WOLKİNG STICKS

In the making of walking sticks which fall within the scope of wood works, various materials like black ox horn, front leg bone of the cattle, nacre and copper wire are employed besides such types of wood as cornel wood, oak, hornbeam and chestnut. 

The walking stick is designed by taking the height, weight, hand shape and dimensions of the designated user into consideration and has a shaft with a length of 15-18 cm called ‘çerken’. Their bodies which have a length of 75-93 cm and a diameter of 20-28 cm are called ‘değnek’. Sometimes, they are also designed with an end part covered by a round envelope. 

Walking sticks are called “flat, wreathed, half-carved, half-wreathed and engraved depending on the shape of the değnek part.
In addition, according to the shape of the shaft, they are called eagle head, snake head and horse head, etc. 
Products with a spherical shaft and a thicker değnek than that of the walking stick are called ‘asa’ (staff). 

According to information provided by the craftsmen endeavouring in this field, while walnut was being used before, cornel and rose wood are preferred today. 

The cornel bough is cut when the tree is drained during the winter months and kept in a closed space for a year.
Then, the material is kiln-dried, manipulated and processed in lathe.
Once the process is completed, the motif area is cut and rasped.
Finally, the material is sandpapered, painted and polished.

İstanbul-Beykoz-Dereseki Village is famous for its walking sticks which are rotated wholly on their own body and made from chestnut and with a round-shaped çerken. The walking sticks are with brown and yellow moiré and are trimmed with horizontal and vertical borders covered with geometric shapes. At this centre, some craftsmen create these walking sticks by hand without the use of lathe.

Balıkesir-Kozak upland is famous for its walking stick known as a very lightweight (around 180-200 gr) but durable product carved from one piece of tree as a whole with the shaft. At this centre, walking sticks are designed from agu (ahı- poison tree) and their surfaces are trimmed with various motifs. 

In areas like Bartın, Tokat, Göynük-Ahlat, walking sticks are designed with hardwood çerken parts that are mounted on the body and designed in a convex line in two directions and can be grasped by the palm and one thumb. The bodies of some examples are trimmed with geometric decorations with an embossed impression, divided into brown rings. 

In Devrek, walking sticks with plantal and geometric patterns are made by hand from hornbeam and cornel wood. Their trimmings are strikingly beautiful.

The production continues today with the walking sticks with interlaced wood and various motifs produced in Taraklı, Akyazı and walking sticks of good formal and processing quality created in Kayalar – Memduhiye Village.

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