On Jun 15, 12:51 am, (Arch) wrote:
I never see trekking poles (walking poles) mentioned by woodturners.
Probably not popular here in flat S.Florida as in Europe, but are they
widely used elsewhere? The ones I've seen are made of aluminum shafts
and molded rubber heads, but could there (or already is) be a market for
custom trekking poles with special touches of turned wood to rival the
amazing prices custom turned wood croquet mallets and pool cues sell
for?

These are not walking sticks. The idea is to shift the burden from knees
to shoulders and there is a technique involved. Maybe a mystique could
be promoted like the perception of a hardy European trekking up the
mountainside.

Sometimes I'm the last to know so if any of you are already turning
custom trekking poles please respond. Same for you 'kneekick
negativists' who are too often right and know ahead of time that
trekking poles can't work in wood. For any others interested,
please google a few of the many sites and chime in.

Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter

http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings


Hello Arch,

Several years ago, I made several walking stick. (That is what I
called them). Mine were made in two or three pieces with screw thread
joints. I used a brass 3/4" pipe coupling and made the male threads
from lignum viate. They were about five feet long and when unscrewed
they easily were carried in a car. I made one out of mesquite in three
pieces for a customer. The mesquite threaded quite well for the male
threads. The brass couplings were hex shaped, so I turned then round
to fit with the shape of the wood. I used one for walking on rugh
terrain and they helped with the balance greatly. They didn't sell
well at the craft fairs that I was attending at the time.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com