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Camping, Hiking and Outdoor Activities Camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities within.

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  #1  
Old 11-16-2011, 2:17 PM
Salty Salty is offline
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Default Salty's Simple Stick (DIY Hiking Staff)

Thought I'd share my latest project with everyone. It's a very simple, yet strong, light, and easy to make hiking stick. You should be able to find all of the parts in just about any town I've ever been to, if not already laying around unused in your home or garage. I'm especially stoked on the shovel handle because the dang thing is as tough as nails and once you chop a few inches off the top, it's really not much more heavy than one of those new fangled aluminum hiking staffs and definitely lighter (and less flexy) than the pre-made wood staffs I tried at my local sporting goods store.



If you chose to make one of your own go ahead and post up some pics.

Other ideas to expand upon the original:
-Make a "survival bracelet" style lanyard out of paracord.
-Use a fiberglass shovel handle?
-Drive a thick wood screw into the bottom and cut the head off to make a spike.
-Wrap the handle in hockey tape or handle bar tape.
-Epoxy a bolt into the top to use as a camera monopod.
-Secure a beanbag to the top to use as a firearms monopod.
-Sipe the rubber boot for more traction?
-Use a cane boot or a screw on table leg boot for a different approach?
-Build a horde of these with your scout troop, summer camp, etc.
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  #2  
Old 11-16-2011, 2:24 PM
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Well done Salty.....hope I never need one but that's cool
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Old 11-16-2011, 2:26 PM
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nice project, looks pretty durable!
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Old 11-16-2011, 3:08 PM
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I like it.
There are allot of uses for a sturdy walking stick.
Mine are the new fangled aluminum ones

What are the notches for?
So that cord doesn't slip when tied to that area?
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Old 11-16-2011, 3:38 PM
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Very nice Salty....I did one pretty similar. I added about 20 feet of paracord by making two seperate decoratively wrapped handles. Under the paracord are six thin steel rods (think wire hanger thick) about 12 inches long. They fit into small holes drilled into the tip of the cane to be used as a fishing/frogging gig. I also added a magnesium fire starter, a button compass and tiny LED light to the lanyard. It stays in my truck at all times!
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  #6  
Old 11-16-2011, 4:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OHOD View Post
What are the notches for?
So that cord doesn't slip when tied to that area?
I added them in case I wanted to measure anything... What exactly I am going to measure I'm not really sure, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. It also just kinda looks nice, and is a throwback to trackers who would use graduated walking sticks to measure prints, strides, etc. I doubt I'll use it for that anytime soon, but it gives it a little classic flare. Keeping cord in place for say setting up an impromptu shelter or fishing would be an great secondary use though!

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Originally Posted by ExAcHog View Post
Very nice Salty....I did one pretty similar. I added about 20 feet of paracord by making two seperate decoratively wrapped handles. Under the paracord are six thin steel rods (think wire hanger thick) about 12 inches long. They fit into small holes drilled into the tip of the cane to be used as a fishing/frogging gig. I also added a magnesium fire starter, a button compass and tiny LED light to the lanyard. It stays in my truck at all times!
Excellent! Got any pics?
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  #7  
Old 11-16-2011, 4:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Ripon83 View Post
Well done Salty.....hope I never need one but that's cool
I don't really "need" it so much as I "want" it. A hiking stick or treking poles take some of the strain off of your lower body, give you a third or forth limb to push with on accents, and help stabilize descents and rough terrain.

I brought it out on a four mile Saturday with some muddy grades and some rocky terrain and being able to put my full weight on it in those situations REALLY made a huge difference in effort, speed, and stability when compared to a random stick on the trail or an ultralight aluminum pole that may fail under that kind of stress.
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  #8  
Old 11-16-2011, 6:23 PM
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Nicely done. Lots of other great ideas too. I like your notching idea, maybe to measure the depth of snow, water, or whatever you're trucking through.

I guess if you start adding a lot of stuff to it, it just might go from your Simple Stick to your Utility Stick. Hmmm - wonder if Batman ever made one ...
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  #9  
Old 11-16-2011, 8:28 PM
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I've always been a big fan of "hiking sticks". I've always found mine while out hiking. I will find something that gets my attention, usually a small tree or branch and that will become a project. Many have been passed on to friends. I never thought of adding extras to the stick other than a wrist strap, great ideas!!
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  #10  
Old 11-16-2011, 11:08 PM
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I stuck this on my kids walking stick. I need to upgrade my tip (he laughs at my big5 stick w/cheesy tip) ...
Attachment 122937
I also sunk these on the top of our sticks...
Attachment 122942
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19564
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  #11  
Old 11-17-2011, 1:20 PM
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That's a neat tip!

Another item that I saw someone else integrate into their stick was button thermometer similar to that compass.
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  #12  
Old 11-29-2011, 4:24 PM
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Well, I've put about 15 miles on the stick, including a couple of water crossings, some light scrambling, and a variety of grades. So far my thoughts are:

1) Would have liked to have cut the top flat, or carved a concave slot for my thumb. I know that sounds odd, but on longer hikes I find myself wanting to change up the hand positions.

2) Ocationaly I feel like my hands would prefer the grip section to be wrapped in hockey tape, other times I prefer the feel of the sanded and varnished wood. I have the tape, but am still up in the air.

3) I'd like a good way to strap this to my pack, but I'm not really sure how to go about that. A second hole below the grip might have been handy to lash it to one of the compression straps on my pack. Some kind of grip would probably help prevent it from slipping through the compression strap as well.

4) Overall extremely sturdy and handier than I thought it would be. In the past I had just picked up random sticks along the trail, but none were strong enough to trust with my full weight. Being able to put a lot of weight on it is handy in a lot of situations.
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  #13  
Old 11-29-2011, 9:45 PM
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I LOVE your stick and the detail you went to to post it. Thank You! However, I prefer what the "Pale Rider" liked to use...



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  #14  
Old 11-29-2011, 9:49 PM
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Cool

Uhh, hmm, yes, well.. very nice and everything... it's a stick.

Just saying.
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Old 11-29-2011, 10:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TKM View Post
Uhh, hmm, yes, well.. very nice and everything... it's a stick.

Just saying.
^^^^^ Ya...thats cool bro. Thanks for the input.
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Old 11-30-2011, 12:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TKM View Post
Uhh, hmm, yes, well.. very nice and everything... it's a stick.

Just saying.
Ahhhh, there's so much more to it than that though.

1) It's a cheap fun little project that just about anyone can do regardless of your experience level, where you live, etc. (my main reason for sharing)

2) It's much stronger than the vast majority of the "found wood" in my area, and you can't really (legally) take home sticks or cut branches off trees at any of the local hiking spots.

3) It's way cheaper, way stronger, and not that much heavier than those aluminum staffs and poles that are all the rage right now.

4) Making things out of random stuff that said things aren't normally made out of is fun.

5) A certain bond is formed with a hiker and his staff.

6) When no one is looking, you can pretend to be a wizard.

7) It's great for taming lions and keeping your hiking partner in line.

8) Ron Paul loves the idea... Or at least I assume he would.
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  #17  
Old 11-30-2011, 12:56 PM
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Neat idea, thanks for sharing. I used to go backpacking and if I ever start again or even just for occasional hiking I'll definately make one of these beforehand. Plus the trendy metal ones are expensive and look douchy and I wouldn't be caught dead with one.

What did you use to attach the boot to keep it from coming off? I like the idea of the notches at different intervals. I'd get a woodburning tool and make a mark every inch for at least 2' (24") and then put the urethane coat over it.
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  #18  
Old 11-30-2011, 1:53 PM
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The boot is for a 1" table leg, and the handle is 1-1/8" (+/- some sanding and varnish), so it stays on by friction alone.
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