Cold Steel Sticks

25722 Views 23 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Margie, 3 mo ago

Rad

Discussion Starter · Feb 26, 2013

2

I do not buy many pre-made sticks; on occasion when they are unique or I want something to use as a pattern I'll make the buy! Two sticks caught my attention awhile back: The Cold Steel Dragon Walking Stick and the Cold Steel Irish Blackthorn Cane (replica of the Irish Shillelagh). First, I know that the stick purest is not going to like the polypropylene that the sticks are made out of -- but they are tuff and rugged! Both sticks will hold up under extreme conditions and not show excessive wear. They do not succumb to the things that wood would fall prey to. The Dragon walking stick is refered to as a "Walking Stick" -- however, I found it not long enough to fit right for a hiking type stick and too long to fit right for a cane. If you want to use it as a cane, you will most likely have to cut it down some (unless you are over 6' tall). Over all, the Dragon stick is very unique and very detailed -- I enjoy it! The Irish blackthorn stick is just about the right size for a cane -- and mimics nicely the Irish Shillelagh fighting stick. For me it fits nicely in the hand, however, some think that the handle is to large to fit comfortably in the palm of the hand. My plan is to use the Irish stick as a pattern to make my own. Neither stick comes with a rubber tip. And I have found that you can buy it cheeper on Ebay than going to the Cold Steel company direct.

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CAS14

· #2 · Mar 18, 2013

If they made the dragon in an attractive blue, I'd buy a few for some ROK Marines who served in the "Blue Dragon" brigade, the 2nd ROK Mariner Brigade, in Vietnam. They kept me alive, I owe them. That looks very nice, although they use such things more for hiking in those mountains near Seoul and elsewhere, not so much as canes.

Rad

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 18, 2013

CAS -- it only comes in black! Sorry.

nameless

· #4 · Jun 12, 2013

For serious hopping and bopping, there just ain't no stoppin' CS plastic weaponry!
(Yeah, I know that it's PVC or LBJ or something, but I calls a hunk of plastic as I sees it!)
When the weather sux and I don't want spots on my fine wood canes, this plastic baby is the way to go!
I can belt it against anything and it stands strong.
I love the material!

The down-side of the shillelagh is that it is uncomfortable to carry!
My fingers are constantly searching for a 'better' more comfortable grip.
It fails terribly in the comfort of use, day to day.
The handle could have been better designed rather than mindlessly copy it from the original.
Looks great, but if it is uncomfortable to carry, odds are that it will not be there when/if needed, martially. You'd have to be a real hard-case to carry an n uncomfortable walking cane!
So I modified the problematic handle. What's the point if it's at home and I need it elsewhere?
First I sanded off that cheap painted wood-grain before it all wore off. Looks nice from the box, before it starts wearing off... soon..

After 220 grit paper, it was very pleasant feel to the hand, looked less... whorishly wannabe! Felt like velvet!
And then the 'remodel'.
I trimmed the sharp edge of the finger gripping surface on the bottom of the head. The ridge is sharp, with poor ergonomic finger gripping surface. A cane should not necessitate all fingers to clutch. Most weight should dangle from a second finger, with others as 'guidance. Natural swing, not a 'clutch'!
So, off I trimmed a bit of that obnoxious 'point', from which my fingers were always attempting to flee!
Thus exposing a couple deep and ugly air voids (manufacturing defects) within!
Ugly, but, at this point... so I filled them with 5 min epoxy, and sanded. Looks inconspicuous enough. A bit more solid + a tad more weight.
Where will another void pop up when I need it most?

That is not a point of confidence! Any weakness will be the one that fails to save your bacon! That is where it will fail, sometime, somewhere, when you need it most.
That is a big unreliability point against!

I trimmed a bit from the bottom for height adjustment and 'voila', another void rightin the center, about an inch deep and 1/4" wide.
More epoxy!
How many more voids, I wonder?

I did whack it pretty good on the carpeted floor, long past where my other sticks or bokken (wooden swords) would have broken.
That is definitely meaningful!
I am a 'big guy'!
There is always that niggling doubt about the voids/defects.

But if the primary function is uncomfortable, you better hope that if you ever need it, that it is by the front door where it will likely be sitting in a cane stand... perhaps under the bed.
But you can do better than that for under the bed; cut it in half and put a wrist strap, and set a few bolts into the ball, for weight...
But.. beware the voids!

I would like to try the plastic bokken, but the voids... the voids...
Is the 'sword' riddled with voids also?
The 'war clubs'?

I'd like to hear CS' explanation of the defects.
The poor handle design (looks fine, before your fingers know the truth...) is, as far as I am concerned, another defect.
This is the difference between something well planned or something 'pumped out'.
It would have taken so little...
Oh well...

For the money (mine was free, the fellow in the Chinese restaurant swore that it must have been mine, so, eventually, I accepted it), you can afford to play with it!
I even take it with me, occasionally...

peace

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CAS14

· #5 · Jun 12, 2013

nameless said:
That is not a point of confidence! Any weakness will be the one that fails to save your bacon! That is where it will fail, sometime, somewhere, when you need it most.

The poor handle design (looks fine, before your fingers know the truth...) is, as far as I am concerned, another defect.
This is the difference between something well planned or something 'pumped out'.
Q

Great points, all! Even though I am fairly new at this, I've already discovered what seems so obvious. The stick must be tailored to its intended use. Is it for show, a stylish work of art? Is it for a morning walk on city streets? Or, is it for a serious trek up and down a rocky hillside, where an old man must steady his balance and have a perfect grip, either low for the steep ascent or high for the steep descent?

Thus, we accumulate a collection, each with its purpose, strengths and weaknesses.

nameless

· #6 · Jun 12, 2013 (Edited by Moderator)

True enough, though it is also true that perfect function = perfect design.

This one is a walking aid/martial application.

Yes, there must be points of compromise, but anf weak points in what is touted as a weapon quality cannot have such glaring defects.

It is mediocre, uninspired at best, for either task! *__-

"Talent is hitting a target no one else can hit; genius is hitting a target no one else can see."

Here's a couple of mine;

http://s2.photobucket.com/user/Beelzebubba101/media/Coin%20Stick/CoinCanes.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

These are all well aged hickory RR pick-axe handles.

Hand carved.

Please feel free to brouse...

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gdenby

· #7 · Jun 12, 2013

I've looked at the CS bokken as something that might be made into a most durable and lightweight stick w. a little shaping. Frankly, about half the people carrying sticks in my neighborhood are likely carrying them for security. (Altho' no one has been gunned down in the past 5 - 6 years.) Good to learn they may have voids.

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nameless

· #8 · Jun 12, 2013

gdenby said:
I've looked at the CS bokken as something that might be made into a most durable and lightweight stick w. a little shaping. Frankly, about half the people carrying sticks in my neighborhood are likely carrying them for security. (Altho' no one has been gunned down in the past 5 - 6 years.) Good to learn they may have voids.

I had that in mind. I like bokken 'staffs'. Perhaps a hardened bolt in the bottom. I like the flanged bolt as a bit of extra stick protection.

I broke my Bugei Dymondwood bokken (it's a wakisashi now! Shorter sword. New ferule.).

Deltaboy1984

· #9 · Jun 14, 2015

I got a Cold Steel Irish Blackthorn stick 8 years ago and it been great and very rugged.

Batakali

· #10 · Mar 9, 2016

I know this is a little old but if anyone is still thinking about modifying a cold steel bokken into a walking stick they now make one called the ten shin. It's a Bokken with a nice t-type handle. Apparently it was based on one in Steven Seagal's collection!

cobalt

· #11 · Mar 10, 2016

I hate this type of product but can see the appeal for some people

The thing I do admire most about then is the person who made the original design a lot of detail

These are generally lost wax methods and once a mould is made its simple enough to make and resins do allow small detail to be captured which isn't that difficult to do in wax ,it also allows mistakes that's made can be easily rectified

overall it tends to feel heavy and clumsy to handle but one mans meat is another mans poison

Batakali

· #12 · Mar 10, 2016

I agree. Back in the day I purchased the blackthorn and African sticks for the cool factor. Just can't feel comfortable with them.

Deltaboy1984

· #13 · Mar 12, 2016

After yet another year's of work and use mine still fine.

CAS14

· #14 · Mar 12, 2016

My blackthorn (prunus spinosa) has now survived three winters and grown about a foot to perhaps five feet tall. This is the first year that it's blossomed much, and it really has. There is hope! If I live long enough, I may have my own, personal stock for an authentic Irish shillelagh.

Then, I'll have to decide whether to side with the greens or the oranges, right?

Batakali

· #15 · Mar 13, 2016

Not a good idea to wear the orange for the next week or so!

Gloops

· #16 · Mar 13, 2016

CAS14 said:
My blackthorn (prunus spinosa) has now survived three winters and grown about a foot to perhaps five feet tall. This is the first year that it's blossomed much, and it really has. There is hope! If I live long enough, I may have my own, personal stock for an authentic Irish shillelagh.

Then, I'll have to decide whether to side with the greens or the oranges, right?

Did you use the berries?

CAS14

· #17 · Mar 13, 2016

2

[/quote]
Did you use the berries?[/quote]

I haven't looked for berries before now. No berries are on the shrub right now.

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Deltaboy1984

· #18 · May 1, 2016

Now that too Cool growing your own.

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Gloops

· #19 · May 2, 2016

Did you use the berries?[/quote]

I haven't looked for berries before now. No berries are on the shrub right now.

[/QUOTE]

Some good blossom, the blakcthorn berries are used for making SLOE GIN, many a recipe on the net.

Deltaboy1984

· #20 · May 7, 2016

I going to buy a real blackthorn cane some time soon. But in bad weather my cold Steel gets the call.

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