Posted on 10/18/2011 7:45:55 PM PDT by jagusafr
Okay, FReepers know everything, so here's a question: what should I look for in a self-defense cane?
Four knee surgeries and the prospect of a knee replacement, combined with having to make my run times for the next 4 years till I retire, have made me seriously consider using a cane for both occasional support and for self-defense. Anybody got an idea on the best cane for both support and self-defense?
Colonel, USAFR
I have a sumac root with a horse hame mounted on top. From experience it seems to deliver a “don’t screw with me” message while it is functioning as a walking aid. Probably too heavy for self defense. It’s about 2 3/4 lbs. I would never use it on a human. Better things for that.
A sword cane would be nice, but I would prefer a cane gun, even though it is only a single shot.
Laws are very different in different states and countries.
Using a “cane” as primarily a way of concealing a lethal weapon will get you in trouble most places. I believe sword canes, gun canes and such are illegal almost everywhere.
But if you carry a solid cane that is obviously intended as primarily a walking aid with self-defense as a side benefit, you should be legal almost anywhere in the world. Especially if you really do need a cane to walk.
Here’s a pdf of an article written in 1912: The Cane as a Weapon.
http://ad1542.tripod.com/cunningham.pdf
I would also recommend Cane Masters, as others already have. They have a good line of canes that are designed to be used for defense, but are not so obvious as some of the others on the market.
Jagusafr— I have both the Slim Stick and the City Stick from Cold Steel. I also have a Blackswift (www.blackswiftsticks.com). There are pluses and minuses to each one.
Whoever commented that carrying the City Stick might get you arrested had a very good point. While on Neighborhood Watch patrol, I loaned mine to an off-duty auxiliary DC police officer who is a lawyer and used to work for bail bondsmen. After walking with it for a few moments, he held it up and said, “If I caught somebody with one of these in Southeast DC, I’d arrest them.” He was so concerned about having it in his possession that he couldn’t wait to get back to my house and give it back to me (I was carrying the Slim Stick). It is solid and heavy.
The Slim Stick is very light weight. For me (5’10”) it is a little too tall, and a very awkward height. If it was a little taller I could use it as more of a hiking staff. In fact, I’ve been toying with the idea of modifying the cork grip from a hiking staff to screw onto the top of it.
The Blackswift is really quite amazing. It is extremely light and VERY swift. As a former fencer, if this thing had a point on it and somebody came up to me with a fencing foil and shouted, “En garde!,” there’s a good chance he would end up skewered. I’m sure that a skillfully-placed hard thwap with the Blackswift would be able to fracture a kneecap. If you were to come down hard on the forearm of someone holding a weapon, I doubt if the arm would be useable for some time.
That being said, the Blackswift is NOT a weapon that is designed to debilitate a big, tough assailant. It is meant more for inflicting pain, but it can do that very, very well. Also, one great thing about it is that I can tuck the head up under my belt and carry it pretty much out of the way, though it does look like I’m carrying a rapier when I do that.
I live in a place that’s not too far outside of DC, and although the neighborhood itself is pretty safe, some nasty elements do creep in from time to time. So, which cane do I take when I walk to the gym at night for a workout? It’s almost always the Blackswift, mainly because it’s so light. I hook it to the strap of my backpack in such a way that I can pull it out like a samurai sword. It’s also a great tool to use for stretching.
Bottom line— The Blackswift is by far the easiest to carry and will help against most problems from dogs to people. Hit a big man across the face and the shock will give you enough time to get away. I don’t know how well it would do against something like a really determined pit bull, but I’m sure it would drive off any lesser beast. It weighs a little over four ounces and unless the officer involved knew exactly what it was, I’m sure there would be no questions of its legality. DRAWBACK— the rubber tip that they supply with the cane wears through quite quickly.
The Slim Stick would be excellent for a trained self-defense practitioner to use against any and all assailants. It’s light and long and darned near unbreakable. The metal head would crack the skull of a dog, but you’d better aim it perfectly.
The City Stick is a bludgeon. A blow from the tip could crack a skull, and a hard blow from the metal knob onto someone’s head would almost certainly kill them. However, as per my police officer friend, it’s legality would be a subject of debate. You might win that debate, but it could cost you several thousand dollars in legal fees to do it.
Hope this helps.
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