Sword Canes

[GeneChing]

I did a cover story on Sword Canes last year. See THE CANE SWORD OF KUNG FU (JUL+AUG 2013). I've always been fascinated by cane swords, so I'm starting this specific thread just to see if it goes anywhere.

Which leads me to wonder about the article below. Do people really find a lot of second-hand canes concealing blades and not know? Or is that just something they tell TSA in a panic?

‘Sword cane' discovered at Fairbanks airport
BY TEGAN HANLON
thanlon@adn.comMay 5, 2014 Updated 13 hours ago


A "cane sword" discovered in the possession of an airline passenger by TSA agents in Fairbanks.
TSA

TSA agents say a blade found inside an airline passenger's cane last week at the Fairbanks International Airport is part of a national trend.

A few "cane swords," bayonet-like weapons, appear every month to TSA screeners, said agency spokeswoman Lorie Dankers.

"The majority of people who possess them had no idea there was a sword in their cane," the TSA said in a blog post on the subject. "Tip -- if you have a second-hand cane try pulling it apart. You might be surprised." In Fairbanks, the man attempted to board a flight to Anchorage around 7 a.m. on May 1, but was temporarily halted at security when screeners detected a rusty dagger inside of his hollow red cane, Dankers said.

The man had three choices, she said, check the item, give it to someone not ticketed for a flight or voluntarily abandon it. The man chose to leave it behind and get on the airplane, Dankers said.

She said she didn't know if he was aware that his cane housed a five-inch blade.

Reach Tegan Hanlon at thanlon@adn.com or 257-4589.

[Faux Newbie]

Fortunately, he still had a sap hidden under his deerstalker cap.

[GeneChing]

Hmpf. I guess this just goes to show...

[GeneChing]

Is your grandpa bad-ass enough for these epic, blade-concealing walking sticks?
Jessica yesterday



Christmas is coming up, and if you are wondering whether you should get gramps another boring old tie pin or golf shirt, may we humbly suggest a skull- or dragon-shaped walking stick of death?!

This ad was spotted by a user of the message board Agohige Kaizokudan (The Bearded Pirate Collective).



▼ He’s smiling because he could totally cut you if he wanted to.



For the low, low price of 6,458 yen with tax (about US$60), your grandpa can hobble around in style with one of these aluminium-topped canes with concealed stabbing device inside! The dragon apparently also has a button to make the eyes flash. Gramps be the envy of every fellow at the senior center and you can bet those **** kids will get off his lawn when he starts waving this thing at them!

We tried to find more information about where one might purchase such a thing, and there appear to be similar models on the popular online shopping site Rakuten.

▼ Also this gem of an ad.



▼ Man: “I didn’t know they made walking sticks that cool!” Woman: “Yeah, walking would be so fun with one of those!”



This shop also has a gun version. Because why shoot something when you can shoot-stab it?!



Ah, internet, so full of treasures. No need to thank us for finding these awesome canes. The look on your grandpa’s face when he opens his present this year will be thanks enough.

Source: Agohige Kaizokudan
Images: Agohige Kaizokudan, Sunpro Net Shop

The dragon is a little cheesy but I do like the skull one.

[Jimbo]

I remember that Cold Steel used to sell sword canes, and AFAIK might still be. Although they are highly illegal in CA.

[GeneChing]

I'm just imagining his son saying "Dad, don't embarrass me."

It's kind of a cool sword cane in that cheesey B-movie villain sort of style.

Father, 52, arrested for carrying sword inside his cane to visit inmate son in San Antonio
BY ELIZABETH ZAVALA, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS : MARCH 3, 2015 : Updated: March 3, 2015 5:33pm


Photo By Courtesy Photo/Bexar County Sheriff's Office
Jose Gonzalez, 52, was arrested and charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon after a cane he carried into the Bexar County Jail was found to have a sword inside.

SAN ANTONIO — Note to self, if you’re going to jail to visit someone, don’t take a weapon.

That’s the lesson Jose Gonzalez learned Monday when he went to the Bexar County jail to see his son, who currently is an inmate.

According to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, Gonzalez, 52, placed his cane in the scanner at the security check upon arrival to the Bexar County Jail. It was then that a sheriff’s deputy noticed “an anomaly through the scanner,” so she decided to take a closer look.

“Upon doing so, she found a sword enclosed in the cane,” Bexar County Chief Communications Officer James Keith said Tuesday.

Keith said Gonzalez was arrested and charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon.

ezavala@express-news.net

[curenado]

Cane letter opener. I have yet to see one with much of a worthy blade. Guess in a pinch.
Bought another one last year just to see....flimsy
I have thought about making one that was a little closer to legend.

[GeneChing]

Found at the Airport: A Hidden Sword Inside an 80-Year-Old Woman's Cane
She apparently didn't know it was there.
By Erik Shilling FEBRUARY 10, 2017

View image on Twitter
Follow
WYFF News 4 ✔ @wyffnews4
80-year-old SC woman did not know her cane contained hidden sword, TSA says http://bit.ly/2l1gMRu
7:30 AM - 10 Feb 2017
8 8 Retweets 7 7 likes

While passing through airport security recently, an 80-year-old South Carolina woman submitted her cane to be screened.

Inside, a TSA official said Thursday, they found a hidden sword, according to WYFF.

The woman, who was not named, apparently knew nothing about it, and was let go, while the cane was confiscated, Mark Howell, a TSA spokesman, told the station. Howell added that the incident was a reminder that hidden swords in canes might be more common than you think.

That’s because they are frequently purchased secondhand, officials said, which means that there could be thousands, if not tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands—or even millions?—of cane users worldwide, who are, quite possibly unwittingly, armed for battle.

Poor old lady. Probably gave her such a fright.

[Jimbo]

Even though the original Zatoichi, my favorite MA-related movie character's weapon was a cane sword, in reality, I think that cane swords in general are probably more novelty than practical. Their illegality notwithstanding, I have doubts about their durability and reliability.

IMO, a far better (and legal to carry) weapon is a good quality walking stick, IF you know how to use it. Though I wouldn't recommend any walking stick with a "dragon's head" or "skull head" or the like. Those types of sticks scream "weapon!" to LEOs. Better to get a good, genuine Irish blackthorn walking stick (if you can find a real one), or a high-quality, benign-looking walking stick made of fiberglass or other man-made material. Best to be picky. A POS stick will just break on impact, and won't have as much effect, anyway.

[boxerbilly]

Jimbo, some companies makes some great polypropylene bone breakers. With and without the gnarles. I don't see the point being the impact alone will destroy any human leg. But some people are vicious. I don't want to post any vids as Gene may sell similar.

As to sword canes. I am sure that they can be made extremely well and durable in useage. I would assume the sheath would be the hardest part to get right. But I don't know enough. If so. They will not be cheap in price.

[Jimbo]

Jimbo, some companies makes some great polypropylene bone breakers. With and without the gnarles. I don't see the point being the impact alone will destroy any human leg. But some people are vicious. I don't want to post any vids as Gene may sell similar.

As to sword canes. I am sure that they can be made extremely well and durable in useage. I would assume the sheath would be the hardest part to get right. But I don't know enough. If so. They will not be cheap in price.

Billy,
I know a certain company with the initials CS makes polypropylene self-defense walking sticks. TBH, most of them except for maybe one or two look strictly like weapons. Which is likely to raise LEO eyebrows if you carry them out and about. That same company also sells (or used to sell) cane swords, but sales were still highly restricted. Not worth it, IMO. Anything that is flat-out illegal, such as cane swords, saps, metal knuckles, balisongs, etc., have no appeal to me because I can't own (or at least carry) them anyway. It's a LOT easier for some guy with a history of psychological problems to get a license to carry a gun than for a law-abiding citizen to legally own some novelty weapon.

[boxerbilly]

Billy,
I know a certain company with the initials CS makes polypropylene self-defense walking sticks. TBH, most of them except for maybe one or two look strictly like weapons. Which is likely to raise LEO eyebrows if you carry them out and about. That same company also sells (or used to sell) cane swords, but sales were still highly restricted. Not worth it, IMO. Anything that is flat-out illegal, such as cane swords, saps, metal knuckles, balisongs, etc., have no appeal to me because I can't own (or at least carry) them anyway. It's a LOT easier for some guy with a history of psychological problems to get a license to carry a gun than for a law-abiding citizen to legally own some novelty weapon.

Everything raises eyebrows, lol. Im from NY. Everything is against the law.

Yep. There are some people with mental health issues running around armed. Id wager we have way more criminals running around with illegal guns though.
Of course come arrest time the nation will cry. "WHERE ARE THE GUNS" .

[GeneChing]

Gridlock
TSA confiscated nearly 4,000 guns at airport checkpoints in 2017
By Dana Hedgpeth January 30 Email the author


Some of the 3,957 guns discovered in carry-on bags at airport security checkpoints around the country by the Transportation Security Administration. (TSA)

There was a realistic-looking replica of a suicide vest found in a checked bag at an airport in El Paso. A block of inert explosives was discovered in a carry-on bag at an airport in Florida. Hand grenades were confiscated from luggage at airports all over the country.

These, along with 3,957 firearms, were among the items discovered agents with the Transportation Security Administration discovered at airport security checkpoints in 2017.

In its “TSA Year in Review” report, the agency said a “record-setting” number of firearms were found in carry-on bags. With nearly 4,000 firearms for the year, that translates to about 10 firearms a day.

That’s up roughly 17 percent from 2016, when 3,391 firearms were found at checkpoints, TSA said. And the number of firearms found has risen steadily since TSA began tracking the number in 2005, when 660 firearms were found.

According to the agency 2 million travelers a day went through security check points last year and a total of 771.5 million passengers were screened.

TSA said nearly 35 percent of the firearms found had a round in the chamber. And “the most firearms discovered in one-month — a whopping 31″ were found in August at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to the report.


A chart shows the number of firearms TSA found at airport security checkpoints around the country. (TSA)

Below are the top 10 airports where firearms were found and the number loaded with ammunition.

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International: 245, 222 loaded.

2. Dallas/Fort Worth International: 211, 165 loaded.

3. George Bush Intercontinental — Houston: 142, 124 loaded.

4. Denver International: 118, 102 loaded.

5. Phoenix Sky Harbor International: 115, 109 loaded.

6. Tampa International: 97, 90 loaded.

7. Orlando International: 94, 82 loaded.

8. Dallas Love Field: 93, 81 loaded.

9. Nashville International: 89, 71 loaded.

10. Seattle-Tacoma International: 75, 60 loaded.

It wasn’t just guns. Passengers also tried to board with numerous other hazardous items.

A passenger was found with a live flashbang grenade in a carry-on bag at the San Diego International Airport. In Raleigh, a live smoke grenade was also found in a carry-on bag.

“Not only do smoke grenades deploy a thick blanket of smoke, they also burn extremely hot and are considered hazmat,” TSA said in a statement.

Another problem was many items appeared to be real but in fact weren’t.

The suicide vest mentioned earlier is one example. The traveler, officials said, worked as a contractor dealing with explosive ordnance disposal, and the items were used as training aids. In another case, a military instructor said he “forgot” his carry-on bag contained inert explosives.

Officials advised that if your line of work necessitates the use of such devices, “plan ahead and find another way to transport” the training items.

When seen on the X-ray monitor, TSA said, “we don’t know if they’re real, toys, or replicas until TSA explosives experts are called upon.”

And even inert grenades can cause terminals and checkpoints to close, meaning delays or canceled flights.


A knife hidden in a comb, another weapon in a deodorant bottle and a knife in a lipstick tube were among the items TSA screeners found in bags at security checkpoints around the country. (TSA)

TSA said it found nearly 200 items that are prohibited and were “deliberately hidden in attempts to sneak them through security.” The agency calls this “artful concealment” and warned travelers risk fines or arrest in such cases. At the very least, you’ll be delayed.

In one case, a sword cane was found in a traveler’s items at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. A knife was found hidden inside a stick of deodorant in a carry-on bag at the Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn. And a knife was found in a tube of lipstick in a carry-on bag at Tulsa International Airport.

I used to have some of those comb & lipstick knives. They were decent sellers, novelty items when I used to table at gun & knife shows.

[GeneChing]

Man Armed With A Sword Threatens Landlord's Life Over Living Arrangements
By Amethyst Tate
03/14/19 AT 11:29 AM

A Michigan male is facing jail time after using a sword during a dispute with his landlord this week.

Authorities say Prasavath Khonesavanhv, 45, of Massachusetts threatened to kill his landlord on Monday while the two were arguing over living arrangements. His weapon of choice is said to have been a sword, which was concealed by a cane.

No one was injured, and Khonesavanhy was arrested and charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and assault with a dangerous weapon, reports the Lowell Sun. Due to the nature of his crime, he is being held without bail. He will also be required to undergo a mental health evaluation.

This is not the first time in the U.S. someone has used a sword as a weapon. Earlier this month in Montana, Jarrell Aaron Anderson, 39, put a spear to a woman’s throat and allegedly forced her to give him oral sex.

Once arrested, he was charged with one count of aggravated burglary, three counts of aggravated kidnapping, three counts of assault with a weapon, robbery, aggravated sexual intercourse without consent, theft and obstructing a peace officer.


A man in Michigan was arrested for threatening his landlord with a sword. Here, law enforcement officers secure the area where they allegedly arrested terror suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami following a shootout in Linden, New Jersey, on Sept. 19, 2016. Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

How can you cite a previous sword used as a weapon with a spear example?