn work you will require a selection of equipment to heat, shape and dress the horn. Some of this equipment is made especially for bulking and shaping the horn and is quite expensive to purchase. If you are an experienced metal worker you will be able to make your own jigs and presses to keep costs as low as possible. Pre-shaped horns can be purchased which will save the need to obtain a lot of specialist equipment; these require fitting to a shank and are completed by finishing and polishing.
