Irish Blackthorn 1, dogs 0...

[DeTerminator]

Piraticalbob,

Thanks for your input with your experience with the Cold Steel version of a blackthorn.

I too have found that a round knob-like handle on a cane might be best used for a person needing a cane to support weight a great deal. I almost bought another knob-handled blackthorn, but figured that my hip condition was improving with the surgeries. I have an oak hame-handled BubbaStik that I used a lot when I needed a cane to hold me up... and it is a good cane, and got a lot of compliments! I have the sharp-pointed ice-grabber tip, too. I found that the chrone hame end was a bit of weight to haul around when I didn't need to use it for weight-bearing, so I re-adopted the blackthorn for it's easy carrying.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I got another hame head and I am waiting to buy some wood to mount it own.

 

[Readyrod]

I've traveled a lot in third world countries and I've found out that if you reach down like you are picking up a rock the dogs tend to scatter. Maybe not so relevant in this case but good advice to remember.

 

[DeTerminator]

Deltaboy, where do you get your hames from, if I may ask? I know they can be bought from the BubbaStik website. I'm wondering if they can be boughten cheaper. I think it was around $25 when I asked them a few months back. My chrome-plated one got a nasty gouge and some scratches, and I was considering replacing it, but the spiral shaped nails used to hold it on would have made it really tough to do a good job of it. I decided to leave it the way it was...a little mojo on it.

I took the BubbaStik for my walk this AM (no, I didn't get jumped by dogs this time!) The first thing that I noticed was how light the stick seemed, and really biased for weight toward the hame end. I got the idea that a great cane could be made with a 3 foot piece of micarta and a hame. The hame would add a few inches, making it my preferred length. It would be better balanced, and much better than oak as far as strength.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I own a real blackthorn but it is designed for walking, not fighting. It is far too thin and therefore too light to be an effective weapon at only 11 1/2 ounces. I found this out the hard way when I tried to break up a dog fight with it. It had no effect whatsoever on a 75 pound Lab mix who had my smaller dog in her mouth.

 

[AOK]

It is far too thin and therefore too light to be an effective weapon at only 11 1/2 ounces.

So what is an ideal range of weight and thickness to be effective as a weapon?

 

[DeTerminator]

Readyrod, thanks for your advice, and observation about using the "getting a rock to throw at you" tactic for advancing dogs. I just might need that to put to use.

 

[DeTerminator]

AOK,

The opinions vary about ideal weights, with thickness depending on the material to get the best weight and maybe, balance. Also to take into consideration is the toughness of the cane. And, other handling considerations, like handle ergonomics.

From what I gather, about a pound or maybe more is recommended. Some like a lighter stick, but generally, a heavier weight is better, within limits. My blachthorn is 1 and 1/8 inches thick, and 39 inches long, after adding a crutch tip. I think it would depend on how you use your cane. Are you planning to use it for a one hour walk? Or maybe, just around the house, or to and from your car when shopping? Do you need it to support your weight because of pain? Or, just want one on hand without having to put weight on it?

I hope that helps you in your decision in deciding on your cane.

 

[AOK]

I hope that helps you in your decision in deciding on your cane.

It does, thank you!

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I find them in antique stores and junk stores and on Ebay. The solid brass one I have I paid 5 dollars for at a antique mall in Fort Worth TX 20 years ago. I used it on my desk as a paper weight until I blew out my ankle playing basketball at age 30. Since then it has been on a section of an old oak shovel or hoe handle that belonged to my GG Father who saved all his broken handles so they could be repurposed later.

 

[hso]

1-2 lb is the range of weight for a cane that you'd want to use as a defensive tool.
A larger person might use a slightly heavier cane.

 

[Cee Zee]

Many dogs have an almost instinctual reaction to both sticks and rocks. They will retreat quickly when threatened with either. My dog, which I got from a shelter, was either beaten with a stick or has a severe dose of instinct about sticks because he is scared to death of them. I have never used any thing like that on him of course. He's gotten over his fear of me picking up a stick to a degree but he's hyper and defensive anyway so the behavior is still there.

But super aggressive dogs will ignore that instinct if they have it at all. Sometimes you have to put your cane into practice. I'm always reminded of the dog in "The Call Of The Wild" which is a very large and strong dog and it is subdued by a stick. Dogs are no match for a grown man with a strong stick if that man knows how to use the stick and is willing to use it. Even multiple dogs could have a big problem with a strong cane. I'd rather not find out just how effective they could be but growing up in the country I certainly learned the value of bending over to fake picking up a rock. It works about 90% of the time. If it doesn't work you know you have a problem though. Hounds in particular seem to ignore those warnings especially coon hounds which are bred to be very aggressive with coons anyway. But I've never been bitten by a large do. I certainly know what kind of damage they can inflict though. That's a big reason I carry either a gun or a heavy cane (inch and a quarter oak usually unless I'm in rough country where I'll have a large walking stick). I feel like I could discourage all but the worst pack of dogs with those items. A heavy cane can certainly get the attention of a dog and getting the lead dog howling in pain is a good way to get the attention of the entire pack. Canes and walking sticks can do the job most of the time IMO. But not always. A gun is a good thing to have with you on any walk where dogs might be a problem.

 

[Owen Sparks]

You want the heaviest cane that you can handle and no heavier. For the average adult male this will be somewhere over a pound but this is something that you have to work up to. Start out with something light in practice or you can really mess up your joints if you get a little out of form, especially on circular swings.