I want to make a cane for walking. I want it white oak, 1-1/4" thick. Decades ago, my dad made bows for a convertible Rolls Royce top by steam bending. Unfortunately, I didn't see it happen. It'll be curved at the top in a 2-1/2" or larger radius. I see one I like but it's a whole lot more than I want to spend, and a bit small (1") for my mitts.
Anyone done this? If it's going to take too much effort, I may break down and buy the "skinny" one. I suspect that I should be finding a green stick as opposed to kiln dried lumber, as well. It would likely be easier to form.
I've not tried to make a cane but I have done a little steam bending. Finding non-kiln dried wood definitely helps. Kiln drying locks the lignin and makes it stiffer and more difficult to bend. You also want very straight grain. Any grain that runs diagonally at the bend point is likely to split. You may want to rive the wood rather than cut it as it will follow the grain and you will get less chance of splitting was as you bend it.
A picture of what you want to make might help.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
If you start with green wood, you may be able simply use heat to bend it. I've seen videos where they actually hold it over a flame and then bend it around a bending block of the right diameter and wrap some wire around it to hold it in place. Places that mass produce them, often soak the wood in hot water for a day or two first. They may then put it into a steam chamber to get it hot and clamp it around a form. You have to sort of over bend it because with steam/heat bending you get some spring back.
I made my steam chamber out of a 5' piece of 6" (5"?) metal duct. I use a wall paper steamer as my steam generator and simply run the hose into the middle of the duct from one end. I put a couple of wood blocks to elevate the piece of wood so that the steam can reach all sides. I simply stuff some old towels in each end to hold the steam in and I usually drape some towels over the duct to act as insulation but if you get a double wall duct designed as a flue, that may provide better heat retention. Note it is not the steam as much as the heat that makes the wood bendable. Moisture helps but it is the heat the loosens up the lignin to make it bendable. When you take the piece out of the chamber, you have to work fast. It will begin to cool off fast and if you do not get it bent quickly, you may have to start over.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Thanks! I like the green wood idea, but green oak limbs are in short supply here in soCal. I know a guy in upstate NY who likely has some sticks, as he has all kinds of firewood that he harvests. I'm almost ready to make the thing by building it from laminations. But whether it would stand up to the rigors of use, I don't know. Probably, though.
What little understanding I have of the process is that the wood gets compressed at the outside edge, or it may/will break. Haven't spent a lot of time on research, since the knowledge is here.
The wood gets compressed on the inside radius and stretched on the outside radius. In my (limited) experience, the wood usually breaks where the grain runs into the side, which is why straight grain that runs end to end, at least where the tightest part of the bend will be, is so important. Using green wood should help as well.
To help prevent breakage, I usually use a bending strap (aka strap clamp). You can buy one at Lee Valley but I made my own from some flashing for a couple of bucks. I cut a strip of the flashing about 2" wide and attached a small wood block to one end with a couple of screws. I lay the piece I am going to bend against the block and attach another block to the strip against the other end. After steaming the wood, I put the piece between the blocks and start the bend. The strap goes on the outside radius. I usually clamp in the middle of the bend first and work around in both directions but for relatively short bend on a cane, I would probably start with the end and use the leverage of the cane body to give me leverage to make the bend in one motion and then clamp in place. I have successfully bent wood without the strap when there is no diagonal grain but using the strap has made the failures less frequent. I don't know how difficult it would be to use a strap with a cane but if you can get green branches which naturally have no grain exiting the sides, it may not be necessary. If you end up having to just buy some lumber and cut your piece from that, the strap should help a lot.
Just thinking out loud but with green wood, you may have to wait longer for the wood to dry and set. It might not hurt to use a heat gun or blow dryer. Heat will help lock the lignin and reduce the spring back, while also speeding up the dry time. Also, I mentioned over bending a little to help with spring back but I would also leave a little extra length so that you can trim the handle end when the bending is done.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Green wood is definitely the easiest way to go. With green wood, I think you could make a jig and just hold the limb over heat or steam like Nathan described and then clamp it in your jig until it feels like to much resistance then heat it again and clamp it a little more, rinse and repeat until you have it fully clamped in the jig. Then I'd leave it clamped up for a week or so until whatever moisture you introduced has a chance to dry out. Otherwise it's likely to try to straighten out as the moisture leaves the fibers. If you keep the fibers in tension/compression while it dries, they should retain their length.
If you really want oak and can't find it locally, I'm sure I can find a few trees around here that need a pruning and ship you a few blanks. Shipping will probably be pretty pricey but I could send you 3 or 4 pieces in a long skinny box.
I think laminations is a lot more work but also probably a superior option. With a branch, there's always the possibility there are bug tracks or inclusions hidden inside that could eventually lead to a failure. And with a branch, you will always have the pith in the center which could lead to split ends when it dries out.
You might try posting on some carving forums too. Those guys/gals may have some they will send you or be able to point you to somewhere that sells them.
Thanks guys! I'm looking to make the cane with a larger "handle" than is standard. Otherwise, this would be easy. I will check at some carving forums, in any event.
Green wood is your friend. It's also the one time where for a "woodworking project" that using limbs rather than the trunk of the tree is advantageous. They tend to be springier, and allow greater movement.
For a larger grip, I have also seen sort of a right angle bend instead of a curve. That makes the handle part sort of parallel to the ground. You would definitely want green wood for that.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Bent rather than cut into a bend, or even carved is probably going to maintain the strength of the wood better. Any cut out, or carved out shape will ultimately have a grain change right where you are placing the weight down onto it, and it's there where you will see breakage if the grain isn't helping to support weight. Bending it maintains the integrity of the woods strength, and usually will fare better.
I knew an old guy who mostly just made canes, and he would say make 10 canes, 5 would be decent, 2 or 3 really iffy, and a couple of just plain fails, so I always took from that there was no always way to get them right, because to look at his, they were all done the same. He was a bender, and had as much time in the curved molds he used, as in the canes themselves.
If I have to spend too much time with jigs and fixturing, I'll just laminate one. I think that that would be simplest in terms of a jig, since it would really just be a form. If that doesn't work I could just buy one. But where is the fun in that? I'm not in a hurry, since I had surgery on a finger last Tuesday and am ordered to light duty for a few weeks. Fortunately, it's on the hand that doesn't hold my current cane.
George, I am not talking about cutting a curve, I am talking about having to cut the piece to bend from a board.
Of course there is this style too. I think that if I ever make a cane, I will try this way of making one. Most of the carved ones I have seen are made this way.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Steven, lamination sure is an easy way around the weakened wood thing, and done with nicely contrasted woods, can be a looker. Most of the bent I know of, the jig was the work, the bend is heat, and place it in the jig, and clamp a little bit so it stays still, but the time and energy was mostly jig. Outside of whatever time you have the wood steaming, the actual bend is seconds, versus hours of getting the jig right. Lots of trial and error in many cases. I know the old guy I knew never did make a jig he totally approved of, and was constantly remaking his.
Nathan yes then you can use a properly oriented slice, and have integrity in the wood, and still get a nice look. If I ever start making canes this is my method for sure. I think bent usually look like a freeway store item, but the multi piece look would be sold in stores where fine Mens clothing was hand tailored..... A much richer look IMHO. Your pic sort of proves it. :-)
I get your point George, about the "freeway store item" look. What I'm trying to achieve is a defensive cane, and don't like that look, either. If you look up "Combat Canes" as a search, you will see what I'm after. Cane Masters makes some really nice ones, but they are quite spendy. One gets what one pays for, though.
A knife, or just something to thump with? I see stun canes, what an idea for a shocking greeting.
I would think handled like the one Nathan posted would easily allow a knife from handle to shaft, if you wanted swinging some lead would do wonders for thumpability. I suppose it might be a good idea to check on "legality" of such a cane in the area you reside. Even if the person getting thumped probably needs it, with all the goofy ordinances to "protect them" and give them rights you don't have, it could be you, rather than them getting into trouble.
Another good reason to call Ohio home, we don't have a majority of lawmakers that are crazy as a loon. Can't be said for some areas though.
Yeah a casted metal head on a heavy duty shaft could be a very nice looking cane, and play hell with a mugger/thugger
I peeked at this site, the Bavarian, and the Cutlery ones are regulation war implements. Most of the rest are pretty innocent looking. ZAPPpppppppp YEOW!!!!
I see reports in a section of the local paper, "Police Blotter" where people get busted for possession of weighted canes. Canes with concealed knives are also unlawful here. I haven't been the victim of a violent crime in a long time, but as I age I can see the need for more than just a walking stick. I'll have to be careful that a perp doesn't take it and beat me with it.
Sounds like having a war cane would be risky for you then. Terrible state where some scummer can beat and rob you, and they are ok doing that, but if you defend yourself from violent attack with the wrong item, then it's you who is in the wrong? Is it just me or is that messed up?
As much as I admire the damage they can inflict, I'll have to pass on them. I have a Tractor Supply near me. Poking around a martial arts site, a guy mentioned them as having a sturdy oak cane for working with livestock. I'll check it out. My primary defense tactic these days is not going to places where a threat could be encountered. I stood Shore Patrol duty in the US Navy way back when. Dragging drunken sailors out of bars and such. Not that tough, anymore. 🤷♂️
Anything can be made into a weapon. I can tear open an aluminum pop can and slash pretty effectively. That kind of stuff is only if my life is in immediate danger. I do like the stunner on a stick idea, though. I'm going over to the Tractor Supply place shortly.
