Sword Canes...

[Vintage Betty]

Typical example; Indian khukri and sword cane. The khukri was interesting, with airplane aluminium and brass in the hilt, and the typical leaf-spring blade:

These are so cool; thanks for posting! :eusa_clap

Do you have any more information regarding the cane sword I see? :whistling

Vintage Betty

 

[carebear]

Good history and links to period fighting techniques.

American Heritage Fighting Arts association

http://ahfaa.org/civilian.htm

The primary civilian weapons of the AHFAA are the Cane and the Small Sword. This would also include the hybrid sword-cane, which was quite popular with gentlemen in the South. A gentleman was loath to strike with his hands, and so the cane would readily stand in to administer a beating. To the Irish in America, the stick was a ubiquitous companion, and many a Son of Erin was known to love giving a good "Shelaling" to a deserving foe. In 19th century cartoons and news accounts of the Irish, the bata is frequently mentioned.

The small-sword was primarily a dueling weapon by this time, and not generally a military style of sword (though it was worn by officers). This kind of fencing was practiced in classical schools by those who styled themselves as gentlemen or duelists. The small-sword was not commonly worn in America, but the sword-cane was. The types of deep puncture wounds from these weapons were very difficult for doctors at the time to cure, and usualy a gut wound meant death.

...

 

[Alan Eardley]

Not quite - another manual. Same basic idea but with a stick. Ouch! Gives you more reach.

Had to do it to a bull once, to save my skin. Didn't enjoy it, but neither did the bull...

Alan

This one?

 

[Alan Eardley]

Typical example; Indian khukri and sword cane. The khukri was interesting, with airplane aluminium and brass in the hilt, and the typical leaf-spring blade:

Useful to distinguish the Indian style from the Nepali style used by Ghurkas.

Alan

 

[Edward]

If you know what you are doing (perhaps having read and practiced Fairbairn and Sykes's stick self-defence techniques) a loaded stick will do as much as a stick with a blade in most tactical situations. Such a stick probably still qualifies as an ordinary walking stick or cane.

Just my opinion.

Alan

By loaded you mean steel reinforced core, which is not fashioned into a blade and isn't capable of being drawn? I should have thought that would certainly qualify as a regular cane. You'll still not be able to get it on a plane (i as obliged last year to put a cane of mine into hold baggage because it wasn't necessary for me to walk with), but it'll not be permanently confiscated as a weapon.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Do you have any more information regarding the cane sword I see? :whistling

Vintage Betty

I'd say it was made in India in the early 20th C, probably for a Western customer. The blade is of a Western type, and probably made there. The top of the cane has a brass lion's mask, probably from a furniture fitting or the like. And then there's a section of carved ivory.

The carvings are typically Indian.

Useful to distinguish the Indian style from the Nepali style used by Ghurkas.

Alan

Exactly! I'd say this khukri is from the Northeast of India, rather than Nepal itself. I think it's quite interesting that the hilt is airplane-grade aluminium - wonder where the village smith got hold of that?

 

[Alan Eardley]

.

Exactly! I'd say this khukri is from the Northeast of India, rather than Nepal itself. I think it's quite interesting that the hilt is airplane-grade aluminium - wonder where the village smith got hold of that?

Probably from a DC-3 that didn't make it over the 'The Hump' or to Imphal...

Alan

 

[Curt Dawson]

A real flask

Especially as a back-up to a multiple shot pocket flask.

Cheaper than Dirt has 64oz. flasks for sale for $19.97 Now That's a Flask!

 

[Feraud]

Cheaper than Dirt has 64oz. flasks for sale for $19.97 Now That's a Flask!

William Powell carries an impressive flask in The Thin Man Goes Home. The dimensions must be 5" x 11"!

 

[Smithy]

Typical example; Indian khukri and sword cane. The khukri was interesting, with airplane aluminium and brass in the hilt, and the typical leaf-spring blade:

Nice khukuri.

My aunt has a Nepalese one which she inherited from my grandfather. Actually I'm a bit miffed it went to her and not to me!

 

[cookie]

Nice khukuri.

My aunt has a Nepalese one which she inherited from my grandfather. Actually I'm a bit miffed it went to her and not to me!

Nasty...but very nice:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[The Wolf]

As far as sword canes in the golden age go, there's Ham Brooks. In the "Doc Savage" pulps from 1933 to 1949 Doc has an associate named Ham Brooks that carries a black cane that hides a sword with a tip coated in a knockout drug.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[cookie]

As far as sword canes in the golden age go, there's Ham Brooks. In the "Doc Savage" pulps from 1933 to 1949 Doc has an associate named Ham Brooks that carries a black cane that hides a sword with a tip coated in a knockout drug.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

There is a corker of a sword umbrella on OFAS that someone on Styleforum.net picked up to show

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I have seen flask canes, sword canes, canes that converted to guns and hollow canes in which you could store weird things.

One of the weirdest canes belonged to an old friend of mine who collected hash pipes (don't ask) and had some really curious ones hidden in statuary and the like. She also had a cane that could be converted into a hash pipe, albeit a rather long one...

karol

 

[Curt Dawson]

An assortment of canes

I have seen flask canes, sword canes, canes that converted to guns and hollow canes in which you could store weird things.

One of the weirdest canes belonged to an old friend of mine who collected hash pipes (don't ask) and had some really curious ones hidden in statuary and the like. She also had a cane that could be converted into a hash pipe, albeit a rather long one...

karol

For a real interesting collection visit the FDR museum at the Little White House in Warm Springs,GA.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Can't recall for certain, but didn't that fellow Steed in The Avengers have an umbrella that converted to a weapon?

karol

 

[NonEntity]

I had an umbrella sword I bought at a gun show rediculously cheap from a guy hard up for cash.

I had just read up on such weapons and knew this to be an especially collectible one made in England in the late 1800s. The blade was some special alloy, super-sharp and pointed, made to the same standards as a fine dueling epet, and rust-free. The smooth hippopotamus ivory handle, the wooden shaft, the mechanism that held them together, the metal tip were all in perfect shape. But what made it really valuable was the umbrella materiel, as it was in perfect shape too, no holes, snags, or anything. It was appraised at $750 to $1000 by a guy who knew what he was talking about, and that was a lot more in 1979 than it sounds like today.

I kept it in a stand by the door in my apartment in college, which turned out to be a not-so-good place. My roommate and his girlfriend had taken the two actual umbrellas when they left, and I had a first date with this gal who heard the thunder as we were walking out the door and snagged the bumber-sword.

Since it was a first date and I didn't really know her very well, I was not comfortable telling her there was a sword inside. And that was the only reason for which I could possibly deny its use, for it was raining cats and dogs. She might think I was some kind of weapons nut or something. I am, but it's not a characteristic you really want to lead with, as people tend to stereotype.

"Hi, glad to meet you. I collect handguns and shotguns, swords and knives, and blunt force weapons like billy clubs and nunchaku. Would you like to have dinner with me?"

Anyway, the umbrella proved to still be waterproof through the driving storm on the walk to the restaurant, where I put the soaking wet thing in the tall can by the door, in sight, of course. By the time we were ready to leave, the weather had cleared, and that, wine, her tight sweater, and testosterone conspired so that I walked out and completely forgot about it.

A certain extra-curricular activity later than evening reminded me of the sword slipping into the umbrella's shaft, and it hit me then that I'd left it at the restaurant. No, I did not disengage my date, but I did run over there as soon as the place opened for lunch the next day.

Gone.

I ended up dating that girl for two years, one of the true loves of my life. Life is full of trade-offs, and this one was well worth it.

The thing is, there was nothing about that umbrella that hinted it had a sword concealed inside. It just looked like a fine vintage bumbershoot, and I wonder if who ever stole it ever realized what they really had.