Ishmael and I were discussing the possibility of him crafting canes and sticks for sale. He enjoyed making Yo Hammer, Bane of the Oppressed, for yours truly. He also now has a heavy bag in his machine shop. He will be cutting staves we have selected at the close of summer, for harvesting in winter, when the sap is low. He has shaping and curing capacity in his shop and when I return come summer I can test and grade the sticks on video, for posting as a review. Each item will be tested for handling, stroke potential, durability and tactical facility.

Once Ishmael’s pimp cane forge is up and running [might I suggest stainless steel pimp canes with an aluminum pummel] we will put a tag up on the main site for video reviews and product listings.

A serviceable stick, that is in no way crafted as a weapon, but is purely a stick, a clean rod, heat-treated, sealed and finished, shall range from 18 to 31 inches. At no point should this rod be less than an inch thick. I would charge $1 an inch in the present economy.

Each length of stick has its optimal use. A stick is a good defensive device for being away from your home, to repel dogs, rattle snakes and more urban beasties. The lack of forensic weapon qualities, by which the stick is made more serviceable or more lethal, is very important, as modifications to an everyday item like a stick can, in many municipalities, be construed as club making, which may be assumed demonstrates intent to do harm.

No weighting, wrapping, carving or gripping should be present on this stick.

Sticks typically begin to break at 25 inches, so I would increase thickness for longer sticks, with the standard 24 inch long stick being 1 inch thick, with an increase of 1/8th inch in thickness for every inch in additional length, making 31 inches about the maximum for reasons of handling and durability.

The cudgel is a slightly curved stick, a rounded, wooden sword, actually, with a carved handle. The curve in the stick should be at the sweet spot. Cudgels should by 1 and ¼ inches to 3 inches thick with the grip carved down to 1 inch thick with scoring to aid gripping, which will form a slight hilt and pummel. The pummel should be weighted with metal, possibly lead or iron wire and be from golf ball to tennis ball size depending on counter-balancing requirements.

The cudgel is a practice sword and should only be used for training or home defense.

Cudgels should range from 14 to 36 inches in length.

For home defense, lengths, exceeding 24 inches are not practical. For training the length should equal that of the actual sword being trained for.

$2 an inch in the current economy would be a reasonable price.

Like Yo Hammer, the urban walking stick, should be heavier at the top and narrower were the rubber meets the road. A smooth, rounded head serves as a palm rest which fits inside the hand and also serves as a club end by hefting the stick upward and grabbing down low with the same hand, using the hand as the fulcrum, the length of stick as the counter balance and the head of the cane as a striking point.

$2 an inch would be a fair price, keeping the life-easing and street-policing device under $100,customized to the buyer’s height.

The T-Cane is great for leaning and cane retention and much more serviceable than the crook-cane, which I do not recommend as a defensive weapon unless you are a big, fit man.

The T of the cane should come to the top of the thigh, just below the hip for leaning and curb-stepping, making it sword-length.

The T-cane is to be used like a saber and should have the weight at the base, which will be the business end of the defensive tool. So that the T-cane can be practiced with on a bag, just use a slide on rubber crutch plug. The slightly narrower end of the cane should be trimmed by 4 inches, the trimmed section drilled through the middle and the end of the cane carved down to a tang to slide and glue the T on. This will not make a durable hammer, but makes an excellent wide butt or pummel. I have already filmed numerous videos showing and describing how I have successfully used the T-cane for street defense.

I would price the T-cane at $3 an inch. It is simply the best all-around walking stick and legally defensible weapon of defense I have ever handled and they are rare and should be custom made.

Fighting Smart: Boxing, Agonistics & Survival