A Walking Stick with Style, Power and Prestige

A walking stick, as seen here, measuring roughly waist high is more than just a walking aid. A Walking stick through out history has been and is a symbol of authority. Such as; bishops, priests, generals, kings, pharaohs, presidents and physicians carry a walking stick as a visible symbol of their office. For example, in 1620 the King of Spain issued a Royal Decree requiring each Pueblo to choose a governor by a public vote. This vote would encompass not only the governor but the lieutenant governor and other officials as well. As a sign or symbol of authority, each pueblo governor received a silver handled walking stick to be passed down to whomever won the next election and so forth. Even today during the feast of Epiphany the newly elected Pueblo governors bring the walking stick presented to them by Spain and place them upon the altar to be blessed by a priest. For more history of the walking stick / walking canes please click here.

Historically, on the other hand the walking stick has always helped the traveler from place to place, but with meaning and some surprises as well. The walking stick can have power and prestige and can have secret compartments built into the stick. Pill cases, swords, fishing rods, flutes, violins, guns, sewing kits, pipes, watches, compass, telescopes, poison darts, and the list goes on. Some of these walking sticks / canes be seen by clicking here. If this interests you, you might wish to start a collection. A suggestion is to start slow, Go to your library and read up and learn or buy one of our books by clicking here. Then build up your walking stick collection and start here.

If you decide to have a walking stick collection, you should understand how to care for each walking stick and I mean, “EACH”. A walking stick can be made from natural woods and must be handled with care. Humidity and temperature may lead to swelling and cracking of the different woods that make up your walking stick. Depending again on the different materials in your walking stick, sunlight might also damage your walking stick. Take the example of ivory (Click here and then click on FAKE Scrimshaw for an idea of what Ivory looks like). A rise in temperature will lower the humidity level and eventually change the color of the ivory. Silver must be cared for in the proper manner on a walking stick. (Click here to see some of our fine selection of Silver Handle Canes) Do not use vinegar and baking soda to clean silver. It damages the silver. Use a mild silver polish. And do not get the polish on the wood of your walking stick. Just remember; always take care when cleaning your walking stick collection. If the stick is extremely old, you might want to rethink cleaning. The dirt that has been built up on the walking stick could be protecting it from some of the effects of changing temperature and humidity.

Now that I have given you a warning, here is how I clean my walking stick collection. On wood, remember that linseed oil is your friend if you use it wisely. Just a drop will do you. First clean off your walking stick with a clean cloth by gently wiping it down with out anything on the cloth. Then apply a small amount of linseed oil and wipe it into the wood. Let your walking stick dry, and then polish with a clean, soft cloth. If your top is made from a different material, please clean it first, then the shaft of your walking stick.