The info offered here is excellent. I have been using bamboo for several years (cause that what I can afford and what my sensei buys) and it just splinters and needs taping up all the time.
Do buy rattan sicks. I hope you enjoy training with them.

Here is a way you can make a safe stick. Take a piece of 1/2-inch pvc pipe cut it to 24 inches and put an end cap on both ends. Now find a "FUN NOODLE" pool toy cut it to 18 inches and slide it over the stick. Tape it down with cloth tape.
I am in a LARP group we make "swords" like this it will sting but not hurt. I have more info if wanted.

added stuff edit

I don't think you'll be able to get realistic training with something that big and bulky, plus it won't be weighted right.

they are truly not too bad
I have made flatter blades that work beter

Well I'd go with rattan as the best choice for an arnis stick for most people. Forget all the other fancy things and go with rattan, your hands will thank you for it! Plus its cheap and easily replaced.

What are the standards for a basic stick? Size weight Diameter? My UHMW sticks are 3/4 inches thick 24 inches long and weigh around 1pound each. The down side to them is that they will bend. But you can form them back in to shape. Almost unbreakable not good for use with rattan broke 3 pair if rattan sticks on my uhmw sticks. cost is low as well

Whatever feels right to handle.

My lancewood ones are very organic in look, I didnt plane them down so they taper from about 20mm at the hand end to about 18mm or so at the tip.

They are also very irregular in the handgrip which is one of the reasons I stopped using them because they hurt when hit hard.

They weigh twice what a rattan one does, but probably less than kamagong or your UHMW ones.

I removed advertising by ryangruhn which is against forum rules.

Please do not advertise in your signatures!!!

Hey there, I have been a practioner of FMA since the mid early nineties. There are a couple of places to get some solid good rattan sticks ( which you should be using in the beginning).

Combat Instruments LTD. ->The guys on this site are very friendly and extremely helpfull.

For training weaponry that is considered pretty good to smack around with (sparring) you might want to try the guys at Smak Sticks . Another bunch of good guys that know their audience well.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Walt

Just a wee thing to remember...

In the Philippines, rattan is for training. If they were fighting for real, it's a hardwood like kamagong, maulave, or bahi.

Have a look at the weight and density of your stick. Although you probably don't want to spar with a "battle" stick, most solo and some partner drills can be done with a harder/heavier stick.

Just remember to thoroughly warm up before swinging a bigger stick around. And for a partner drill, make sure they have equally solid weapons, or you're gonna wipe out their rattan at a rapid rate!