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Walking Sticks

 Copyright © September 1, 2022 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.

Introduction

Sometimes a person will use a long wood stick to assist them while they are walking for one of the following reasons:
  1. When they walk through a densely overgrown area they use the stick to move the vegetation out of their way so they can see what lies ahead and to avoid touching vegetation that they are not familiar with.
  2. When they walk up or down a steep slope they use the stick to help them maintain their balance if they have to step over something that is in their way, or if there are trip hazards they need to avoid.
Except in the above two special situations, a walking stick is of no practical value as a "hiking stick." It takes more time and physical energy to carry the stick with you in your hand than the stick is worth. And this is especially true if you lift and lower the end of the stick onto the ground each time you take a step forward. In most situations a person could walk further, faster, and with less effort without any type of walking stick in their hand.

If the above is true then why am I writing this article about walking sticks? For two reasons:
  1. The obvious reason is to explain that a walking stick does not help a person walk faster or safer in most situations.
  2. However, there are a few reasons why a walking stick might be a practical option for some people.

Discussion

Fighting Stick Walking sticks could include all the following:
  1. Canes: If a person has difficulty walking then a cane can help a person maintain their balance and help support their weight when they move between areas. As people gradually age it is not unusual for them to begin using a cane in order to help them avoid accidents.

  2. Crutches: If a person has an injured foot, ankle, or leg, then one or two crutches that are placed under a person's armpits can help a person move between areas.

  3. Shepherd's Crooks: This is a long stick with a curved end that looks like a long letter "J." A shepherd can slip the curved end of the stick around the neck of a sheep that is going astray and help guide the sheep back in the correct direction. The curved end of the stick can also be slipped under the body of a sheep and it can be used to help a sheep get out of a hole it has fallen into.

  4. Self-Defense Staffs:
    • Several of the Asian martial art schools teach their students how to use sticks of different lengths to defend themselves.
    • Jesus told His disciples to carry a staff with them in the following verse:
      Mark 6:8 - New International Version - "Take nothing for the journey except a staff -"
    • Europeans have used staffs for self-defense for thousands of years. In the early 1900s gentlemen were taught how to defend themselves with their cane or umbrella. The following two articles explain how to fight with a stick.
      Self-defense with a Walking-stick (Part 1).
      Self-defense with a Walking-stick (Part 2).

Conclusion

If your only objective is to walk to a different location, and the area you are walking through is a "safe" area, and you can walk without any type of assistance, then a walking stick is not a practical item to carry with you.

However, if there is a chance that you could be attacked while you are walking then a cane may be very useful. A strong heavy-duty cane with a curved end could be used to trip a person, or to pull a person forward by their neck. Or a cane with a heavy ball shaped end is also an excellent option. You hold the ball shaped end in your hand and the other end of the cane rests on the ground. However, if you are attacked then you could quickly rotate and grab the other end of the cane and use the heavy ball shaped end as a "lethal club." Even a umbrella with a curved handle could be used in an emergency if you knew its strengths and weaknesses.

I pray you never need to use the above information. However, if the social conditions in our world continue to deteriorate, then you may discover that if you carry a "cane" then the cane may cause a potential attacker to underestimate your abilities.

Respectfully,
Grandpappy.

Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com

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