How Many are Now Carrying a Cane?

[glistam]

Hi CJ_74. Not personally handled sticks from that seller (Purpleheart Armory) but some fellows I know swear by their wooden swords (HEMA fighters). Price seems pretty reasonable, but I'd shop around too. I feel like I have seen slightly better deals on similar sticks, but I'm not certain where.

Personally I like to make my own and half the fun is hunting for that one that is just right. The popular "fighter" woods are Osage Orange, Oak, American Hornbeam, Hickory and Black Walnut.

Regarding carrying a staff as opposed to a cane, that's an interesting topic. Much of that is a matter of taste and practicality. On the "pro" side, I work in a hospital where all manner of patients use walking aids, and I see a fair number with actual wooden staves (4-5.5 feet) to get around, both young and old. They tell me they find it empowering to have a nice-looking, unique stick to lean on. Another story is my old aikido sensei, who used to walk around Washington DC with a mahogany-colored oak jō. To paint that picture, he was a 5'1" bald fellow, with his two young kids and a chocolate lab. When he'd stop at a crosswalk, he'd hold it horizontally and his kids would grab onto it, his dog would lay down. He never had anyone give him trouble for having his stick. Now on the other hand, I also used to walk with a 5 ft staff when I lived in rural western Maryland. Since I walked everywhere, it worked. But when I moved to downtown Baltimore, I found the length too cumbersome. It was hard to maneuver on buses and subways, and when I sat down at places, it was hard to find a place to put the stick. I eventually cut it down to cane size. So I guess that part is up to you and your environment.

[USAF_Vet]

CJ 74, making them is half the fun. I've made three recently, two for myself and one intended as a gift.

They are practical, since I have shoddy knees and a reoccuring back problem, I can get away with carrying them pretty much anywhere.

The last one I made for my personal use has a nice large knob on one end, but has the curvature of a katana. I can deploy and utilize it as a bokken in a split second from any standing position. It's not as neat looking as my hooked root cane, but I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it, that's for sure.


I've laquered over the bark, which provides a nice grip. I'm considering doing a woodburning design down the length of the shaft, I just can't decide what.

[USAF_Vet]

Be sure to post pics when it comes in.

[Deltaboy]

Love all these Canes so far.

[Deltaboy]

Tough week I had to use my oak stock cane pert near every day.

[Deltaboy]

Stock Show canes have served me well and relative inexpensive.

[Deltaboy]

Most are made from Hickory work great.

[CollinLeon]

Originally Posted by CJ_74

That's what I have Deltaboy. They just called it a "whip" so I did too. I guess it's because it's used like a whip to control livestock. It works well as a cane and as a club. I suppose anything meant to keep cattle in line would do ok against humans.

I've broke them before... If a cow decides to "nudge" you when you are putting your weight on the cane (i.e. you need it to walk also), they can snap it relatively easy... That's why my current cane is made from the hickory handle of a maul / sledge hammer...

[Owen Sparks]

Yesterday I attempted to break up a dog fight with a lightweight stick with ZERO results. My big male German Shepherd jumped on a smaller male and had him down. My quandry was to end the fight without hurting my dogs so I grabbed a slender 13 ounce blackthorn out of the umbrella holder by the front door and lit into the big dog hitting him only on the meaty part of his shoulder and hip so as to cause pain but not injury. He acted like he did not even feel it. Fortunatly the fight ended a few seconds later when both dogs rolled off the porch and became seperated. Neither was hurt. I am convinced that a determined human would act the same if in a rage, drunk or high and be temporairily immune to pain from a lightweight whip like stick.

[Ghost Tracker]

I am convinced that a determined human would act the same if in a rage, drunk or high and be temporairily immune to pain from a lightweight whip like stick

That's the age-old argument of "caliber" & we're not the first to have it. I'm a cane user as well. By what I've been able to learn, most defensive cane (self-proclaimed) "experts" say 1.5-2 lbs. is an ideal weight for a defensive cane in the hands a capable user with an average level of strength & training. Anything lighter relies too heavily on "sting". Anything heavier swings too much like a club. Two pounds packs a nice compromise between speed & smash.

[Ghost Tracker]

if you really want to make an "impression" a good club will certainly do the job

Yep, no doubt. But a club is a bit more overt than a graybeard like me with a cane. BTW, (ratty) antique shops are GREAT spots to find sturdy, well-worn, cheap oak canes. If it looks like you've needed & used it for decades, it makes defending yourself with it a much bigger SURPRISE! Shock & surprise are ALWAYS your friends if you're the one introducing them...to the fight.

[Strykervet]

Originally Posted by Owen Sparks

Yesterday I attempted to break up a dog fight with a lightweight stick with ZERO results. My big male German Shepherd jumped on a smaller male and had him down. My quandry was to end the fight without hurting my dogs so I grabbed a slender 13 ounce blackthorn out of the umbrella holder by the front door and lit into the big dog hitting him only on the meaty part of his shoulder and hip so as to cause pain but not injury. He acted like he did not even feel it. Fortunatly the fight ended a few seconds later when both dogs rolled off the porch and became seperated. Neither was hurt. I am convinced that a determined human would act the same if in a rage, drunk or high and be temporairily immune to pain from a lightweight whip like stick.

I've been in defensive situations before and had the crap beat out of me more time than I care to remember. Glad that is all in the past. I didn't feel a thing when it happened though. It has more to do with the individual and body chemistry, which changes during a fight. When you feel that rush, the pain just goes out the window. I've taken blows to the head that made me see light but felt no pain at all. I learned this from experience, and along with it, to never ignore that gut feeling.

If you are going to depend on a stick, you better have one that can break bones. I've also seen a guy attack another guy with a butcher knife over a girl, and after the second guy blew the first guy's leg off at the thigh with a judicious load of buckshot, he crawled towards him using the butcher knife to claw the ground like Chucky the doll in a horror movie. He didn't stop, and he didn't feel any pain.

I use a cane from time to time, but as a medical aid and not defense. I have a pretty bad back and my knees are shot too. But I saw and experienced a lot of stuff getting them this way, and I can't say I've ever been in a fight or defensive situation where pain alone would have stopped me. Once you reach that "him or me" point, pain is long gone. Pain is to stop logical beings from causing further damage, and humans in combat aren't logical at all. For instance, cops will jump up and down when shot at --they know they need to find cover, but it just doesn't compute.

In my experience, my own body has caused me more pain than any other person could as long as I could put up a fight. Get mulitple back problems and a small intestinal blockage at once and then talk to me about pain. It is the reason gunshots don't always work, sometimes a drop in blood pressure or an anchoring shot or blow is all that will work.

As long as you know this and have no illusions as to what a human can take in defense or on the attack, you'll be okay. Just rest assured most folks can't muster this kind of action on their own --it is spurred by fight or flight. Without the rush that accompanies that, because you can feel it happeing, the attacker is dependent completely on their logical faculties, which only goes so far in a fight.

Basically, the more violent your opponent, regardless of size, the more difficult they will be to handle. If the violence is natural, look out. Some folks CAN muster natural violence at will, but it is rare. Most of 'em are already in prison for it, they get caught up at an early age.

But walking around like Bruce Lee when you aren't Bruce Lee is a good way to get the snot beat out of you. Some folks look for a challenge, and a guy with a walking stick may be a guy without a firearm, and a guy with a walking stick in his firing hand sure is one guy that won't be completing his draw in record time when it counts. Speak softly and carry a big stick --preferably one that shoots bullets.

[Bobson]

Originally Posted by Strykervet

I've also seen a guy attack another guy with a butcher knife over a girl, and after the second guy blew the first guy's leg off at the thigh with a judicious load of buckshot, he crawled towards him using the butcher knife to claw the ground like Chucky the doll in a horror movie. He didn't stop, and he didn't feel any pain.

...you saw this in person?!

Where's the emoticon for a jaw hitting the floor? Pretty powerful post, Strykervet.

[CollinLeon]

For the most part, if you are using the typical cane in a defensive situation, you would be relying upon pain compliance. If the other person's pain receptors are not working as well as you might prefer (either from drugs, alcohol, or just adrenaline), pain compliance might not have the effect upon the person that you are hoping for. On the other hand, if you break bones, you have a better chance of slowing down the person. It's rather difficult for someone to chase you after you've taken out their knee. I've been shot and I didn't realize it until afterward due to the adrenaline flowing at that time.

[glistam]

Major props for Strykervet and CollinLeon. That is the exact school of thought I have had for a long time and why I have a measure of caution when talking about using knives for defense. It's easy to make someone bleed, hard to make them feel it when it matters to you that they feel it. And damn near impossible to make them feel it when it matters and not kill them in the process. Not all SD situations warrant deadly force. At least with a cane you can break enough bones or contuse enough major tendons that they can't do anything to you, but are still alive.

[CollinLeon]

Originally Posted by glistam

Major props for Strykervet and CollinLeon. That is the exact school of thought I have had for a long time and why I have a measure of caution when talking about using knives for defense. It's easy to make someone bleed, hard to make them feel it when it matters to you that they feel it. And damn near impossible to make them feel it when it matters and not kill them in the process. Not all SD situations warrant deadly force. At least with a cane you can break enough bones or contuse enough major tendons that they can't do anything to you, but are still alive.

To each, his own, I guess... I figure that if a situation legally warrants the use of force, there's a good chance that it also legally warrants deadly force... At least here in Texas, I seem to remember that being the case... Since you are in Maryland, that might not be the case... If you killed every crook you met, DC would be deserted, right? Yeah, I know, some of them live in Virginia too...

[Ghost Tracker]

Bayonet jabs with a cane-tip to center-mass sensitive areas will concentrate the maximum amount of force onto the smallest area (Pounds per Square Inch). Think of a spiked high heel denting a hardwood floor vs. the same woman wearing a loafer. Baseball bat swings (bone snappers) aren't always the most effective technique. Getting your body behind a bayonet jab requires no backswing, is very difficult to block, the available nerves are easy to hit & a score is tough to ignore. Cane defense, like all other types, becomes increasingly effective with creditable training. If you're counting on your cane...get some.

[Nematocyst]

A 20" stick can hit harder and faster than a 36" cane, and is concealable.

I'd suggest carrying both.

Plus a 6" kubotan.

I do.

[Ghost Tracker]

A 20" stick can hit harder and faster than a 36" cane

Yeah, but I'm too tall to use a 20" stick...as a cane!

[Nematocyst]

Yeah, but I'm too tall to use a 20" stick...as a cane!

Please read my post again more carefully.

I'd suggest carrying both.

Plus a 6" kubotan.

I do.

[Ghost Tracker]

Please read my post again more carefully.

It was a JOKE. I read your post..

[Nematocyst]

OK.

{which are, interestingly,
the middle letters of 'joke'.}

[glistam]

Originally Posted by CollinLeon
To each, his own, I guess... I figure that if a situation legally warrants the use of force, there's a good chance that it also legally warrants deadly force... At least here in Texas, I seem to remember that being the case... Since you are in Maryland, that might not be the case

That is indeed the case. I heard in Texas it was ruled justifiable homicide to shoot thieves in the back. Maryland (and most other states) are nothing like that. I have a handful of cases on my desk where knives were used in self-defense and the attacker was killed. In the opinion of the courts the attacker did not represent an deadly threat, so it ends in a Murder 2 charge and prison time for the person with the knife. I have no gun cases because MD doesn't have CCWs, thus making any gun use in SD outside of the home an automatic illegal weapon charge. Only thing we have going for us is if you injure or kill a guy when he's invading your home, you're immune from being sued.

[porchdog]

I dont go pee without a cane. (therefore the user name "porchdog" has real meaning)

[CollinLeon]

Originally Posted by glistam

That is indeed the case. I heard in Texas it was ruled justifiable homicide to shoot thieves in the back. Maryland (and most other states) are nothing like that. I have a handful of cases on my desk where knives were used in self-defense and the attacker was killed. In the opinion of the courts the attacker did not represent an deadly threat, so it ends in a Murder 2 charge and prison time for the person with the knife. I have no gun cases because MD doesn't have CCWs, thus making any gun use in SD outside of the home an automatic illegal weapon charge. Only thing we have going for us is if you injure or kill a guy when he's invading your home, you're immune from being sued.

Wow... With leftist laws like that, I would have to go with the philosophy of "no body, no crime"... Ya'll wouldn't happen to have any gators up there, would you? Gators gotta eat too, ya' know...