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Walking Sticks & Canes.

Lovely Leah

Familiar Face
Messages
59
Location
Florida

cookie

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,927
Location
Sydney Australia
Leah

Lovely Leah said:
I am a disabled woman who has to use a cane. All I can find are metal ugly metal hospital canes. When wearing vintage, I am trying to be authentic as possible. I am sure that some younger women in the thirites, forties and fifties used canes and walking sticks out of necessity. I am trying to find something appropriate to the period. I am new to the vintage scene, any thoughts from the more experienced ladies would greatly appreciated.

Leah

Your spirit is inspiring Leah... The FL has a place for everyone...even if we all don't have 10,000 posts:D .
 

Gideon Ashe

One of the Regulars
Messages
108
Location
Greater Miami, Florida
Sticks,...and stones.

Anyone here besides me use (read need to use) a stick?
I know that a walking stick of a wide selection of types are quite popular as an acoutrement, or even for adding a dash of debonaire flash to a wardrobe, but what do you carry to satisfy the need of not falling on your asses.

I have a very small selection of wooden canes/sticks from the drugstore plain with red rubber tip. (THAT model stays tucked away in the trunk of my auto); to a new African Blackwood with silver trim and oversized crook, due here any day now.
With my both of my knees ruined, walking without the damned thing leaves me tilting toward starboard and feeling that I am going to do a Swan dive, minus the Swan. I have a Blackthorn and a cross hatched hickory and a Lignum Vitae(heavy as an anvil, that one):eusa_doh:

I am still able to dance with my wife, but what was a pretty damned decent tango has become a thing of the past. :(

Still it is fun to dance, and my wife is encouraging me to try out for the U.S.Olympic Limping Team.

(To cut off what I think follows; no, I am NOT going to have total knees done. I know of too many problems that follow on with that procedure.
Thank you anyway.):)

So??? What are you walking with?
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,009
Location
Alberta
Sorry to hear about your knee situation. I myself have never had any problem walking but I do have a cane umbrella in the boot of my car at all times, so I guess I could use that if needed. But for full time use, when its not expected to rain, can we say John Steed or Sylvester McCoy's Doctor Who. Personal preference I guess.

However some of my old scout masters needed some assistance. What they used was either a Wal-Mart variety cane, thumb sticks, or nice willow walking sticks.
I assume you have a few Wal-Mart variety kicking around.
Willow walking sticks are usually found in farmers markets, very nice, and some have the 90 deg. handles for supporting weight.
The thumb stick is usually the tall enough you can hold it with your arm at a 90 deg. angle, at the top is a V where the branch branches off in two direction cut short so your thumb fits in the groove.

Beyond that the only thing I can think of is a scout staff. usually 5'-6" tall, roughly 1" diameter. But I don't know how self conscious you would feel walking around town carrying something the cops could consider a weapon.

Do a search of Walking sticks or Canes. I did a quick one and came up with this site

http://www.canescanada.com/

but its this product I think is the CATS MEOW.

https://www.beanstream.com/scripts/cart/view_products.asp?merchant_id=107710000&category_id=46

Check out the one at the bottom of the page.

Johnny
 

Gideon Ashe

One of the Regulars
Messages
108
Location
Greater Miami, Florida
I thank you for your kind reply,...

I do not have any Wal-Mart canes, although I do indeed have a pharmacy special. Plain light wood and plain as your cousin Betty.(No offense if you have a real cousin Betty);)
My situation is not new and my knee problems, and hip come to think of it, was earned appropriately while doing the work of Cervantes' man.Tilting.
The thing is I now tilt as well.

I tried an unbrella for one day and it cried abuse. too light for a heavy job of holding me straight.

A large, or rather tall forked stick may be better for devining water than support. But better a forked stick than a forked tounge.

I do not mind having to carry the thing after all of this time, but I do admit that at first I was put out.
Ego and vanity. I was much younger. Now I am not so young.

I do not concern myself about the authorities and any interest they have in my carrying a stick. I should think their interest would be more in the handgun that I carry as part of my daily dress. Before any herein concern theirselves unduly, I am a valid CCW Licensed carrier and a certified HR-218 holder.

I am Kosher to carry weapons in any state or territory of the U.S.A., without having to seek license or permission from any state I am in. Just tell the nice man in blue, with the badge that I am a HR-218 cert and I'll be happy to show him the ticket if he promises not to shoot little holes through me.
I have enough dings, dents and scars as it is.

Advice: Never, NEVER, N-E-V-E-R!!!, carry a stick while wearing shorts.
It makes one look like an idiot and the image can never be made whole absent of the mental picture of a fool with ugly legs holding a stick.lol lol lol

I am gratified that so many here are smart enough or lucky enough not to get crunched and need to have a wooden third leg.lol

My best to you in the frozen North,
G.Ashe
 

dostacos

Practically Family
Messages
770
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Gideon Ashe said:
Anyone here besides me use (read need to use) a stick?
I know that a walking stick of a wide selection of types are quite popular as an acoutrement, or even for adding a dash of debonaire flash to a wardrobe, but what do you carry to satisfy the need of not falling on your asses.

I have a very small selection of wooden canes/sticks from the drugstore plain with red rubber tip. (THAT model stays tucked away in the trunk of my auto); to a new African Blackwood with silver trim and oversized crook, due here any day now.
With my both of my knees ruined, walking without the damned thing leaves me tilting toward starboard and feeling that I am going to do a Swan dive, minus the Swan. I have a Blackthorn and a cross hatched hickory and a Lignum Vitae(heavy as an anvil, that one):eusa_doh:

I am still able to dance with my wife, but what was a pretty damned decent tango has become a thing of the past. :(

Still it is fun to dance, and my wife is encouraging me to try out for the U.S.Olympic Limping Team.

(To cut off what I think follows; no, I am NOT going to have total knees done. I know of too many problems that follow on with that procedure.
Thank you anyway.):)

So??? What are you walking with?
working up to a total Hip replacement, my dad had 5 total knees, and 1 total hip. I too do not plan on having the knees done at least until they get MUCH better:(

any walking I do is with a pair of forearm crutches and very little at that[right hip left knee, ] but if you can still walk with a single cane, look on the net, and ebay they have lots of fancy ones

Dan
 

Gideon Ashe

One of the Regulars
Messages
108
Location
Greater Miami, Florida
any walking I do is with a pair of forearm crutches and very little at that[right hip left knee, ] but if you can still walk with a single cane, look on the net, and ebay they have lots of fancy ones

Dan[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I get around pretty well with just the one. Mostly I find that my balance goes when I get wobbly. Feels like the knees are going to fail. I am like a man on a tightrope with out my cane. I know they (the knees) wont fail, but the feeling is there.
I am working with a Kata of my own device for firing range work.
I manage about three hundred rounds per week. Funny, although my speed and mobility is very limited going from place to place, I still maintain a high quality of accuracy and function at the firing points.
My Ortho guy says it is the preception more than the physical failure.
Still it screws up my ability to Tango.:(

I do get my sticks from the Web. My next from CaneMasters.
have a good day, and,...NO RUNNING IN THE HALL!!!lol lol
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
I have football knees, and it is always the situation of when I have insurance to possibly assit with a remedy like surgery, then I have no time. When I have the time I have no insurance. Still, I haven't considered a walking stick for assistance except when I used to go hiking, I recall a friend had a neat longer stick that was adjustable and even had the set up to support a still camera on the top for picture taking. Hardly a dress up thing but great for the outdoors kinda guy.
 

Gideon Ashe

One of the Regulars
Messages
108
Location
Greater Miami, Florida
John in Covina said:
I have football knees, and it is always the situation of when I have insurance to possibly assit with a remedy like surgery, then I have no time. Hardly a dress up thing (a walking stick) but great for the outdoors kinda guy.

Evenin' John,

Well to tell you the truth I was not looking to be rafish, or needing a stage prop to make my image more piratical.;)

Dancing up and down those stairs was not exactly what I wanted. A tool for reaching the top shelf was not too much of a priority either. Not falling on my ass was pretty high up there.
After the first knee went south, I had the standard issue Nurse Ratchet aluminum thing. Ugly but efficient.
When the second knee followed the first, I traded to an Irish Blackthorn stick because I needed the stick and although I am no Prince Charming, enough ugly is sufficient.

I am able to walk without the thing, but I get some smirks and strange looks for MY strange looks. without the support cane I have a kind of funny looking ducklike waddel.:)

Since 1989 it (the wood) has been pretty much a part of my wardrobe, and appears to be staying that way. Could be worse. I could by communicating on a thread about where to get low price wheelchair tires.lol lol lol

Have a good evening, and keeep on limping.:eusa_clap
 

Twitch

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,133
Location
City of the Angels
Gideon- yes, don't go for a complete knee replacement. My Mom did it at 86 and and it was a shock to the system sure. But what killed her was infection and pnemonia. I vowed I'd never get it for sure.
 

Gideon Ashe

One of the Regulars
Messages
108
Location
Greater Miami, Florida
Twitch said:
Gideon- yes, don't go for a complete knee replacement. My Mom did it at 86 and and it was a shock to the system sure. But what killed her was infection and pnemonia. I vowed I'd never get it for sure.


Exactamente!!! I have three close acquaintances and know several others who have had knee or hip jobs done. Each one at or approaching the big 70, have had infection or other problems that have turned them into old people very fast. I am talking about otherwise rather vigerous individuals, whose only nod to age is their hair color. (They have turned blue or in the case of men, that rather odd orange or maroon colorlol lol lol )

I'll keep my white hair (at least I still have some)and limp around.
Still awaiting my new stick. Got to show a little dash here;).

Laugh your way through the day. I double dog dare ya'!lol
 

Miss Brill

One Too Many
Messages
1,199
Location
on the edge of propriety
Can anyone tell me about this one? It belonged to my grandmother, and she got it in the 1960-70s at Goodwill (probably). She didn't know what the material was--it looks like a bone with a metal rod in it. What animal would have a bone that was 40"?
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LocktownDog

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,254
Location
Northern Nevada
That is not bone, Ms Brill. Without taking a closer look, I'd say it could very well be cured rawhide pizzle. Meaning ... the thick-skin sheath of a ... ummm ... anatomical part of a farm animal. Sometimes prized stud horses or bulls would be remembered this way after their passing. When cured, they're very strong and almost have the texture of bone. They can be capped with silver just like carved walking sticks.

Richard
 

Miss Brill

One Too Many
Messages
1,199
Location
on the edge of propriety
LocktownDog said:
That is not bone, Ms Brill. Without taking a closer look, I'd say it could very well be cured rawhide pizzle. Meaning ... the thick-skin sheath of a ... ummm ... anatomical part of a farm animal. Sometimes prized stud horses or bulls would be remembered this way after their passing. When cured, they're very strong and almost have the texture of bone. They can be capped with silver just like carved walking sticks.

Richard


OMG! Ewwww! That is just...too much. :eek: 40"? Holy cow!
 

Alan Eardley

One Too Many
Messages
1,500
Location
Midlands, UK
Yes, it's probably a bull stick. Made from the dried and stretched membrum virile of a bull. As you say, stallions members are sometimes used. Almost always there is a reinforcing steel rod.

Alan


LocktownDog said:
That is not bone, Ms Brill. Without taking a closer look, I'd say it could very well be cured rawhide pizzle. Meaning ... the thick-skin sheath of a ... ummm ... anatomical part of a farm animal. Sometimes prized stud horses or bulls would be remembered this way after their passing. When cured, they're very strong and almost have the texture of bone. They can be capped with silver just like carved walking sticks.

Richard
 

Miss Brill

One Too Many
Messages
1,199
Location
on the edge of propriety
This thing still squicks me out. Where do people get these ideas? Why would it cross someone's mind to chop off something like that & walk around with it? If my grandmother had known what it was she would have died of embarrassment.
 

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