How To Make A Walking Cane

Learning how to make a walking cane is a simple task that can be accomplished with the most rudimentary of tools. In fact, all you need to get started are a sharp pocket knife and a stick. You may also opt to finish your wooden walking cane with sandpaper and mineral oil or lacquer.

1. Select a stick that is a bit shorter than waist height when standing on one end, and about one and a half inches thick. Look for a stick that is sturdy and relatively straight, though a little twisting in the wood can add unique character to your finished walking cane.
2. Cut off any protruding leaves, twigs, or smaller sticks from your walking cane, and  shave off as much bark as you can using the pocket knife.
3. Make a clean, flat cut across the bottom of the stick to give your walking cane a level surface to better balance on.
4. Begin shaping the handle area by shaving off small pieces of wood until the can has a round, comfortable gripping surface.
5. At this point, you may choose to leave your walking cane rustic and natural looking. Alternately, you can create a more sophisticated look by sanding and polishing the cane.
6. Sand the can with progressively finer grit paper: sand once with 80 grit, once with 160 grit, and once more with 200 grit paper to leave a smooth, attractive finish on your walking cane.
7. Polish the finished cane with mineral oil or a light wood lacquer to complete the cane.