Walking sticks / Canes

[Marshwheeling]

My pop was a bit of a gimp, as I have turned out to be. When he died he left me sevsral canes. My favorite is a tapered oak shaft topped by a heavy brass ball. Before my knee replacement, I used it quite a bit. With the heavy knob in hand, the stick feels very light.
The other one I use is one that I cut from a stout black walnut branch. I cut it to length with my Jääkaripuukko, which I also used to strip the bark and whittle a knob for grip. I treated the rough surface to some mild shou sugi ban with a propane torch, giving a mottled appearance to the texture. The stick draws a lot of favorable comment, mostly from women. I won’t speculate about what is going on there.
A dog park I frequent has a lot of hills and uneven ground. I have found that a stick just a bit longer than shoulder length can be helpful there, as I still have not regained a lot of leg strength. I am always on the lookout for the right piece of wood to press into service.

 

[Onomea]

I've used a trekking pole for some years now. Have two made by Leki and another, my favorite, by Black Diamond.

These are collapsible, and height adjustable, so that you can set for your ideal height, for use as either a cane or a staff. They're very lightweight, and very strong. Carbon fiber, I think. Come with a steel tip which is handy on ice or slippery hard earth or rock, especially on hills, and with a hard rubber ferule — a cap to cover the point — which is good for city streets, or indoors when ya need it.

Since I had my knee replaced, I use them a lot less than I used to, but still find them useful when walking where footing is slippery, or on hills.

When used as a cane, which is my primary usage nowadays, on hilly walks, being able to lengthen the stick for walking down a steep hill is a distinct advantage.

I also like the design of the handle on the Black Diamond, as posted. It allows you to rest your full weight on your palm, which is comfortable. One of my Lekis has a more typical, ergonomic curved T-shaped head, and I find this chafes the inside of my thumb over time. The other has a round wooden knob, which can be removed to use as a monopod. Similar to the Black Diamond, the round knob allows you to fully rest your weight on your palm, although I prefer the Black Diamond's handle.

Used as a staff, which I used to do out walking before I lost a lot of weight and had my knee replaced, the strap is useful because by adjusting it properly you can use your wrist/arm to help take the weight, and not rely only on your grip.

 

[wetdog1911]

Growing up most senior men carried a heavy (Hickory ?) cane/walking stick referred to as a "Hog Stick". Also carried a pocket pistol.

My Grandfather sure did. Nice heavy hickory livestock cane from Ralston Purina, checkerboard pattern and all. No idea if it was a promotional item, or, something stocked at the feed store from Purina. It was certainly a high quality piece of hickory.

I get mine from Lehmans Hardware in Ohio, a 36" Hickory Livestock cane handmade by the local Amish. They also have a 60"+ version, but a good bit too long for me, since I need to trim the 36" by an inch or so to get it 'just right'.

Rob

 

[islamoradamark]

when doing my morning beach walk I use a nice piece of bamboo I found on the shoreline helps me get over the rocks an big piles of seaweed

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I've got a 6" straight staff that I carry when on my morning walks Did a nice whipping with some tarred sailmakers twine at the balance point that gives a good tacky gripping surface. Have only had to use it once and pretty much sent the attacking dog into low earth orbit. Don't know what wood the old boy used but it is hard as nails. If I remember correctly I gave him $10 for it at some craft show years ago up in Natchitoches as a long ago Christmas Festival

 

[Buford57]

On the days one or the other of my knees doesn't cooperate I find a Cold Steel Blackthorn helpful. On days when both are on duty it provides a good deterrent to undisciplined dogs.

 

[steelslaver]

Mine is a piece of willow that a wood working beaver left me laying down by the creek. Perfect diameter, with all the bark removed and he rounded the big end nicely with his teeth. It even has a couple diamonds. I used some heavy seine twine to whip an area around the end. Cut the small end off a bit and stuck a white UHMW tip I machined on the bottom. Kinda handy and would make a dandy whoomping stick

 

[Jessie]

A good friend harvests walking stick material whenever he comes out to the deer camp. He finds a lot of vine wrapped sticks and works wonders with them.
I shamed him a while ago by commenting that he hadn’t made one for the cabin yet out of all those he’s been making.
Made a nice heavy one that he carved a bear face at the top of the handle on.
He humbled me. I’ll try and get some pics of it and others he’s made.

 

[ancient-one]

To help insure that I remain upright, I have a cane in the car and one by the front door. For my indoor travel I stay close to the Minnie Winnie three wheel walker that belonged to my wife. I am not too proud to use whatever keeps me safe.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

No cane here but when I’m hiking or in the great outdoors, always by myself, I use a walking stick I made from sassafras.

 

[jscheck]

While I rarely need it, I have a "Bubba" stick with a brass top. Very heavy and it'd make a great defensive weapon if needed.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

No knee or any other health problems here-not bad for 71-but I have a nice selection of walking sticks and canes, got some rattan walking sticks and canes and a blackthorn stick from Cold Steel years ago, others acquired locally. I use rubber furniture tips to preserve the ends. For a walk or a hike they feel good in the hand, on an icy or snowy day they provide much needed extra balance. And they make an excellent and legal SD weapon.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

I have the "old, fat, affluent man's" disease: gout. Henry VIII had it.

At 68 I'm not old, I'm not fat, and I'm dang sure not affluent!

Some days it's debilitating. Fat toes, swollen ankles, and this year it's figured out I have knees. Oh, man!

I have three walking sticks at the front door. One made of a yucca stalk and highly decorated given to me by two Army pals at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, and one I made of a yucca stalk I harvested just outside Alamogordo, NM, and a big one made from a century plant stalk I harvested at the top of Dog Canyon, south of Alamogordo.

They're all taller than me: 6'3", and I use them whenever my natural supplement to control the gout doesn't work.

Sometimes I use them just because I can.

 

[BRL40]

At 63 I'm old enough to bust a Kane across some young wippersnappers knoggon if feeling compelled to do so.

Most times I don't feel the desire.

I like those HARDWOOD Irish ones though.

 

[Jessie]

A Shillelagh I think they’re called. It certainly looks like it will put a healthy knot on a deserving head.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I have the "old, fat, affluent man's" disease: gout. Henry VIII had it.

Brother, you have my sympathies. I get the occasional flare-up always in the ball of my left foot.

It is my only medical malady where air movement causes me agony.

 

[bamabiker]

Google Stinnett Sticks or go on youtube and watch the guy's videos. I don't think I could carry one up the side of a mountain but the art and craft is amazing.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

this thread needs photos

Here are my three.

The tarted up one my Army pals gave to me.

Then the century plant (still unfinished after 22 years -- I haven't decided what to "do" with it, yet), and the NM yucca, sanded and finished with a sealant. Both are complete with bird or bug holes.

Then, there's this cute guy who sits on my mantle. He's a troll of Norwegian descent. We air force air traffic controllers called ourselves "trolls" so I couldn't pass him up when I went on temporary duty to Norway.

 

[bricker]

I had one of those click to fit drugstore ones following knee replacement couple years ago. Still have it in the back of the closet, but I gave my walker away as quickly as I could!

 

[dasnake]

Youse guys

Are talking about canes as self defense, what about a SAA in .45 with a buntline barrel and a rubber tip, whaddya thunk????