[Blindtlk] Cane suggestions needed please!

Mon Mar 14 17:52:59 UTC 2011

Hello,

My experien ce is that the folding canes, especially the carbon fiber ones 
work well, they're not as sleek as the telescopic canes, but they do a nice 
job, and they don't wear out that fast, The aluminum folding canes are not 
as good, the joints start to fray after a while, and you end up with sharp 
points in your cane, so I suggest the carbon fiber folding canes.

Nikki Wunderlich
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at icrc.IN.gov>
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 7:25 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Cane suggestions needed please!

> Hi Guys,
>
> First of all, as I say, I love the telescoping canes for their convenience 
> and easy storage. When I used one of these, and was getting into a car, at 
> a restaurant or whatever, I could simply collapse it and put it into my 
> purse and out of the way.  Unfortunately though, my experience was that, 
> when I first got these canes they worked great. Then, as they began to 
> age, they would begin to collapse more often. I would, of course have to 
> stop and pull them tight again. This would help for a little ways and then 
> they would collapse again in a few more minutes. Finally, the frustration 
> with the collapsing outweighed the love of the convenience. I do miss the 
> telescopes though for their convenience and sleek appearance.
>
> My experience with straight canes, at least the carbon fiber ones is that 
> they are more prone to breakage than the others. I've had several broken 
> by someone tripping over them and/or getting caught in cracks and so 
> forth.
>
> They ought to have laws in place and cane insurance too. (I'm kidding 
> here) But my experience is that when someone has not been paying 
> attention, has stepped on or tripped over a cane, they have picked up the 
> broken section, handed it to me, and then they "flee the scene." Very 
> irritating.
>
> Diane Graves
> Civil Rights Specialist
> Indiana Civil Rights Commission
> Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
> 317-232-2647
>
> "It is service that measures success."
> George Washington Carver
>
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Robert J Smith
> Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 7:25 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Cane suggestions needed please!
>
> Hi Pastor Kelm -- Bob Smith here.  I have been using telescoping canes now
> for probably about four years so I consider myself to have a deasent store
> of knowledge about their habbits, you might say.  I like them very much,
> not because I'm ashamed of either my cane or my blindness, but I love the
> concept of something collapsing into itself to about a length of a foot or
> less.  All the sections are inside of the main section so you just have
> the thickness of the thickest main section instead of four sections in a
> folded bundle, a vast improvement for storage.
>
> They are very light and don't ever tire your wrist out even if you are
> walking fast and swinging quickly.  You can also feel sidewalk textures
> better than you can with a thicker, heavier folding cane with a cable
> which helps.  I was even able to get through the past Indianapolis winter
> with mine quite well.  Also, another benefit to the cane being lighter is
> that in my experience, the metal tip lasts a lot longer than it did on my
> heavier fibor glass folding cane.  And, of course, the carbon fibor
> telescoping cane never bends or wiggles when it is pulled tight.  The
> current telescoping cane I have has a chain which you can use to hang it
> on things, including your belt by opening the chain's locking joint.  This
> is very handy when you are holding someone's arm and still need to carry
> something in your other hand but don't want the cane to slip out from
> under your arm and fall on the ground.
>
> Now, being fair, there are two things that I had to learn to cope with.
> First of all, I have a spare telescoping cane that I use in case my main
> one gets broken, and I always will.  On both my canes, there is a rubber
> fitting that sits on the bottom section just above the metal tip.  This is
> used to keep the bottom most section inside the cane so that it and the
> other sections won't fall out when you pick it up tip down.  On one cane,
> the rubber fitting wore out due to friction against the inside of the main
> section when I would pull the cane out.  The fitting on the other one
> totally cracked so I took it off.  Fortunately, I can push the rubber part
> of the metal tip into the main section when I am collapsing the cane and
> that fits snugly enough to keep the cane collapsed.
>
> Second, in the colder months, the bottom most section collapses into the
> section above after the cane cools down a ways and I have to pull it back
> out.  I only have to do this once though and then it never goes back in
> while I'm walking.  It is very easy to tell when a section is collapsed
> while you are walking, the cane sort of gives a mushy feel instead of a
> nice solid one when it's tight.  You don't have to really jerk it out
> either, just kind of a middle strength pull.  I'm stubborn though and
> choose to deal with these so-called habits anyway.  I will probably get
> this kind of cane for the rest of my life, because they feel that much
> better and are that much more convenient than a four section bundle-type
> folding cane.  If you want more advice, feel free to email off list.
>
> Bob Smith
>
>
>
> From:
> "James Kelm" <jameskelm at earthlink.net>
> To:
> "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>, <blinddog3 at charter.net>
> Date:
> 03/11/2011 12:54 AM
> Subject:
> [Blindtlk] Cane suggestions needed please!
>
>
>
> Dear friends,
>
>    I am looking at purchasing a new spiffy hot rod car of a cane, and I
> am
> hoping that some of the mobility experts on this list can help me select
> the
> appropriate cane!
>
>    I am currently using, and have been using for years, a straight
> folding
> cane.  I do a lot of in and out of buildings, as well as a lot of
> traveling
> within the interior of buildings.  I therefore like a cane that I can
> "fold"
> and "unfold" quickly and easily, and that is convenient to stow away when
> I
> am not traveling.  Because of this, a rigid cane is a big hassle for me! I
> like the folding cane, but I am considering getting a telescoping cane. My
> thought is that it will be convenient, and I tend to have a rather light
> touch, so I do not need something that will withstand a lot of abuse.  I
> also think that it might be a nifty little sport model, to be able to stow
> away a very small cane, but quickly pull it out to its length when I need
> to
> go.  Do any of you have suggestions, or feedback concerning the
> telescoping
> canes?
>
>    Secondly, I am considering the advantages/disadvantages of putting a
> roller tip on the new cane.  I tend to use a constant contact mythod,
> rather
> than a tap tap style.  Although I have not had any significant issues, I
> am
> wondering if it would be a bit more smooth given my cane method, if my
> cane
> had a roller tip on it.  Am I correct, or is my thinking flawed?
>
>    Lastly, I am a statuesque 5 feet 5 inches tall.  My current folding
> cane
> is 53 inches.  I am thinking that it is too long for me, and that my new
> cane should be slightly shorter, maybe around 46 or 48 inches.  As I said,
> most of my travel is done within buildings, and I find that the current
> length of my cane is always getting caught in objects, or I am having to
> pull it more closely into my body to allow it to be used in tighter
> spaces.
> I often feel like either me, or my cane can fit in spaces where I am
> traveling, but not both of us!  LOLL
>
>    Thank you so much for your help!  I sincerely appreciate your guidance
> and suggestions!
>
>
> Your Brother in Christ,
> Pastor James Kelm
> Foundational Christian Family Ministry
> www.fcfministry.org
>
>
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>
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