People make fun of me for carrying a cane. They also make fun of me for practicing fencing in terms of self defense, they say "it's not like you are going to carry a sword with you everywhere you go". Haha, if only they knew...
And as the old Keebler C.C. Biggs Cookie commercial used to say..... "That's the BIGGS Idea! I carry my Cold Steel Heavy Duty sword cane in my car. Not only if I am going to be on my feet a lot, but in the unexpected car breakdown where I may have to walk some distance, and have the added security of a 2.5 ft long sword hidden at my fingertips! So glad I still live in a free country and in a free state, where self defence ( the weapons that make that possible) and concealed carry for all but police and criminals is NOT A CRIME. Fla. here. Sword canes are legal to carry if you have a CCW permit!
The fun part about a sword stick, is that in my country the part that makes it illegal is not that they contain a sword, but that the hilt could be considered a blunt weapon, and blunt weapons are illeagal xD.
By that law all canes should be illegal. Your average walking cane with no sword blade inside it is just as much a blunt weapon as the hilt/scabbard of a sword stick.
Possession of a sword cane brings prison time in California. I can get a .45 "Cowboy" gun in about two weeks. Heaven forbid I buy a sap (kosh), brass knuckles or a switchblade - all felonies.
Daniel Guthrie Yep. You will note that Cold Steel Inc. (a California company) makes sword canes, and yet has to have a separate Arizona division of the company with a website separate from its California website in order to sell their own product. My sympathies brother. I know that there are knife rights groups working to help you guys out, but it is a massively uphill battle with the state legislature.
Daniel Guthrie Gotta keep those cheap street weapons out of the hands of those pesky minorities, amirite? But more expensive weapons, the kind good clean WASP folks use, are just fine.
+Daniel Guthrie To be fair, California doesn't respect your gun rights any more than it respects your sword/knife rights. I've never heard a California gun enthusiast suggest that it's "easy" to exercise their God-given, Constitutionally protected right to self-defense in their home state.
Over twenty years ago I met someone who had a Victorian sword stick for sale, total length about 3 feet or 1 metre. The blade was approximately 24 to 26 inches long but only the last 4 to 6 inches was actually shaped down to a double-edged knife (the rest was just rectangular section steel) - definitely a stabbing weapon but with longer reach than the average thug's knife. Beautifully made and decorated, it even had a pattern lightly etched down the rectangular section of the "blade" (well, the twenty or so inches of steel between the hilt and the sharpened section of the blade). Sadly, I didn't have the NZ$450 to buy it, and I've regretted it ever since. Now I've watched this clip and heard that the longer-bladed ones were less common, I feel rather sick. Great video, thanks. Very informative.
Oddly enough where I live it would be legal for me to sling an AR15 over my shoulder and go out, but I would be breaking the law if I carried a swordstick.
@@chrisp.2852 No it was because of the blade length, at the time anything over 5.5 inches was illegal to carry, that's changed now, I actually could carry a sword or sword stick now legally.
I like the fact I live in Bulgaria. It may not be the Texas of EU, but it doesn't regulate knives or any bladed stuff in any way (!). Yes, in any way - you can carry a sword with you in public, if you wish to. Of course, police will ask questions, but legally you are not limited to do that. Concealed knives, automatic knives, fixed knives, machetes, swords, axes, sword canes, whatever - I've owned and I still own much of that. Have some pieces in my car, some in my home, some on my persona. Of course, I don't generally intend to defend with bladed stuff, I got guns for that (yes, Bulgaria is a gun-friendly country compared to most EU). But a pretty, useful sword cane is a great accessory to own and potentially carry everywhere unnoticed, especially when laws allow it and if you are an elder gentleman. It certainly allows you to feel safe in any environment and could negatively surprise any potential treat.
Indeed they often are. In my state in the Southeastern US, sword canes, switchblades, etc are all perfectly legal to carry, openly or concealed, but not a Bowie knife. And the legal definition of a Bowie is very carefully spelled out in the law, to the point that the law applies only to a typical Bowie. Of course, that's only illegal for concealed carry. They may be carried openly, though no one does. Mind you, this is a " Shall Issue" state for concealed carry permits so as long as you aren't a criminal or declared insane, you can get a permit to carry a concealed pistol with little trouble (which is all good and fine, seldom leads to any troubles), but even with a permit to carry a pistol, don't get caught with a Bowie knife (or brass knuckles). I'd love to know the history behind that law. 😆
Laws are about controlling the population to keep 1 human in power until they die often putting a person in there place that will continue there tyranny... communism monarchy and fascism are good examples.
That's possible. I guess most self-defence situations, where you are attacked by surprise, you are likely to find your attackers closer than normal sword/fencing distance. But I think another reason in that a walking stick would often be too long with a sword-length blade inside.
Do you think they would be used with smallsword/epee du combat techniques? I would assume fencing was a pretty popular sport in france and the west in general, especially among the aristocracy. so this could be a way to have a smallsword without projecting the fact that you have one on your person. thus you can transfer your training to self defense (or offence depending on the character of the individual) against someone with knives or threatening you with fists or makeshift weapons. I could totally see that since fencing focuses a lot on footwork movement and distance, so it would be good for disengaging with an opponent.
Of course I don't think everyone in the US is walking around 'packing heat'. But whereas in some States you guys can get a concealed-carry licence, that is practically unheard of in Europe since about the 1920's. :-)
Here in Alaska most carry fireams. For two and four legged predators. I carry a pistol but also carry a cold steel heavy cane sword. Mostly for ice and wacking branches out of my way thou.
6 years later but actually, in Italy, if you manage to obtain from the authorities the concealed carry license for personal defence reasons (which is rare to obtain), there's the option for legally carry a sword cane, if you want, instead of carrying a gun (or viceversa, but never both). In fact here in Italy, unlike UK (except for antiques sword canes) or Germany (banned) sword canes are legal, but regulated - so for buy one you need a license.
I have one of these with a one-and-a-half-foot blade. I put it through the back of my calf when I slipped on the grass while practicing fencing exercises. A longer blade would probably have hit the ground before it reached the back of my leg. Still, I love mine and wish I had more opportunities to carry it.
I inherited my grandfather's sword cane (not stick) made by Jonathan Howell London. Apperently quite a prestigious cane manufacturer. Mine is different to yours it has a rootball handle, a release mechanism with hallmarked silver collared joints dated 1915. The blade is quite ornate not very flexible and has a sharp bodkin point.
Treblaine "our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter" we totally need more people who roll over like dogs for a nice rawhide. Ending point is true and eloquent, but still.
Really makes you wonder why some of them were constructed to be so thin and so flexible, considering just how stabby sword canes/sword sticks were. You’d figure the optimal blade for something like that would be something thick, and blunt, maybe even edgeless like an estoc blade. Especially since there’s pretty much necessarily no guard so the risk of self injury is always there. All the examples I can ever remember having seen were quite definitely sharpened blades and not just spikes.
MrGrape, there are sword canes with guards. The guard is a pair of spring-loaded steel arms the you squeeze together as you insert the blade into the cane-sheath. When the sword is withdrawn for use, the arms spring open and form a small guard. Not real common, but definitely something that was available.
Thanks for saying foil fencing is good training for this weapon, and that having it down I would be effective with it. Obtaining one is now a priority, since I have more training with that than almost anything else I own or carry.
I have a modern made shorter Kane sword made for thrusting and stiff for thrashing.. I sometimes carrying it where weapons are not allowed. I place a rubber band on close to the tip so to keep it rattling in the housing. A .38 derrenger is another security devise. I carry sometimes.
I have an antique sword stick my one is the length of a walking cane rather than a short one and rather than having the thin bendy blade it's got a kind of long spike and does not have a sharp edge just has four sides that thin out into a spike I was told that they made theses ones a bit later on due to the issue of the blade snapping while taking it out :)
I'm guessing if you happen to walking home from the antique auction you purchased your cane sword from and are mugged it would be classed as a weapon of opportunity?
Hi there, I know this is an older post, but it's new to me. I was told by a knowledgable collector and museum owner, that the origins (one of) and use of swords sticks like the one you show, with thin long piercing blades was in England by customs officials to inspect bails and bags for smuggled contraband.
I remember when TK Maxx accidentally sold walking sticks that had swords hidden in them. LOL. Definitely going to go around antique shops looking at the walking sticks, now.
Well there IS of course a walking cane shop right in the middle of London's shopping district that used to sell swordsticks up until they became outlawed, so that's a pretty clear indicator that they at least weren't rare.
Zap Gun When I was considerably younger I went in and had a browse much to the purveyors displeasure! Not far from there was also an amazing spy shop selling all sorts of crazy stuff way beyond what you see in the movies! Also with a very snooty salesman. If you're not wearing the right flavour of bespoke suit, you can kindly remove yourself lol.
Si74l0rd Jolly good, I say! I'm afraid I was too late for that party then; when I went there they were long gone... Unless the spy shop had pulled the ultimate spy gadget and disguised the shop as a street rubbish bin, of course. Although I somehow don't think that'd have helped their sales.
The biggest reason (debateable) for the upcoming of swordcanes or swordsticks may have been the ban on duels during the early 1800's. This has been discussed on QI for example, and sounds to me as a very reasonable evolution based on current events at the time. It might also be the reason to why the blades are still bountiful and very common during the 1800's. I am not one hundred percent sure about the date, as im not in a position to do a quick fact-check (sorry), but it seems (to me) to be a reasonable time-period. I am also quite sure the ban was implemented in england and bigger parts of (now a days) Europe. Very interesting to find your channel and see you handling such beautiful pieces of steel! Much thanks for a good channel!
+Mbeluba I can assure you German laws are just as bad. Probably even worse, cause in the UK you can at least get an antique swordcane, here you can't even get those.
+scholagladiatoria I'd like to see you do a video on weapons law in Great Britain (ownership, carrying, use, sale, etc.), historically and contemporarily. You may or may not want to make it a separate video due to the political nature, but I'd also be interested in hearing your opinions of the worth of restrictions.
hey i have one. it was my grandad's and i searched on the internet and looks like its an indian swordstick. very light and balanced. you really can't tell that there's a sword inside.
Just a quick note about 19th century America: Most municipalities had laws against concealed carrying (and often open carrying as well) of firearms within municipal limits. Furthermore, some recent historical studies suggest that guns per capita were quite low (something like one gun for every eight men). Even in frontier areas where hunting is a major source of calories you don't need that many guns. So wandering around with weapons may not have been so socially acceptable as public images would suggest...
Jonas Weselake-George OTOH, Colt sold over 300,000 of its pocket percussion revolvers, so obviously lots of people were buying pistols to carry concealed.
Jonas Weselake-George Infact. In many iconic cities of the Old West (Tomstone, Deadwood, Dodge City...), you can't carry any deadly weapon, concealed or not, within the town limits. A visitor arriving in Wichita, Kansas in 1873, the heart of the Wild West era, would have seen signs declaring, "Leave Your Revolvers At Police Headquarters, and Get a Check."
If the cane-swords were for stabbing, why weren't they just a spike instead? I'd have to think that'd be better for both the sword AND the cane - they'd be heartier for holding weight and a stronger stabber.
I have a copy of a catalogue from the German arms retailer "Alfa" dated 1911. It has a section containing various kinds of swordsticks "for gentlemen to protect themselves and their ladies against ruffians". There is one item in that section that I have never seen even in a photograph outside that catalogue: a "swordstick" that actually contains not a sword but a rubber "cudgel". The idea is that the gentleman accosted while walking by a scruffy beggar or ruffian can draw this flexible rubber cudgel out of his stout walking stick and use it to give the lower-class undesirable a jolly good thrashing. And if something more lethal is required, he can then resort to the solid cane body and his Bartitsu or canne techniques instead. Has anyone here ever seen one of these canes with the rubber truncheon inside? If so, I would love to see a video or photo of one "in real life"...
scholagladiatoria A side-fact about the sword cane in the States. A short time before the Seige of the Alamo in 19th Century Texas, a sword cane was used against Jim Bowie during a gambling spat. He supposedly survived a heart wound from the sword before subduing his assailant with his trademark Bowie Knife, but the wound would be a factor to his eventual illness during the 13 day siege before his death in battle. The Sword Cane that stuck Bowie is still on display today in San Antonio.
@@RoadrunnerMoose Seige of the Alamo took place in 1836. Mexico's actual name is United Mexican States (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos). On June 23, 1845, a joint resolution of the Congress of Texas voted in favor of annexation by the United States. The leaders of the republic first voted for annexation in 1836, soon after gaining independence from Mexico, but the U.S. Congress was unwilling to admit another state that permitted slavery. Sam Houston, commander of the Texas army during the fight for independence from Mexico and the first president of the Republic of Texas, was a strong advocate of annexation. In 1845, the political climate proved more favorable to the request for statehood. On December 29, 1845, Texas officially became the twenty-eighth state in the Union although the formal transfer of government did not take place until February 19, 1846. A unique provision in its agreement with the United States permitted Texas to retain title to its public lands. Further, Texas was annexed as a slave state.
It's probably unlikely that these would ever come up against a sabre or rapier around the time and places they were used, I see it rather as a more elegant, long-reach knife for street fighting. You wouldn't parry with this, just like you wouldn't with a knife; so in my opinion a skilled fighter armed with one of these would, effectively, be as dangerous as a knife-fighter with added reach.
I just moved to Armstrong County, PA in The USA which has the second highest rate of gun ownership in the USA second only to Fairbanks, Alaska....... It is a strange individual that doesn't carry a pistol and have an entire arsenal of long guns at home. Even people who you wouldn't ordinarily expect (stereotypically anyway) to have an interest in guns such as goths, cheerleaders, ect. if asked could tell you what caliber an mp5a3 fires and how many bullets the magazine holds.......that sword stick would still be illegal as hell though. I have also met quite a few people who are big fans of Scholargladitoria lol.
Well, first of all, can I say that I love swordsticks as an idea. Patrick Macnee's swordstick and iron bowler hat really grabbed my attention as a child. Mostly though, as I understand it, this was about defending against the Apache's in Paris. The reality, according to a least one source (a policeman I think), is that they were more lethal to the owner than the opponent. Having said that, I did read about a skilled fencer fighting off numerous opponents. The leaded cane was preferred.because there was minimal deployment time, In a street- fight,a revolver was like paramount,
I got to admit, sometimes I'm a little envious of you... Over here in the USA we don't have access to all these wonderful swords at our local antique shops. I found one F-S third pattern knife but have yet to run across a swordstick much to my wife's relief ;)
Sword canes weren't ever really considered effective for real combat, they were a means of self-defense in an era when swords were no longer common. The idea was that the carrier, if assaulted by a mugger, could jab or hit the assailant with the cane; the assailant would grab the wooden part, and the victim would draw out the blade, catching the assailant by surprise and stabbing them. This is why they were so common; it's fairly irrelevant to mention their applicability against real swords, because they were never intended for that. It's like talking about how well a Roman gladius would fare against a revolver. They're weapons from entirely different eras.
"The carrying of guns was socially frowned upon, unlike in America." FREEEEEEEEEDOM! Social stigma should never change how you live your life, much less infringe on anyone's rights. People offended by weapons NEED to be offended, learn to stop QQing, and understand what human rights truly are.
I suspect the sword-stick was never intended to protect oneself from an opponent armed with a sword, but from the common street mugger who typically relied (and still does) upon greater size and/or greater numbers sometimes augmented with a knife or club. In that context (See what I did there?), it makes perfect sense. In the vast majority of cases, a 20" blade would cause the miscreant(s) to flee and seek a softer target.
+DeoMachina As far I am aware (as I've done this in the past), the law allows you to transport legally held weapons, in a case or bag made for the purpose, directly to the place specified for practice, normally a registered club or range, or display and returned directly to the place of storage, normally the holders residence. If you must stop en-route, such as a filling station, the weapons should be out of sight, ideally in the boot of the car and preferably not left unattended. However, should you be stopped carrying such items, the onus is on you to prove that you are moving them within the law.
I have a couple of Victorian era sword sticks carried by English gents in India. Both are edgeless blades, one triangular the other square. In modern times you don't meet swords or body armour in the streets. Guns are less effective than one would think, at very close quarters.
I carry my swordstick in my car generally speaking and sometimes not always I'll carry it when I walk my dog. Mine is from World War II and has a samurai sword blade. Just for the record, this type is known as a SHIRA-SAYA
Interesting... I grew up in Durban south africa, and we had a night guard - or night watchman next door to my house, he guarded a office complex - the chap was an old school Zulu with a beard and he carried a cane that looked very similar to the european sword canes/sticks BUT - it was possibly a more effective weapon - heres why his head on the stick came off to reveal about an 8 inch /6 inch (I was a kid when I last saw it) sharpened spear/spike -- so he could use the entire stick as a thrusting "spear" I thought it may give a reach advantage?
Guys it's a video about swordsticks not gun laws, shame the comments are all gun related. It's interesting to note the difference between western swordsticks compared to japanese one's. Western blades tend to be mostly thrusters while japanese swordsticks are often wakizashi or even katana blades with a warp or bend in the stick to accommodate the sori (curve). Although i have seen shikomizue containing tanto and yari blades also.
The really interesting thing to note about the japanese "sword sticks" is that they came mostly came about in response to the sword ban. The samurai class were losing power and after the carrying of swords were banned many of the surviving samurai fell back on carrying "Shirisaya" or sword sticks in response.
scholagladiatoria ever seen Zatoichi? its a show about a blind swordsman that uses iado and a long sword cane to fight. ironically i didnt know they made sword canes so short. doesn't seem like you could use that for a cane.
Reading travel accounts from the 1800s, also common to bore out a cane and fill it with lead. Promoted by some writers because it was good to improve muscle tone while you walked but also good as a defensive weapon.
Question about recent sword cane productions. Esp Cold Steel Heavy Duty swordcane. The cane/scabbard is made of aluminum, but the blade does not touch the scabbard while inside due to the long thick "habaki" with the locking mechanism. You mentioned before that metal scabbard dulls the blade over time. Is it the same problem here when there could be metal/metal contact when drawn/sheathed?
When visiting the San Francisco Tokenkai (Japanese sword show) a few years back, I saw a concealed weapon that was very interesting. It looked like a wakizashi (shortsword), but when drawn, it had a pistol barrel in place of a sword blade. It was a single-shot percussion-shot pistol of about .30. I'm guessing the idea was a quick, last-resort weapon when confronted with bandits, but who knows? :-)
If it was mainly for thrusting, why were the blades so flexible? To make them more economical? To make them lighter? I can't imagine the weight or the cost being prohibitive to the kind of person who would have a swordstick in the first place.
Thanks for the explanation, very well presented ... I wish you could review the umbrella kings models, which are quite cheap and available on the net, but I'm not so sure about the quality of them, thanks again !
I'm surprised so many swordstick blades are flexible. You would think that a stiff blade, perhaps even triangular or square cross section, would be far superior. Is this due to some style consideration, do you think, or just low-quality pakistani blades? (which I hear were common on these even at the time)
Probably weight and applicable consideration. This was weapon designed to be used to defend yourself around town by a wide range to people, probably by many who might have not fought for a living. Sure, a very stiff blade would a much better thruster but that would make it heavier and slower, in situation where you might not to need much pressure to kill or incapacitate because in most instances, you would be defending against just wearing there clothing. With a lighter blade, you can a overall less substantial construction which draw less substitution and maintain stabbing speed. Not my philosophy on that sort of weapon, but I get the logic. I think than you want something with high speed, low suspicion, you should use a knife, but I'm an American. I think than a sword cane should as useful not drawn and drawn. the club end with the right would can be used as a hammer, lever, and a thick stiff can be used as an awl, fire prod, kehab, or as a oil drum opener. Also the round end can use as a bat to knock out the attacker before drawing the sword and finishing the guy off.
I used to work security in a government court building. Had 3 guys try sneeking sword canes into their hearings. The weird dragons and unusual handles gave them away. So people still have and use them.
I have an antique swordstick, circa 1820: bamboo shaft, staghorn knob, silver mountings; hole for a leather loop; narrow triangular blade, with parcel bluing and gilt.
What would be the ideal grades of steels that can be used in the creation of swordsticks? Also, would it be possible to use ironwood, mahogany or rosewood as the scabbard and hilt of the swordstick? What's the recommended ideal maximum length and thickness of a swordstick's blade, if we're using an arnis/eskrima/kali stick as a reference? Thank you very much and I'm so happy to have found this vid! Keep up the good work!
Jim Bowie was stabbed by a sword cane during the infamous Sand Bar Duel and he managed to disembowel the swordsmen using a knife his brother had gifted to him. His actions were ruled self defense and earned him a reputation as a formidable fighter with a knife.
Just for a bit of off-topic clarification, some states in the U.S. do not require a concealed carry permit, but most do, and some will not even issue them to "normal" people unless you've survived being raped or assaulted multiple times, etc. Background checks are required by all licensed dealers, not so with private sales. Areas with strict gun control are usually higher crime areas, and vice versa, suggesting, in my opinion, that the two really aren't correlated--all gun control seems to do, surprisingly enough, is reduce gun crime, with little if any effect on the overall crime rate, hence the increase in the number of knife assaults in countries with stricter gun control laws and the similarities in the overall number of assaults, murders, etc. Some people seem to be of the opinion that getting shot is somehow intrinsically worse than being knifed to death. I'd rather have something to give me a chance, and the legal ability to defend myself, even if that means I may get shot instead of stabbed (god forbid). As backward as the U.S. can be on many issues, that is one thing I like about living here.
Out of curiosity, what should one look for in a propper fighting-quality cane? Specifically, light and fast vs. stout (quality, not drink?) I've been experimenting with Bartutsu and need some guidance.
John Stuart Keller you can't go wrong with an Irish blackthorn shillelagh, or a Zulu knobkerrie . Depending on which end you grip you either have a quick and nimble tip with center of balance by the hand, or a point heavy club, depending on knob size, capable of rendering one unconscious or deceased.
I'm from Arizona, really because of lax weapon laws out there lots of people have a heater. You don't need licensing and you can concealed carry with no legal repercussions. As a side effect of that though, less shootings! People don't actively try to get themselves in gun fights.
I have heard that the metal quality on many swordsticks was wanting. Weapons laws are crazy in many places, glad mine here are pretty normal. It is a mark of civilization when men carry their weapons concealed.
Great video! Thanks for the information. Hope much would you say would be a reasonable price for one as I've seen an antique one for sale for £130 with an ivory handle and was thinking of getting it? Also would you be able to carry one at say a Victorian re-enactment or would there concealed weapons bs still apply?
Hi Matt Have you ever seen historical examples of Eastern sword sticks? I might be mistaken but most of the examples I've seen online seem like cheap replicas, and for the life of me I can't think of a museum who has a real example.
I can't wait to be old and carry one of these. I'll have one where the cane is a good weapon, the empty cane is as well, the blade is cut and thrust, and some sort of rudimentary guard exists. If the pommel is amber with a mosquito in it like Jurassic Park I'll feel like a total badass lol
Do you think they would be used with smallsword/epee du combat techniques? I would assume fencing was a pretty popular sport in france andamong I could totally see that since fencing focuses a lot on footwork movement and distance, so it would be good for disengaging with an opponent.
I bought a regular walking stick from a supermarket in Kochi, India. Once I reached home I felt the handle was wiggling. I turned it open only to realize it's a swordstick. (I didn't know what a swordstick was when I bought it)
OMG this is calling my name! I fence A LOT with foil. I also hike A LOT. I need to get a modern one so I can using as a small trekking pole! I could use it to measure water deepness in a stream, I could use it to help me walk, I could use it to help propel myself for easier balance, I could also fight off a bear or a mean raccoon! :)
I just got a modern sword cane, expensive, but I still love it. I just hope the definition of "antique" is shortened, I'd rather not it taking forever. Also, the only extra thing I wish had come with it, was a small cross guard that clips onto the catch. That'd B the only improvement I can think of.
I disagree the Term Bowie knife came later but I believe the dueling or fighting knife was around before Jim became famous because firearms were not reliable and was not practical for civilian every day carry but the truth is we will never know the Origin of the "bowie knife" it's a Enigma; shrouded in legend and speculation
Hissatsu5 I'm not entirely sure the sharpened clip variety with a double guard was around before bowie, there were sort of proto bowies called riflemans knives. That being said though the conventional dueling knife was a toothpick dagger, not a riflemans knife. Also, though the claim can't be verified, several sources say bowie started with a butcher knife and then further expanded on his own design post sandbar duel.
Justin Prather thank you for you feedback and keeping it polite a lot of ppl online think the only way to comment is to yell and insult others. Something worth mentioning that the term butcher knife is vague and at the time can be used to describe crude or ornate knives also lets not forget that Louisiana was highly influenced by the Spanish and French and and I know the Spanish had there own style of fighting knife and if you look at them you will start to see the Bowie knife's ancestry I don't know much about French knives other then it's were we get the coffin handle
+Michael Chrest It makes bigger holes, which are more likely to incapacitate quickly and of course a Bowie can cut attacking limbs. The swordstick on the other hand has a huge reach advantage, so it would be difficult for the knifeman to close distance without being run through. Where they get run through dictates what happens next!
+scholagladiatoria Thanks Matt, Can a Bowie knife break/bend the blade of a sword stick? Trying to figure out how Jim Bowie defeated his opponents on sandbar fight. Just read the Wiki, seems the sword stick blade bent/stuck when it hit Bowie's sternum and Bowie was able to grab the opponent's shirt and pull him down on to his knife. Ah, the good old days. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandbar_Fight
+Michael Chrest You need to keep in mind, Bowie actually DID get run through the chest, several times, in that fight ,and in the end, only killed his opponent by letting him run him through and the gutting him with the knife.
Im guissing this was somewhat of a fashion statement. Because if you could afford it, wouldn't it be more convenient just to have a small pistol or derringer in your pocket? It is even more concealed, you have the reach advantage over a knife, like with the swordstick, but you also have the reach advantage over a spear, which you don't have with a swordstick. Also, you dont have to carry around a stick in your hand. I mean i guess you can use the swordstick to defend yourself with in at close range, but if you put a bullet in your attacker they might not even make it to close range.
Terncote Not exactly correct. In England, during the 18th and early to mid 19th centuries, travellers routinely carried a pair of large-calibre short-barrelled single-shot pistols in their coat pockets (commonly referred to as "overcoat pistols" or "manstoppers"). It was also common to carry a brace of saddle pistols on your saddle if riding by horseback, or to carry similar pistols in door scabbards in your travelling coach. I recall reading an account of one duke (or earl?) who apprehended two different sets of highwaymen on Hounslow Heath during one trip thanks to his trusty coach pistols. Later on that century, Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories give an excellent example of the social view on firearms. Whenever Sherlock Holmes asks Dr. Watson to accompany him somewhere on the foggy, gaslit London nighttime streets, Dr. Watson is forever "dropping his service revolver into the pocket of his cloak" before heading out. And Conan Doyle's respectable literate readers wouldn't have even thought twice about that. Or about the fact that Dr. Watson clearly HAS his "service revolver" still with him at home AFTER retiring from military service -- without any sort of permit or license of any kind -- and is also taking it out with him "just in case" without any sort of permit or license to do THAT either. I recall reading an account somewhere from the pre-WW1 years of a respectable gentleman who was out dining in a fashionable restaurant with his lady friend and who forgot his overcoat. He asked the staff to return it, explaining they could determine which was his by the fact that his Webley revolver was in the pocket. The only problem was, when the staff checked the coats in the cloakroom, almost every single one had a Webley revolver in the pocket... The simple fact is, if you were a respectable and upstanding British subject, there were no more restrictions on your right to own any firearms you pleased - and if necessary, to carry them for your personal defence - then there were on any contemporary American. And that didn't change until after WW1, when the social upheavals and class unrest seen in the Russian Revolution - and the threatened Communist revolutions in Germany and elsewhere, led the British government to clamp down. So the idea that carrying firearms in England for personal defence was "socially frowned upon" "unlike in America" is, to put it bluntly, crap.
I have an antique sword stick and it is pretty heavy duty. Single edged blade, long handle, the blade is short but it is 4mm thick. I really like it but i have been wondering on how to fight with it.
In Japan they had shikomizue, Loosely translated it means prepared stick, typically it carried a concealed wakizashi but katana were used as well. They became particularly popular late 19th century after the Meiji era sword ban took effect but were used in earlier periods. So there's something for cutting sticks :D
Matt, I'm living in Florence, Italy, and bought a sword-stick at a market today, before remembering the law - I don't know how old it is, will I have to leave it here when I return to the UK in August? I suspect it to be from 1950... it seems very blunt, too.
I'm guessing the reason to carry one is when openly carrying a sword is not possible or feasible or acceptable, so fighting a sword would be unlikely. Fighting some rogue with a knife, however... Most modern uses, I'd honestly suggest just using a strong hard plastic or wood cane. A solid one. Beat them up with it as a club. Less legally culpable, more easy to use and learn. Sword sticks seem like a weapon for a fancy party where they don't allow weapons but you still feel unsafe.
Here in the Midwestern US, carrying concealed handguns is extremely common. All 50 states there is some sort of system for obtaining a license to carry, and in some states (Alaska, Arizona and New Hampshire [i think] )there is no license needed at all. It's much more difficult to get a license in a few states and cities, where you need to be politically connected or a celebrity to obtain one. That being said, a sword cane will get you arrested in most states--even WITH a firearm permit.
Try doing a Google image search on "sword stick umbrella" and you will see a huge variety of weapons and novelties from the past, present and putative future. As well as several swords concealed in umbrellas there are guns in both umbrellas and walking sticks.
Not sure if myth or reality, but I read somewhere straight katana blades were used in japanese sword canes. This was Meiji era, when samurai were no longer legally allowed to carry swords.
xlstaticpandalx Not really "canes" as such. Japanese blades are kept in Shirasayas when not intended for use, which are more or less plain wodden grip and scabbard. Those were not really intended for fighting and straight blades were highly uncommon if not a complete myth. Plus for a Samurai it would have been dishonourable to wear a sword but hide it, even more so since he would disobey the Tenno himself and his own Daimyo.
Aymotin Montesegur No they had real canes called shikomizue that had typically a wakizashi or o tanto blade concealed that had mu zori (it was straight). This was during the Meiji era and some even used Euro metal works and had no hamon.
Are they typically that short? That doesn't even seem very inconspicuous because that stick doesn't look like any normal object (way too short for a walking stick).
Yeah I certainly wouldn't want to cross a sword cane with a regular sword. However if you parry, deflect or dodge attacks with good foot work you may have a fighting chance.
Were these carried in America as well? I have one at my house that was my great grandfather's (maybe great great grandfather's) that has a thick, long, heavy blade (though it clearly has never had an edge), and I've never really thought about it until now, but it does seem odd.
CallMeCactusSok Yes sword sticks were popular in America before the Bowie knife and revolver. Jim Bowie was stabbed with sword sticks at the Sandbar fight.
***** There are of course differences in waiting periods and such...but there is not one..not one single state where you can buy a gun without a background check. Private sales require no background check but if you got to Licensed Dealer you have to have a Background check to leave that store with a firearm.
ZarlanTheGreen Yes Private sales. You act as if you can go into a gun shop and walk right out with a gun no questions asked. I have been to multiple guns shows in 3 different states...privates sales do not make up the majority of sales..there are more Liscenced Dealers at Gun shows than private sellers..and as such you can not walk out of a gun show without a background check..and in some states you can not leave the show with your purchase unless you have a Conceal/Carry License..you have to go pick it up at a shop on the designated date. Same with ordering a gun through the mail..it can not just come to your house...even in parts. Many states no longer require a waiting period because background checks now take minutes instead of days thanks to the internet.
when the english invaded Ireland it was made illegal for the Irish to carry weapons to defend themselves from the oppression of the English. so large walking sticks were carried called shale-lays and sword sticks became common carry.
Isn't it a point that you could probably draw it and stab someone before they get to draw their own sword if they don't know your stick is actually a sword (i.e. they think you're unarmed)?
There really cool to carry, cold steel has a few, I like that one though, light easy to carry, better than a knife vs a bowie idk about even, but this would be easier to carry in the open in a way. Maybe make a custom one some day
I suppose that the sword stick would be rather good as a threat against a foot pad who had previously anticipated an unarmed victim. Just as in pulling a gun, in most cases, the criminal would logically think of somewhere he would rather be.
Andrew Thomas Rather a lot has to do with demographics. If you compare white Americans, we compare favorably to Canada. Oh, and have the low rate of 'hot burglary' that would be the envy of the UK.
Funny, I found a nice one in a junk shop years ago, and bought it for next to nothing. Unfortunately it was lost, along with a lot of other edged weapons, while on loan to a theater company performing 'Mouse Trap'.
