Cane Weapons
Disclaimer
This material has been made available for research and reference purposes only. Readers are strongly advised against obtaining or manufacturing any of the weapons referred to herein, as the majority are unlawful to possess. It is not our intent that anyone break the law or wrongfully harm others. Be aware that the majority of the weapons referred to are currently available from numerous sources, and may very well be encountered in the hands of criminals. We feel that it is important to know what one might be facing when confronted by criminals on the street.
Cane Weapons
Dozens of weapons have been incorporated into the humble walking stick. Many of these weapons were designed during the mid 17th century, when it was fashionable for gentlemen to carry a walking stick whether it was necessary for support or not. Walking stick weapons tend to fall into several primary categories (although others exist): blasters, blades, and bludgeons.
BLASTERS
Blasters are seldom seen outside of museums anymore, due to a federal restriction on “cane guns and other disguised firearms” that puts them in the same category as a suppressed machine pistol (requiring a class III FFL and $200 tax stamp). Almost all cane guns in existence are single-shot weapons, usually of the black powder “cap and ball” variety. Cobray once sold a conversion kit that enabled a certain brand of antique cane gun to fire .38 special ammunition, and illegal homemade versions have been found in several calibers (with .22 LR, .45 ACP, and .410 shot shell being most common, due to low pressure and availability of cheap barrels). Cane guns have incorporated a wide variety of firing mechanisms, most of which are slow into action and unsafe to carry at full cock. Some homemade cane guns use an electric filament to ignite a black powder charge such a device can easily be fabricated without machine tools.
A lesser seen variant is the compressed air (or gas) fired cane gun. These are also single-shot weapons, and are capable of firing a lead or steel ball at lethal velocities. Poisoned pellets and darts have been fired from similar weapons by communist intelligence agents (for example, the Bulgarian “umbrella gun” used in several prominent assassinations). A related weapon is the tubular “gas gun” which uses an electrically fired charge to expel a small cloud of prussic acid directly into a target’s face, resulting in death from cyanide poisoning. Blowguns have also been incorporated into canes.
BLADES
Blades usually refer to “sword canes,” which come in several varieties. The typical sword cane is a single-edged blade, usually between 18″ and 22″ long, affixed to the cane’s grip and sheathed in the shaft. The unit can be held together by a variety of locking mechanisms, or simple friction. Most of the antique sword canes are of high quality and command commensurate prices. Most of the modern reproductions I’ve seen are garbage with flimsy blades that won’t take an edge and bend out of shape upon impact. A well-designed sword cane’s shaft is sturdy enough to serve as a baton, giving you a weapon for either hand. Other “sword canes” I’ve seen either have a much shorter dagger blade or a spike instead of a true sword, but these tend to be more functional than the cheap imported reproductions. Dozens of variants on the basic sword cane design exist, and many are highly prized by collectors.
Similar to the sword cane is what I’ll call a “spear cane,” for want of a better word. A spear cane is equipped with a blade or spike, usually under 12″ in length, which projects from the bottom of the cane when revealed. Most often, the lower section of shaft is detached (instead of sliding the blade from the shaft by pulling on the handle), but is some versions the blade (or spike) is released by pressing a button, allowing the blade to snap into place (by means of a coil spring or inertia) and lock. A type of metallic walking stick is available that screws apart to reveal a blade inside, then can be screwed back together in such a way as to form an effective short spear (I have seen several versions, of varying quality). Some walking sticks utilize a spiked ferrule (for “hiking.”) which can be utilized in a similar manner.
BLUDGEONS
Bludgeons are canes that are especially good for beating someone to death, and in some cases, that is what they were specifically designed to do. Any stout walking stick composed of hickory, black walnut, or various exotic hardwoods, will be dense, heavy, and difficult to break. Such a stick is far superior to a cane made of light wood or aluminum tubing when it comes to defense. Topped with a handle of solid brass, silver, or steel, it becomes a lethal mace. Also worthy of mention is the Irish blackthorne walking stick, which is studded with natural protrusions that will draw blood with every blow. Decorated canes with ornate extended ferrules as well as metal bands or inlays along their length are typically far too valuable to beat on someone with, but they work extremely well in this capacity.
Hammerhead walking sticks were once popular, and can be fabricated in one’s workshop and properly decorated. A mountaineer’s walking stick, with a spiked ferrule and topped with a mattock, would prove a fearsome weapon in skilled hands and would not draw undue notice. The traditional Polish ciupaga walking sticks feature an axe like handle in addition to a sharp pointed tip. The aforementioned bludgeon-type canes are typically legal to carry on the street (though if you are young and fit, the local constabulary might be inclined to confiscate your “fashion statement” and charge you with possession of a weapon), whereas the following are not.
“Leaded canes” typically refer to canes filled with lead (molten, powdered, or shot) to add weight for the specific purpose of breaking bones. The lead can fill the entire shaft, but is usually concentrated at the tip. These are seldom seen, but canes fashioned from lengths of steel pipe are. These are usually painted to look like a common wooden cane or walking stick, and typically are fitted with a rubber ferrule tip to eliminate the tell-tale clunking, and they are highly illegal.
Some canes with metal ball-style grips are designed to allow the ball to be detached from the shaft, revealing a short cable that allows it to be swung like a medieval flail. Some walking sticks are designed to screw apart into a pair of oversized nunchaku. Occasionally seen among practitioners of ninjutsu are canes which conceal long lengths of chain terminated by a weight or hook. One company specializing in sword canes also offered a version (marketed as the “mafia stick”) which had a long spring billy (similar to the “Kiyoga steel whip,” but fixed rather than collapsible) in lieu of a blade.
