Care instructions
A Gillis Cane is made using old-world craftsmanship and fine, natural materials. Its easy to care for one but a few things should be paid attention to. I liken a Gillis Cane to a piece of fine wood furniture in your home - with a little care it will pass on through generations.
SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE
Sunlight (UV light in particular) will change the appearance of wood over time; woods can darken, lighten, lose color, or gain color. To preserve original appearance avoid storing or displaying your Gillis Cane in a place that receives direct sun light, or bright indirect light. By storing in a dark corner most woods will remain unchanged for many years.
HEAT EXPOSURE
Wood is an organic material that contains moisture within the wood cells; it does not like rapid and drastic fluctuations in temperature and environment. Do not leave your Gillis Cane in a hot automobile or siting outside in the sunshine or freezing temperatures, the rapid loss or abortion of moisture, often caused by changes in temperature or environment could cause cracks and splits to develop in the wood that compromise its strength.
WATER EXPOSURE
If your Gillis Cane or walking stick has gotten wet it will need to be dried off with a cloth. Most Gillis Canes are finished with a natural linseed oil based finish which is water resistant, but not entirely water proof. Water should not be allowed to sit on the surface for a prolonged period of time or it can cause water spots.
IF ITS BECOME DIRTY
Simply clean with a cloth. But if its gritty dirt, don’t rub it across the cane surface or it can scratch the finish, brush off without rubbing.
IF ITS BECOME OILY
It’s best to use a cloth and wipe the oils into the cloth. Its not advised to use soaps or detergents, there are countless cleaning products and its untested what effect it will have on the wood finish over time.
HAND SANITIZER
Most hand sanitizers are alcohol based, alcohol will dissolve the natural oiled based finish used on most Gillis Canes. Make sure its fully absorbed before holding your Gillis Cane. During COVID a few customers reported wearing through the finish on their Gillis Cane’s handle within a couple months because of frequent hand sanitizer usage.
DROPPING A GILLIS CANE
Dropping a Gillis Cane or walking stick onto hard surfaces such as asphalt or tile will damage the wood and finish and eventually could cause cracks to form in the wood. This is a concern based on the individual user. If you’re new to owning a cane or know you are prone to dropping your cane, a wrist strap is recommended to preserve the original appearance of your Gillis Cane.
Canes with lapidary end stones on the handle are the most prone to damage from dropping. These canes are best used with a wrist strap to avoid accidents.
APPLYING WEIGHT
The purpose of a cane is primarily to aid in balance but sometimes it’s necessary to put some extra weight onto it, do so directly over the shaft of the cane. The cane shaft transfers weight directly into the ground and should function in such a fashion for generations. Applying weight over the arch of the handle or on the back end of the handle causes stress on the connection between the handle and the shaft of the cane, and since the weight is applied off-center from the shaft it could cause the shaft of the cane to bend. Wood is meant to bend, and the cane is sturdy, but habitual usage as described or application of excessive weight could lead to breakage
Most Gillis Canes can bear plenty of weight without concern, but it does depend on the specific cane. Those I don’t recommend for bearing weight I will state so in the original listing description for the cane - most of which end up being made from burl wood.
For some users a medical walking aid is the safest option. I do my very best to build the best canes possible out of the best materials available. But wood can still be unpredictable and can break despite my best efforts.
RUBBER TIP REPLACEMENT
Eventually the rubber tip wears through, I have a page on my website (Gilliscanes.com) dedicated to helping you find a replacement rubber tip like the original. This page in located under “LEARN MORE” on the main navigation.
If your Gillis Cane or walking stick has a metal ferrule bottom with a low profile rubber tip, this is a specialty piece that I make and I will need to supply a replacement for you.
PRESERVING THE FINISH
Most Gillis Canes are finished with a natural linseed oil based finish called “Tru-Oil” by Birchwood and Casey brand. This finish is originally designed for gun stocks and is meant for demanding hand-held use in a range of environments. I’ve found its been the perfect finish for most Gillis Canes. The oil finish both absorbs into the wood and builds up like a varnish over the surface of the wood for excellent protection and preservation.
If you plan on using a Gillis Cane regularly or daily, overtime your hand can rub through the finish that’s built up on the surface of the wood. Its advised for heavy use canes to apply a layer of furniture wax every other month or few months, or as often as you’d like, there no harm in adding layers of wax. The wax will serve as a new, hard layer of protection over the original finish. A routine of regularly applying a new protective layer will help ensure a Gillis cane stays fresh and beautiful.
Waxes are available at most hardware stores, such as Minmax brand paste finishing wax in the yellow tin (which I use). There’s a stagger number of different wax products on the market, it doesn’t need to be anything fancy. Or check your basement for a tin of wax, they last for ages.
WEARING RINGS AND JEWLERY
Plain skin can eventually wear through the finish on wood, metal does faster.
REPAIRS
Sometimes a Gillis Cane needs a little attention from its maker, and I’m happy to help. Damage to the finish, roughed and damaged wood, or even cracks and splits in the wood are all usually repairable. I don’t typically charge anything for repairs, I’m not interested in profiting from this service. But I do ask for customers to pay shipping both ways by including some money in the box so that it is not an expense for me beyond my time.
I am grateful to everyone who chooses to support my work by owning a Gillis Cane or walking stick, thank you!
Shawn Gillis
Gilliscanes.com
607 377 4897