A good black locust cane will do some real damage. I have a little bit of training, so this is not typical. Using a 5 ft, instead of a 3 ft, staff, I was able to snap or crack the staff pretty consistently using momentum and a sudden stop (overhead swing, like you would see with a sword coming down from shoulder to opposite hip). I would be holding the back 1/3rd of the staff, and the break would almost always occur a few inches in front of my front hand. I had to move to a purple heart, laminated cocobolo, or a mystery wood (we think it might have been Japanese oak) staff to keep me from breaking them. Anything as light as maple would only last about a month of me working out with it..
That said, a 3ft - 3.5ft long traditional cane with a hook end will make one hell of a club in the right wood. A cocobolo cane would have some good weight and density for the 1-1.25 inches I would expect to see in a cane. With an overhead clubbing action, there are few bones I wouldn't expect it to break. The shin being one of them. With proper technique, a backhand type swing to the shin (assuming body twist, and general movement of the body towards the victim) might cause a fracture, it might not. The person probably won't be standing on that leg though. You could possibly drive the leg right out from under them.
i)A hard thrust to the ribs using the both hands done "rifle and bayonet" style?
- Use the crook with your back hand and you can easily break ribs (I've seen 1 inch boards broken with a rolled up newspaper in the same fashion)
ii)Holding the cane with both hands near the crook and swinging it down hard on an attacker's head?
- You'll cave his head in if you make contact, you'll recover quicker and be more agile if you do it one handed with similar results (open head wound with a possible cracked skull)
iii)Using the crook in lieu of a rifle's butt and attempting to perform a butt-stoke to the Jaw with both hands?
- Either end will do, but it will have less effect than a swing. You'll only get that end moving a little quicker than a punch. Your hand is protected, but if you can reach your opponent with a punch, he can reach you. Keep your distance if you can, that is why you have that 3 ft stick.
iv)Using one hand and holding the cane near the crook while delivering a strike to an attacker's bare shin?
- I've seen baseball bats broken on shins and the person walked away. Granted, he worked up to that over years of abuse to his shins. You'll most likely cause one hell of a knot. You might take the leg out from under him. You might break your cane. If you break your cane.. see item #1... Your cane doesn't stop being a weapon because it was unexpectedly shortened.
v) any other striking cane moves you can think of......
- learn basic fencing techniques. Your cane is a bludgeon, not a precision instrument. Use your back and core muscles to primarily pull the cane through the strike, not your arm muscles.