Staff (wood advice)

[Luci_ferson]

Ive been thinking of making a staff.
since i have pretty bad arthritis and it would help with walking in the colder months anyway.
however if im going to carry a stick, it may as well be a weapon too.

my plan was to make it just short of shoulder length from the floor.
and use a piece of wood where I could carve an nice round fist sized ball.
I would like this made out of a strong but semi flexible wood so that it has some spring when needed making the fist sized ball on the end move nice and fast and spring loaded when needed.
you can imagine my intended purpose.

any suggestions for a good wood that Would have these properties.
yet remain strong.

[bigpaul]

i think you'll find these were tradionally made of ash.

[Luci_ferson]

does ash have a spring to it ? i know its strong enough.

[Metroyeti]

Dnahoghunter on youtube made an excellent staff with a bayonette spear hidden inside.

[Luci_ferson]

I used a bo (staff) years ago. and was surprised that i was quiet good at it.
going from my other weapons skills (lack of), a staff is probably my best option for close defence.
the one I used was flexible.
im planning on something a little fatter but still flexible with a knott on the end a little bigger than a fist.
I dont know enough about natural woods (local)
ideally it needs to be flexible, but still stiff enough to still use as a staff.

Im guessing try ash as suggested. its definately hard enough , as for flexibility, I guess it would depend how fat I make it

[Metroyeti]

Ash and rowan are both exelent staff material

[Luci_ferson]

what the h is Rowan. im assuming theres none local to me cos ive never heard it.

[MaryN]

Rowan is also called Mountain Ash.

[Metroyeti]

Rowan normally has red berries, there quite sour but used in jams

[Highlander]

We have more Rowan here that almost any tree going,..and it is a good wood,... whichever wood you go for I would cut it now and leave it to dry for a few months,..or make two one now, and your better one after its dried properly

If it doesn't cure, then it could do all sorts of things, bend, crack or split

I have used a stick on the hills for years, it helps with the unforgiving ground, but I have used Hazel, Hazel is a strong wood, with a flexible nature,..it is only a semi hard wood, but it is lighter because of it,... mine is only midrift height though,...put a metal bottom end to it