Project Information
This is a custom walking stick made for the same client who commissioned Walking Stick #060 http://lumberjocks.com/projects/22478. She can not put pressure on her wrist as needed when using a waist high cane so she uses an elevated walking stick to hang her hand from the top which eliminates the stress on her wrist. She had admired the technique used in the Banksia pod Cane #033 http://lumberjocks.com/projects/11521 and the Wood Lover's Faberge Egg http://lumberjocks.com/projects/10450 and requested a walking stick made with the same jeweled appearance.
The Banksia pod is first shaped to fit the client's hand which requires removing all of the exterior material that is soft and unstable. The holes house the seed pods and are quite hard. They are filled with various colors of epoxied sawdust and melted wood workers wax. Before applying the transparent colored wax I inserted aluminum foil to help illuminate the wax, similar to a cloissonne' technique used by jewelers. This is quite time consuming as there are always air bubbles to contend with which makes having to repeat the process until it looks right. The pod is then reshaped and sanded and attached to a Black Walnut shaft that I shaped to look more organic and added a Ziricote collar and spacer. The walking stick stands some 53" tall.
Unfortunately the photos don't show the bejeweled pod as brilliant as in person, as each angle shows different colors and the depth of the illumination that is magnified with the proper lighting. I will have to try photographing this in the natural sunlight.
UPDATE: Well, I've managed to take a second set of photos with additional lighting and I hope that you can get an idea of how beautiful the inlayed jeweled seed pod holes are. They are still not as vibrant in the photo as in person and the layer of CA glue I used to help prevent the wax from shattering if/when the walking stick is dropped, has created a white film which actually gives a more opalized effect to the inlayed areas.
The new owner picked this up the other day and she was quite pleased. She mentioned that the other walking stick #060 http://lumberjocks.com/projects/22478 has worked for her quite well and that even her health care professional was surprised as to how well it allowed her to walk. I must say I'm pleased that my work has given the user a sense of stability and pride in using my canes and walking sticks, as I do believe that one should feel assured of themselves so they can go out and conquer the world! Or at least get through their days with a little less hassle.
For more informaiton on my work visit: www.bigstickcanes.com
Comments and inquiries welcome.
The Banksia pod is first shaped to fit the client's hand which requires removing all of the exterior material that is soft and unstable. The holes house the seed pods and are quite hard. They are filled with various colors of epoxied sawdust and melted wood workers wax. Before applying the transparent colored wax I inserted aluminum foil to help illuminate the wax, similar to a cloissonne' technique used by jewelers. This is quite time consuming as there are always air bubbles to contend with which makes having to repeat the process until it looks right. The pod is then reshaped and sanded and attached to a Black Walnut shaft that I shaped to look more organic and added a Ziricote collar and spacer. The walking stick stands some 53" tall.
Unfortunately the photos don't show the bejeweled pod as brilliant as in person, as each angle shows different colors and the depth of the illumination that is magnified with the proper lighting. I will have to try photographing this in the natural sunlight.
UPDATE: Well, I've managed to take a second set of photos with additional lighting and I hope that you can get an idea of how beautiful the inlayed jeweled seed pod holes are. They are still not as vibrant in the photo as in person and the layer of CA glue I used to help prevent the wax from shattering if/when the walking stick is dropped, has created a white film which actually gives a more opalized effect to the inlayed areas.
The new owner picked this up the other day and she was quite pleased. She mentioned that the other walking stick #060 http://lumberjocks.com/projects/22478 has worked for her quite well and that even her health care professional was surprised as to how well it allowed her to walk. I must say I'm pleased that my work has given the user a sense of stability and pride in using my canes and walking sticks, as I do believe that one should feel assured of themselves so they can go out and conquer the world! Or at least get through their days with a little less hassle.
For more informaiton on my work visit: www.bigstickcanes.com
Comments and inquiries welcome.
