Historically, walking sticks have been made from a wide variety of materials. Metal sticks and plastic crutches are standard issue these days from hospitals and physiotherapists, but most people still prefer to have a wooden walking stick. Wooden walking sticks have a certain elegance to them and, of course, each one is unique, which is more than can be said for the mass produced metal sticks and canes. Basically, any strong, hard wood is suitable for making a walking stick and traditionally, they are made from the wood of ash, cedar, cherry, chestnut, hazel, oak, orange or rattan trees. You should ensure that the wooden stick that you choose is suitable in terms of the amount of weight it can support, as the different woods all have a different strength. Many people make a living from hand crafting walking sticks from wood. A quick Google search online will throw up a number of sites dedicated to making bespoke walking sticks, made specifically to your measurements and decorated and finished to suit your tastes. It is especially important with wooden walking sticks and canes that you use an appropriate ferrule (the rubber or metal bit that goes on the bottom). Wood is very sensitive to water and if left unprotected, water can seep into the stick and weaken it. In extreme cases, the wood can be weakened so much that it starts to split - or even worse it can break. The FlexyFoot replacement walking stick ferrule has been specially designed to be used with any shape or size of walking sticks and will protect your wooden walking stick from the elements. It also provides other benefits such as increased comfort and stability, as well as offering superior grip. To learn more about FlexyFoot, click on this link: FlexyFoot Walking Stick Ferrules