Walking sticks with secrets...

[afmech]

I used to own an amazing Walking stick ( for 4 days) with a dragon head holding a gem in its mouth when you twisted and pulled a decent sized sword came out... I bought it while on a cruse in the Caribbean as it was something i always wanted and would go amazing with my costume ( were were on the ship for all hollows eve) and I had it and used it all the way back to the States. I loaded it into my luggage. When the ship docked and I was getting off when me and my family were pulled aside. The dam Customs Agents Confiscated ( never got it back either...) they said since i was a teenager ( was 16 at the time) and i did not know better about concealed weapons laws and they would not charge me with having a concealed weapon and i should consider this a lesson and a warning. ( guess i was lucky) It was not like i was walking around with it it or brandishing my sword out in public... it was in my luggage. They found it there after it had to go through the x-ray( why they had to x-ray the luggage coming off i will never know) and then inspected closer by hand... they also took my amazing looking little round bottles with rubber stoppers that i used as part of my costume( they looked like little mana potion bottles) because they had what they called " Suspicious Liquids" inside, it was just water with food coloring ,  and my prop gun ( made from an old super soaker 50)... The thing that annoyed me the most was the fact that one i never got them back, and two even the cruse line it self had no problem with me using the walking stick, the prop gun, or carrying the bottles on my belt during the the costume night.... It was the most amazing walking stick i ever owned even though it was only for 4 days....

[Gentleman-Adventurer]

Afmech, you truly have my sympathies. Unless I'm very much mistaken, your items were confiscated not because they were in any way dangerous, they were taken because they were cool.

[Baron Verndorf]

Thread-necromancing!

The other day I purchased a walking stick that, once taken apart and re-assembled in the proper fashion, became a pool cue! I'll post a picture shortly.

[Hieronimous Stonebender]

Thread-necromancing!

The other day I purchased a walking stick that, once taken apart and re-assembled in the proper fashion, became a pool cue! I'll post a picture shortly.

Please do...post haste...

The thread... IT LIVES!!!

[Samuel]

I reckon we should have a cane thread stickied. we have a stickied pocketwatch thread, after all, and everyone here seems to have a thing for their canes...

[groomporter]

Which thread to stickie? There's also this one which as 15 pages of posts:
"A Gentleman's Walking Sticks!" :
http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/bg-forum/index.php?topic=621.0

<hr>
Speaking of canes with secrets, I've wondered why there are so many flask canes with glass flasks. Perhaps it's just that test tubes are so cheap and small enough in diameter? I would worry about breakage and losing my brandy when disciplining servants, street urchins, or stray air pirates.

So my next project is a flask cane using a metal flask that I scavenged from a combination cigar tube/flask. It's a little larger in diameter so the upper end of the shaft will be larger than I normal make, but much less worry about "alcohol abuse" in the form of spillage.

[Jaqhama]

Here's my contribution.

My cane sword. Probably made in the late 1800's or early 1900's in India for some Brtish Gentleman or officer. Brass handle, tempered steel rapier blade, very flexible. Very sharp.






When I first got the cane sword I discovered it had a spike hidden in the butt plate. Unscrewing it with difficulty I found the spike was covered in a black, sticky substance, which I can only assume was some kind of poison. I took great care to clean it off and re-polish the spike.



The blade slides into the scabbord and then a twist locks the handle in place.



For more of my unusual blades best to go here where I posted it a while back.
http://forum.sfreader.com/default~f~42~m~77815.html

[Rowan of Rin]

 
That is incredible! From whence did you acquire such a beauty!? I think I must view this in person for full effect

Edit: I just checked out your post on the other forum, and it seems you have quite a collection! I recently lost an auction for an 18th century butchers cleaver, very cool.

[Jaqhama]

This will have you chuckling...

A friend of mine worked for an auction company. He knew I was into arnis/escrima/kali and Le canne (various types of stick fighting).
I walked into his office one day, he's on the 'phone. He lifts the walking stick off his deak, asks the chap on the phone to wait a moment...passes me the stick. Explains he knows I'm into fighting sticks and canes, thought I might like this one because it's so unusual.
He goes back to chatting on the phone.
I look at the cane. Twist the locking device and pull out the rapier. He nearly falls out of his chair in shock.
"What the...?"
I look at him. "Didn't you know it was a sword cane?"
"God no! I just thought it was a cool looking cane and you'd like it."
"Ah."
It was a funny scene..his jaw actually dropped and his eyes went all round.

I left his office with the 'cane' and sometime later I'm sitting in my own office admiring it. Looking all over it to see if I could find a date or a name to indicate who and where and when it had been made.
I noticed a tiny line down near the base of the body/sheath. After several attempts I managed to turn the base around and unscrew it...to discover that spike, coated with what appeared to be a sticky black substance...and I kid you not... I had my finger up to see how sharp the point was when an alarm bell went off inside my head...DO NOT TOUCH THE POINT IDIOT!!! I was less than a centimetre away from touching the point and the God knows what stuff it was coated with.
I screwed the cover back over the spike and left it alone until I got home.
I then uncovered the spike again, made sure I had rubber gloves on and washed the spike in boiling hot water. Then I sprayed it with a cleaning agent. Then I got some sand paper and scrubbed it until it was spotless and gleaming. Then I made sure I threw the gloves away. In hindsight I should have kept a sample of the sticky substance and taken it to a lab for analysis...too late now.
I've had the sword cane displayed on the end of my bookcase ever since.

I got the Tanto knife from the same chap...he DID realise that had a blade.
And the huge meat cleaver from an antique dealer in the Blue Mounatins...who, collecting things from a deceased country property, had unearthed it in the barn of all places.
The Kukri I bought at Salamanca Markets in Hobart...but you can buy genuine ones very cheaply here:
http://www.himalayan-imports.com/khuk1.html
I recently bought two of the tiny ones for gifts as letter-openers and a slightly larger one for my partner for when we go camping. All up, including postage I think it only came to about $60 Oz dollars.
Apparently the 9 inch bladed kukri's are the most versatile.

I'd like to know the origin and age of the sword cane, but it seems unlikely I'll ever discover it.

Cheers: Jaq.

[Rowan of Rin]

Haha, that is hilarious! I can imagine if someone else had bought the cane, and it just sat against their wall for years, until someone was fiddling around with it when..*shink*.

I will definitely have to keep my eye out for strange lines on any cane I see from now on, unfortunately they are quite few are far between in the auctions houses I go to regularly, but you never know, I might get lucky!

I went to Japan recently, and was privileged to see some original samurai swords and katanas, they are absolutely stunning, and the craftsmanship is superb.

[Jaqhama]

It's amazing what you can find on the Internet...real sword canes produced in South Africa of all places.
Just the thing to fend the lions and rhinos off with I expect.

http://www.swordcane.com/burger_swords_home.htm

[rogue_designer]

Ah now if I could find an sword umbrella of that calibre (and not be arrested for carrying it). Really nice work they have - thanks for the link.

[Jaqhama]

Ah now if I could find an sword umbrella of that calibre (and not be arrested for carrying it). Really nice work they have - thanks for the link.

Ah hello there Sir, step right up, step right and let me introduce you to...

http://www.unbreakableumbrella.com/

[rogue_designer]

Ah hello there Sir, step right up, step right and let me introduce you to...

http://www.unbreakableumbrella.com/

I've seen those. For it's purpose it is quite good (I have a very sturdy extra large umbrella that is similarly useful). But it is missing the sting of cold steel. Someday I'll both find the perfect item, and be able to afford it. In the meantime I'll stick to a small pocket blade, my rapier wit, and my fast feet.

[Alastair Smythe]

Yes, I'll be buying one of those umbrellas before the rainy season.

[markf]

While Mr Steed would not see Mother w/o one of these ...
http://www.pimall.com/nais/umbrelllasword.html
http://www.canneshop.com/francais/parapluie.htm
... I agree he clearly would approve of the unbreakable umbrella.  I have had one of these bamboo handled sword versions for 10+ yrs, and the quality is outstanding.
http://www.canneshop.com/anglais/918b_a.htm

You may find some info in the thread from last Nov, "An umbrella for the self defence minded individual", useful for defining different sword cane and sword umbrella products.  markf

[Mr Zero]

Mine, a kinda before and after pictorial.

Spoiler: ShowHide

[professortucker]

If it hasn't been mentioned yet, I tend to carry a Robust cigars in one of my canes.

Sincerely,
SFC (Professor) Delphinius "J.C." Tucker

[Robert Sandler]

A couple can designs that I'm currently working out:

First:
-Compass or watch in handle
-Knife with handle being first few inches of cane
-Sword with handle being knife handle + knife length of cane

Second:
Portable hat rack with deploying tripod tip.  It is so hard to find a restaurant that has proper utilities for a gentleman's hat these days.

[DonQuijote]

A couple can designs that I'm currently working out:

First:
-Compass or watch in handle
-Knife with handle being first few inches of cane
-Sword with handle being knife handle + knife length of cane

Second:
Portable hat rack with deploying tripod tip.  It is so hard to find a restaurant that has proper utilities for a gentleman's hat these days.

just please remember to post pictures of zour work. i am especially interested in the hat rack cane....

[Robert Sandler]

I probably won't be building either anytime soon, and I doubt that the sword one will ever be made.  Mostly an exercize in engineering.

[novelgazer]

My first thought (to be fair, it was my first thought _after_ reading all 10 pages of your great ideas) would be a walking stick/cane that acts as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Stubblefield">Stubblefield</a> earth conduction telephone (photo about half way down the John Bedini's page <a href="http://www.icehouse.net/john1/stubblefield.html">here</a> under the heading "The man behind the tree is Dr. Will Mason.")

PS
TristanRenn said,
"Well yes, they work as canes, but walking about with an umbrella in hand on a sunny day feels a bit foolish if rain never strikes."

With nearly 100 degree temperatures for the past 4 or 5 days, I'd say a sunny day is perfect umbrella weather.

[Capt_Zaphod]

A couple can designs that I'm currently working out:
Second:
Portable hat rack with deploying tripod tip.  It is so hard to find a restaurant that has proper utilities for a gentleman's hat these days.

This one I could sooo use!
Please keep me posted on this one Robert.
Thank you

[Jackanory]

How about a cane with another cane hidden inside it? No? If you don't make it I will...

[belzoradon]

so I am playing on the aether webs as I am want to do and suddenly two piece of inspiration hit me at once, here & this thread. And so I am left with no other choice but to take this, a few other ideas floating on this forum & build myself a cane. Does anyone know where I might find a pocket compass? and/or who makes the smallest multi-card reader & what the modal number is? Lets see here, USB storage, card reader, compass, ah yes & I fancy installing a small LED torch in the end also. Does anyone see anything vital I've missed?