I stumbled on this old thread and I like it so I am resurrecting it.

Now that my knees are bad enough to warrant using a cane I never fly without one. A few years ago, when I figured I looked old enough, anyway, I flew with one, anyway. TSA only has one requirement - they want to x-ray the stick. The first time I did this was with an African-made cane, made out of 4 different pieces of wood, with a hippopotamus on the head. In order to fasten the 4 pieces together an iron rod ran through the cane. TSA did not like it at first but when they realized the stick could NOT come apart they let it go, satisfied no weapon was concealed inside.

What they didn't recognize was that the weight of that stick and the hippo's head were more than sufficient as a weapon but, again, ADA rules DO apply, so a cane is a cane and they allowed it. I never used that one again because I didn't like arousing their attention.

Currently, the canes that I use are custom made shillelaghs or other cool canes, one actually being from Ireland. They make great walking sticks as well as great weapons and I am afraid that the golf story above is a myth.

The shillelagh was originally just a cudgel, maybe 2 feet long. Called a "bata" I think. The British outlawed them way back when because they didn't want Irish folks to carry weapons. The folks figured out that the British couldn't ban "canes"/walking sticks so they lengthened them.

That's pretty close to precise history as I know it. And I might be old and have bad knees but when I have to travel to places where my guns can't go it would be a mistake to think I was unarmed when I have one of my canes with me.