The Walking Stick

[John Rose]

I found a hardwood walking stick with a sort of flared mushroom head top. It looks less like a cane and more like a fashion accessory. This was $15, at a gas station no less, and was the perfect height.
With shoes or sandals on, the top of the handle comes exactly to the level of my wrist bone, with my arm hanging loose at my side. I found out later that that is supposed to be the ideal length.

I use it for:

• occasional balance problems, especially on ice, with the add-on spike tip
• assistance in getting up from a squatting position
  
• pointing at things worthy of note
• Sliding those cashier conveyor belt dividers toward me so that I don't have to reach over somebody else's stuff
• when walking through crowds, like in a shopping mall, I can indicate which side I intend to pass oncoming pedestrians.
  
• carrying a grocery bag with the stick hooked through the handles and slung over my shoulder, like a hobo
• moving thistles and such out of the way when wearing short pants
• checking the depth of puddles
  
• vaulting over deep puddles
  
• poking at automatic door opener push plates/buttons
• whacking rear bumpers of cars that go by too fast and too close when you're in a crosswalk. (yes, I've done this twice already)
  
• knocking ice out of a wheel well
• self-defense against coyotes or muggers (okay, that hasn't happened yet, but I'm prepared)
• pulling over light items on a high shelf in a grocery store to bring them within reach
• twirling it like a baton, just for fun.
• putting on the Ritz

I also have an alder stick with a bit of a natural pistol grip that I use as a "rigid parrying device" during SCA Rapier Combat. It is light but strong. I made it when I was clearing out a camping area.

Some day I'd like to find a nice blackthorn stick, but they are either expensive or hard to come by. A proper blackthorn has the root ball with the trunk coming out of it, but most of them these days are actually branches attached to a short piece of the trunk. That way they get more than one stick out of the tree.

There is a way to walk with them too, for a bit of swagger.
With the stick in your right hand:

1. step forward, bring the handle forward, and lift it
   
2. when the tip swings forward, bring the handle down and slight back so that the stick pivots at the middle
   
3. swing the handle forward and up to bring the stick vertical again
   
4. push the stick straight down, tip onto the ground
5. As your body passes the point where you planted the tip, swing the top in a horizontal arc away to the right (with the tip still planted) and back
   
6. repeat #1

Do not bend your elbow, especially for step 5
Of course it's synchronized with a brisk walking pace, but unfortunately I can't memorize the exact foot moves at the same time as the stick moves.
It's step #2 and #3 where the tip kicks forward that gives most of the swagger, otherwise it looks like you need a cane. You never really lean on the stick. Step 5 lays it on even thicker.
It works well with closed umbrellas too.

Ah. Youtube to the rescue.
He demos it at 4:00-4:12 and again from 11:15-11:50. He walks fairly slowly, but it works at a faster pace too.
As he says, you look like you have a stick, not that you need one. You is a badass, not a victim.

For hiking in the woods, I prefer a sawed-off hockey stick. They are strong, light, and a good length.

 

[John Rose]

I just remembered that a few years ago I fabricated a theatrical prop for this character that was somewhat like Maggie Smith's dowager character on Downton Abbey. I fount a suitable hardwood branch with a bit of twisty/knobby character to it, applied walnut coloured stain, and topped it with a mostly solid black plastic spherical curtain rod finial, about 1.5" diameter, I think. It looked great, and it fit the hand perfectly.
I wish I could have it back.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

As someone who does actually need a stick, I would personally disagree with the swagger as an idiot deterrent. If someone's eyeing you up, it could be checking you out as a victim, or as sport (someone who wants a fight too). A little more subtlety can differentiate you as neither, or more importantly as an unknown.

Not using the stick for a couple of steps while you innocently check your watch or casually adjust your sleeve, or simply stopping in your tracks for a few seconds. "Has he stopped because he's dizzy, readying himself, or...?" If they don't know, that means they've failed to suss you out. Also making it known that you've noticed them by moving your head to look at them, but looking at their solar plexus instead of eye contact, seems to help too in a "I'm well aware of you but not actively looking to challenge you" way.

I've had a few people who I was a little unsure about give me a cautiously wide berth, seemingly because I wasn't easy to read. I certainly wasn't "sending out messages". Likewise, these actions to someone who isn't sizing you up, look perfectly harmless and innocent, and you keep the "invisibility" that the guy in the video referred to early on.

I'm no "expert" on these matters. These are just my observations, from being a stick user in urban settings. Most people just smile and give way courteously, and road traffic at junctions and crossing points seems to generally be more polite too.

 

[Merle]

With a walking stick, stand upright in your regular footwear, with your arms relaxed by your side. Correct height is at your wrist crease, to maybe 1/2" above (to give you some variation in sole thickness across different pairs of shoes)

Seconded. This gives good leverage when you need to lean in on it walking and is a very nice height for help getting up out of a chair. And yes, a crook is far more flexible.

I see the thread has grown quite well while I've been away. Oh, another option is the poly plastic staves people at coldsteel.com offer; not wood but durable as all get out.

 

[Esox]

I am not sure if I am looking for a stick or a "staff", but I will give you some background. I do a great deal of walking, mostly urban with light park trails. I was wondering if a decent walking stick would be beneficial to helping my aging body parts. Or maybe it would just look cool...

Something like this might be ideal both in urban and more out of the way locales.

Free Form Twisted Hickory Walking Stick

Hickory is one of the very best woods for this type of implement. Hickory doesnt snap like most woods. This is why they use Hickory as ladder rungs for wooden Fire Department ladders. If a rung breaks it fractures but doesnt snap, and will still support weight so the person doesnt fall through it.

That would also include being used as a defensive weapon if the need arose.

My father carried one for years beside him in his Caddilac. It had a round ball head. Under that ball head however, was a 1/2" hole 8"s deep filled with lead and wrapped with wire around the outside as a 'grip'. The wire wraps real intention was to limit any fracturing that might occur.....if.

The laws here dictate that anything can be used as a 'walking stick' provided it has a rubber foot. No spikes allowed. If you're thinking of possibly needing it for defense purposes, its always good to check the local laws, and city bylaws too.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Something like this might be ideal both in urban and more out of the way locales.

Free Form Twisted Hickory Walking Stick

Hickory is one of the very best woods for this type of implement. Hickory doesnt snap like most woods. This is why they use Hickory as ladder rungs for wooden Fire Department ladders. If a rung breaks it fractures but doesnt snap, and will still support weight so the person doesnt fall through it.

That would also include being used as a defensive weapon if the need arose.

My father carried one for years beside him in his Caddilac. It had a round ball head. Under that ball head however, was a 1/2" hole 8"s deep filled with lead and wrapped with wire around the outside as a 'grip'. The wire wraps real intention was to limit any fracturing that might occur.....if.

The laws here dictate that anything can be used as a 'walking stick' provided it has a rubber foot. No spikes allowed. If you're thinking of possibly needing it for defense purposes, its always good to check the local laws, and city bylaws too.

Nice looking stick.

These are fine for walking/hiking sticks, providing you've no neck or shoulder issues. A stick/staff used with a bent arm can load the neck and shoulders more than an "inline" stick. Also, if you do need to give someone a little prod, the stick is the wrong way up in your hand, and you need to make a conspicuous change of grip. With a cane type, it's already right where it needs to be.

Here, carrying any weapon classifies it as an offensive (not defensive) weapon, as you are readying yourself for violence in the eyes of the law. In other words, you are carrying it with intent. However, self defence is fully protected in UK law, and you can use whatever is at hand ... including the three foot wooden stick that's already in your dominant hand ... with reasonable force to protect yourself, others, and property.

 

[Esox]

Nice looking stick.

These are fine for walking/hiking sticks, providing you've no neck or shoulder issues. A stick/staff used with a bent arm can load the neck and shoulders more than an "inline" stick. Also, if you do need to give someone a little prod, the stick is the wrong way up in your hand, and you need to make a conspicuous change of grip. With a cane type, it's already right where it needs to be.

Here, carrying any weapon classifies it as an offensive (not defensive) weapon, as you are readying yourself for violence in the eyes of the law. In other words, you are carrying it with intent. However, self defence is fully protected in UK law, and you can use whatever is at hand ... including the three foot wooden stick that's already in your dominant hand ... with reasonable force to protect yourself, others, and property.

Length is dictated by how much weight it needs to support and how often. If a cane is needed for support at every step, the correct length becomes crucial.

A walking stick can be any length really, because you can grip it anywhere in its length as needed. A walking stick doesnt have a sole purpose of supporting a lot of weight for every step but more as an aid especially over rougher or uneven terrain. These days its even fairly common to see them as fashion accessories that can be cut to size lol.

The only change in grip needed between it being a walking stick and an instant knockout is a simple and quick lift, the same as when moving it forward, but letting it slide a foot or more through your fist as it rises.

Using a blunt force implement defensively, like a baseball bat for example, its best to grip them in the middle so you can still use your fist. That stops the attacker from coming inside the defensive arc of a swing where you'd be vulnerable swinging it like intended, while still using the bat itself as a weapon. As a fist load first with a punch and then as intended as a follow up.

Laws vary, hence my point.

EDIT: To that point Al, you reminded me of something Jeff Cooper once wrote:

Jeff Cooper’s Commentaries #9 | Hunting | Rifle

 

[John Rose]

He's right about stabbing versus smiting.
It drives me crazy to see Hollyweird sword fights on foot because they don't use thrusts enough. They prefer the telegenic wide swings and slashes that telegraph every move.
A thrust coming straight at your face is hard to track.

"Princess Bride" was an exception. The styles used in Wesley and Inigo's duel were more or less historically accurate.

Sometimes, mere "smiting" can make your point.
(skip to 00:20)

 

[simon1]

Something like this might be ideal both in urban and more out of the way locales.

Free Form Twisted Hickory Walking Stick

Hickory is one of the very best woods for this type of implement. Hickory doesnt snap like most woods. This is why they use Hickory as ladder rungs for wooden Fire Department ladders. If a rung breaks it fractures but doesnt snap, and will still support weight so the person doesnt fall through it.

That would also include being used as a defensive weapon if the need arose.

My father carried one for years beside him in his Caddilac. It had a round ball head. Under that ball head however, was a 1/2" hole 8"s deep filled with lead and wrapped with wire around the outside as a 'grip'. The wire wraps real intention was to limit any fracturing that might occur.....if.

The laws here dictate that anything can be used as a 'walking stick' provided it has a rubber foot. No spikes allowed. If you're thinking of possibly needing it for defense purposes, its always good to check the local laws, and city bylaws too.

Nothing beats a good piece of hickory.

Koga Institute | Koga Institute

I've been looking for a good hickory walking cane...thanks for the link, Mike.

 

[Esox]

He's right about stabbing versus smiting.
It drives me crazy to see Hollyweird sword fights on foot because they don't use thrusts enough. They prefer the telegenic wide swings and slashes that telegraph every move.
A thrust coming straight at your face is hard to track.

"Princess Bride" was an exception. The styles used in Wesley and Inigo's duel were more or less historically accurate.

Sometimes, mere "smiting" can make your point.
(skip to 00:20)

I know what you mean. This is one of the best sword fights, if not the best, I've seen. I never knew Tim Roth had formal training but it seems he has. Its not easy to teach movement like that, but he makes it look natural. Also obvious is, its not always the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.

Nothing beats a good piece of hickory.

Koga Institute | Koga Institute

I've been looking for a good hickory walking cane...thanks for the link, Mike.

You're welcome. Not a bad price for that stick either.

The widespread use of 'speak softly and carry a big stick' began with American president Theodore Roosevelt. In a letter to Henry L. Sprague, on January 26th 1900, he wrote:

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

Lotta truth in that statement.

 

[seattleshaver]

I used to hike in the mountains a lot. I still do but less frequently. I would just pick up a large stick from the woods, use it for the hike and throw it back at the end.

I have collapsing poles from snow shoeing that I could use if I wanted two poles. I don't use a stick when hiking around town but it would be easier on the knees and back.

I do some rock climbing and I usually take the stick for the hiking in part (to get to the actual climbing area).

Just for fun (initially) I found a stick in the woods that was so light and straight that I decided to keep it. I took the bark off, stained it with mahogany oil based stain, put a rubber chair leg "cap" on the ground end and wrapped a piece of leather (slightly recessed) around the "handle" end. I drilled a hole near the top and put an old shoelace though and tied it into a loop. It keeps you from accidentally dropping the stick in a mountainous environment (like you might find on a ski pole).

The leather isn't as slick as the rest of the stained stick. I stain the bottom 1/4 of the stick black so it wouldn't show dirt.

It's fun and cheap to make your own walking stick! I have butterfly bushes growing in my yard. Since I already had the stain, I made a few more with long straight branches from the (quick growing) butterfly bush. I gave a few away.

 

[Raissermesser]

I made my wife and I a pair of staffs a few years ago. Went down to a local farm/ranch supply and got a couple of garden hoe handles. I figured out a nice length and cut them, then worked down the end to take a 3/4" copper pipe cap, installed that then center drilled and put a 5/16 lag bolt in so it would have a harder longer wearing tip for off pavement use. It's sized right so I can put a rubber chair leg or cane tip for use on smooth surfaces.

The wife got to having back problems and eventually surgery. I had made my mother a nice cherry cane with a brass derby handle and she uses that for dressier occasions, everyday use she prefers a crook neck cane. We had one of those, and her physical therapist showed me the correct height so I cut it off. It was one of those fairly inexpensive models you see everywhere, finished with a reddish lacquer and had gotten rather chipped so I scraped it down and found that it was made of bent oak. I put a coat of brown stain on then a few applications of linseed oil and it's quite attractive and different with the wood grain showing instead of being hidden under tinted lacquer.

My walking stick is an eye hoe handle purchased at a farm supply. Inexpensive, and for a pad on the bottom I used one of those rubber stick-ons for furniture. Also have a shepherd's crook bought on a whim, but the smaller diameter makes it less handy than that hoe handle. Also, I think the crook attracts more attention. That's not necessarily a good thing.

That farm supply also had hickory canes, which were also relatively inexpensive, and are less bulky than that hoe handle. These are sometimes used for moving livestock, which is why they had them. If you have a farm supply near you, it might be worth giving them a look.

 

[August West]

Something like this might be ideal both in urban and more out of the way locales.

Free Form Twisted Hickory Walking Stick

Hickory is one of the very best woods for this type of implement. Hickory doesnt snap like most woods. This is why they use Hickory as ladder rungs for wooden Fire Department ladders. If a rung breaks it fractures but doesnt snap, and will still support weight so the person doesnt fall through it.

That would also include being used as a defensive weapon if the need arose.

My father carried one for years beside him in his Caddilac. It had a round ball head. Under that ball head however, was a 1/2" hole 8"s deep filled with lead and wrapped with wire around the outside as a 'grip'. The wire wraps real intention was to limit any fracturing that might occur.....if.

The laws here dictate that anything can be used as a 'walking stick' provided it has a rubber foot. No spikes allowed. If you're thinking of possibly needing it for defense purposes, its always good to check the local laws, and city bylaws too.

Splendid.

 

[Ad Astra]

He's right about stabbing versus smiting.
It drives me crazy to see Hollyweird sword fights on foot because they don't use thrusts enough. They prefer the telegenic wide swings and slashes that telegraph every move.
A thrust coming straight at your face is hard to track.
...

This. Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus knows!

Well. Knew.

• A stroke with the edges, though made with ever so much force, seldom kills, as the vital parts of the body are defended both by the bones and armor; on the contrary a stab, though it penetrates but two inches, is generally fatal. (Book 1)

Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus

Still think any walking stick should be able to mount a blade. My ancestors liked polearms as well.

Lochaber axe - Wikipedia


AA

 

[August West]

I think we need a "Batons & Bludgeoning" sub-forum.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I think we need a "Batons & Bludgeoning" sub-forum.

I think I'll stick to my primary walking stick use, which is trying not to fall over

 

[Esox]

I think we need a "Batons & Bludgeoning" sub-forum.

 

[August West]

I think I'll stick to my primary walking stick use, which is trying not to fall over

Precisely.

 

[bluesman 7]

Interesting discussion. I had previously used a single trekking pole when hiking in the mountains, feeling that one pole was about 90% as effective as two, and it cut down the dork factor considerably.

Lately I've been using the mountains as a work out and went to two trekking poles to get more upper body exercise. Now I'm totally sold on the two poles. My knees haven't felt this good for years.

 

[August West]

I really dig the traction in this thread.

Thanks Gents!