Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Do you carve your snake sticks from other woods or do you stick with yellow poplar? I ask because you've inspired me to carve my own walking staff. I work in wetlands quite a bit and need a rot resistant wood, I've obtained a nice 5 foot 6" x 6" in red cedar that I'm going to work on. Keeping this on topic, of course I'll be carving an eastern kingsnake.

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Bob Bull
1.3 L.g.getula MD Locality
3.4 L.g.g GA locality
2.3 L.g.g albino
1.4 L.g.g het albino
1.2 L.g.g P-het albino
1.0 L.g.floridana super peanutbutter
0.2 L.g.f. peanutbutter
1.0 L.g.f. N.E. axanthic
1.0 L.g.nigrita
1.1 L.t.hondurensis het hypo-melanistic

HAHAHA

Bob, I swear I can see you now as this old guy wearing a bolo tie and speaking at nature camps for bad kids while leaning on your new "staff"

And yes --- since we have actually met several times, the description (future description) is totally accurate.

I dare you to deny it Bob!
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Peter Jolles
East Coast Colubrids
www.eastcoastcolubrids.com

except for the bad kids part...I'd play Whack-a-mole with them. Actually, more like the crazy grizzled through hiker on the AT. I'm down to a goatee for the summer.
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Bob Bull
1.3 L.g.getula MD Locality
3.4 L.g.g GA locality
2.3 L.g.g albino
1.4 L.g.g het albino
1.2 L.g.g P-het albino
1.0 L.g.floridana super peanutbutter
0.2 L.g.f. peanutbutter
1.0 L.g.f. N.E. axanthic
1.0 L.g.nigrita
1.1 L.t.hondurensis het hypo-melanistic

I use almost exclusively yellow popular. If you have any question while carving Bob, drop an e-mail. I'll be glad to answer any of them for you. Best of luck to you on it. Let me know how it turns out.

Toby

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www.Wood-N-Snakes.com

Thanks for the reply. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions. I'm carving a turtle out of mulberry, which was a dumb wood to pick its too hard, I have to sharpen, sharpen, sharpen... Sharpening tools is worse than cleaning cages. LOL.
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Bob Bull
1.3 L.g.getula MD Locality
3.4 L.g.g GA locality
2.3 L.g.g albino
1.4 L.g.g het albino
1.2 L.g.g P-het albino
1.0 L.g.floridana super peanutbutter
0.2 L.g.f. peanutbutter
1.0 L.g.f. N.E. axanthic
1.0 L.g.nigrita
1.1 L.t.hondurensis het hypo-melanistic

Aren't you using a dremel tool with a variable foot pedal?

They also make wood burning bits that are from actual snake scales. I have a set of fish scales and snake scale wood burning tips.

I use a Fordham dremel tool.

Kerby...

me or Bob.....If you was asking me then the answer is no, I use almost all hand tools mallet and gouges. Once all the roughing out is done I will use just a plain orbital sander to smooth out the edges of the snake. I use not to even do that but found that they end up looking much nicer. And for the scales I have tried the snake scale tip and did not like them (not real enough looking for me) But I DO use a burner to burn in the scales with tips that I make myself. Kinda the same for the eyes, I wasn't happy with the eyes you can get from a taxidermist as they didnt have the right color so I found a way to make my own eyes and color them the color that I needed for each snake.

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www.Wood-N-Snakes.com

Toby, I was basically asking both.

I agree that the snake eyes from the taxidermy supply companies aren't that accurate. Just in rattlesnakes alone, the color of the eye is different for each species of rattlesnake.

To fix that I buy the flint eyes (round pupil for non-ven) and the (cat-eye type for venomous) and then end up painting them for accuracy.

The fish and snake scale tips are accurate as they are reproductions from real fish/snake scales. The same problem here occurs in that venomous and non-ven have different type of scales.

BTW, you do great work!

Here is a pic of an Arizona Black Rattlesnake (skin mount) that I did in 1997. This year the Arizona Taxidermy Artists Assoc (ATAA) is hosting the 5th Western Regional Taxidermy Competition (Best In The West!) in June in Mesa, AZ. I will be competing in Reproductions this year instead of skin mounts.

Also, here is the link to some of my taxidermy work over the years (over 30 LOL)

Kerby...

Taxidermy pics

Thanks Kerby,
Your work looks great as well. I used the taxidermy eyes on the first few the same as you, but I just wasnt happy no having the right colors. Maybe with the scale tips I just didnt have a hot enough burner. I use the Colwood Detailer and it just didnt seem like it got hot enough to really leave a good enough impression. So I got to checking and found out how to make my own tips and have been every since. They work great for the nons but the venomous scales I still havent got like I want them to be. But as of lately most of the pieces I have been doing have been nons. I love doing the works, If I didnt sell some from time to time I would have a house full!!! They have turn into something like my snake collection...the more I get the more I want. As soon as I finish one Im starting another which keep in mind I ALWAYS have three or four going at all times....lol. Im working on a cobra right now that is only the second time I have tried one, This one is turning out great. Well except Horridus the other day pointed out that I had two different species paint scheme on it....LOL... Just shows I dont know that much about cobras, just going by pics.

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www.Wood-N-Snakes.com

HEHE, I know where THAT stick went!
Todd Hughes

Kerby, I'm using knives, and chisel, and a dremel. I'm still experimenting with techniques. I'm thinking of cutting scales with a gunsmithing checkering tool maybe 12 lines per inch or wider if I can find the proper tooling.
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Bob Bull
1.3 L.g.getula MD Locality
3.4 L.g.g GA locality
2.3 L.g.g albino
1.4 L.g.g het albino
1.2 L.g.g P-het albino
1.0 L.g.floridana super peanutbutter
0.2 L.g.f. peanutbutter
1.0 L.g.f. N.E. axanthic
1.0 L.g.nigrita
1.1 L.t.hondurensis het hypo-melanistic

The checkering tool and even looked into them, BUT I think if you use them and can make it look about right they (scales) will end up looking to uniform. Look into Colwood burners and thier tips. Takes time doing one scale at a time but the end result is well worth it. Several on here have one of my sticks Im sure they could chime in with the detailing of the scales. I also use a straight line tip to put on the facial scales, I need to get a good close up of the face, I tried cutting in the scales in the begining even have several that I sold that was all carved scales but I wasnt happy with the look.

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www.Wood-N-Snakes.com

You're right about that it might look too uniform. The tedium of each doesn't bother me the checkering was just an idea. I'll look into the burner.

Thanks,
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Bob Bull
1.3 L.g.getula MD Locality
3.4 L.g.g GA locality
2.3 L.g.g albino
1.4 L.g.g het albino
1.2 L.g.g P-het albino
1.0 L.g.floridana super peanutbutter
0.2 L.g.f. peanutbutter
1.0 L.g.f. N.E. axanthic
1.0 L.g.nigrita
1.1 L.t.hondurensis het hypo-melanistic

Hey Toby!, I have been posting on this site for a short while.I could'nt help but notice your outrageously realistic looking carvings.My ? is, do you do these sticks to order?If so, do you carve any snake?I would love to have a walking stick with a copperhead or an eastern hognose.If you are willing to (you are obviosly capable!)Let me know how much! Thanks!, jeff

I do them all kinds of ways to order or just one that I want to be carving. Im usually carving one or two at all times. It has past being a hobby now I think it is an obsession!!!! Contact me via e-mail and we can discuss it further.Heres a western hoggie that I done.

Toby

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www.Wood-N-Snakes.com

showing all them "CHOICE" sticks ,,,,im dying,oilwell lets see some more!,,,,,,,thomas

I finally made it back on nightshift, So I'll have a little more free time. I'll get pics of YOUR stick this weekend. And come close to finishing it!!!
Toby

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www.Wood-N-Snakes.com

This is just like egg hatching...the anticipation is a killer, but the wait is well worth it, I assure you! Toby, put up a pic of the speck stick. I ain't got my camera yet.
Todd Hughes

This is the only pic I have here Todd (at work tonight). I'll post one of the better ones tomorrow Todd.

Toby

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www.Wood-N-Snakes.com

The finished product is WAYYYYYY better! Toby, thanks again and post some pics of those calis! This is the best walking stick out there. My moniter shows a lemon yellow in your pic, but you toned it down perfect! She was the best looking speck I ever caught ...until the other day! I think I got a sib to her under a board I set out. Wow! It is gonna be a great year!
Todd Hughes

That was a pic I took early on, and later decided that it did need to be toned down. I'll have to look and find one of the finished pics that I took of it before sending it to you. OH and congrats on the find,hope this one turns out as nice as the other!!!!

Toby

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www.Wood-N-Snakes.com

hey thats cool toby,i just love seeing the pics of your finished sticks they sooooooo rock,,,,,,thomas

That scarlet king looks alive! jeff