Wooden Sticks

A stick, in its simplest form, is a long, slender piece of wood, often a refined branch of a tree, stripped of its leaves and transformed into a versatile tool. Throughout history, sticks have served a multitude of purposes, from functional implements to symbols of dominance and, eventually, as prized possessions for aficionados of woodworking and handicrafts. Let's embark on a journey through time to explore the multifaceted role of the stick in human culture and craftsmanship.Sticks have been essential to human existence for millennia. In early human history, they were not only used as tools for various practical tasks but also served as weapons for hunting and self-defense. The stick, with its simplicity and effectiveness, played a pivotal role in our ancestors' survival and evolution.Sticks, in their original, unadorned form, are symbols of utility and simplicity. They are readily available in nature and require minimal processing to become functional tools. From kindling fires to supporting temporary shelters, sticks were indispensable in a world where human survival relied on resourcefulness and adaptability.In the animal kingdom, sticks and branches are often wielded as weapons during confrontations and displays of dominance. It's not surprising that early humans, with their resourcefulness and ability to fashion tools, adopted sticks for similar purposes. These primitive weapons provided protection against hostile elements and predators and helped secure their place at the top of the food chain.

Types of Wood Used for Making Sticks

Hardwoods are the most common types of wood used for making wooden sticks. Most popular among these woods that make sticks are sheesam, saal and mulberry. However to make the sticks strong, unbendable, and unbreakable glass fiber, carbon with epoxy resins are also used. Wooden sticks come in many shapes and sizes. Few wooden sticks are painted and carved and others are left with their natural wood color.

Features of Wooden Sticks Although a stick can be even a simple length of wood, the modern sticks that are used as walking sticks or for decorating home have distinct features. The parts of a stick include a handle, shaft, collar, and ferrule.their natural wood color.

Handle The handle is the most useful feature of a stick. Among different styles of stick handles, the popular ones include- tourist, or crook handle, the fritz handle and the derby handle. Sometimes the handles are padded and leather-wrapped too for a soft and easy grip. Medical canes have special ergonomic palm-grip handles for comfortability of arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome patients.

Shaft It is a long, comparatively straight handle serving as the balancing part of the stick. The Shaft may require a lightweight handle often made of aluminum or carbon-fiber composites, or a heavy-duty handle made of hardwoods.

Ferrule The tip or the end cap of a stick provides traction and added support when used at an angle. From among many kinds of ferrules, commonly used one is a simple, ridged rubber stopper. This can be easily replaced according to the user's needs.

Types of Wooden Sticks

There are different types of wooden sticks used for different purposes by people. The wooden walking stick is used by many people to assist in walking. Wooden sticks are an important part of many sports like hockey, golf, snooker, billiards, cricket, and rugby. One can not even imagine a game of of hockey without a hockey stick or golfing without a golf stick. People living in hilly areas use sticks as a support when going uphill or as a brake when going downhill. A stick also acts as a balance point when crossing streams, swamps or other rough terrain. Some of the common types of wooden sticks are mentioned below.

ChopsticksWooden Chopsticks These small tapered sticks are an important wood kitchen accessories. They are used in pairs of equal length as the traditional eating utensils in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Chopsticks are also used in some areas of Tibet and Nepal. They are commonly made from bamboo or some other types of wood.

Rod Rod, which is generally referred to as a switch, is a flexible lengthy piece of wood typically used for corporal punishment of the birching type, called switching after it. Sometimes they are also called a cane.

Folding CanesAdjustable Folding Canes A folding cane has several joints which lets it to be folded into a shorter length when not in use. These are, in fact, adjustable canes that feature two or more shaft pieces for a telescoping effect which allows the user to lengthen or shorten their walking cane to fit to size.

Stilted wooden candle holders are not new to decoration as our ancestors have been using these since time immemorial. These are hand crafted stilted wood candle holders that have superb designs. The designing vary from place to place and specific to the location. Check out more on antique wood craft.