Shopgoodwill excellent walking cane find

**brewerpaul** · 13th February 13, 03:46 PM

Greetings,
This may be the wrong part of the forum to place this but Ill start here. If the mods feel it should be elsewhere please move it.

Ive shopped auctions sites for a while and always am looking for the unique and the bargain. This past week I found two nice items on Shopgoodwill. Goodwill runs an auction site similar to EBay except that it auctions items from various Goodwill stores. Quite often you can find utilikilts, broaches, wingtip shoes and other nice accessories. I often put in the search word "cane" to see if I can find a nice walking stick. Some months ago I missed out on 3 very nice knotty walking sticks that went for more than I could afford at the time. But then who needs three, I only wanted one. Patiences has its rewards at times and this time I was rewarded with a very nice walking stick. They said it was pine, which I didnt believe, but it is a lighter wood. Looking at it I feel it might be an alder or something. Well a few days waiting then my final bid won me this nice stick for 20 dollars. Photos below.

Close up of the handle and the knots near the handle.

A view of the knots down the cane

And the handle itself

Although I am a woodworker and know many woods by sight this one escapes me. If anyone out there has an idea what this might have been made of please chime in. It is very sturdy and has only a couple of places where the shellac or finish has come off. There is a rubber tip on the end and no damage at all. Ill enjoy walking around the Highland games here in Missouri sporting this walking stick.

The other item I purchased will be here Friday. It was a bit of a splurge to buy it but it will be fun to wear. Ill give a tease and say it is a vintage tie made of pheasant feathers. Should go well with my hunting breeks and even my kilts. Photos will follow when it arrives.

**Downunder Kilt** · 13th February 13, 03:51 PM

No idea on the wood BP but a mighty fine looking cane. I love snooping in OP shops, as they as known here. It's great to find little gems, as you have just done.

**Dale Seago** · 13th February 13, 03:57 PM

The distribution of those knobs, so many and so close together, looks typical of some kind of thorn bush/tree.

Very fine-looking cane -- congratulations !!

**Chas** · 13th February 13, 04:17 PM

It looks like gorse to me.

It is a fine looking stick, whatever it turns out to be.

Regards

Chas

**Panache** · 13th February 13, 04:31 PM

Nice looking stick!

Cheers

Jamie

**TheOfficialBren** · 13th February 13, 05:52 PM

Sweet looking stick!

**piperdbh** · 13th February 13, 07:26 PM

I think it's a cabbage stalk. The Jersey cabbage is used to make sticks and canes. The round handles are formed by starting the plant in a pot, and when it grows to a certain size, the pot is turned over on its side. The cabbage stalk wants to grow up, and where its stalk bends, a permanent curve is formed.

**Dale Seago** · 14th February 13, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by piperdbh

I think it's a cabbage stalk. The Jersey cabbage is used to make sticks and canes. The round handles are formed by starting the plant in a pot, and when it grows to a certain size, the pot is turned over on its side. The cabbage stalk wants to grow up, and where its stalk bends, a permanent curve is formed.

Wow, the things one finds out hanging around this place. Makes me glad all over again I somehow found it!!

**TheOfficialBren** · 14th February 13, 01:16 AM

Dale! I was watching "Mythbusters" the other night and guess who I saw?

**Dale Seago** · 14th February 13, 02:23 AM

Originally Posted by TheOfficialBren

Dale! I was watching "Mythbusters" the other night and guess who I saw?

Uh-oh. That means you know what I actually look like without a kilt. Well. . .because you're a member here, I'll do you the courtesy of allowing you 24 hours to arrange your affairs before my Ninja Minions (TM) come for you.