BAIÃO On Line - Cane Walking Stick From Gestaçô - bengal baton cane walking stick handmade artifact

ARTISANAL WOOD CANES
FROM GESTAÇÔ

HANDMADE WOODEN WALKING STICKS

The parish of Gestaçô (Baião, North of Portugal) is well-known by its handmade canes. The ancient artisanal technique is passed through generations of craftsmen. My great-grandfather was a cane craftsman of Gestaçô.
The canes are made of wood (cherry tree an others).

Below some photos of the workshop of my cousin Eduardo at Gestaçô. It receives visits of pupils organized by schools.

MANUFACTURE

I - NATURAL

This kind of cane uses the natural form of the tree twig bifurcation (see the left figure).
In this case, trees that give almost straight and smooth twigs are used.
The twig is cut in appropriate places. The cut twig tip serves as a handle or to sculpture a figurehead.
The way to finish the part is the same one
(described to follow) for the warped and roughed-hew canes.

II - WARPED AND ROUGHED-HEW

	The trees are sawed into logs.
	The logs of wood are sawed into boards.
	The boards are piled. The wood continues drying.
	Boards are sawed into raw sticks with dimensions next to the cane size.
	One stick is taken and one extremity is immersed into boiling water. After, this extremity is bent to form the curve of the handle.
	A mold of iron is used to reach the curved shape of the handle. A cramp is used to keep the curve while the wood is drying.
	The cane are levelled, using a hand plane. The square section ís approached to a circular section.
	The cane is roughed-hew with a rasp and sandpapered.
	Now the craftsman's skill takes place. Using a set of chisels the craftsman carves, cuts the wood surface, sculpturing and creating ornaments. CHISELS A kind of curved chisel is used to make ridges in the wood surface. CURVED CHISEL
	Finally, cane is varnished. The varnish is made by the craftsman . The varnish protects and the cane becomes showy. Some kind of details (metal, etc) can be applied over the cane's surface. Instead of the brush is common to use a ball of cotton to apply the varnish. The canes are put on a kind of hanger to dry and to be exposed.

MINIATURE CANES

Miniature canes are "souvenirs", or toys. Measure approximately 10 inche (27 centimeters).

ORDERING

The medium price of the canes is about US$ 7.50 (1.500$00). Miniatures: US$ 5 (1.000$00) each.
Must be added the postal cost that depends on the way and distance of delivery.
Contact - send mail to:

EDUARDO AGOSTINHO FERRAZ CARDOSO
LUGAR DA ESTRADA GESTAÇÔ
4640-230 GESTAÇÔ-BAIÃO
PORTUGAL

US$ 1 ~ 1 EURO ~ 200$00 escudos

Visit
http://www.canes.org
A site for Antique Canes and Walking Sticks: The Structure, Art and History of Decorative and Gadget Canes.

ANTERIOR

PRINCIPAL

SOBRE BAIÃO

UTILIDADES

APONTADORES

NOVIDADES

^^^ CARREGUE NO TEXTO PARA IR PARA PÁGINA DESEJADA ^^^

Questions? Send e-mail.[email protected]
Created by Marcos Ferraz 10 MARÇO 2000

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