Cold Steel African Walking Stick

cockedlocked01 · March 21st, 2007, 05:12 AM

Well, P95Carry got me researching things when he brought up his buying Cold Steel's Walkabout walking stick.

I looked around, researched whether it would be allowed on a plane, & ended up buying Cold Steel's African walking stick. So, here's a review.

First off, here's the site:
http://www.knivesplus.com/coldsteelw...-cs-91was.html

They had the best price & sent it pretty quick. I ordered it on a Thursday night & got it Monday morning. Total price was just under $30.00

Checking it out, the top end is 2.5" in diameter. It looks like it rotates &/or screws off. It doesn't, it's all one piece, made out of polypropylene. I don't know what that is, other than that it appears to be some type of plastic, & my favorite police baton is made out of the stuff. I know for a fact that it's practically indestructable & it hurts when struck by it (At least that's what the people on the receiving end have said). They say it won't warp, but I know my baton did. However, my baton spent considerable time in the trunk of a Police cruiser, right next to the power unit for the computer & radio. I don't think it'll warp for most people, & certainly not if you don't abuse it.

The undulations on the staff are pretty smooth, but allows one to get a good grip on it for 2 handed techniques. The head's kind of sharp, the shapes are pretty squared off. It weighs just over 25 oz. (Approx. 1.5 lbs), but feels lighter.

It's just under 37" long, but with a rubber end-cap (Not included), it's just over that. It's really more like a cane with a ball handle, than a "walking stick." I wanted that anyways. A walking "staff" is longer & might be open to too much attention. I wanted something I can take on a plane for travel.

I'm not that old, but have a couple real injuries & surgery scars to validate carrying this. Also, I start limping after being on my feet or walking for a lengthy time/distance.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, & with my martial arts knowledge, I feel pretty confident in defending myself & family if need be.

Hope this was helpful to some.

P95Carry · March 21st, 2007, 12:43 PM

Good to know about .......... I too used that site to get my Walkabout - probably best prices available IMO. Thx for writing that up.

The Walkabout is also pretty much a ball handle cane and since getting mine have been putting it to some use, as well as ''distressing'' it a tad so it doesn't look so darned new and shiny varnish!

Biggest (genuine) use I have for mine is when standing, such that I can lean on it and reduce back pain, plus too it is very handy to assist rising from sitting position (creaky knees!). Other factor with me - I AM that old LOL!

maclean3 · March 21st, 2007, 01:46 PM

Pssst! Hey Chris, that what canes are suppose to be used for!

Jack

P95Carry · March 21st, 2007, 02:05 PM

Thx for the reminder Jack

Redneck Repairs · March 21st, 2007, 02:17 PM

oO( never underestimate the visual value of an old man implanting a " popsicle stick " in a young thug . since all who witness such an event tend to become polite or gone lol )

Edited to add :

Chris being an old machinist his likley is worse than a " bat belt " by now as far as what you can do with it lol .

cockedlocked01 · March 21st, 2007, 02:33 PM

Chris, you wouldn't "modify" that walking stick, now would you?

Thumper · March 21st, 2007, 05:16 PM

Thanks for the review, let us know how it goes with plane travel eh?

I too have the Walkabout XL:

It's a little bigger than it looks... I take evening walks and use it t ward off loose or stray dogs.

ghost tracker · March 23rd, 2007, 10:49 AM

When I enter the airplane I have my ratan cane in hand but my nail-clippers have to be tucked away in the luggage compartment. I, too, am OLD enough to "almost" really need the thing and have the scars from a major ankle rework (in my 20's) to make it look legitimate if ever officially pressed for an explaination.

Canes are truly one of the most covert of self-defense weapons and, with the right training, preferred over a knife by most knowledgable practicioners. I dare say a "religious extremist" with a box-cutter would quickly find himself dispatched if he mistakenly confronted the wrong old guy with a cane.

Years ago my work regularly took me from Lake Charles, Louisianna to Cape Horn, Argentina and all points between. Even decades before 9/11 the act of airline hijacking (to Cuba, of all places) was a common occurance. I began, way back then, to always travel with a cane & a key ring heavily packed with big, sharp keys attached to 14" loop of braided para-cord. Three different occasions (on the ground in Third World countries) my little "staff & mace" saved my bacon in immediately dire circumstances.

Would I have preferred a handgun? Of course. In fact, I would have PREFERRED a Spec Ops Team, Close Air-Support and being somewhere (or someone) else entirely. But a cane & a key ring have never raised so much as a question or an eyebrow in +20 years of air travel. And now that I have the wrinkled face, balding gray hairline and photos of my grandchildren to "complete my disguise", it's almost foolproof!

In this strange age of sensative, new world, sissy men...I stand with those who would rather die on their feet than live on their knees.

Joe Weinstein · March 24th, 2007, 12:59 PM

Hi all.
I too have had knee surgery with sufficient 'visible scar
documentation' to support it's occasional aching and stiffness
in some neighborhoods...
Can anyone recommend a course of reading and/or instruction
to train oneself in defensive walking-stick technique?
thanks much,
Joe

ghost tracker · March 30th, 2007, 12:40 PM

There are a number of different "stick fighting" techniques that are directly applicable to walking canes. Cold Steel (the knife company) has a good instructional DVD available. Additionally, some interesting sites are found by Google Searching "combat cane". Those sites can give you some idea of what to look for in a cane; what wood is toughest, what shape is most effective, what to avoid, etc.

Practicioners of Cane Defense are the same as Pistoleros, Knife Fighters, and the rest...the cane is just a tool. The weapon is found in the training.

Be Safe!

March 21st, 2007, 05:12 AM	#1
cockedlocked01 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S. California Posts: 939	Cold Steel African Walking Stick Well, P95Carry got me researching things when he brought up his buying Cold Steel's Walkabout walking stick. I looked around, researched whether it would be allowed on a plane, & ended up buying Cold Steel's African walking stick. So, here's a review. First off, here's the site: http://www.knivesplus.com/coldsteelw...-cs-91was.html They had the best price & sent it pretty quick. I ordered it on a Thursday night & got it Monday morning. Total price was just under $30.00 Checking it out, the top end is 2.5" in diameter. It looks like it rotates &/or screws off. It doesn't, it's all one piece, made out of polypropylene. I don't know what that is, other than that it appears to be some type of plastic, & my favorite police baton is made out of the stuff. I know for a fact that it's practically indestructable & it hurts when struck by it (At least that's what the people on the receiving end have said). They say it won't warp, but I know my baton did. However, my baton spent considerable time in the trunk of a Police cruiser, right next to the power unit for the computer & radio. I don't think it'll warp for most people, & certainly not if you don't abuse it. The undulations on the staff are pretty smooth, but allows one to get a good grip on it for 2 handed techniques. The head's kind of sharp, the shapes are pretty squared off. It weighs just over 25 oz. (Approx. 1.5 lbs), but feels lighter. It's just under 37" long, but with a rubber end-cap (Not included), it's just over that. It's really more like a cane with a ball handle, than a "walking stick." I wanted that anyways. A walking "staff" is longer & might be open to too much attention. I wanted something I can take on a plane for travel. I'm not that old, but have a couple real injuries & surgery scars to validate carrying this. Also, I start limping after being on my feet or walking for a lengthy time/distance. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, & with my martial arts knowledge, I feel pretty confident in defending myself & family if need be. Hope this was helpful to some. __________________ "Use human means as though divine ones didn't exist, and divine means as though there were no human ones." Baltasar Gracian Integrated Close Combat NRA Member Para Ordnance LW LTC Glock 19 Kahr PM9 Kel-Tec P-32 S&W 442 Dan Wesson 14-2 AMT SA .380 Back-up

March 21st, 2007, 12:43 PM	#2
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	Good to know about .......... I too used that site to get my Walkabout - probably best prices available IMO. Thx for writing that up. The Walkabout is also pretty much a ball handle cane and since getting mine have been putting it to some use, as well as ''distressing'' it a tad so it doesn't look so darned new and shiny varnish! Biggest (genuine) use I have for mine is when standing, such that I can lean on it and reduce back pain, plus too it is very handy to assist rising from sitting position (creaky knees!). Other factor with me - I AM that old LOL! __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

March 21st, 2007, 01:46 PM	#3
maclean3 VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,876	Pssst! Hey Chris, that what canes are suppose to be used for! Jack __________________ "The sheep are everywhere. We are raising up a nation of cannon fodder types and we are screwed." HotGuns

March 21st, 2007, 02:05 PM	#4
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	Thx for the reminder Jack __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

March 21st, 2007, 02:33 PM	#6
cockedlocked01 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S. California Posts: 939	Chris, you wouldn't "modify" that walking stick, now would you? __________________ "Use human means as though divine ones didn't exist, and divine means as though there were no human ones." Baltasar Gracian Integrated Close Combat NRA Member Para Ordnance LW LTC Glock 19 Kahr PM9 Kel-Tec P-32 S&W 442 Dan Wesson 14-2 AMT SA .380 Back-up

March 21st, 2007, 02:17 PM	#5
Redneck Repairs VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 5,141	oO( never underestimate the visual value of an old man implanting a " popsicle stick " in a young thug . since all who witness such an event tend to become polite or gone lol ) Edited to add : Chris being an old machinist his likley is worse than a " bat belt " by now as far as what you can do with it lol .

March 21st, 2007, 05:16 PM	#7
Thumper VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sparks, Nevada Posts: 3,701	Thanks for the review, let us know how it goes with plane travel eh? I too have the Walkabout XL: It's a little bigger than it looks... I take evening walks and use it t ward off loose or stray dogs. __________________ ALWAYS carry! - NEVER tell!

March 23rd, 2007, 10:49 AM	#8
ghost tracker Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ky Backwoods Posts: 742	I always smile to myself... When I enter the airplane I have my ratan cane in hand but my nail-clippers have to be tucked away in the luggage compartment. I, too, am OLD enough to "almost" really need the thing and have the scars from a major ankle rework (in my 20's) to make it look legitimate if ever officially pressed for an explaination. Canes are truly one of the most covert of self-defense weapons and, with the right training, preferred over a knife by most knowledgable practicioners. I dare say a "religious extremist" with a box-cutter would quickly find himself dispatched if he mistakenly confronted the wrong old guy with a cane. Years ago my work regularly took me from Lake Charles, Louisianna to Cape Horn, Argentina and all points between. Even decades before 9/11 the act of airline hijacking (to Cuba, of all places) was a common occurance. I began, way back then, to always travel with a cane & a key ring heavily packed with big, sharp keys attached to 14" loop of braided para-cord. Three different occasions (on the ground in Third World countries) my little "staff & mace" saved my bacon in immediately dire circumstances. Would I have preferred a handgun? Of course. In fact, I would have PREFERRED a Spec Ops Team, Close Air-Support and being somewhere (or someone) else entirely. But a cane & a key ring have never raised so much as a question or an eyebrow in +20 years of air travel. And now that I have the wrinkled face, balding gray hairline and photos of my grandchildren to "complete my disguise", it's almost foolproof! In this strange age of sensative, new world, sissy men...I stand with those who would rather die on their feet than live on their knees. __________________ There are only *TWO* kinds of people in this world; those that describe the world as filled with two kinds of people...and those who don't.

March 24th, 2007, 12:59 PM	#9
Joe Weinstein New Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: california Posts: 2	Hi all. I too have had knee surgery with sufficient 'visible scar documentation' to support it's occasional aching and stiffness in some neighborhoods... Can anyone recommend a course of reading and/or instruction to train oneself in defensive walking-stick technique? thanks much, Joe

March 30th, 2007, 12:40 PM	#10
ghost tracker Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ky Backwoods Posts: 742	Welcome Mr. Weinstein, There are a number of different "stick fighting" techniques that are directly applicable to walking canes. *Cold Steel* (the knife company) has a good instructional DVD available. Additionally, some interesting sites are found by Google Searching "combat cane". Those sites can give you some idea of what to look for in a cane; what wood is toughest, what shape is most effective, what to avoid, etc. Practicioners of Cane Defense are the same as Pistoleros, Knife Fighters, and the rest...the cane is just a tool. The weapon is found in the training. Be Safe! __________________ There are only *TWO* kinds of people in this world; those that describe the world as filled with two kinds of people...and those who don't.

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