Canny cane-makers Local woodcrafters add style and personalization to the functionality of mobility aids By: David Sanderson Posted: 3:20 AM CDT Saturday, Sep. 23, 2023

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/09/2023 (891 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s often said necessity is the mother of invention, and that definitely rings true with a 48-year-old entrepreneur from Bristol, England.

Ian Gilson was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 40. He began using a commercially purchased walking stick to get around, but he became dismayed when some members of the public referred to him as “old feller,” or judged him to be weak or vulnerable.

“We’ve somehow allowed the walking stick to become a symbol of disability,” he told a reporter, “and I want to take that power back and make it about personality, visibility and mobility.”

Mission accomplished: Gilson is presently the owner of GenXcess, an enterprise that produces walking sticks “for the young at heart.” In addition to ones based on characters from the Marvel Universe (“Feelin’ a bit Thor”) and members of the animal kingdom (“Don’t panda to me”), the 48-year-old also offers a hot-pink model inspired by a certain, summer blockbuster.

“Why should a walking stick be any different from a hat or handbag?” he mused. “Let’s make it personal and fun.”

While Winnipegger Keven Hawkins doesn’t plan to mimic his British counterpart by marketing Barbie-themed mobility aids any time soon, HawkStick, the home-based venture he officially launched last summer, was also born out of need.

Hawkins, 71, underwent the first of two hip replacements in 2021. Previous to that, he was on a two-year waiting list for surgery. During that period, he shopped around for a walking stick or cane, which he required to even get out of a chair. Unfortunately, most of what he came across was “crap,” he says, seated in the River East bungalow he shares with his wife Pat and their two cats.

The retired long-haul truck driver had always been comfortable working with wood — he fondly recalls a whittling knife he had as a youngster, when he was a cub scout in his hometown of Stonewall — and he began to think, why not craft what he was after, himself?

In order to brush up on his skills, he attended a meeting of a local chapter of Men’s Shed, an international organization whose members gather regularly to discuss a variety of topics, especially individual building projects. Through the group he learned that diamond willow — the name granted to a sort of hardwood dotted with diamond shapes caused by a fungus — is far and away carvers’ preferred raw material, owing to its uniqueness.

As luck would have it, his sister and brother-in-law live on a sizable property near Victoria Beach that is well-populated with diamond willow. He was free to take as much as he desired, he was told.

Admittedly, his first attempt was “good, not great.” Over time he got the hang of it, mind you. Within a few months, he had a diamond willow walking stick that suited him perfectly, not to mention a dozen more he carved simply because he enjoyed the process so much.

At some point his wife mentioned his new hobby was taking up an inordinate amount of space in the basement. Heeding her suggestion that he should dispense with a few sticks, he gifted one to a young girl on their block who is living with a spinal condition. Next, the father of two grown daughters asked friends and family if any of them were interested.

Many were, but they also said his handiwork was too good to be given away for free, and that he should consider selling to the general public… which is how he found himself parked under a blue canopy at Bronx Park Community Centre in July, surrounded by a mix of walking sticks and canes that were as functional as they were attractive.

Although sales at that first market weren’t particularly strong — walking sticks aren’t exactly an impulse buy, Hawkins says with a smile — a lot of shoppers asked for his card, with the intent of passing his information on to somebody they knew who could benefit from his service. That led to inquiries from as far away as Nova Scotia, from people asking if he could fashion them a custom-made stick or cane, according to their height.

“Especially with a cane, you don’t want it to be too short, or else you’re going to be bending over, and you don’t want it to be too tall, because then you won’t be getting any support,” says Hawkins, who underwent a second hip replacement procedure earlier this month. “When I’m at a market, I purposely bring canes and (walking) sticks that are overly long that I can cut down and put a tip on in about 10 minutes, after determining the exact length they should be, per individual.”

John Wheeler isn’t only one of the co-directors of the Winnipeg Beach Farmers Market, he’s also a huge proponent of HawkStick.

“Keven has been a vendor at our market (and) the uniqueness and quality of his product blended well and added a flair to our market,” Wheeler says, when reached at home. “He is also a pleasure to work with, always taking time to chit-chat with other vendors and customers alike.”

Wheeler says the well-attended weekly event, which wraps up for the season on Sunday, prides itself on the expertise and uniqueness of its sellers.

“(Keven) did not disappoint, but rather, the quality of the workmanship and the character of the man has added much to our market,” Wheeler says.

Pardon the pun, but in the last eight months, Hawkins has definitely branched out. Those tips he removes from the end of sticks? They now serve as nifty handles for a variety of items, including barbecue tongs, bottle openers and salad spoons.

He also turns out diamond-willow wind chimes and candle holders, and readily credits his daughter Ambyr for doing the necessary legwork, by ordering the metal accessories required to complete his projects. (He laughs, saying he isn’t computer savvy in the least, and that it’s Ambyr who finalizes his market dates, and lets him know where he’ll be setting up shop next.)

Even the shavings from all the whittling he does are put to good use, he points out. Gaze out their front window and you’ll notice piles of it serving as mulch in his and Pat’s garden beds.

Besides markets and craft sales, Hawkins’ walking sticks, which range in price from $65 to $75, are also available at the Cozy Fox in Selkirk. A couple of retail spots in the city have inquired about carrying his wares on a consignment basis. He’s just not sure if he’s ready to take that step, yet.

“Online sales are another thing my daughter talks about, but because I’m the only labourer, I don’t want to commit to something if I feel I might not be able to keep up,” he says.

Plus, now that he’s had his second hip surgery, he’s considering taking a wee break by rewarding himself with a trip south, where he can once again stroll through the sand, under his own power.

“I’ll probably still bring a stick along — it’s good advertising, after all — but yeah, it’s been a long time since I was able to walk in comfort. I swear, if I didn’t have my stick the last time we were in Mexico, I’d still be crawling along the beach somewhere.”

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca