Sword-canes

Kalindras

Kalindras

Joined
Aug 24, 1999
Messages
933
Hey, everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone out there was making high-quality, traditional sword-canes nowadays?

Not the cheesy, P.O.S. things that you'll find floating around--you know, crappy little blade that screws into a hollow shaft. The kind you can hear rattling its way up the block, y'know? Not that trash.

I used to have the privilege of working with a gentleman and a scholar named Eric Spornhauer (forgive me if you read this, Eric, and I've mangled your name), who had researched historical sword-canes and such, and was building them right. Used good blades (sharpened France-Lames epee blades, cruciform bayonets, and Kris sword blades, to name a few) and lots of dymondwood. They were works of art that have never been surpassed in this (sadly limited) limited arena. He used a friction fit for silence, to prevent rattling while walking, but to allow instant readiness. Talk about the ultimate gentleman's accompaniment!

Unfortunately, personal matters curtailed my apprenticeship with him, and before they could be resolved, he quit making. The world lost an artisan on the day his shop closed its doors. Some of you may be familiar with his work, as he frequented a number of Ren Faires around the country, and may be able to help me out. His company was first called Canes 'N Things, but later changed to Wood Arms.

If anybody knows his work, I'm looking for anybody that makes comparable stuff. These are using canes, guys, built with a knowledge not only of aesthetics and history, but of the realistic uses and needs they would fill.

Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, guys!



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Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy, and good with ketchup...
 
Hi!
I can tell you that Ricky Fowler had some similar items at his table at the Blade Show. He may be able to help you out.
 
For top quality forged sword cane, check out
David Goldberg, who is also an Aikido instructor in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.

Phone is 215-654-7117

Tell em' G2 sent ya.


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"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions!"
Take the time to read your Bible Now, don't be left behind...

G2 LeatherWorks
 
Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but I thought that Chris Reeve was making a high quality version of a bladed cane. I believe I read that it has a funky looking titanium sphere on the top that is actually a part used in hip replacement operations.

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Semper Fi
 
Reeve doesn't put a knife blade inside the canes. They are just high quality walking canes, various nice woods available.

You can have two kinds of handles... one with "acetabular cups", apparently titanium cups used in hip replacement surgery and formed into a weird ball shaped thing. Chris' parts were not to spec as hip parts, so he got them cheap I guess. Part of me thinks that fits Chris Reeve, something kinda machined and high tech, part of me thinks thats a weird idea. But you can get wood ball handles also. They start at $275 and go up.

http://www.chrisreeve.com/canes.html

Pat & Wes Crawford make a "survival staff". It does contain a knife. You can use it in full hiking staff length, or unscrew one part and shorten into a cane. Staff can be used to blow darts, and comes with blow-darts. Looks decent for a hiking staff with a twist. Starts at $215, but the quick release of the (rather long, skinny 440C) blade is a $150 adder.
http://www.crawfordknives.com/html/staff.html

Caution here... I have read that these knife-bearing canes are illegal in some jurisdictions. For example, I would not carry one of these in the French Quarter as I believe they are illegal in New Orleans. A shame. Guess I'll have to buy another folder. ;-)

And the blade in the Crawford appears to be less for self defense (long, very skinny) than for survival purposes... skinny enough I'd rather have a stout folder and not try to remember to limp with my can in the Quarter, so I didn't tip off the undercover cops that are everywhere.


[This message has been edited by rdangerer (edited 06-20-2000).]
 
Some custom makers make quality sword-canes - not inexpensive, of course. They're not the sort of thing a "first-world" factory is going to put a lot of effort into doing right, since there are so many places where the product would be contraband. Some quality factories do make quality switchblades because there is at least a possiblity of sales to "official" customers, and there are real-world non-violent uses for them.

It's hard to fit a useful utility knife or a weapon capable of defensive slashing into that format, and old specimens I have seen have been, IMHO, pure "stealth-stickers," though the terribly respectible old gentlemen who carried them did so for purely defensive purposes. Sword canes have been considered Evil Bad Guy Weapons in some legislatures, since back in the 19th century when there were damned few of what anybody nowadays would recognize as a "liberal."


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
Thanks for clarifying rdangerer. I wasn't sure about that.
smile.gif


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Semper Fi
 
... the blade in the Crawford appears to be less for self defense (long, very skinny) than for survival purposes...

Actually, the blade has a triangular cross-section and is very strong. The handle is knurled for a good grip as a long dagger, or it can be screwed into the cane or the staff configuration as a short or long lance head.
 
Aren't sword canes illegal under US Federal laws? Somewhere in the catagory of class III weapons, explosives and such? I've been told that shipping them around the US was a violation of Federal law. And that making and selling them would also open one up to rather nasty Federal charges. I don't know if that's true... I'm not a lawyer (but I've seen a lot of them work on TV :-) )

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Totally new website!
http://www.wilkins-knives.com
 
Used Epee blades, eh? Gotta be cool. I'm an epeeist and France-Lames use pretty good steel to my knowledge, they certainly don't break as often as some I could mention...

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=)^^^^^^^/
 
Thanks for pointing me at a couple of leads, folks! I'll be checking with them in the coming weeks to see what types of products are out there.

I had seen (and drooled) over CR's canes...been trying to justify one to the wife for about a year and a half, now. I have a pretty wide collection of toys, anyway, and now that I'm making, I get a lot of, "Well, if it's that cool, why don't you just MAKE one???"

To which I usually respond, "So, you're giving me the green light to hawk out a couple grand for the shop to start making these things? Cool!"

This is usually followed by a well-timed duck, as she throws something at my head...

Still, CR's cane looks like it would be nicely balanced, too. The thing that made Eric such an excellent maker was that he had a vast background in the martial arts, and had, hands down, the best, most refined stick techniques I've ever seen. Besides sword-canes, he also made bo, jo, and escrima sticks. Although, to my great sorrow, I no longer have one of his handmade canes, I do still have the set of sticks that he tutored me in making, and was training me with. They aren't very pretty, but they mean a lot to me.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who's posted out suggestions for me, and I look forward to seeing anything else that anyone has on the topic! Thanks again!


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Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy, and good with ketchup...
 
To the best of my knowledge, the only knives that federal law concerns itself with are swtichblades and those eeeeevil ballistic knives that are one-shot close-range missile weapons. The federal code section is separate from all the firearms and explosives laws. Sword canes are forbidden for carrying and/or possession in some but not all US state criminal codes.

Now I'm not a martial artist, but it seems to me that if you're carrying a cane you are carrying a clobbering tool that is ready then and there. I can't imagine a defensive situation where a sword cane would be as useful as a solid cane and a one-hand folder carried separately. An assassination might be another matter, but we are not assassins.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
James--

To a large extent, I agree. The standard sword-cane is, however, a wonderful study in the martial history and development of our society. It describes an important evolutionary step between the openly carried sword and the discreetly carried knife, don't you think?

Also, one of the most pragmatic offerings that Eric produced was what he referred to as an "Offering cane." Its configuration place a blade near the bottom of the cane's shaft. In this particular case, the blade was fixed to the majority of the shaft, with just the last eight inches or so of the shaft being a sheath. In such a situation as the cane might be needed, the user would use it as a short staff to maintain his attacker's distance. Should the attacker grab the end of the cane to disarm the wielder, he would shortly be faced with an escalated response. From that point on, the wielder was armed with a short spear, handy for maintaining a respectful distance from an unarmed or knife-wielding attacker. Also, as Eric would point out to anyone who wondered, the Offering Cane made a wonderful companion for anyone who was fond of walks through less developed land, as it offered the advantage of distance in dealing with beasties of questionable intent! Rabid squirrels, skunks, dogs, small children and the like could all be held reasonably at bay by a determined individual (Also handy for dealing with Chihuahuas, I'm told)!

I am considering taking up the creation of these items, and am interested in finding others who are filling this niche in the market. Besides wanting to avoid stepping on anyone's toes, I would love to confer with them on techniques and materials. Finally, I am very interested in maintaining my business in a very legal fashion, and thus am hoping that, perhaps, a current maker might have more specific knowledge about laws and such.



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Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy, and good with ketchup...
 
Check out , www.canemasters.com This company does not make sword canes, BUT they do make the finest cane for defensive use that I have ever seen. I purchased a Master model a few years back, it is a work of art!! Great products and Mr. Shuey is a real pleasure to deal with. As was mentioned in an earlier post, a standard cane and good folder combo is a good way to go. The law will hassle you less and you can travel through airports and customs with one of these canes with no problem. Enough of my rambling. Take Care All...........
 
Try here http://www.swordcane.com/ Fred Burger is from South Africa, but this is exactly what you are lokking for. All his stuff is meant to be used and goes from simple to amazingly elligant.

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~ JerryO ~

Cogito Cogito Ergo Cogito Sum


 
Originally posted by Esav Benyamin:
... the blade in the Crawford appears to be less for self defense (long, very skinny) than for survival purposes...

Actually, the blade has a triangular cross-section and is very strong. The handle is knurled for a good grip as a long dagger, or it can be screwed into the cane or the staff configuration as a short or long lance head.
Click to expand...

Ahh, good info. That does change things a bit. If I were Crawford, I'd make note AND pictures of that on their page.

 
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