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Titanium Cane for Hapkido
- Thread starter ednemo
- Start date
I'd recommend buying some titanium tubing from an aviation supplier and making your own. Ask around, I bet you can find a local electrician or muffler shop that will give it a try on their bending jig for free or near-free.
You may also find that stainless is a whole lot cheaper, easier to work with, and only slightly heavier. Might also want to look at aluminum. There may be something entirely satisfactory available off the shelf from a medical supply house.
The real trick will be finding it in non-thin-wall tubing, so it doesn't kink up the first time you whack something with it. You'd almost want something designed for material transfer rather than a structural application.
You may also find that stainless is a whole lot cheaper, easier to work with, and only slightly heavier. Might also want to look at aluminum. There may be something entirely satisfactory available off the shelf from a medical supply house.
The real trick will be finding it in non-thin-wall tubing, so it doesn't kink up the first time you whack something with it. You'd almost want something designed for material transfer rather than a structural application.
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2006
- Messages
- 429
I think a muffler shop would be willing to try, but would probably destroy the tube trying to bend it. They use very soft tubes for mufflers. Making one with milled lugs at either end should be possible. Another good option might be thin walled 4130 chrome moly. I've made a lot of bike frames with .028" wall tubes. Places like Tube Sales and others carry that.
Damn I was hoping this thread was someone showing off one I could get.
My favourite knife company ,Rosarms is from russia and they use ti in their steel because it is mined in the area and they have a lot of expertise working with it ,maybe a Russian company would be your best bet. I have seen aluminium canes but they suck and are just for light weight.
It is really hard to beat a good hardwood. The problem is their are very few good quality canes made anymore. My grandfather has 2 gorgeous bamboo canes but they are at least 60 years old.
I found some 40 year old shovel handles at the local building material recyclers that are the toughest hardest hickory ever. They polish up nice but not as nice as mor flashy wood but they are hard as rock and the toughest wood there is.
My favourite knife company ,Rosarms is from russia and they use ti in their steel because it is mined in the area and they have a lot of expertise working with it ,maybe a Russian company would be your best bet. I have seen aluminium canes but they suck and are just for light weight.
It is really hard to beat a good hardwood. The problem is their are very few good quality canes made anymore. My grandfather has 2 gorgeous bamboo canes but they are at least 60 years old.
I found some 40 year old shovel handles at the local building material recyclers that are the toughest hardest hickory ever. They polish up nice but not as nice as mor flashy wood but they are hard as rock and the toughest wood there is.
- Joined
- Dec 16, 1998
- Messages
- 219
Better bring your wallet, out of curiosity I looked at a couple of suppliers I’ve used for small bits and pieces of titanium. Someone that has a regular supplier and buys in quantity would probably get a little bit better pricing, the best I could find:
Titanium Grade 2 Rod 1-1/4" Diameter, 6' Length $760.62
Titanium Grade 5 (6AL-4V) Rod 1-1/4" Diameter, 6' Length $886.00
Using 1 inch diameter would drop the price to $494.68 for grade 2 and $608.07 for grade 5 or maybe 13/16" Hex at $718.18.
I have no idea what someone would charge for actually making one, but I know I couldn’t afford it and don’t have the equipment or skill to try something that big, but it would be a hell of a conversation piece.
Todd
Titanium Grade 2 Rod 1-1/4" Diameter, 6' Length $760.62
Titanium Grade 5 (6AL-4V) Rod 1-1/4" Diameter, 6' Length $886.00
Using 1 inch diameter would drop the price to $494.68 for grade 2 and $608.07 for grade 5 or maybe 13/16" Hex at $718.18.
I have no idea what someone would charge for actually making one, but I know I couldn’t afford it and don’t have the equipment or skill to try something that big, but it would be a hell of a conversation piece.
Todd
I have a titanium crowbar from him. It's really nice, and solid, no foam. I don't see why a similar cane can't be made, but the crowbar is useful for that purpose too.
Here is a tip for the budget titanium builder... buy sheets and seamless tubing from fleabay. I've accumulated a couple dozen feet of tubing in various diameters... 0.5 inch un to 3.5 inch. All seamless, all 6AL4V or 3AL2.5V titanium. Most of this stuff I paid $10 or less per linear foot. Example, I have some 6 foot long seamless 1" x 0.51 wall thickness heat treated 3AL2.5V tubing that I paid $60 for each tube.
I have a cane and hiking stick under construction. I'll post some pics later today.
I have a cane and hiking stick under construction. I'll post some pics later today.
#1. Group shot... Uncut titanium cane in progress (48"x1"x0.028"), CS Slim Stick (39" long), tapered titanium golf club shaft, titanium tube (0.5"x43"x0.035") with carbon fiber shaft overlay (very stiff and dense feeling). titanium walking stick in progress (48"x1"x0.028").
#2,3,4. Close up of cane handle. This is a titanium handlebar stem from a Litespeed bicycle. Works great because of the flattened oval shape.
#5. Close up of the Ti/CF shaft.
#6. Close up of some practice heat coloring on Ti hiking staff. Took ~ 10 minutes with a micro torch. I'll head to the local welding shop for full coloring in a short time.
#7. Great tip from REI, trekker pole tip. Much better than the tip CS put on the Slim Stick.
#2,3,4. Close up of cane handle. This is a titanium handlebar stem from a Litespeed bicycle. Works great because of the flattened oval shape.
#5. Close up of the Ti/CF shaft.
#6. Close up of some practice heat coloring on Ti hiking staff. Took ~ 10 minutes with a micro torch. I'll head to the local welding shop for full coloring in a short time.
#7. Great tip from REI, trekker pole tip. Much better than the tip CS put on the Slim Stick.
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