Vigny Walking Stick
$100.00
As readers know, we have a particular fondness for walking sticks, canes, and umbrellas for defensive use. We were, therefore, excited to discover that Dirk Folmer of Combat Canes was making a Vigny cane replica. The original, of which we know of no existing sample, was made of Malacca, with a round metal top. Dirk’s cane is made of Saynite, and the sample we have is black, with a large black ball on top, which is very comfortable to hold. It is slim, handsome, elegant, and non-threatening, which are desirable qualities in a combat cane.
While the craftsmanship is excellent, we have some issues with the weight of the cane. Malacca is very light, and we suspect that the top piece on the original was relatively light, because the whole theory of the Vigny school of using walking sticks was to have a light, fast, cane. This modern replica is a very substantial cane: It weighs over a pound, which makes it about three times as heavy as our Malacca, and heavier even than our Welsh Blackthorn, which is too heavy.
To put it into perspective, look at the weight of a sampling of our walking sticks:
Malacca cane 204 grams.
· Mahogany cane 276 grams.
· Ash cane 334 grams.
· Welsh Blackthorn cane 434 grams (too heavy for us and our target audience).
· Saynite cane 462 grams.
Does this matter? Well, we find it is too heavy to comfortably use for walking (granting that we are fairly frail), and WAY too heavy to generate the needed amount of speed, even using the ferrule end. What needs to be done? Somehow 100ish grams needs to be cut from the weight, to get it to be not much more than 350 grams. We suspect that the top weighs substantially more than 100 grams, and that by using another material, or changing the shape of the top, the weight can be lost. While the ball itself is extremely comfortable in the hand, if it could be made another shape, and 100 grams cut off, it would then be ideal.
Dirk Folmer, an extremely responsible and responsive person, listened to our concerns, and is working to reduce the weight by 100ish grams. We believe this will make his Vigny cane an ideal tool, and we strongly urge readers to contact him to order a walking stick.
