Slinging.org Forum | |
https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl
General >> Other Primitive Weapons >> The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1596745456 Message started by Waxwing_Sling on Aug 6th, 2020 at 4:24pm |
Title: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Waxwing_Sling on Aug 6th, 2020 at 4:24pm
I've recently taken an interest in stick fighting. One very good reason for this is because it's CHEAP (find stick, cut stick to size, swing it around). But also because there appears to be a vast number of martial traditions that employ the humble stick, from Filipino martial arts to Western singlestick and cane fighting. Most of them appear to have had origins in sword fighting of one form or another, which then evolved into a stick when carrying a sword was no longer practical or outright illegal.
Anyway, I came across an interesting book on the topic, The Art and Science of Sticking Fighting by Joe Varady. It appears to be a good book for self-training and exploring a weapon-based art during the COVID pandemic (I know there are varying opinions on this, but I for one will not be entering a gym anytime in the near future). The writer's "style" of stick fighting, if you must/ want to call it that, appears to very much be his own method, drawing on eastern and western traditions. As a former karate guy, I find it rather refreshing to study this kind of stuff without adherence to a specific tradition or style. I just thought I would post this little story here and see if it sparks any discussion on the topic. I'm especially interested to hear if anyone has experience with the stick-fighting arts. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by ghost0311-8541 on Aug 6th, 2020 at 9:24pm
Check out Kali center videos.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Waxwing_Sling on Aug 7th, 2020 at 11:43am ghost0311-8541 wrote on Aug 6th, 2020 at 9:24pm:
Yes, I've seen his stuff. He has a lot of content there. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Waxwing_Sling on Aug 7th, 2020 at 3:36pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZAqwBh2PK0&feature=youtu.be
I thought this to be a very interesting video on the cane fighting method from France. At first glance the techniques seem very awkward, with the straight arm and cane. I imagine it's one of those things that makes more sense as you develop some skill with it. Or... It's just one of those style things that makes no sense. :P |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by NooneOfConsequence on Aug 8th, 2020 at 11:10pm
One of my obsessions is finding an oak sapling that’s just the right size for a proper traditional oak shillelagh (NOT blackthorn!) with the root ball as the knob.
I still haven’t found a baby oak I’m willing to kill for a cool stick. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Sarosh on Aug 9th, 2020 at 5:55am Waxwing_Sling wrote on Aug 7th, 2020 at 3:36pm:
are they sword substitutes? I feel like these light sticks would be useful only for head strikes. quarterstaff, club or something heavier would cause more serious damage to other body parts as well. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Bill Skinner on Aug 9th, 2020 at 12:36pm
That looks like a form of small sword fighting, just with sticks.
I think if you took some form of saber or HEMA fighting, most of the moves would transfer to stick fighting, although I would want a slightly heavier stick for more damage from the impact. If I hit someone with a stick, the charges will be assault with a deadly weapon, whether it's a skinny stick or a thick stick. So, I might as well use a thicker stick and be the person who has to hire a lawyer to avoid jail. Instead of hitting them with a skinny stick and ending up looking like a lollipop with a stick jammed up my butt. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by jauke on Aug 9th, 2020 at 12:58pm
First weapon out in the wild I'd make if I was alone would be a long, pointy stick
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kick on Aug 9th, 2020 at 1:18pm
One of my favourite YouTubers recently did a video on making a stick. You should all check out his videos by the way, he really makes great stuff.
https://youtu.be/Sodeng1U9Mg |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Mersa on Aug 9th, 2020 at 5:54pm
Still need to make a decent hunting boomerang, feel like it’s very underrated small game hunting tool.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by IronGoober on Aug 9th, 2020 at 7:32pm Kick wrote on Aug 9th, 2020 at 1:18pm:
I just watched some bits and pieces of his videos. Quite calming and great to watch. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Morphy on Aug 9th, 2020 at 10:00pm
One of our old school members went big into throwing sticks or Kylies. They are truly an underrated weapon. A good throwing stick is far easier to kill small game with than a sling. Also quite a beautiful work of craftsmanship if made right.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Mersa on Aug 9th, 2020 at 10:04pm
Indigenous Australians make a very good case for throwing sticks, boomerangs and alike, they’re able to take out animals like kangaroos with neck breaking throws. Not just a small game weapon in trained hands
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kick on Aug 10th, 2020 at 3:21am IronGoober wrote on Aug 9th, 2020 at 7:32pm:
Considering he is just one guy that does all the filming and editing himself, I truly believe he's one of the best YouTubers currently for sheer quality. It's a bonus that I find his content interesting as well :D He was really into making bows and traditional archery, but, due to injury, he's had to stop. Those older videos are really informative all the same. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by slingbadger on Aug 10th, 2020 at 8:31am
There is also cane fighting Some of the damage you can do to the guy with the crook is devastating, and painful.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Morphy on Aug 10th, 2020 at 8:45am Mersa wrote on Aug 9th, 2020 at 10:04pm:
That’s pretty amazing :D |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Waxwing_Sling on Aug 10th, 2020 at 11:17am Bill Skinner wrote on Aug 9th, 2020 at 12:36pm:
;D Nice visual. Kick wrote on Aug 10th, 2020 at 3:21am:
That is really amazing. I will have to review this video later in more depth. I'm working on a walking stick as well, a far cry from the quality this man creates. I need a few worthwhile hints. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Waxwing_Sling on Aug 13th, 2020 at 11:06am
So I recently found another interesting stick style on youtube (and some reading material on amazon), the Bonafont stick/ cane style. They appear to launch a lot of strikes from an "ice pick" or reverse grip, which is kind of unique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7YUtrXG4g8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAevJryO2JM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_PXl-AiQUY I like the theatrics of the third video. ;D |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kick on Aug 13th, 2020 at 2:20pm
Hmmmmm... I'm not all that convinced. The ice pick grip reduces your reach, one of the most important aspects of using a stick as a weapon imo. If someone means you harm, the safest place to be is away from them which you can ensure by pointing a stick towards them.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Waxwing_Sling on Aug 13th, 2020 at 3:16pm Kick wrote on Aug 13th, 2020 at 2:20pm:
I hear you. It does seem to negate the plus point of having a longer weapon (that is, longer than a fist or knife). From what little bit I have read on it so far, it appears to come from an assumption that the attacker will intend to close to a clinching range very quickly, and will likely succeed in doing it before you can respond. It also appears to assume that you will be holding the cane as one normally would for walking (at the knob or handle on the end), and the rapid attack of the aggressor will not allow you to switch grips and extend the point of the weapon in their direction. It's certainly all plausible. Still, I do feel that maybe there is something missing...whether it's the system itself or my understanding of it, I don't know yet. Most likely the latter. :P I shall continue researching. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Morphy on Aug 13th, 2020 at 3:19pm Kick wrote on Aug 13th, 2020 at 2:20pm:
The reverse grip is currently in vogue. Look at the Star Wars sequels where they use it with a lightsaber. Just to be clear they have a weapon so hot it can melt a foot of hardened steel and cut metal droids in half in a millisecond next to their body. Smh. And that’s not mentioning how incredibly awkward and impractical it looks when swinging. Knives make a little more sense but still I agree that it’s not as practical as the conventional grip. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kick on Aug 13th, 2020 at 4:13pm
The one weapon that sort of makes sense like that is the Ulak from the Chronicles of Riddick movie. It's not actually reverse grip but has the blade pointing in the reverse grip direction. Skallagrim did a video on them a thousand years ago (how I found his channel in fact) and makes a lot of good points as to how they would work as actual weapons.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by ghost0311-8541 on Aug 13th, 2020 at 11:25pm Mersa wrote on Aug 9th, 2020 at 5:54pm:
Check these out https://youtu.be/k7VSEPTukYo |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by ghost0311-8541 on Aug 14th, 2020 at 1:32pm |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Caldou on Sep 9th, 2020 at 4:23pm Waxwing_Sling wrote on Aug 7th, 2020 at 3:36pm:
I'm not an expert in french cane fighting but if I remember right, they are more looking for a "beau geste" (nice move) than pure vicious victory. So you keep your arm straight and you prepare your move from far behind you, an ample arm move is more appreciated than a small quick and hard strike :) |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by NooneOfConsequence on Sep 9th, 2020 at 8:28pm
It looks to me like the French cane fighting is based heavily on fencing methods.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Bill Skinner on Sep 10th, 2020 at 12:09pm
Boomerangs and throwing sticks were used by everyone's ancestors at one time or another.
Choctaws in Mississippi and Alabama still have family or tribal rabbit hunts with throwing sticks. Some of those throwing sticks are family heirlooms and have been handed down for several generations. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Oxnate on Sep 10th, 2020 at 7:24pm Bill Skinner wrote on Sep 10th, 2020 at 12:09pm:
Not uncommon. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by NooneOfConsequence on Sep 10th, 2020 at 9:44pm Bill Skinner wrote on Sep 10th, 2020 at 12:09pm:
When my family passes on, I sure hope I inherit more than a stick ;D |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by walter on Sep 10th, 2020 at 10:23pm
The lp says "we do not want too much therefore do not have too much." So for us, a good throwing stick would be good ;)
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Bill Skinner on Sep 11th, 2020 at 12:36pm
The problem with carrying a cane is you have to be old and actually need it.
Which usually means you need it for balance and really can't use it as a weapon. And if you're young and healthy, you draw some rather suspicious looks from law enforcement who know that a cane makes a dandy weapon. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by NooneOfConsequence on Sep 23rd, 2020 at 6:23am
It doesn’t matter if a cane can be used as a weapon as long as it could plausibly have another purpose. A cane designed for stability is questionable for someone young and stable on their feet (unless you’re this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWNQTqMkezc ) , but there are other “sticks” you could carry without looking suspicious. Police officers I’ve talked to have recommended carrying a large flashlight because it has a non-weapon use no matter who you are.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Curious Aardvark on Sep 23rd, 2020 at 4:47pm
you can buy combat umbrellas :-)
https://www.thesurvivalhacks.com/best-tactical-umbrella-for-edc-and-self-defense/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5L9Rf9cx-4 |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Rat Man on Sep 23rd, 2020 at 7:35pm
I almost bought a combat umbrella back when I had Kali and Odin was walking a hundred miles a week. Kali forced me to walk no matter the weather. Such an umbrella would have been a good idea then. I still walk my dogs but the new batch have a fenced in back yard and I'm older so I walk a fraction as far as I used to.
The stick might be the first weapon ever used by man or man's ancestors. It worked well then and it works just as well now. I wouldn't consider walking my dogs without a good, stout "walking stick." It is my peacemaker when stray dogs challenge us. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by NooneOfConsequence on Sep 24th, 2020 at 12:51am
I designed my monkeys fist lanyard after an incident walking my dog several years ago. Three strays started harassing my dog, and I really wished I’d had something better than my foot to fend them off. The monkeys fist (see Timpa’s videos) extends to over four feet long (strangely that feature was never demonstrated by Timpa), but it is small and light enough to take jogging. I’ve seen runners carry real sticks... it’s just awkward.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Rat Man on Sep 27th, 2020 at 3:45pm
Agreed. A stick would be prohibitively cumbersome to run with. There's one thing I learned from trial and error. The sling is a terrible anti stray dog weapon. A walking stick is far superior. Why?
Most challenges by strays end up being nothing. If violence does occur it's usually a short, harmless flash fight. With a stick you can match the level of aggression. A sling has only one setting: injure of kill. The biggest reason is that dogs don't see the sling as a threat. You can rotate a loaded sling around your head all you want. Dogs don't react to it. They don't know what it is. Raise a good stout stick over your head and 99% of the time the dog(s) will back down. Only three times have I ever had to resort to actually bashing an attacking dog. Though I don't walk as far as I used to I still dog walk every day and wouldn't be without my peacemaker. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Rat Man on Sep 27th, 2020 at 11:04pm NooneOfConsequence wrote on Sep 23rd, 2020 at 6:23am:
When I was an MP we carried wooden night sticks but they were breakable. We much preferred a Kel-lite flashlight for defense. They are big, heavy, and indestructible. https://kellite.com/ |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kick on Sep 28th, 2020 at 9:22am
I actually have a MP truncheon but it's a Czech one and made of some kind of rubber so quite heavy and a bit flexible. It has a reinforced plastic tip and makes for a very painful hit. It's a shame it would be absolutely illegal for me to carry it around. Finland is a very safe country anyway but if it was more Wild West over here I would take that.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by slingbadger on Sep 29th, 2020 at 6:42am
It seems every culture has a form of protection/martial art based on a stick. The Irish have bataireacht for the shillelagh, developed when the English declared that they could not carry a weapon.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Rat Man on Oct 6th, 2020 at 3:18pm
There's a Folk Song about shillelaghs and for the life of me I can't remember the name of it. The gist of the song is that a young man and his cousin are walking along minding their own business. It might be Christmas or the cousin's birthday or both. They pass by a recruiting sergeant and a drummer boy. The sergeant starts giving them a hard time about being slackers and it ends up in a fight with the sergeant and drummer boy using rusty old sabers and the young man and his cousin using shillelaghs. The sergeant and drummer boy get the crap beat out of them and that's how the song ends. Anyone know what I'm talking about?
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kilisi on Oct 30th, 2020 at 7:18am
Here's a stick, not a very finesse weapon, it's designed to end a fight in one hit.
![]() |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kick on Oct 30th, 2020 at 12:47pm
Ouch. That's a big stick.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kilisi on Oct 30th, 2020 at 6:11pm
Here is another stick. This one is actually a weapon of peace for breaking up fights. The hook shape is to capture other weapons. Then it has protrusions designed to permanently cripple peoples hands if they don't drop the captured weapon. Difficult and heavy to use, but not to be messed with.
![]() |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by TOMBELAINE on Oct 31st, 2020 at 6:55am
Good !
Just two questions because they are heavy and decorated. Are these sticks for ceremony or prestige ? Or for warfare ? Very impressive sticks. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kilisi on Oct 31st, 2020 at 7:35pm TOMBELAINE wrote on Oct 31st, 2020 at 6:55am:
All Polynesian weapons are heavily decorated. They're not ceremonial, they're supposed to be replicas of war weapons. The designs are nothing special. They could absolutely be used for fighting, they're hard, very heavy wood. The curved one is just surface design, but the woods good. The other is better carving. I'd feel confident with either of them against a machete. Neither is old, but they're intimidating and dangerous weapons. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by TOMBELAINE on Nov 1st, 2020 at 6:47am
Whaouh, a warrior with these sticks must be very impressive.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kilisi on Nov 1st, 2020 at 6:59am TOMBELAINE wrote on Nov 1st, 2020 at 6:47am:
Yes, I imagine he'd be very intimidating. Polynesian weapons tend to be very scary looking things. I train with them, but I'm no expert. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Slyngorm on Nov 4th, 2020 at 2:24pm
Most of these videos look kinda flashy...
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kick on Nov 4th, 2020 at 2:35pm
A lot of stick fighting I think is shown to be flashy to get people to sign up to their club or buy their videos :D When it comes down to it, a stick is a stick. It goes bonk.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Slyngorm on Nov 5th, 2020 at 5:25pm Kick wrote on Nov 4th, 2020 at 2:35pm:
Yeah, but the over the top arm movements only helps to open yourself to your opponent and makes you spend twice the time making a strike. In the end it looks silly. Reminds me of my first time watching Akademia Szermierzy (HEMA, sword fighting). After a lifetime of watching theatre sword fights the real deal looked so weird but was actually really simple and logical and all together was so much more awesome. In that nerve, I haven't been able to take lightsaber fights from the prequels seriously after "Star Wars: The (Totally) Phantom Menace" Here are some quarterstaff sparring rounds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMjsHE5p2vs&t https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uja1TNNNko4 As the second videos notes, due to the nature of the quarterstaff the fights focus on showing your opponent’s staff out of the way instead of hitting him/her but it definitely looks more meaningful. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kick on Nov 6th, 2020 at 1:36am
The various HEMA practitioners of YouTube have ruined my ability to watch a movie sword fight and find it satisfactory :D Most forms of fighting are far quicker and direct than shown in media.
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Kilisi on Nov 8th, 2020 at 3:39am
Polynesian martial arts were mostly about sticks and stones. There is an account of an argument over effectiveness in WW1 between the Māori Battalion and the English which saw a Maori soldier take the end off a broom and beat the fencing master with it.
Another account much earlier in time of a 60+ year old warchief going down on one knee when confronted by an Officer with a sword, and realising with sadness that the officer was going to attack him solo instead of waiting for help. After killing the officer he was sad that the poor chap had no idea how invulnerable he was in that fighting stance and there's no glory in such an easy kill. They're very fast, very focused moves with the defense within the moves rather than separate offense and defence. Had to be, they had no effective armour and one hit would probably cripple or kill. So it's not random swinging. |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by TheMightyAslan on Nov 16th, 2020 at 5:57am Rat Man wrote on Oct 6th, 2020 at 3:18pm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBGkhPx529g cracking tune, its a traditional folk song. Even Bob Dylan has a version of it floating around somewhere |
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by Morphy on Nov 16th, 2020 at 12:16pm
Polynesians are scary dudes. You couldn't pay me enough to stick fight them. However, I will challenge you all to a game of ping pong and do some whooping up though. ;D
|
Title: Re: The most archaic of the archaic.....THE STICK! Post by NooneOfConsequence on Dec 7th, 2020 at 12:52am
Picked up a “premium” cedar 2x4, cut it in half longwise, and I’ve been rounding the pieces by hand with a rasp into quarterstaff-ish poles. I’ll post pics once I get one sanded and stained.
|
Slinging.org Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.5.2! YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2025. All Rights Reserved. |