AMAZING HAND-CARVED WALKING STICKS AND OTHER CREATIVE WOOD CARVINGS

It is not work if you're having fun!

I enjoy discovering a piece of wood that has a special story to tell and teasing that story out of it. Some of my works are abstract or stylized sculptures, while others may be common items with a creative and sometimes humorous twist. Occasionally, my creations are augmented with pyrographic designs.

That being said . . .

Hidden Treasure

While there is no shortage of “sticks” in the woods, it takes a great amount of time and effort to find a piece of wood unique enough to become a SpiffyStick™. An ordinary, plain, straight stick is boring.

On the other hand, a stick that has interesting knots, bends, burls, or other distinctive “defects” (and is also suitable for a walking aid) is not easy to find. It can take days of exploring thickets and crawling through gullies to find just a few suitable sticks. And of these, only one or two might have the potential to become truly valuable pieces of art and these can be hard to recognize with the bark still on them.

Beauty and quality take time

After curing for about a year to ensure they won't warp or split, only a few of the sticks that have been carefully collected will be judged suitable to become a "SpiffyStick".

Following the creative carving process come 5 successively finer sandings and a 2-stage hand-rubbed oil finish. Power polishing with ruby dust, then diamond dust and finally carnauba paste wax, give each piece its beautiful glass-smooth finish.

Each rubber tip is custom-fashioned from tough recycled tire material and should last for many decades.

My specialty is walking sticks - high-quality, hand-carved and one of a kind - ideal for those who appreciate artistic uniqueness and are proud to step out with an extra-ordinary walking stick rather than use an ordinary "medicinal-looking" cane. 

Although I have a background as an educator and over 30 years in sales and marketing  . . . . . . from the beginning, I have always been a wood carver. 

I carved my first walking stick when I was five. Although my horrified Granny spanked me for “borrowing” her kitchen knife, my Granddad decided it was time to show me how to carve. I have been carving ever since.

A beautifully crafted walking stick is a joy to use and makes a perfect gift for those individuals who seem to “have everything" - whether it be a loved one, valued associate, corporate client, or collector.. . . and a great way to treat oneself with an extra-ordinary piece of functional art. 

In early 2013, it became evident that I could no longer do justice to my sales and marketing career  while meeting the demand for my carving, so I hung up my neckties to focus full time on my art.The adventure continues . . .      

Robert  Hayward