Cold Steel's "Irish Walking Stick"
Apr 18, 2010 14:36:31 GMT
Post by sparky on Apr 18, 2010 14:36:31 GMT
Cold Steels "Irish Walking Stick
By Rob Eyler of Martinsburg West Virginia
I recently picked up a Cold Steel Irish Walking Stick from Richard at Sword Nation on his Deal of the Day. I had given my cane to my mother-in-law and was unable to find my spare so..........
I have always liked the look of the Irish Walking Stick but have never held one and only seen pictures of them. I figured I'd give this one a try. With the Deal of the Day it was a no brainer, since if I were to get a real one I'd drop at least 2 to 3 times as much (can go a lot higher).
The walking stick is based on the Irish Shillelagh, which the British found to be dangerous to there sensitive heads so they outlawed them! So the Irish, evidently being able to think outside of the box, added a little length to the Shillelagh and called it a walking stick. Now the British couldn't ask the old men to not to walk around without there walking sticks, there'd be old people falling down all over the place, so the Irish Walking Stick remained legal.
This was shamelessly copied from a web site
Blackthorn is the traditional Irish country walking stick and is highly sought. Blackthorn trees and bushes can be found growing along the lanes and byways of Ireland and England. The plants are slow-growing and therefore produce a very hard wood, but great skill and experience are required to identify the branches suitable for the production of walking sticks. These can only be cut during a few weeks in mid-winter and have to be seasoned for at least two years before they are straightened, sanded and polished. The historic Blackthorn is actually a rarer wood, becoming increasingly more difficult to find.
Now for my impressions of the Cold Steel version of the Walking stick and my dealings with Richard at Sword Nation.
Dealing with Richard is always easy. I ordered the Walking stick when I got home from work and then took my wife out to run some errands. When I got home I had a confirmation and a tracking number, two days later I had the Walking Stick.
The Walking stick from Cold Steel is ...... big. It also feels very solid in a flexible sort of way, if that makes sense. Since I've never held a real Blackthorn Irish Walking stick I don't have a good frame of reference to compare this one with.
The handle is kind of big, for those of us with smaller "meat paws". I am getting used to it but when I first tried using it I was not comfortable with it's size.
With this grip I do not feel like I can control the walking stick.
Holding it like this is more comfortable but feels back wards.
Here are some overall pictures to show the finish of the walking stick.
Overall I am happy with this purchase, I knew it was a plastic copy and expected it to look like it. I have not busted anything up with this yet......... but it definitely feels capable to do some destruction!
The only real complaint I have with it is that it needs a rubber "foot" on the end. It is very slippery on tile and a concrete garage floor.
Of coarse I'm sitting at my desk in my garage and I'm talking to my wife about the Walking stick and how it's a shame I couldn't find my spare cane when I look to the left........ and there it is! ;D
By Rob Eyler of Martinsburg West Virginia
I recently picked up a Cold Steel Irish Walking Stick from Richard at Sword Nation on his Deal of the Day. I had given my cane to my mother-in-law and was unable to find my spare so..........
I have always liked the look of the Irish Walking Stick but have never held one and only seen pictures of them. I figured I'd give this one a try. With the Deal of the Day it was a no brainer, since if I were to get a real one I'd drop at least 2 to 3 times as much (can go a lot higher).
The walking stick is based on the Irish Shillelagh, which the British found to be dangerous to there sensitive heads so they outlawed them! So the Irish, evidently being able to think outside of the box, added a little length to the Shillelagh and called it a walking stick. Now the British couldn't ask the old men to not to walk around without there walking sticks, there'd be old people falling down all over the place, so the Irish Walking Stick remained legal.
This was shamelessly copied from a web site
Blackthorn is the traditional Irish country walking stick and is highly sought. Blackthorn trees and bushes can be found growing along the lanes and byways of Ireland and England. The plants are slow-growing and therefore produce a very hard wood, but great skill and experience are required to identify the branches suitable for the production of walking sticks. These can only be cut during a few weeks in mid-winter and have to be seasoned for at least two years before they are straightened, sanded and polished. The historic Blackthorn is actually a rarer wood, becoming increasingly more difficult to find.
Now for my impressions of the Cold Steel version of the Walking stick and my dealings with Richard at Sword Nation.
Dealing with Richard is always easy. I ordered the Walking stick when I got home from work and then took my wife out to run some errands. When I got home I had a confirmation and a tracking number, two days later I had the Walking Stick.
The Walking stick from Cold Steel is ...... big. It also feels very solid in a flexible sort of way, if that makes sense. Since I've never held a real Blackthorn Irish Walking stick I don't have a good frame of reference to compare this one with.
The handle is kind of big, for those of us with smaller "meat paws". I am getting used to it but when I first tried using it I was not comfortable with it's size.
With this grip I do not feel like I can control the walking stick.
Holding it like this is more comfortable but feels back wards.
Here are some overall pictures to show the finish of the walking stick.
Overall I am happy with this purchase, I knew it was a plastic copy and expected it to look like it. I have not busted anything up with this yet......... but it definitely feels capable to do some destruction!
The only real complaint I have with it is that it needs a rubber "foot" on the end. It is very slippery on tile and a concrete garage floor.
Of coarse I'm sitting at my desk in my garage and I'm talking to my wife about the Walking stick and how it's a shame I couldn't find my spare cane when I look to the left........ and there it is! ;D