Rattan
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Carl Levitian
member
I turned this "walking stick" in shop class. It's made from 3 pieces of red oak, and pretty well balances out the light versus enough weight to do damage argument.
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"The plural of anecdote IS NOT evidence."
Please don't take this wrong, 45Guy, but you may want to remake that stick without the pre-stress break lines in it.
Those grooves cut into it will be the stress lines, so that the first time you wack something with it, chances are it's going to snap off clean with one of those grooves. You've created a breakaway stick.
Grooves weaken any wood. To see how this works, go out in the woods and take a sappling you want to cut down. You won't need a hatchet, just a small pocket knife. Now cut a groove around the bottom of the sappling, and reach up high as you can and bend the sappling over. It will break where you cut the groove with the pocket knife.
Any lines or grooves cut into wood across the grain, weakens it.
__________________
"The plural of anecdote IS NOT evidence."
Please don't take this wrong, 45Guy, but you may want to remake that stick without the pre-stress break lines in it.
Those grooves cut into it will be the stress lines, so that the first time you wack something with it, chances are it's going to snap off clean with one of those grooves. You've created a breakaway stick.
Grooves weaken any wood. To see how this works, go out in the woods and take a sappling you want to cut down. You won't need a hatchet, just a small pocket knife. Now cut a groove around the bottom of the sappling, and reach up high as you can and bend the sappling over. It will break where you cut the groove with the pocket knife.
Any lines or grooves cut into wood across the grain, weakens it.
I got in some phenolic rods in grade XX today. The grain is much finer than my old canvas micarta (which I guess was grade C or CE), but it appears to still be rough enough to slide without sticking to and burning your hands.
It looks like woods, perhaps even more so than the canvas micarta rods, but it's heavy enough to hit solidly, while still being lighter than steel or iron.
I'll be testing one of these rods in the next few days, if I can find the time (Army Reserve unit is having an exercise with VERY long days). I want to be sure it's as tough as I hope it is, before I recommend them to anyone else.
It looks like woods, perhaps even more so than the canvas micarta rods, but it's heavy enough to hit solidly, while still being lighter than steel or iron.
I'll be testing one of these rods in the next few days, if I can find the time (Army Reserve unit is having an exercise with VERY long days). I want to be sure it's as tough as I hope it is, before I recommend them to anyone else.
Eric Draven
Member
My personal fav for fighting sticks are the kind we make. I know that sounds like I'm pimping my own products but test them out for yourself and see. We use a synthetic that can break Rattan, IronWood, and stands up to cement parking garage supports and Parking blocks. Ramshead did some pretty thorough testing on them as well as Mark Davies having a few pairs and running them thru their paces. Maybe Ramshead will step in and talk about his expirences with them...becuz hearing it from me is one thing, but hearing it from someone not involved is another. He has so much faith in our sticks, that he said HE will buy someone a new pair if they break within 2 years....and he doesnt work with me. 
J.S....I gotta get you a pair of these...I guarantee you'll be floored. And I KNOW theyll last longer than ANYTHING else natural on the market. Our next step is to drive over them with a truck to see what happens.
J.S....I gotta get you a pair of these...I guarantee you'll be floored. And I KNOW theyll last longer than ANYTHING else natural on the market. Our next step is to drive over them with a truck to see what happens.
I have different rods and batons from rattan, hardwoods, PC, and various synthetics including some Mad Dog sticks made out of jade G10.
The problem I have with synthetic rods besides the weight is that they transfer impact energy directly to my hands. They tend to be on the skinny side as well because of weight and sourcing issues.
Are there any newer materials that don't transfer energy as much as the current synthetics? Any other solution besides wrapping them?
The problem I have with synthetic rods besides the weight is that they transfer impact energy directly to my hands. They tend to be on the skinny side as well because of weight and sourcing issues.
Are there any newer materials that don't transfer energy as much as the current synthetics? Any other solution besides wrapping them?
Guys,
As I said, I've been on an exercise the last few days, but after I got home from yesterday's training, my buddy Davis came over with some hockey sticks. I protested that I didn't think they'd be a tough enough test of the rods, but he pointed out that one of them was kevlar reinforced, and pretty darn tough.
He then leaned the kevlar-graphite stick against the fence, and struck it from an angle where the stick couldn't move as the rod hit it. Crunch- the kevlar sheathing prevented the stick pieces from actually separating, but one fairly hard (75%?) swing broke the hockey stick like it was nothing. Unfortunately conwict, I didn't get any video, of that strike or of me hitting the other stick as angles where it was free to move somewhat, until I put it in a similar position as the first, and Davis broke with one swing, too.
CWL, one of the things Davis mentioned was that they rods didn't transmit much vibration. The stick we were using has the least little impression from all the strikes. Looks like these sticks are going to work out well. Davis mentioned the one thing he'd like to do to make these perfect walking sticks would be to put some kind of wrapping near the top of the stick, to act as a "hand stop" while walking.
I did take a couple of pictures of the rods and the broken sticks, but I don't know when I'll be able to find a card reader! Will post when I find mine or get another.
Eric, I'd love to test your sticks against these, some time. I don't know what yours are, but these do seem pretty damn tough.
John
As I said, I've been on an exercise the last few days, but after I got home from yesterday's training, my buddy Davis came over with some hockey sticks. I protested that I didn't think they'd be a tough enough test of the rods, but he pointed out that one of them was kevlar reinforced, and pretty darn tough.
He then leaned the kevlar-graphite stick against the fence, and struck it from an angle where the stick couldn't move as the rod hit it. Crunch- the kevlar sheathing prevented the stick pieces from actually separating, but one fairly hard (75%?) swing broke the hockey stick like it was nothing. Unfortunately conwict, I didn't get any video, of that strike or of me hitting the other stick as angles where it was free to move somewhat, until I put it in a similar position as the first, and Davis broke with one swing, too.
CWL, one of the things Davis mentioned was that they rods didn't transmit much vibration. The stick we were using has the least little impression from all the strikes. Looks like these sticks are going to work out well.
Davis mentioned the one thing he'd like to do to make these perfect walking sticks would be to put some kind of wrapping near the top of the stick, to act as a "hand stop" while walking.I did take a couple of pictures of the rods and the broken sticks, but I don't know when I'll be able to find a card reader! Will post when I find mine or get another.
Eric, I'd love to test your sticks against these, some time. I don't know what yours are, but these do seem pretty damn tough.
John
seeker_two
Member
Not sure how it applies....but food for thought....
http://www.590klbj.com/ToddAndDon/Blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10028986
http://www.590klbj.com/ToddAndDon/Blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10028986
Hey all, new guy here. I have tested Eric's sticks and they are quite nice and absolutely combat ready, shock was only a factor on
a 3'" dia. 5' tall concrete filled steel pipe. The only damage i could do was cosmetic and shattering or splintering is a non issue. They even deflected an axe blow with only about a 1/4" cut into the material . They are for sure a one time purchase unless you want more or lose them.
a 3'" dia. 5' tall concrete filled steel pipe. The only damage i could do was cosmetic and shattering or splintering is a non issue. They even deflected an axe blow with only about a 1/4" cut into the material . They are for sure a one time purchase unless you want more or lose them.
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