I'm planning to work on a walking cane this weekend and have a question about ferrule in between a handle and body. Since the grain on the handle runs side way, is it better putting the ferrule on the handle side? or the body is just okay?
Which one is better or more classic between A and B? The ferrule is brass and I think it's 1" ID.
Either way, I'm not confident enough to hand cut a tight fit round tenon so I'm planning to use a dowel or if it's coming from the cane body, cutting a square tenon can be an option. I'm not planning to compress the dowel or tenon so hard to fit but just use glue.
I think "A" is a bit better since it won't put the stress riser (ferrule edge) directly on the cross grain. Having the lowere portion of the handle tapered, like with a swoop up toward the long end., will also help with stress.
A good tropical wood with the intermixed grain would be a bonus. Strong growth rings usually implies early/late growth which could be weak seams.
I often just use copper pipe for ferrules. Cheap, you can cut them to any length you need and and they polish up nicely. You can even use a propane torch with some table salt to give them a cool reddish patina.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Thank you for the tip. Maybe next time, when I have enough time/money, I’ll buy a torch and other tools to play with it. But for this time, I know I suck at cutting metal and filing, so I’ll just use the one I got for $5:)
Mas ............stop worrying about it because your gonna blow our minds with your hand tool mastery !!! whatever you do is gonna be incredible my friend ! so stop humoring us and make magic !
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
I like A as well, and I also know you will excel as you always do. I'm with Nathan on the pipe fittings for ferrules, so if you make more than 1 cane, keep them in mind.
I would put the ferrule on the handle, if the handle has a piece coming down to the shaft of the cane, as drawn. But in general, I don’t have that weak bit in the handle, so I can attach a decorative bit to the end of the shaft. This is an apple and oak cane I made most recently, with a granadillo decorative bit on the end of the shaft. This was for a woman who’s about 5’ tall, so a ⅞ inch white oak shaft was plenty of strength, and I turned a ½ inch round tenon on the shaft, put on the granadillo cross-grain to avoid any possible splitting when I wedged the shaft into the handle. I even forgot to glue the wedge, but it had enough friction that it’s stayed put for a couple months of use with no movement.
