How to Make a Hiking Stick
Hiking is not merely fun but a real test of fitness and resilience as well. Strolling through mountainous passages and hilly areas require certain precautions to be taken to ensure your safety. A hiking stick can come really handy while hiking in the wild. A hiking stick not only reduces the weight on your feet up to 25 percent but it also provides you a third balancing point while assailing difficult hills. You can also use the stick to clear your path from bushes and branches. You can find a variety of high-tech hiking sticks from your nearby sporting goods store but a conventional wooden stick will serve the purpose as well. You can easily make a hiking stick by yourself as it won’t take a lot of time.
Things Required:
– A straight tree branch, about 2 inches at the base and shoulder-height long.
– 1 inch long piece of ¾ inch copper pipe
– Epoxy glue
– Small saw
– Sharp clasp-knife
– Tape
Instructions
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1
First, you will need a deciduous sapling or branch of a tree which is relatively straight. The ideal length of a hiking stick is about shoulder height with a 2 inch diameter at the base.
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2
Take a clasp knife and start trimming the branch to the right length you require. It is recommended to use a freshly cut branch from a tree, rather than dead wood as it makes a stronger hiking stick.
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3
Carefully strip off the bark from the entire wooden stick using the clasp knife. Some types of wood have a second layer of bark underneath the first and you need to peel it off as well until you get to the bright wooden texture of the stick.
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4
Insert the bottom end of the stick into the copper pipe and make sure it fits snugly. This is called a ferrule and it will protect the end of the hiking stick. Fix the copper pipe with epoxy glue and tightly wrap tape over it.
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5
Sand the entire stick properly with some sandpaper until it gets perfectly smooth.
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6
You can also attach a wrist strap at the top of the hiking stick which can be wrapped around your hand while hiking. You can also add accessories, like a compass and a thermometer, which can further assist you in your hiking trip.
