NoJo
Happily Marred
- Joined
- May 19, 2002
- Posts
- 15,398
I've been hunting around the markets for a sword cane (or cane sword) over the months. They're illegal here, so you have to look for yourself, not ask the stallholder -- unless, like me, you've gained his confience through repeated visits.
They're not easy to notice, as an essential function of a good sword-cane is to be discrete.
But I found one this morning, in Portobello market. It was probably Australian, judging by the faux-Abbo crude carvings, and the unusual reddish brown wood.
The stallholder consipiratorially showed me a gun-cane (air gun), an ugly black hollow metal tube with a ridiculously obvious trigger below the too-small handle. popular with pub landlords, I was told.
But after a week of sliding in the mud in the park I was in no mood for novely items: The suction of the mud on the sword-cane would keep opening up the catch. And it's heavy, short, and too flexible for my liking. And the ridiculous gun-cane would end up plugged with clay.
In the end I plumped for a plain ebony walking stick, very light and fine, with a large curved bone handle. Victorian men were little; most Victorian canes are too short for me. But this stick was obviously specially built for the taller man, and is perfect.
I'm off for a fast stroll in the park.
http://ejmas.com/jnc/barton-wright/barton-wright1.9.gif
They're not easy to notice, as an essential function of a good sword-cane is to be discrete.
But I found one this morning, in Portobello market. It was probably Australian, judging by the faux-Abbo crude carvings, and the unusual reddish brown wood.
The stallholder consipiratorially showed me a gun-cane (air gun), an ugly black hollow metal tube with a ridiculously obvious trigger below the too-small handle. popular with pub landlords, I was told.
But after a week of sliding in the mud in the park I was in no mood for novely items: The suction of the mud on the sword-cane would keep opening up the catch. And it's heavy, short, and too flexible for my liking. And the ridiculous gun-cane would end up plugged with clay.
In the end I plumped for a plain ebony walking stick, very light and fine, with a large curved bone handle. Victorian men were little; most Victorian canes are too short for me. But this stick was obviously specially built for the taller man, and is perfect.
I'm off for a fast stroll in the park.
http://ejmas.com/jnc/barton-wright/barton-wright1.9.gif
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