Cane (tool): Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 13:07, 23 September 2005

A cane is a long, straight wooden stick, generally of bamboo, Malacca (rattan), or some similar plant, mainly used as a support, such as a walking stick or as an instrument of punishment. Depending on the use it is left in its natural state or improved (e.g. smoothened, varnished).

Walking Stick

Around the 17th or 18th century, the cane took over from the sword as an essential part of the European gentleman's wardrobe. In addition to its value as a decorative accessory, the cane also continued to fulfill some of the function of the sword as a weapon. The standard cane was Malacca with a rounded metal grip. Some canes had specially weighted metalwork. Other types of wood, such as hickory, are equally suitable.

Weapon

It is apparently the case that a license was required to carry a cane in London during the 18th century, possibly because of the use as a weapon, in essence a fighting stick.

A particular type of walking stick was created, called Swordstick. This concealed a blade within the stem, which can be made to appear from a cane so as to convert it into a (normally hidden) weapon.

See the article La canne for the French martial art using the cane as a weapon. The cane also shows up in some styles of Eskrima, and Irish Bata.

Disciplinary Implement

Rattan canes especially are used to beat someone, generally on the buttocks or the palm of the hand, as a form of corporal punishment, (often as as a severe spanking, like a paddling) specifically known as caning (see that article for all details), both domestic and judicial, and traditional in various cultures, notably England and many nations of the Commonwealth.

Other uses of canes

in gardening, bamboos are traditional strong, natural supports for growing plants and/or as markers
for marking out a piece of ground
durable bamboo species are still popular as a material for constructing furniture or in Asia buildings and as scaffolding
like the staff, the cane has been used (often above its supporting funcion) as a symbol, e.g. the white cane for the blind

External links

Walking-Stick Papers (Robert Cortes Holliday, 1918) - Project Gutenberg ebook
Modern cane fighting based on Oriental techniques
Reprinted early 1900s information about the Vigny cane and associated techniques

This tool article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Walking Stick==
-Around the [[17th century|17th]] or [[18th century]], the cane took over from the [[sword]] as an essential part of the [[Europe]]an gentleman's wardrobe. In addition to its value as a decorative accessory, the cane also continued to fulfill some of the function of the sword as a weapon.  The standard cane was Malacca with a rounded metal grip. Some canes had specially weighted metalwork. Other though types of wood, such as [[hickory]], are equally suitable.
+Around the [[17th century|17th]] or [[18th century]], the cane took over from the [[sword]] as an essential part of the [[Europe]]an gentleman's wardrobe. In addition to its value as a decorative accessory, the cane also continued to fulfill some of the function of the sword as a weapon.  The standard cane was Malacca with a rounded metal grip. Some canes had specially weighted metalwork. Other types of wood, such as [[hickory]], are equally suitable.
 ==Weapon==