"I have a rattan cane and can attest to its speed. I see it more for pokes or for two-hand thrusts capable of tranferring much of my body weight into an area an inch in diameter. Ouch. It's also good for hooking and rips/throws.
Dirty Bob"
And there is the point that so many folks fail to see, to use a bad pun. The cane is not for use as a club, but is a very very effective short two handed spear. The old kendo rule is 'thrust to the soft and cut to the hard', and using the small end of the cane to thrust like a spear into the throat, stomach, and groin area is super effective for inflicting deep truma. The ends of a cane/walking stick are more useful than the shaft in-between, and such practice lets the stick be used in tight spaces like hallways or, God forbid, a plane isle.