Cold Steel Irish Blackthorn Walking Stick with Polypropylene, 37-Inch
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List Price: Our Price: $35.29 You Save: $24.70 (41%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Health Care See more product details |
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Product Reviews of Cold Steel Irish Blackthorn Walking Stick with Polypropylene, 37-Inch
Product Review: Blackthorn walking stick
Summary: 5 Stars
What an awesome little item this is, seems strong, and is pretty lightweight. The next big dog that tries to attack me and my little guy is going to get a knock on the skull with this one....when it happens, and it will where I live, I'll let ya'all know if it breaks! *GGGGG*Product Review: Cheap Plastic
Summary: 1 Stars
Apparently "Cold Steel" means cheap plastic. I was very disappointed with the look of this cane made in Taiwan, yet thankful for Amazon's return policy.Product Review: Cold Steel missed the boat
Summary: 1 Stars
Having used Cold Steel products for years, I was greatly disappointed in their Blackthorn walking Stick. It is a heavy, over size, bulky, chunk of plastic. I have a large hand but am unable to obtain a secure grip on the over size head. Satisfaction is 100% negative on this product. Highly recommend all other Cold Steel products.Product Review: Cold Steel's smachtin buchta-luighe sail-eille
Summary: 3 Stars
Polypropylene. A truly miraculous material that was created by a distant relative of mine. Amazon says: "In addition to being unbreakable, it's also impervious to the elements. It will never rot, warp, crack, splinter, swell, shrink, mildew or fade..."
As an MS patient and stick collector, I just bought Cold Steel's "Irish Blackthorn" sail-eille (shillelagh). I was not surprised to see the softball-sized knob handle and super-thick dimensions; it's as far from a shillelagh as you can get. A shillelagh ought to be slender, elegant and strong. This thing is unnecessarily fat, a bit heavy, and way oversized.
I knew I was in for it was when I saw the knob on this thing: it is over 9" (23cm) in circumference. My hand barely fits around it and my hands are huge. When I tried to walk with it anyway, I noticed something peculiar: this does not handle or distribute the shock of walking very well. The thing vibrates like a Peruvian lute.
The knob is curious: it looks like a two-piece configuration, but I'm sure it isn't. It's only made to resemble the root-knob of the branch of the blackthorn bush. In any case, it is too damned big.
The value of this as a collector's item is fair; I know its main appeal is for its self-defense qualities (hence the 9-inch knob). The trouble is with polypropylene, you never have a sure grip because of the impact vibration 'intolerance'. While I might suggest this generally as a good orthopedic walking aid, I'd certainly warn against it in special cases.
Actually, this stick is surely a version of the specialty shillelagh known in Ireland as the smachtin buchta-luighe, the infamous lead-weighted knob head cane. Provides a hell of a smack to the enemy, hence the Gaelic rendering of the word "smack"!
One should be able to show one's doctor a stick and have the doctor approve. Otherwise the stick cannot be rated as orthopedically safe. Cold Steel's "Irish Blackthorn" shillelagh is a tough call to make. I can only say if you do get one, be sure you have an adequate 1" rubber tip and a sure method of gripping the knob handle.
Finally, this is a reasonable cost for these sticks. DO NOT pay more than this. Cold Steel bottomed out because they originally wanted around $60 for these sticks. They are certainly not worth that, well made though they are.
Product Review: Don't leave home without it.
Summary: 5 Stars
I own two of the "real things" when it comes to these walking sticks, but as I do not want them damaged (they are in a collection of walking sticks I have), I bought this one for practical everyday use. I do a lot of walking and to be honest, in this day and age I do not leave home with out it. Not only do I enjoy using a walking stick while walking (go figure, huh), but some of the off trails I walk certainly need the extra support this one gives. Do not be fooled by the material; this one makes a great defensive weapon. Being female in this day and age, you are out of your mind if you trail walk with out some sort of defensive weapon (I have found this stick along with a can of pepper mace gives me a very secure feeling, or at least a sense of security...never let your guard down). This stick is stout, looks good, feels good in the hand and is a comfort. Like another reviewer here, I do recommend you purchase rubber tips for your stick though as you will find you deed the added traction of smooth surfaces. These can be purchased in just about any drug store and last quite a long time. Thank goodness I have not had to use this one yet as a defensive tool, but using it in practice I have no doubt it could lay a person out quite quickly. I very much recommend this one.