Walking Sticks & Canes.

[winterland1]

Found this. http://www.fashionablecanes.com/about-canes.html
I guess Gandalf was an early cane carrier.
In all seriousness I do think a person walking with a nice cane looks very cool.

 

[Shangas]

Walking-sticks used to be essential pieces of kit, due to the huge amounts of walking that people used to do. Young and old would carry them, to give their legs extra support on long journeys.

These days, they're mostly fashion-accessories, or used for medical reasons.

In the 1800s, "singlestick fighting" was a martial-art which used the walking-stick as a defensive weapon. It taught stick-carriers how to use a walking-stick to defend themselves against attackers and knife-wielders. How to disarm or bring down their opponents and use the advantages of distance, closeness and the distinct characteristics of various sticks, to defend themselves. For example, a stick with a crook-end, could be used to hook a man's ankle and trip him up.

A good walking-stick is one that reaches to the hip (or just below). The arm should be slightly bent when holding it. An arm too bent, or an arm straight, indicates a stick that's too long, or short.

I was in England about ten years ago on holiday, and I came down with a foot infection. I bought a cheap walking-stick, and I was using it for about two weeks to help me move around Europe, until my foot got better. How you use it as a medical aid, and how you use it as a fashion-accessory, are obviously very different. Generally if it's a fashion accessory, you'd hold it more relaxed and swing it around. If it's a walking-aid, your grip would be much firmer.

If you feel uncomfortable using a walking-stick, buy a nice, full-length umbrella instead.

 

[scotrace]

Or read this. Merge shortly.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?11768-Walking-Sticks-amp-Canes&highlight=Walking

 

[DeaconKC]

Since you want it for style, you have a huge choice in your style. I have seen folks with everything from antique ivory to chrome skulls and even a fellow who had an eight ball for the head and the shaft made from an old pool stick. I have a nice piece of hickory that had a heavy vine grow around and into it drying right now. Next spring it will make a superb walking stick for my travels.

 

[Huertecilla]

Canes, walking sticks?

I have used the advanced search function but it is either no topics or me

Is there anything about smart stylish walking aids in here?

Although I loath to admit it, there are times my hips need some support. I have a perfectly funcionable stick but it has nóóóóó style whatsoever.
I would realy like a better looking design but am not going the antique road as art nouveau is for one too expensive and also too beautifull to ding about using it.

Do you Sirs and Ladies have any pointers before I risc buying somthing which lóóks ok but is El Cheapo chromed chinese cast when you unpack it?

 

[Shangas]

There is a VERY prominent thread on the Lounge somewhere regarding just this exact topic. But sadly I don't know where it is. I'm surprised you couldn't find it. But I know for a fact that there is one.

Here it is!

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...icks-amp-Canes&highlight=walking+sticks+canes

 

[HoosierDaddy]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?11768-Walking-Sticks-amp-Canes&highlight=canes

 

[Huertecilla]

THANKS!!!

I suspected it was me and will continue in thát thread.

 

[Shangas]

You're welcome.

 

[Huertecilla]

Walking-sticks used to be essential pieces of kit, due to the huge amounts of walking that people used to do. Young and old would carry them, to give their legs extra support on long journeys.

Aids for country side walks are still a must over here in the hills/mountains. That is however totally different from an elegant town cane.

These days, they're mostly fashion-accessories, or used for medical reasons.

In the 1800s, "singlestick fighting" was a martial-art which used the walking-stick as a defensive weapon.

... cut...

If you feel uncomfortable using a walking-stick, buy a nice, full-length umbrella instead.

Thanks for the link to this thread.

I have used a stick as walking aid for close to two decades now. I can usually do without but it is a bad idea not to take one along in/on my wheels of transport.
It is a high tech aluminium, lightweight adjustable with ergonomic grip. I had it in a clamp on my motorbikes and all.
Though not of geriatric type, it is more functional than elegant and it has over time acquired ... euh...... patina. Proof of an honourable, usefull life. High time to get a additional one with a bit more attention to style for going out.

An umbrella is thé worst solution over here in the land with 300 sunny days

As to the self defense thing, the cane of the gipsy patriachs is a good example; they have lead weighted blobs at the end...

For the rest ány cane is an effective defensive aid and if the grip is abit sturdy even mor so. A wáck to the side of the knee is quite enough for a safe retreat.

I thoúght I was looking for an ebony cane with silver or alpaca puño but am increasingly uncertain about that. It is só Suchet - Poirot wannabee in my mind.

There is a factory making a wide variety artesally here in Spain; http://goma2.com/ecom/imagenes/bastones/familias/BASTONESpeq.jpg

On the higher end side they offer massive sterling silver, noble wood, wood with silver and even Cites registered ivory!!
The price range runs from a ten to a thousand Euros.
All relatively sharply priced.

 

[Zombie_61]

...An umbrella is thé worst solution over here in the land with 300 sunny days ...

Ah, but an umbrella can be used to provide shade and sun protection as well as to keep the rain off of your head.

That said, unless it's specifically designed to serve both purposes an umbrella isn't a suitable replacement for a good, sturdy, stable cane if you're using it as a support aid and not just a fashion accessory.

 

[GHT]

My wife, who had a knee replacement last year uses this for support:



Whilst one of our friends, who had a hip replacement, prefers this type, without the crook. it certainly gets noticed.

 

[Shangas]

My what beautiful sticks!

 

[Huertecilla]

Ah, but an umbrella can be used to provide shade and sun protection as well as to keep the rain off of your head.

Over here these two functions of an ´umbrella´ are so distinct that there is no single word but two words ´paraguas´ (for-rain) and ´parasol´ (for-sol) for it.
A gent with a parasol is ... best censored .

That said, unless it's specifically designed to serve both purposes an umbrella isn't a suitable replacement for a good, sturdy, stable cane if you're using it as a support aid and not just a fashion accessory.

And when designed to be load bearing it is clumsily heavy.


The way it is I want the cane I occasionally need to be stylish. ´Fashionable´is the wrong word as it is as fashionable as a vintage hat

Oooohh GHT, that top one is beaútifull! A subtle art nouveau flower design in silver.
I have a 20 y.o. hip replacement and the other one was to be replaced too at the time but I refused. A combination of titanium and pain killers has worked out nicely. The move to a warmer/dryer climate helped too but in all reality the original one is cramping my style and forcing my hand ... to a stick. better a nice one then

I was looking at

Personally I lóve ebony, but my gf thinks black & silver rather funerary so perhaps cocobolo, bubinga or kingswood is a better option. The factory I mentioned uses those woods too so I will just ask them.

 

[Zombie_61]

...And when designed to be load bearing it is clumsily heavy...

True. And since it can't serve both purposes at the same time, it's best to have canes to use as canes and umbrellas to use as umbrellas. That said, I prefer a good wide-brimmed hat to protect me whether it's para aguas or para sol.

 

[Nick D]

Over here these two functions of an ´umbrella´ are so distinct that there is no single word but two words ´paraguas´ (for-rain) and ´parasol´ (for-sol) for it.

The same is true in English, but parasols are relatively rare now.

 

[Huertecilla]

Wooffffff, I am drooling....

A thing of beauty like that is a wellcome bit of compensation!

 

[Zombie_61]

Wooffffff, I am drooling...A thing of beauty like that is a welcome bit of compensation!

That's wonderful! Sadly, whenever I see a cane with such an ornate handle my first thought is, "I wonder how comfortable that is on the hand..." On those days when I need to use one of my canes I tend to lean on them rather heavily, and contours such as the ones on that sculpt can sometimes get uncomfortable after a while.

 

[Huertecilla]

That's wonderful! Sadly, whenever I see a cane with such an ornate handle my first thought is, "I wonder how comfortable that is on the hand..." On those days when I need to use one of my canes I tend to lean on them rather heavily, and contours such as the ones on that sculpt can sometimes get uncomfortable after a while.

In spanish there is a distinction between crutch and cane which is far less extreme than in the english language and when a walking aid has more weight shifted to it than just balance it is called a ´muleta´= crutch instead of ´bastón´.

As to the shown example, I totally agree with your point; it is more a ´bastón´ than a ´muleta´, but that is easily solved;

with somewhere in between

One footnote to the ´uncomfortable after a while´ though.
I dó agree as I have been in double réal crutches, a wheel chair even, am on painkillers quite regularly, but have often pondered about the contradiction included.
When I nééd the cane for support, I cannot walk all that far cane or not. Standing still for any léngth of time is even further out of the question.
For the moment I can get away with simply avoiding the issue on a bad day. With any sort of a limp and a walking aid as neccessity you have perfectly good reason to.
So, where does that leave the ´uncomfortable after a while´?
I have no answer.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Wooffffff, I am drooling....

A thing of beauty like that is a wellcome bit of compensation!

That is awesome! lol!