How to Make Hiking Sticks | Dust and Tribe

Join me as we learn how to make hiking sticks from found branches and sticks. We cut them down to size, removed protruding parts and sanded them down using a power sander, metal file or sand paper. You can also use a pocket knife to remove bark and reveal layers of beautiful wood. Smooth down your stick starting with 80-100 grit sand paper and move to finer and finer grit until your stick is nice and smooth. Remove dust with an oiled cloth before staining. Use a brush or foam applicator to apply 1-2 thin coats of stain. Allow to dry in a well ventilated place. We had ours outside and they dried pretty quickly. The last step is to apply a sealant. We use polyurethane to give the sticks a shinny protective layer. The polyurethane takes 24 hours to dry completely. Make sure all your surfaces are protected before staining or varnishing. You can also decorate your sticks with a wood burning tool or cut notches into the handle. The whole project took us less than 4 hours to complete.

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