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- 1). Locate the stick that you will carve. These sticks are present in most deciduous forests and should be cut into sections no longer than 4 feet. They are most likely to be limbs that have vines wrapped around their surface. Cut the sticks with a handsaw or chainsaw, but wear safety goggles to prevent sawdust from damaging your eyes.
- 2). Dry the stick by placing it indoors under a 60-watt light for two days. Brighter lights will cause the stick to dry too quickly, cracking the surface of the wood. Place the stick in a garage or work space where the temperatures are between 70 and 80 degrees.
- 3). Remove all tree bark from the twisted stick to expose the bare surface of the twisted vines and limbs.
- 4). Accentuate the twisted vines and limbs that are meshed into the stick growth. Using a concave carving spoon or carving knife, increase the crevice where the stick and the vine or limb connect. Carve away some of the wood at the connection point so that the twisted aspect of the stick is more defined.
- 5). Round over the stick and the twisted materials as much as possible. Carve smaller chunks away from the stick and its intermeshed vines/limbs so as to create a more rounded appearance. Use a rounded spokeshave rather than a flat blade to carve the rounded features of the stick.
- 6). Sand the stick lightly with 80-grit sandpaper, Sand the connection points where the stick, vines and limbs connect to further define the twisted features of the stick.
- 7). Wipe the twisted stick with paint thinner and a cotton rag. Wipe on gel stain, applying three coats. Allow the stain to dry for 30 minutes between coats. After the stick has sat for two hours under the 60-watt light, spray on clear-coat polyurethane varnish. Choose either gloss or satin and apply three coats. Allow 30 minutes drying time between coats, and sand the coats with 120-grit sand paper to smooth out imperfections.
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