It’s absolutely minging outside in this one, so instead of heading out with the camera I’m back in the workshop making what I call the king of thumbsticks: a red deer antler thumb stick. I use thumbsticks loads when I’m out walking, and there’s just something about deer antler—looks the business, it’s extremely strong, and if you build it properly it’ll genuinely last a lifetime. The tricky bit isn’t the actual making, it’s finding the right antler and a shank that suits it, because every piece is unique in profile and section. I take you through the whole build: selecting a comfy antler “V”, removing the spongiosa (that crunchy-bar honeycomb core) and replacing it with an epoxied-in oak dowel so the handle doesn’t weaken over time. Then it’s about getting the shank right—cutting to length, removing nubs, and straightening with heat so it’s not a wonky donkey. From there I show how I use a hardwood spacer for a proper aesthetic transition, and I only ever attach these with threaded bar for strength. Finally it’s sanding, end caps, a brass ferrule, and finishing—plus a couple of little tips like alignment marks and drilling a tiny breather hole to stop epoxy airlocks.