Off topic: walking assistance.

Rusty

Rusty

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Several years back I ordered several shepherds crooks and finished them and passed them on to those, ordained or not, who demonstrated living the life of a shepherd caring for others. I naturally kept one for myself, as one who regularly ( as Congregation President at the time, ( and elder , and deacon before that ) cut pastors out of the brambles they'd gotten caught themselves in extricating their flock.

When my wife had a knee replacement I cut one to about 58" ( from 72" ). When I got to moving around better, it seemed a better deal than the walker.

Then Monday night a "friend" told me, "If Little Bo Peep sees you with that she's gonna take it away from you and kick your ( synonymn for derriere ) for stealing it from her.

I need suggestions for an appropriate replacement. Think on it.
 
You could see if you could coax Jim out of his cave. I'm sure he'd let you lean on him until such time as you were fully mended.
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Blues

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Live Free or Die

Blues' Knife Pix
 
:
Bro you can go to....
http://www.canemasters.com
for more than just a walking assist.
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But bring your credit card or a full wallet.
I have the quad grip, tear drop with "shark's teeth" cane and with little red snake eyes over the sharpened crook made from the combat grade hickory heart.
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It's not nearly as heavy as one might think and no one will accuse you of having stolen Little Bo Peep's Staff.
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Yvsa.

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
 
My first impulse was to recommend one of these. I think I spend too much time over in Practical Tactical.

They sell a shepherds crook, too.

edit: Yvsa beat me to it.
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[This message has been edited by David Park (edited 06-20-2001).]
 
Rusty, as ornery as you are, you'll probably put a brass ferrule on that shepherds crook and give 'ol Bo Peep #*!! if she tries...

Seriously though, how much weight are you bearing on the leg? Will this be just to assist with balance or will you be using it to distribute body weight also?

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The khukuri village idiot
 
Yvsa and I use a variety of "assists" in our perambulations. My Crawford is an institutional black aluminum, with a steel tip under the rubber tip and an 18" surprise threaded into the handle. Looks like something out of the health store. On a much more attractive level, we both have Canemasters sticks from your own state - great walking assists and totally awesome whackers. $60 to $90 will get you a very nicely done piece of hickory, and I've heard he also sells blanks now for those who like to finish their own. Jerry Van Cook and Newt Livesay have sticks, and get their blanks from the same source as Canemasters. I believe all of their lengths max out at 37" without the tip, but they might have longer ones on special request.

Having used a blackthorn that was 1" shorter than a proper fit, I can tell you for sure to take their recomendations on length. Sves a bunch of back trouble.
 
I'm told close to 2 more months, and then he takes the pins out.

Eight days ago the doctor told me I could begin weight bearing as tolerated, but not to tolerate much, and only while wearing an orthopedic boot.

So the answer is sometimes a little, sometimes about my whole body weight. The orthopedic boot has a heel tall as a cowboy boot and rounded like some of the older "rocker" walking shoes. Result is sometimes a desperate stab to keep from falling.

What about blowguns? nah, too short of breath.

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"Holiness is not a very serious business, and it is a very serious business indeed. I misspeak - it is not a solemn business."
 
Cold Steel just put out a flyer selling blackthorn sticks. Kinda like a shillelagh (nobody can ever spell that word so I just don't care) with a really long shaft. Ugly-pretty, if you know what I mean. And you would not want one upside your head. If you're interested, I could tell you how to order . . . e-mail me if you are.
 
Sir, with all the weight bearing you'll be doing, I would suggest two things. 1) A SOLID
cushy rubber tip on the assistive device. Just to mitigate impact and jarring on the shoulder, arm and wrist. And to provide a more secure grip on the floor. 2) A handle shape that aligns the bones of your arm with the shaft of the cane. Thus the cane acts as a natural extension of the arm instead of causing an offset at the handle/grip area that you'll constantly be compensating for (more stress on the shoulder/arm/wrist). This will also make finding your bodily balance with the cane easier when your moving. Two quick examples are the 'T' handle
(also called Derby style) and the 'horizontal' grip
(...aka 'center balance' style?).

The suggestions from the forumites here who use a cane regularily would also weight in heavily as to who to buy from
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Lastly, when your all healed and you want to make-up to Little Bo Peep for your previous
hostility, this might help
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The khukuri village idiot

[This message has been edited by billpaxton (edited 06-21-2001).]
 
Rusty:

Bill Paxton brought up one very important thing that I had good reason to remember (and didn't).

The Canemasters in particular have a wide surface at the top of the crook, and the crook is more open than on most crook-topped canes. This gives you the opportunity to shift your grip and hand position, and "reverse" the crook (point forward or back) as you use it through the day. At the end of a week, small variations in the way the palm of your hand absorbs the weight will be very, very noticable. The Blackthorn I used became very painful after a few hours. Knob-topped canes put whatever weight they carry into the palm of your hand, with very little chance to vary your grip. T-tops, or crooks give a much wider choice of grip.

It doesn't sound like much, but when you've been on a cane for two-three hours and stop to write a check and find you can't hold a pen, the difference shows up. The crooks also offer the luxury of using both hands when necessary, by hanging the cane over an arm. Using both hands with a knob cane entails finding a place to lean the cane, or tucking it under an arm, or in your belt. Thebest all-around is the crook top cane.

The rubber tip isn't an option - it is a necessity. Floor kissing is an option, but hardly ever necessary
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[This message has been edited by Walosi (edited 06-21-2001).]
 
I'm currently temporarily using a hollowback bulldog shovel handle. It was 48" long, chopped 5" off shovel end, slit and stuck cane tip on end and wired to hold on, then wrapped rest of part that fit in shovel
( maybe 2" ) with leather lacing died black. Wrapped top of handle with nylon craft string, green, 20 yards of it, covered about 14" of handle. Most of the length runs closer to 1 1/2" than 1 1/4" except the handle part I wrapped was closer to 1".

Like I say, temporary til I get a "gooder" suggetion.

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"Holiness is not a very serious business, and it is a very serious business indeed. I misspeak - it is not a solemn business."
 
Anyone else wondering what Uncle Bill used the secret compartment for?

Wait.... a secret right? Ok I'm goin' back into the archives now.
 
If you want a decent cane cheap, consider this option. Go into Reno and find the 'main
distribution center/warehouse outlet' for both the Salvation Army and Goodwill there. These places have an abundance of mobility aids that have been donated. I often shop these stores and as an RN (...I can hear you cursing from here Mr.Slate
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)can't help but notice these items. They vary from 'like new' to 'quite worn'. All styles and sizes. I once inquired as to the cost just out of curiousity; about $10-15. Then if I found one I liked, would probably spend an additional $1.25 at a car wash to thoroughly clean it.

Personally, I'd take up Uncle Bill on his generous offer and the chance to visit the Cantina
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The khukuri village idiot
 


Found out the bo peep cane at 58" was more useful at levering in and out of cars than the 43" one. fortunately I just happened to have a 60" hickory something or other handle on hand.

Bill, don't worry. Cops, Nurses, Social Workers and Shrinks have one thing in common with Congressmen. 90% of them give the other 10% a bad name ( zinged ya there, huh? ) or else why would I have left social work?

And finally, a quote for Doc, anonymous - too true to attribute: "Families can push all our buttons because they were the ones that installed them."
 
I'm posting the info on the Cold Steel blackthorn sticks . . . Rusty thought some other folks might be interested.

It's 1-800-255-4716, M-F 06-18:00 PST, Sat 08-17:00 PST.

Shipping reg UPS is 7.75, faster is (a lot) more.

Regular blackthorn, stock number JF91BTS, $99.99
Premium blackthorn, stock number JF91BTSH, $149.99
A shillelagh is $109.99

Cutting through the usual CS BS, the premium sounds like it's just heftier, in the shaft and the knot. Not light on the wallet, but I think they'll be solid.
 
Ooh, I'd really like a shillelagh. (My great-grandfather Park was from Ireland.) Too bad the credit cards are still locked up.

Are there any pictures of these CS sticks out there? I didn't see them on the web site.

Uncle Bill, your secret compartment doesn't have a screw-top, does it?
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(no offense meant, that's just what I'd want in mine)
 
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