Split Red cedar, a unique art form AND Walking sticks

Why doesn't this hiker have a proper walking stick?  It looks like  he just has a branch he found along the trail.  Well, I'll see if i can find him and give him one of the following "custom" Walking sticks,  Read on.

MYstick Cedar light

Hand split cedar walking sticks

Recycled from used fence posts

Cedar is light, strong, flexible, and old growth cedar splits in long straight cracks when the proper tools are used.  Split cedar is an art form practiced by Native Americans throughout Puget Sound and was used for a variety of functional tools and art pieces.  Split cedar has a pleasant smell and is a beautiful reddish color when freshly split or treated.   Cedar can be sanded and carved and is resistant to rotting.

Walking sticks are used as an aid in rough country.  They assist with balance, on hills, or difficult spots such as river crossings, setting snakes off the trail, or as defense from dogs when urban hiking.  The use of a walking stick while hiking should relieve swelling hands.  It may take a few hikes to become “at one” with your stick.

A hand split cedar walking stick is light, tough, and relatively strong.  Sticks may be repaired, carved, or customized.  All walking sticks will eventually break or be damaged beyond usefulness.  These sticks are no exception and come with no guarantee.  If it breaks  you get both halves.

Care and feeding: Use sand paper and white glue when the stick develops rough edges or needs filling.  Orange oil makes a good surface treatment.  Avoid petroleum smelling oils. Super Glue impregnates the wood pores and is good for bonding cracks.  You may customize, shorten, or personalize your walking stick to make it more serviceable.  Don’t be afraid to modify or add features such a camera support, a strap, tape measure, or other improvements.   Roughing up the handle seems to be a preferred practice to long time use.  Many of these sticks retain the blemishes revealed in the splitting.  Hiking sticks that are smooth or lack character soon fall by the wayside.  These hand split sticks are each unique and have their own feel, features, and personality (mh).  

Here are the tools and a few words about how I split cedar to make long, straight walking sticks.  The first picture is my work area.  The "blanks on the left are mostly rejects and wasted material, then you see some blanks, and I'm finishing the ones on the right. 

These are a selection of splitting wedges, axe heads and other splitters I use.  I once found a jadite splitting wedge at Indian Flats but I turned it over to the Forest Service.  

In the pic below I'm gettying ready to split a blank.  You must place the splitter in the middle of the mass to make it split evenly.  

When a walking stick is completed I finish the ends, sharpening the bottom a bit for grip, and making the handle end easy to use.  

I hope you like these Walking Sticks.  Be sure to read the "Mystick Cedar" blurb above for the full deal.