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If you want to find out a littke of someone‘s history, you‘ll hopefully ask the right questions and you‘ll get your information. Sometimes, however, you may have to take many walks down memory lane in pursuit of this knowlâ€" edge. Carl Polzin makes reminiscing easy for his friends and relatives. He carves their history into broomsticks, using intricate Roman symbols and figures to ;'epresent the different stages of their ives. Polzin, 53, a mechanical maintenance employee at the Waterloo campus of Conestoga College, developed his caryâ€" ing skills with a background in cabinet making and a love of hiking. Previous to beginning work at the college in 1980, Polzin worked out of Toronto as a superintendent of conâ€" struction. He worked his way up in the business from laborer at 14 years of age to one of the highest positions in the construction industry. After years of "my wife always driving me to the airport for business trips" and "working seven days a week until 11 p.m.," Polzin decided he needed a job change. Polzin uses brass hames baills to top his walking sticks. Local woodcarver etches histories in walking sticks 91 Queen St. S., Kitchener, Ont. f (at Charles) For information and reservations call:\ TAHITI NEW ZEALAND * AUSTRALIA Hong KonG « THAILAND SEYCHELLES * EGYPT \ NoveEmBER Ist â€" 22nD, 1986 (519) 579â€"1160 AN EXCLUSIVE TOUR arranged by Kathy Hammond photo ‘"I‘m working now for oneâ€"third of the salary I made in construction," Polzin said, but added, "I love my job. The hours are regular, the work is steady, and I have more time at home." The job has allowed Polzin the time to do more of the things he had always enjoyed, like hiking. _ _ S "When I‘d go hiking I‘d always bend down and pick up a walking stick,. I decided I should make my own."" Using sticks found out on trails or branches groomed from trees at the grounds of the Waterloo campus, Polzin would smooth away the rough edges and add his personal touch, a unique handle. He then decided to get a little more personal. Using broomsticks, he carves symbols reflecting periods of someâ€" one‘s life into the shaft, creating not only a walking stick but a memento that could be passed down generation to generation. Once familiar with the worldâ€"wide symbols Polzin uses, a glance at Polzin‘s own stick will reveal his life at home, his working years, his service years, his relationships, marriage, birth of his daughter and so on. Polzin also makes a walking stick that is not only of high quality, but looks elegant. e o Using yippee wood from Malaysia, which will not warp over the years, as up to 90 per cent of other woods will, Polzin hand works the entire stick. Using files and a wood plane he tapers the stick into its slender shape. After six coats of glossy black paint, Polzin fits the end of the walking stick with a rubber tip for safety. The stick is then ready for some finishing touches which are the most crucial part of making the stick. Usinf; hames balls (the brass balls seen around the collar of a show horse‘s neck), Polzin creates the stick‘s hanâ€" dle. The hames balls are manufactured by a local Mennonite who ships thousands of them to the United States due to the large numbers of show horses there. The balls do not get into Polzin‘s hands in a finished form, however. After being rolled in sand to remove some of the roughness of the casting, "an additional 15 hours of sanding and polishing are needed to finish the bail itself. After 15 hours I might find a tiny pot hole in the brass. I can‘t sand it away or the ball will lose its sphere. The ball would be useless," Polzin said. Before being attached to the walking stick, Polzin adds the most visible BOWLING SUNDAY MORNING SPECIAL ‘"‘Lowest Rates in Town‘" 14 PRHIOCHSS S$T. WESst Wateorios 8886â€"2900 or 8886â€"2370 Saturday, Noonâ€"10 p.m. Sunday, Noonâ€"6 p.m. Call For Other Available Times OPEN BOWLING DAILY ALL YOU CAN BOWL FOR $3.50 10 a.m.â€"12 noon creative touch. Using a dentist‘s drill he carves a delicate symbol or design representing something personal to the owner. For his own walking stick he has carved a map of the world. His wife‘s is adorned with flowers. Polzin displays some of his handâ€"crafted walking sticks. A brass name plate finishes the product. Though Polzin hand inscribed his nowâ€"deceased Mother‘s name plate, he feels it "looks too unprofessional." He now goes to a jewellers and has the name inscribed deep enough to last a life time. Both the name plate and the hames ball are attached to the walking stick with a special homeâ€"made glue which will keep bonded, even though the wood expands and contracts. wlrnwjitixflst" the two years that Polzin began making his walking sticks he has made about 25, mainly for friends and family. WATERLOO EHRONICLE, WEDNESOAY i\' CHANCES P â€" RETALRANT: He has made one special walking stick however. In January 1985, he presented a stick to president of Conestoga College Ken Hunter. The stick bears the college‘s crest in the handle as well as a picture of a Conestogo wagon. The presidents of Conestoga College are displayed in brass plates down the shaft of the stick. ' When showing his walking sticks, Polzin is careful to point out that they are not canes. "Old people don‘t like to use canes. Tell them you admire their cane and you immediately disable them. If you call it a walking stick instead, they‘ll immediately brighten up. They feel more distinguished." w;llâ€"u;lg\;lth one of Polzin‘s walking sticks should do just that. MARCH 19. 1986 â€" PAGE 5 Kathy Hammond photo