Rope Handle for Your Hiking Stick

I made a rope sling or a handle for my custom hiking stick. I made this so I can hang the stick on my shoulder when I don't need it. It also has a braided handle so I can put it around my arm when I am using it. I can also hang the stick in the shed for storage. This addition helps in the storage and usage of the stick.

Supplies

I bought a 50ft Polypropylene rope from home depot with a width of 3/16 in. Another supply was a wooden hiking stick. Mine was made by myself and had knotholes which helped me later on in this project.

Step 1: Finding the Stick

I found a relatively straight stick in the woods one day when I was hiking. It was about 5ft tall and 1.5 - 2 in. in width. Acquire a similar stick according to your liking.

Step 2: Crafting the Stick

Next, use a knife to shave the bark off of the stick. Once the bark is gone, use 100 grit sandpaper to smoothen the stick. This will remove any splinters on the stick. Make sure not to sand it too much or it will become thin and break.

Step 3: Waterproofing the Stick

THIS STEP IS OPTIONAL! Once you have your final product, use waterproof transparent paint to waterproof the stick. You can use non-transparent paint, but then your shavings would be covered. I got my paint from home-depot, but I could not find fully transparent paint, so I had to use semi-transparent paint. Either way, take your waterproof paint and cover your whole stick in the paint. Once layer one dries, apply a second layer to ensure waterproofing. If you want, you can apply a third layer, but it's not really necessary. Since you used transparent paint, your stick will be waterproof and you will be able to see your handy work.

Step 4: Braiding the Rope

Now, we are going to use the polypropylene rope and use it to make a handle/shoulder sling. We will be using two different kinds of braids. The first one is going to be the handle. BOTH BRAIDS ARE ON THE SAME ROPE.

Step 5: Braid #1

Cut the rope in half to make two ropes. You can seal the ends of the ropes by melting them with fire. Fold the two ropes in half. Then place the folded parts next to each other. Then get a zip tie or a rubber band and tie the two ends. Then make a loop in the two opposing ends. Then take the perpendicular ends and pass them through the loops. Then pull it tight. If this doesn't make sense then take a look at the pictures. Repeat these steps 40 times to make a handle.

Step 6: Braid #2

This braid will be much simpler than the last. Split the 4 ropes into 3 groups. One group of 2 and two groups of 1. The group of 2 will stay in the middle while the two groups of 1 will go over and under the group of 2. There is a picture for reference of the pattern. It is self-explanatory and if I tried to explain I would end up making it worst.

Step 7: Tying the Braid

To attach the handle, use the loop at the beginning of the handle to slide it onto the stick. On the other end, take the two groups of 1 and tie them together using a square knot. Then loop the group of 2 around the pole and tie them together with a flower knot. I chose a flower knot so you can open the braid up again and change it if you want.

Step 8: The Final Product

If you followed all the 7 steps then your hiking stick should look like this: