h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My name is Tresmolas. I am in the U.S. I need help with making walking sticks/canes. I need to a attach wood handle (5" long x 2.5" wide x 2.5" high) to the shaft. How do I do this and where can I get the necessary hardware.

I also wany to attach handles made of stone, ivory and crystal. I need to know how to do it and where to get the hardware.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,

Tresmolas

Hello. What kind of handle do you want to attach?

In my own experience, handles are more trouble than worth. There is practically only one way to attach a handle: with a screw through the handle, into the head of the underlying stick. (I've always worked with wooden handles, that I drill all the way through; the wood handles are stronger that way.) And before that happens, the handle and stick have to be fitted to each other.

But if you want to do this, you will need:

* A drill. Usually you drill all the way through the wood handle, to let the screw hold the whole thing.

* A drill bit (to put in the drill), the width of the screw you want to use, without the protrubing "screwy" bits.

* A screw (to hold the handle in).

* Some kind of glue or epoxy, to glue the handle on as you screw it in. I haven't found that this makes the stick any *stronger*, but it at least makes it *look* like you took the extra effort to make it secure.

All these things are available at any hardware store.

For handles of stone, ivory and crystal, the principal is similar, but you have to work much harder to get the drill bit in to the handle. You may find screws that don't have widened heads, so you won't have to drill all the way through to use them.