Kevin's Raising Cane. Wood Spirit Canes and Carvings

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Canton, OH
Kevin's Raising Cane. Wood Spirit Canes and Carvings

Primarily Wood Spirit type carvings but I have also delved into other types of carvings too. Within a couple of hours I was paralyzed from the waist down.

How It All Started
14 May 2008 I was hit with a rare disorder called Transverse Myelitis....basically my own immune system attacked itself and attacked the covering of the nerve along my spine in my tailbone area. This happened at 1:00 am and woke me from a sleep with burning pain. Now, through a year of physical therapy and some recovery I can now walk with a cane and that kind of brings me to this..I can no longer work a typical normal job because of certain physical and mental limitations as well as some of the medications I'm on for pain. So that brings me to this...when I started walking with a cane I went to the drug store to try and find something that was somewhat "stylish" as I don't typically like your normal run of the mill things...I'm pretty eccentric when it comes to my tastes in many things. Well, that cane lasted about a month before I decided that it was too boring and I had to do something about it....
One day I was at the store and saw a wood carving magazine with an article about wood spirit carving. I got the magazine and read through it and then went on the internet and found some more info and as luck may have it, I had a set of wood carving tools from long ago. So, I broke out the tools and dug around in the back yard for some acceptable wood and went to work. I've always had a knack for working with my hands but it has always been on mechanical things...although I've always enjoyed and appreciated the beauty of carved wood. Well, here's my chance to give it a go. Things are still a work in progress but I must be doing something right because I have had very positive remarks from everyone that has seen my canes and carvings. I even had some very positive comments..comments that my carvings are "handsome and strong" from an artist that I know in New York that also has TM. So, take a look....all the canes and carvings that I have pictures of on here, are either already sold or have been given away as gifts. If you would like one, I take orders. I typically don't maintain a stock of ones pre-made because I would rather know that I am making one specifically for someone. Contact me and we'll go over all the details as far as sizing for the canes and such...
Thanks for stopping by.

10/12/2018

Cane that I made that my friend Rune is going to give his friend.

09/27/2018

Just a teaser of my latest cane.
I made this one for a friend in Finland.
I made him one years ago, for himself.
He messaged me a few weeks ago and asked if I would make one for him to give to a friend of his, to give as a gift.
My friend is a professional artist and photographer as is his friend...
My friend is going to take some professional photo's of it when it arrives and I will post those.

07/31/2018

Finished my 10 year Transverse Myelitis anniversary cane.
First time I've ever tried doing any wood burning to highlight certain areas.
Two things...I need to get a better wood burner with more wattage and I also need more practice.
I've seen people that do woodburning and the detail they produced was perfect. They had a pro woodburner tool with much better tips that allowed them more precise lines.
I'm happy with this one being that it is my first piece using this technique but there is room for improvement....

07/09/2018

My latest wood wizard carving for a very wonderful friend..
I hope that she loves it.....

03/13/2018

My newest cane. Another cane going to a friend and her husband.
So nice being able to make an addition to their family...😉

01/01/2018

Wood Spirit I carved for my good friend Kevin Nichols.

12/31/2017

My newest creation.
I had gotten a message a couple of weeks back from a local woman that found my info online.
She explained that she has a friend that had a wood carved cane that was broken in a car crash that she was in.
The woman had found a new carved wooden cane at a flea market and after having it for a short while she decided that she really didn't like it.
So......this woman that contacted me decided to get her friend one of my canes that she believes she will really like.
She liked the way I carve mine and the style that I carve them in....
I delivered it to her today and she was super pleased with it.
So.....here are a couple of pictures of my new cane....
I gotta say too.....that this is the first time that I've had someone just happen to find my info online and looked at my work and contacted me to have one made.
The majority of the canes and carvings that I've done in the past were either for family or for people that I know from my Transverse Myelitis support group.
It's pretty cool that someone just found me and had me make a cane for them....

08/07/2017

I am going to start collaborating with Colin Macgregor Jones on some of my canes and walking sticks....
Colin and I met in WalMart one day and hit it off and I stopped by his place one day to check out his work. I was very impressed with how he uses feathers, paracord, beads and mineral rocks in his canes and sticks.
We are now making one for a friend of mine and I am anxious to see how it's going to come out.....
Here's just a couple of the ones that Colin has made.....
I love the one with the feather on it.....
I'll be updating things here as this walking stick comes along..

06/19/2017

Time for a long awaited update......
I just finished my 9 year TM anniversary cane.
I have typically made myself a new cane each year for my anniversary of my onset with Transverse Myelitis.....
I missed my 6 year cane because I was pretty depressed at the time and had no desire to make a cane....
This 9 year cane is actually late too.....
It's over a month late of its due date....which is May 14th...
I pushed myself this year though, to get it done. I'm glad I did too because I really like the way this one came out.
I like the natural defect in the wood of the handle. It became the mouth of the face....
In many of the canes I've made, I've tried to use some form of a natural defect or formation in the wood, and incorporate it somehow, in the face.

03/30/2017

http://kdweilacher.wixsite.com/kevinsraisingcane

Address

Canton, OH

Telephone

330-353-WOOD

Website