Stick it!

[Todd Bradshaw]

I happened on a decently priced horn handle blank on eBay (about $20 shipped across the Atlantic) and figured I'd make myself a cromach - nothing fancy, just a simple one. Yes, some folks consider them rather costume-ish, but I don't mind having something to lean on when out hiking or when standing around for long periods at the highland games - especially after this year's open-heart surgery. Plus, the polished finish just feels nice in your hand. And, you never know when you might happen upon a rabid sheep up to no good, or one of those Monty Python killer rabbits and need to defend yourself.

I decided it would be bad form to pillage the neighborhood looking for a good stick in someone's front yard, so I hit up Ye Olde Big Box Store for a nice long piece of 1" hardwood dowel, to the tune of about $6. I thought good thoughts while drilling the holes in the stick's end and handle's base to join them with a 6" hunk of imbedded 3/8" threaded rod, set in boat epoxy mixed with graphite powder. The horn handle got trimmed down flush and re-polished and the dowel got about 20 minutes with the spokeshave and sandpaper to taper it. This was followed by a couple coats of stain and several of satin varnish on the wood. No attempt was made to carve, engrave or dress up anything with more than a simple finish.

I couldn't really justify the need for a metal or spiked tip for the uses it will get and the places it will go, so a rubber tip from the hardware store will work, won't scratch up the floors in the exhibition halls, and was cheap. Total cost then ended up about $27 and it was completed in just a couple hours, spread over a couple days so that things could set or dry. All in all, it was cheap, fast to build, looks decent and feels nice. I think it will do the job just fine.