I found 2 small trees in the woods. one with 3 twists and another with 9 twists. the 9 twist one had 3 twists down low and another 6 higher up so it made 2. I gave one to my mother-in-law and one to a leagally blind man in my chorus. This on I kept for myself.
The first 2 I took down to the bare wood and gave them a dark stain. but while pealing the bark off the first 2, I found that there was an inner bark that was a deep red and just under that was a yellowish layer. I took off the outer bark and leaving the inner bark where ever it did not come completely off on the frist cut then a light sanding and 3 coast of polyurithane.
I was really happy at how it came out...problem is I havn't found anymore twitsted sticks since.