Walking Sticks? For thumping miscreants on the head with

Tim

Tim

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So, I took the family on a hike yesterday at an "Educational State Forest", meaning that carrying a pistol is officially off-limits. Then, the kid and I watched one of the LOTR movies where Gandalf refers to his wizard staff as 'an old man's walking stick'.....gains entrance to the king's hall and proceeds to do wizardy butt kicking stuff with it. Go me thinking.

So...does anyone carry a 'staff' or walking stick specifically for use as a head thumping, dog poking, snake scootin' deal?

If so, is it just a nicely turned stick or did you drop $$ on a pre-stippled tactical thing with fish hooks and spear heads hidden in the handle?
 
I found a smallest limb in my backyard, cut it, stripped the bark and dried it for the past year.
Going to be working it this summer.
Plans are to wrap the small end with wire to protect it.
Other than that, just trim it for length to fit me.
I'll coat it with boiled linseed oil.
Right now it about 7'-3" +, I'll cut it down to around 6'-3" when finished.
 
I made a couple from some hardwood saplings off of a friends property. I took the bark off and let them dry for several months, then put a stain of your choice. If you have any artist skills (which I really don't) you can carve a design into the handle part. I have seen at different State and National Parks metal circular emblems that you can attach to them as well.
 
My son and I made one for him in Cub scouts. I sank a threaded insert in the top so he could screw a hook in it to fish things out of the water/hang it on a branch. The rest of the time it had a knurled nut on top.
 
Have two. One a store bought hardwood staff with a rubber cap on the bottom. I did a paracord wrap on the handle myself.

My other was a young cedar tree I cut and skinned the bark off of. Stored indoors for years, so it was nice and dry. Sadly, Its been in the weather now for a few months. Need to see if I can dry it back out.
 
Any sturdy stick can be used for head knockin’ etc ... just gotta practice. I’m gonna say a good old hickory stick that has a rise to between your elbow and shoulder is a pretty good piece to work with. The grip can be nicely wrapped with leather or cord (with a little weighting tucked in behind it for thumpin’). The tip can be capped with a metal piece or even tight wire wrap to help keep it from wearing (and make pokin’ more efficient also). I’m gonna say make one for yourself and adapt it as you see things you can improve on rather than buy some fancy stick.
 
Johnny said:
I've been using the same piece of Crepe Myrtle for about 5 years at home and at camp.
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This is what I tote when I carry a stick. Hard to beat this. You can’t break it
 
I have had several walking sticks. They are great for navigating through thickets and streams, knocking limbs out of the way and spider webs... especially spiderwebs.

I'm making one now from a shovel handle and will epoxy a stud into the top that I can screw my spear tip into if needs be.
IMG_0908.JPG
Also get a rubber cane tip for the bottom.
 
I bought one of these, but could easily be made if you had the time and inclination.

Brazos walking sticks.

Many uses other than a walking stick: moving brambles and cobwebs out of the path, “dog thumper”, making sure there’s not a copperhead in the leaves
 
Go by Tractor Supply. They have an assortment of walking sticks, canes, and Sheppard crooks. Easier than cutting down a sapling and finishing it.

My self, while clearing a spot for a conex box, I cut several walnut saplings down. I've got a couple I need to finish. Guess with all the rain, I've got a project to take care of.

Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
 
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I actually used to train in martial arts with a plain wooden cane. It's about the most innocuous and non threatening item around. It's quite ideal for defense against an attacker wielding a knife or club. Not so effective against an assailant with firearm, but they saw the same signs you did and left their gat in the car.

The type with a simple curve on the handle is ideal for hooking an arm or leg with some serious leverage. The one downside is that for a determined predator with well honed victim selection skills, seeing someone with a cane is like a lion that sees an impala limping. And if you're going into a GFZ or a place with actual security, sell the fake by limping.
 
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Johnny said:
I've been using the same piece of Crepe Myrtle for about 5 years at home and at camp.
Click to expand...

Good choice. I have some crepe murder trimmings in a pile in the back yard. Will be cutting some soon for this very purpose.


As someone who has at various times in my life had to physically walk with a cane (and temporarily a walker) I can tell you no one pays attention to it and it's potential as a tool for self defense. I have a nice solid oak cane I used for a time and I'm sure I'll use again.
 
Johnny said:
I've been using the same piece of Crepe Myrtle for about 5 years at home and at camp.
Click to expand...

That's one tough stick.

I've not seen it here but in NH we had what we called 'Iron Wood'. More of a large bush, only 3" thick, dark grey thin bark. It would dull a saw after a half a dozen cuts.
 
I routinely saw older folks walking through detroit with one golf club or an old baseball bat
saw a lady walking through fayetteville with just a broken piece of lumber in her hand the other day.

sometimes just looking "not worth the trouble" is a good idea.
 
BBD280 said:
Find a beaver dam and grab you a few "beaver sticks".
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Yep.

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I’ve had a walking stick made from a straight piece of mountain laurel for 20-ish years. That stuff is hard as a rock and almost unbreakable. It would make a pretty formidable striking weapon in a pinch.
 
One of my customers made me a nice walking stick. It's about 5 feet long, 1.5 inches in diameter, and has an 8 ball bolted to the top.
 
"So...does anyone carry a 'staff' or walking stick specifically for use as a head thumping, dog poking, snake scootin' deal?"
yes.
i use a golf club (carbon fiber shaft) with the head removed
and replaced with some small iron hardware for effect.

here is a video for another idea:
 
+1 on the find/make one and adjust it to your needs as you use it. You'll soon decide if the girth, length, weight, balance, etc. are right for you just by feel.

Great craft activity, too! Selection, barking, shaping, carving, drying, oiling, and making a handle & tip -- lots of variety with pretty quick results for that "I just got a treat!" feeling.

You can epoxy a copper pipe cap on the bottom end for purtiness, or make a longer one out of a steel pipe nipple & cap for added business-end heft.
 
While not as long as some walking sticks, I got a Cold Steel Blackthorn walking stick. I got it several years ago when I had some problems and needed a cane from time to time. If a person was so inclined, he could turn a bad guy's head to mush with a few swings from this thing.

www.coldsteel.com

IRISH BLACKTHORN WALKING STICK

The Blackthorn is found throughout Ireland and the British Isles, and it has been prized for centuries as a material for premium walking sticks. The most wel
www.coldsteel.com www.coldsteel.com
 
Dude I went to high school with used to carry a bo staff when he went hiking.

I pity the fool that ever attacked him, because they would have gotten the sh*t beaten out of them.
 
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Dale Gribble said:
Dude I went to high school with used to carry a bo staff when he went hiking.

I pity the fool that ever attacked him, because they would have gotten the sh*t beaten out of them.
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He had skills? Was his name Napoleon?
 
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Tim said:
He had skills? Was his name Napoleon?
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Wasn’t Napolean, but he had trained with a bo staff since he was around 8.

For practice/training, he used a barbell.

Dude was a badass, but humble as he could be.
 
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As a boyscout would make a couple every year. Always a straight hardwood sapling, always
about my height, and always a little thinner than I thought I wanted. Strip it with a knife, roast over a fire, scrape off any charring, rub smooth. In the fall I’d make one the same but longer, super handy when you fall through ice or hike through spider webs at night.

You mentioned turning one, better to use a drawknife or just whittle it down. You’re more likely to include some cross grain when you turn it, and that makes it weak. Same reason that you don’t buy a wood ladder with turned rungs.

My favorites were when the ground was wet and the sapling would have a knot and/or secondary growth at the bottom. Always an interesting carving opportunity.
 
If you do not want to make one a 5ft or 6ft fiberglass cow stick makes a pretty good and light one. You can get diffrent lengths and they are pretty dang tough I have seen one bent around many times and spring right back. Also swing really well.
 
I use a graphite golf shaft from an old driver.
 
My limping self needs to get one now I think about it. Anyone know much about the Cold Steel heavy duty polymer ones?
 
NCLivingBrit said:
My limping self needs to get one now I think about it. Anyone know much about the Cold Steel heavy duty polymer ones?
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I just ordered one. Mostly ‘cause it’s 1am and I can’t sleep.
 
Just remember the less Tacticool it looks the less you’ll have to explain to Johnny Law why you’re carrying a “weapon”. Spikes, sharpened ends, pipe caps, etc are something they may see as bad ... but an innocent tip cap/wire wrap on the ground end or nice “grip wrap” ... of course for grip not adding ounces for swinging ... may not be viewed as a “loaded cane”.
 
My trekking poles are my old carbon fiber ski poles. A little light for people but work moving critters and brush out of the way. Nice for creek crossings too. My knees require them if I’m backpacking.


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I made a couple of sticks out of an old oak stair tread years ago. Ripped it down to 1" square, the 45ed the corners to make it octagonal. Sanded it smooth and rubbed it with tung oil. It lasted about 20 years of using it for hiking and herding cows around on the farm. The bottom can be rounded off to accept a rubber cane tip, and a grip wrapped with paracord and you have a heck of a stick. It's time to make some new ones.
 
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NCLivingBrit said:
My limping self needs to get one now I think about it. Anyone know much about the Cold Steel heavy duty polymer ones?
Click to expand...
At 3lbs I doubt that I’d use it much if at all.
I like the look of the Kelty Strider at 5’ long and way less than a pound. Probably less effective for defense, but you’ll have it with you.
Leki makes good products generally, don’t know if they have a staff or only the shorter treking poles.
 
A hundred years ago when I was active in the martial arts I fell in with a group that specialized in weapons, fricken non-official ninjas that were from a variety of martial arts styles. I still remember a lot that I learned from them. Honestly they could pic up a twig off the ground and take you out with it. Their bo work looked like helicopter blades whirling around. I miss those days.
 
REELDOC said:
A hundred years ago when I was active in the martial arts I fell in with a group that specialized in weapons, fricken non-official ninjas that were from a variety of martial arts styles. I still remember a lot that I learned from them. Honestly they could pic up a twig off the ground and take you out with it. Their bo work looked like helicopter blades whirling around. I miss those days.
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An old friend many years ago said the worst beating he ever got was with a car's radio antenna.
 
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