Working on a cane for my FIL...

[Fred Fuller]

My wife's dad is in his mid-80s and still in good health for the most part. But last week he had a problem with vertigo due to an inner ear infection, and spent a couple of days in hospital. My wife brought both her parents home to stay with us for a few days.

Since there are usually a couple of extra $10 oak stock canes handy around here from the local farm supply store, I offered him his pick, and he chose one. I have since cut it down to fit him properly, using a back saw and miter box. I've smoothed the whole thing down well with sandpaper, opened up the crook a bit with a rasp, and sharpened the horn a tad as well.

I'm in the process of hand-rubbing a new oil finish on it, and looking for a 1" rubber crutch tip to finish it off.

And we've had our first introductory lessons in cane fighting. I need to hang a target for him to start working on, so he can work up to full force strikes against resistance. He seems to be enjoying the idea. And it's good to be able to do something useful for a family member.

lpl/nc

 

[bikerdoc]

nothing better than smacking something with wood to make you get better faster

 

[hso]

Heavy bag wrapped in leather or carpet.

 

[Biker]

Old Army duffel bag stuffed with old rags, jeans, etc.? Worked for me.

Biker

 

[MaterDei]

He's lucky to have a SIL like you.

 

[Carl Levitian]

It's a great thing you're doing for you FIL!

All to often, by the time we get to the age where we really do need a cane, that very fact is putting us on the soft/easy target list for the preditors. Now you're giving your father in law a means to fight back that will take a wolf by surprise, by being already in hand. Hiden in plain sight.

The old buffalo may be at the back of the herd, but he still will have horns.

P.S. An old army duffle bag stuffed with rags, is what I use for practice too.

 

[JShirley]

Like Biker and Carl said.

Duffel bag stuffed with rags/old clothes. Cheap, useful, has some give so you don't quickly break the bag.

If you have more sticks, dead trees are also good for learning to hit something really hard. It's hard on the sticks, though.

J

 

[Coyote3855]

Hang an old tire. More resistance than the duffle bag with rags, less than dead trees.

 

[sm]

I like tearing up Scarecrows more than I do making them. *smile*

Old clothes, rags, straw, newspapers, and the like are great for making scarecrows.

Not only can one practice sticks on a "body", one can also practice using the stick to get time/distance and shoot them.

Applicable to using rolled up magazine, cup of coffee, broom, 20oz bottle of water, briefcase, purse , backpack....

Scarecrowettes - Female Scarecrows, are made up as well.
My experiences and observations are, a lady has no problem hitting (stick, or gun) a male or female target.
Men tend to hesitate.

Since female criminals will often prey on older ladies and gents, such as posing as a High School gal upset with a boyfriend, or having car trouble, even ringing door bells for School or Church fund raisers, to gain confidence and get within personal distance.

They also prey on the young fellers. Females know how to distract, and will long enough to take one down or have the rest of team do so.

Female targets with anatomy represented, and even a old mop, works as a wig.


For kids, these work well as they will be up against a "bigger person" and lessons on what they can hit, being shorter.

Related: Garden Hoe.
A lot of folks in rural and semi rural areas , often walk the property and use a garden hoe for a walking stick.
Being flat, the hoe offers some stability, and one can get trash out of a ditch , without bending over and down, or one reach up and get a plastic trash bag off a tree limb.

Since we do kid sized brooms and mops, we do kid sized garden hoes. We like the smaller "heads-n-blades" anyway.
So a kid can assist the parents, or grandparents doing chores, taking walks to see neighbors and "adjust" scarecrows that need "adjusting".

Then again hoes are sorta handy for city folks too...

*smile*

 

[HiWayMan]

One of the better strikes I've learned and employed starts with the tip on the ground and is swung upwards at groin or knee. Sneaky as hell and a good jumping off point for follow up strikes. Train it using a 2' long piece of rag wrapped 4x4 set across cinderblocks to an appropriate height. When you can blast the 4x4 off the blocks you have the power right. There should be no evident windup or shoulder movement, just tip to target. Follow up by grasping near tip with off hand and sliding dominant hand down shaft to perform a butt stroke to the head or move into bayonet jabs to the belly.

Never been much of a fan of using the crook fpr trapping or hooking, but it does work well for axe type blows to the face and sides of the neck/clavicle areas.

If he is a former serviceman incorporate some bayonet techniques. It may get some of the dormant warrior spirit flowing.

The army duffel stuffed with rags or sawdust works well, and if hung at the right height groin strikes are easy to simulate.

 

[Harley Quinn]

They have some canvas bags that are on the market that are not that much, go to a "Play it again Sports", many times they are used and available.

Small one would be the best for him. Confidence is good, he could hurt himself if not careful, go slow. A book by A.C. Cunningham called the "The Cane as a Weapon" is good.

Canemasters.com is another location that has books, canes.

Good luck,