Back at the Des Moines Ren Faire I picked up a promising stick and started to see if I could make it into a cane. Looking at after I got back I realized there was an awkward kink in it. So tonight I tried to straighten it out.

I don’t have anything like the proper equipment for steam bending, but this was only single kink that needed to be bent, or rather unbent, about 20 degrees. So I brought a large pot of water to a boil and placed the stick over the open top, kink in the center. I steamed it for about 1 1/2 hours and quickly carried it to the shop, put it in my big leg vise, and turned the crank. Rather to my surprise, it it straighten out without breaking. It is still there now, and I am going to leave in the vise for at least a couple days. If this works it will make a much better cane.