Making an antler fork single shooting stick

[Sudsy]

Something I got started on quite a while ago, gathered up the bits and pieces needed, but then life (and putting a bar into the game room) got in the way.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...-antler-making-a-shooting-stick.134375/page-2
Anyway, got started on it today, Did the attachments between the two halves and the antler.
The screw looks crooked, optical illusion, it's not

Tomorrow (it it's not raining) I've going to give the wood a good soak in Minwax wood hardener to toughen it up, the wood, closet rod from Loews, is softer than I wanted but there weren't any better options available.

While that's drying I'm going to do a leather wrap on the antler at the transition to the wood and a pair of wraps where the gun will be resting on the antler, cant have the gun stock getting scraped up.

Need to figure out a metal cane tip for the bottom

To be continued........

 

[frankie]

Something I got started on quite a while ago, gathered up the bits and pieces needed, but then life (and putting a bar into the game room) got in the way.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...-antler-making-a-shooting-stick.134375/page-2
Anyway, got started on it today, Did the attachments between the two halves and the antler.
The screw looks crooked, optical illusion, it's not

View attachment 131400View attachment 131401View attachment 131402

Tomorrow (it it's not raining) I've going to give the wood a good soak in Minwax wood hardener to toughen it up, the wood, closet rod from Loews, is softer than I wanted but there weren't any better options available.

While that's drying I'm going to do a leather wrap on the antler at the transition to the wood and a pair of wraps where the gun will be resting on the antler, cant have the gun stock getting scraped up.

Need to figure out a metal cane tip for the bottom

To be continued........

Very nice and a great idea. This is the first one I have seen

 

[Daryl Crawford]

Was thinking something similar, but hadn't thought about making it two pieces. Thanks for showing this.

 

[deerstalkert]

a couple i made. they are the cats meow for shooting! good back scratchers too!

 

[Sudsy]

a couple i made. they are the cats meow for shooting! good back scratchers too!

Very nice
What did you do for the toe ?

 

[deerstalkert]

used heavy leather and wet formed it, then used furniture tacks to attach it to the stick.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Problem I have had with fixed length shooting sticks is elevation adjustment on uneven terrain. Just doesn't work for me. As for tips. I have made hiking sticks with concrete nails at the end. Just pound in, leave a 1/4" to 1/2" sticking out and hacksaw the head off. Don't use in the house.

 

[Sandy Jarrell]

I have used the brass couplers and cane/hiking stick tips from Rockler.
Medium Cane/Walking Stick Hardware Kit | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

 

[appalichian hunter]

Something I got started on quite a while ago, gathered up the bits and pieces needed, but then life (and putting a bar into the game room) got in the way.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...-antler-making-a-shooting-stick.134375/page-2
Anyway, got started on it today, Did the attachments between the two halves and the antler.
The screw looks crooked, optical illusion, it's not

View attachment 131400View attachment 131401View attachment 131402

Tomorrow (it it's not raining) I've going to give the wood a good soak in Minwax wood hardener to toughen it up, the wood, closet rod from Loews, is softer than I wanted but there weren't any better options available.

While that's drying I'm going to do a leather wrap on the antler at the transition to the wood and a pair of wraps where the gun will be resting on the antler, cant have the gun stock getting scraped up.

Need to figure out a metal cane tip for the bottom

To be continued........

Go to your local hardware store or lowes,home depot type place, in the plumbing section and find a copper end cap for copper pipe that fits. size the end of the stick to snugly fit in the end cap put some super glue, JB weld or other strong glue in the cap and slide it on the end of the stick, tap the cap to seat it on the end of the stick, let the glue set up, then drill a nail hole in the end cap and drive carefully a nail with a head on it through the cap hole and into the shaft, you may want to drill a smaller pilot hole in to the wood as to resist splitting the wooden shaft. now not only is the copper cap protecting the end but the nail head will act as stop on the ground end of the stick.

 

[Jaeger]

Something I got started on quite a while ago, gathered up the bits and pieces needed, but then life (and putting a bar into the game room) got in the way.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...-antler-making-a-shooting-stick.134375/page-2
Anyway, got started on it today, Did the attachments between the two halves and the antler.
The screw looks crooked, optical illusion, it's not

View attachment 131400View attachment 131401View attachment 131402

Tomorrow (it it's not raining) I've going to give the wood a good soak in Minwax wood hardener to toughen it up, the wood, closet rod from Loews, is softer than I wanted but there weren't any better options available.

While that's drying I'm going to do a leather wrap on the antler at the transition to the wood and a pair of wraps where the gun will be resting on the antler, cant have the gun stock getting scraped up.

Need to figure out a metal cane tip for the bottom

To be continued........

Good idea and nice work!

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have used the brass couplers and cane/hiking stick tips from Rockler.
Medium Cane/Walking Stick Hardware Kit | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

They weaken the stick at the joint. I have had them break out on me. Not safe for a cane or hiking staff. Shooting stick might be OK if no lateral force is put on it.

 

[Sandy Jarrell]

They weaken the stick at the joint. I have had them break out on me. Not safe for a cane or hiking staff. Shooting stick might be OK if no lateral force is put on it.

I haven't had a problem - YET. I can see where it could break out, so I think that I will reinforce the wood with brass ferrules the next time.

 

[Sudsy]

It's been stained a dark walnut and sealed - but now I'm stuck on the leather that will wrap around the base of the two forks of the antler to protect the finish of the gun
I've never done leather work, would like to stitch this together with a baseball style stitching.

Any good guides on leather working ? (the circa 1920's book I have leaves much to be desired)

 

[Sudsy]

Just realized I never updated this thread like I promised I would
The functional part has been finished, I need to learn more about leather craft (this was my first try with it) before adding some more embellishments
I used a thick bit of aluminum on the foot. Aluminum is sticky on rock which will help when it's being used as a walking stick.

This is three parts that unscrew from each other so they can be packed in the RV.
I'm satisfied with the outcome but I think I can do better next time. I'd use different wood, this was closet rod from home depot, soft and with no grain. I need to get better with the leather work. This would have looked great with fringes.

 

[Sudsy]

These are what I used for the transition from the antler to wood, the brass part being screwed and epoxied into the antler, the wood screw part going into the wood.
It's also the wood to wood attachment.

It's 3 pieces including the antler so that it can fit into a backpack. If I'm dragging a deer I'm not going to want to have to deal with a long stick as well as the gun

It's

 

[Sudsy]

Added some fringe and a patch knife at the center joint

(The leather top and bottom looks off but it's the same color, off the same piece - lighting is different up and down)

 

[andy52]

I like the little knife.