Wood?
But seriously, I've always thought of them as an ordinary stick, that can be used as a prop for walking or in the hands of a "magical" person, as a tool. Gandalf performs magic without his staff, note his description of his fight against the Balrog. His staff breaks on the bridge, but he's still lighting up the mountain.
I think Hama's got the best idea of a staff:
Quote:
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"The staff in the hand of a wizard may be more than a prop for age."~King of the Golden Hall
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The key being "in the hand of a wizard," in someone like Hama's hands, it would just be a piece of wood.