Colouring Techniques

Staining walking sticks -  if you decide to stain walking sticks its always better to try it out on a sample or cut of  piece first. It will always be different from the colour showen on the tin. Its better to start with a lighter stain first for your walking sticks and then darken it, if neccessary apply more coats, than to produce something that is immediately darker than you wanted. Remember stains quickly penetrate the surface of raw wood and can't be easily wipes off if it is not what you expected. So experiment before you start the real walking sticks.

Fuming walking sticks - The traditional method of fuming is another method of colouring wood. It takes longer and it may not suit the impatient, but the results can be effective. Fuming walking sticks requires an infusion of bark peelings and boiling water to be made. This when cold is wiped over the peeled walking sticks. The walking sticks should then be suspended in a suitable lenght of plastic rainwater pipe with a polythene bag tied in placed on the top end to seal it. Postition the pipe so it is resting vertical, place a small container of ammonia below the bottom end and leave the walking sticks to stew in the ammonia fumes. Check the progess after a couple of hours, and when the colouration is to your statisfaction remove the walking sticks form the ammonia. Leave it to dry out completely then gently rub in linseed oil with 0000 wire wool to bring out the finish. If you going to try this colouring technique only do so outdoors, and carefully observe the manufactors instructions for handling and disposing of the ammonia. You walking sticks are finished.

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