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There are lots of fancy sticks for self defence out there (I own a few) -- but the old hickory crooked handle cane may be the most effective!
They are sturdy (good for thumping an attacker) and the crooked handle can quickly take someone off there feet! Of course the skill of the person wielding the stick means everything!

 

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Yes Cobalt, we know your biases -- and I respect your right to them! but the places I hike have more dangers than human -- we see wolves, bears, wild dogs and it's mighty comforting to be toting something that can ward them off! I will admit, that I have never personally had a wolf attack me, but I have scared off black bears and went toe to toe with a wild dog that wanted my venison. Even in neighborhood walks in small communities, you get the occasional varmint that wants to naw on your leg. But I would not want to live anywhere else in the world! Especially in one of those restricted rights communities.

 

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Yes Cobalt, we know your biases -- and I respect your right to them! but the places I hike have more dangers than human -- we see wolves, bears, wild dogs and it's mighty comforting to be toting something that can ward them off! I will admit, that I have never personally had a wolf attack me, but I have scared off black bears and went toe to toe with a wild dog that wanted my venison. Even in neighborhood walks in small communities, you get the occasional varmint that wants to naw on your leg. But I would not want to live anywhere else in the world! Especially in one of those restricted rights communities.

If you are seeing wolves, that is a bad sign. Truly wild wolves will do everything they can to stay out of sight. I get this via my daughter who worked as an intern at a wolf refuge. Once wolves are around humans long enough to lose their caution, livestock, pets, and probably human children are just food.

Where I live there a groups of raccoons which are very vicious, but are usually not threatening if one keeps some distance. Coyotes are starting to show up, and my daughter says they are overall a bigger hazard than wolves. Completely unafraid of humans. There are also lots of deer, and during the mating season, the bucks can become aggressive.

Speaking of beavers, I saw a youtube vid of a Russian guy seeing a big one by the side of the road. Not expecting it to be dangerous, he approached it, and the beaver dove at him and slashed his femoral artery.

You are right about the wolves! However, there have been reports about attacks (very rare) -- We have the Coyotes too, and I see them regular! I have only seen a beaver once in the wild, at a distance, I'll know now too stay clear!

 

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I'm fortunate enough not to really NEED a stick to get around. . . but I'm 62, have a bad ankle, my eyesight isn't getting better, and I often walk my dog at light on potholed streets and uneven sidewalks, in an iffy neighborhood.

With this as background: what are your thoughts about a cane to use as a mobility aid with possible self defense applications? I'm thinking about woods, weight, types and shapes of handles, etc.

Unless you are proficient and work out with the stick, the odds are that someone will take it away from you and reintroduce it to you elsewhere!
If you are not physically healthy enough to swing practice, hard, to be able to maintain your grip...
A false sense of security is more dangerous than a healthy sense of your own limitations.
Ever hear of the Zap cane?
Aluminum, with bright flashlight in the handle (a weapon in itself in confronted at night... blinding him for long enough to exit stage right!
And a billion volts from the prods at the bottom, if the light doesn't do it, the voltage will!
You would still have to become familiar with it and with your limitations! That is wisdom.
And still a young buck might feed it back to you.
Perhaps Faith will stand you better than other options?

A healthy sense of my own limitations is why I'm interested in the stick in the first place. Even assuming someone got the stick away from me: in my case, the stick would have served its purpose, because while he's trying to figure out what to do with it, I'm drawing my revolver on a now-for-sure armed man who's launched a violent attack on me.

I'll have to check out that Zap cane you mention.

With the logic of some, they would have us walk naked because we are not highly trained in swinging a stick! I would rather go down trying than to be totally defenseless and not try at all! The facts are that "most" assailants look for the "easy" mark -- not one who might put up a fight! It's like telling someone to standby and allow yourself to be raped because your not skilled in fighting back!

 

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Cobalt -- the poster started this particular thread as a self defence thread, you need not get involved if it is too appalling for you. I really am concerned for your sincibilities - no need to get your heart rate up! However, if you just like being appalled, and shocked, and like to argue ---- then more power to you!

Have you noted the punching game that is all the rage these days? It's been in the news a lot -- punks are coming up on totally innocent people an knocking them cold and sometimes dead! I don't think this is fed by a gun culture. And I think if you take an honest look at the crime rates put out by the FBI and Scotland Yard, the crime rates are a little more in the UK.

I'm just asking that you not be too condemnatory!

 

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Never annoyed by truth - just ignorance!

 

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Wow

 

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Thanks CAS! Very interesting!

 

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Silenthunder: Good stuff! And I agree 100%! Thank you for the information and web page! I'm not a violent person, but I would not hesitate to use it to protect myself and my family -- besides, what you said about the practice being fun is true! Good to have you with us!

 

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Welcome to the site Old Man Dan!

 

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MJC4 -- Nice head knockers on top!