Talk:Walking stick

Redirect
This is its own article, therefore it should have its own talk page. blurredpeace ☮ 11:36, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

Other types

 * My grandparents left us a walking stick that opens out into a three-legged seat.
 * I have seen a picture of a walking stick with a small flag rolled up inside it, that can be unscrewed and pulled out (and, I suppose, stabilized) and waved enthusiastically at a parade or other occasion.
 * I have seen sticks advertised for sale that had a small container in the head, mentioned for holding pills, though I suspect a shot of brandy would fit.
 * Lord Peter Wimsey had a stick "marked off in inches. There's a sword in the body and a compass in the head.  Had it made up special."  Quoted from memory. J S Ayer (talk) 01:06, 8 July 2009 (UTC)

All right, here's the exact text, quoted from the on-line version of Whose Body?: "I measured it with my stick—the gentleman-scout's vade-mecum, I call it—it's marked off in inches. Uncommonly handy companion at times. There's a sword inside and a compass in the head. Got it made specially." J S Ayer (talk) 03:20, 9 July 2009 (UTC)

The TV program Bat Masterson contained an episode in which Bat carried a cane which contained a single-shot rifle.

A quick look through some commercial websites finds canes containing a corkscrew, a brandy flask, a flask plus room for cigars, an umbrella, an umbrella with a sword inside, several kinds of seats, and some other special features. J S Ayer (talk) 23:23, 9 July 2009 (UTC)


 * Wimsey's cane may have been simply an invention of the author, or an adaptation of gadget canes, but Cane guns certainly exist. WhatamIdoing (talk) 18:56, 4 December 2009 (UTC)

Merge proposal: Walking stick and Cane (walking stick)
I can't see any good reason to have a separate article Cane (walking stick); can anyone else? WhatamIdoing (talk) 18:46, 4 December 2009 (UTC) To avoid confusion, I record that this merge has taken place action has been taken and have made the section title more specific. Mirokado (talk) 00:17, 26 September 2010 (UTC)
 * I disagree. Canes are used by people who suffer from a limp due to a leg injury or a deformity, and are usually used for walking short distances. Walking sticks, on the other hand, are used by many people with no disability, as an aid when hiking or walking long distances.  Canes are medical devices, and walking sticks are recreational or sporting equipment. Of course, the articles should link to each other. Jim Heaphy (talk) 02:46, 8 December 2009 (UTC)
 * I don't think there should be a separate article for Cane (walking stick), but I'm not entirely convinced that Walking stick is the right article to merge it with. Jim (above) has a good point regarding the difference in use. Perhaps it would be better merged with the article on crutches as a similar form of medical device. – eruditionfish (talk) 16:50, 2 March 2010 (UTC)
 * I think it makes no sense to merge the articles. A "cane" is generally understood in contemporary English as a device to aid those who experience difficulty walking due to a medical condition (in the manner of crutches or a Zimmer frame), while a walking stick is an walking accessory typically used by those able to walk without assistance. Walking sticks are generally used to enhance the experience of walking or hiking, and they are often as much ceremonial or fashion accessories or as practical devices. Historically, some such devices were indeed known as "canes" but this term has since fallen out of favour. 64.222.107.35 (talk) 19:13, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

Merge proposal: Walking stick and Assistive cane
There is a proposal to merge Walking stick and Assistive cane.
 * oppose The articles have distinct content, WS concentrating on the discretionary, recreational or ceremonial uses and AC on usage to aid mobility. This has clearly been the intention of the authors of AC, who have added a For template: This article is about a type of crutch. For walking sticks used for non-medical purposes, see Walking stick. For other uses, see Cane (disambiguation). AC needs improvement as already noted in a template there and once this has happened it will be longer and entirely able to stand on its own.
 * suggestion Update the For template in WS so that it also refers to AC. I accept that WS is the vernacular for both usages so the mention of AC should be prominent. Perhaps I will do that anyway so we can see what that looks like. – Mirokado (talk) 00:39, 26 September 2010 (UTC)
 * Updated "for..." in the article. — Mirokado (talk) 18:57, 26 September 2010 (UTC)


 * looking further I see that the previous merge proposal was effectively the same as this and was rejected, so I think we should close this now as no merge, articles linked. Mirokado (talk) 04:44, 27 September 2010 (UTC)
 * support; suggestion I'm going to alter my original proposal slightly. I don't think these articles could be merged either one into the other; I think it would have to be AC into WS, and not the other way around. I also think the content of AC wouldn't have to be wholly merged, but just certain parts of it could be excised and pasted in to WS (I'll look into this in a day or two myself). The part of AC related to a cane's use could be merged into WS as a section with no real problems. I don't really think AC needs its own article simply because AC is meant to denote an "assistive cane for use by the disabled" whereas WS is meant primarily as "cane to be used by anyone" — which is obviously why AC even exists as a separate article in the first place. Kikodawgzzz (talk) 06:58, 27 September 2010 (UTC)
 * oppose A walking stick is far more than an assistive cane (although it potentially can be a synonym for one). Walking sticks tend to be more decorated and customised, and often have more to do with status than assistance. --196.212.81.10 (talk) 15:17, 6 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Closing this (I'd forgotten about it). It seems agreed that no merge is needed, any further content adjustment can be dealt with as part of normal article improvement. --Mirokado (talk) 15:40, 6 January 2011 (UTC)

Move proposal: section Ecclesiastical use to Staff of office
I propose moving Walking stick contents into Staff of office.

As far as I am aware, the term "walking stick" is not used for the various ecclesiastical staffs: "walking stick" is not mentioned in Staff of office. I propose moving the "Ecclesiastical use" section content there. I will try to find a few references as well. In the absence of any comments I will do this next weekend. Please discuss here. Mirokado (talk) 20:56, 26 September 2010 (UTC)
 * Mirokado you've asked me for my opinion but unfortunately I have none to offer you. Y'all will have to work this out for yourselves. Kikodawgzzz (talk) 17:55, 28 September 2010 (UTC)
 * Now moved, leaving a link, summary and the picture here. I added a couple of references one of which confirms the term "walking stick" in relation to the eastern Church. The ceremonial details seem happier in SoO along with the references to the western Church and other ceremonial. Mirokado (talk) 10:18, 10 October 2010 (UTC)

Redirects, and article contents

 * 1) Cane (walking stick) redirects here, but Cane (walking) and Walking cane redirect to Assistive cane. Should these all redirect the same article?
 * 2) According to this article, in America, "walking canes" are a type of walking stick. I'm pretty sure this isn't just an American useage - this UK site and this one refers to many of the sticks it sells as canes.  As such, I would think that a) 'walking cane' and varients should redirect here, not to Assitive Cane, and b) the American "walking canes" section needs to either be made more international, or more specific about what is unique to America.
 * 3) The assistive cane article is also in serious need of improvement: it currently starts by saying 'This article is about a type of crutch. For walking sticks used for non-medical purposes, see Walking stick.' , but it also discusses the white cane (which is assistive, but not a crutch), tripod canes with seats (which may or may not be assistive), and the Shillelagh (which is only assistive if you need help hitting people). It also includes a lot of information about features that are not unique to assistive cane.
 * 4) As such, it might be worth re-considering merging the articles, and if not, they both need reworking. Iapetus (talk) 18:06, 15 June 2016 (UTC)