[nfb-talk] Just out of curiosity

[Buddy Brannan]

Hi,

I *think* they’re fiberglass, but not of the caliber, IMO, of the canes made pre-1992’ish, the ones that had the chain through the top instead of the nylon loop. 

If you want a cane like the old school NFB fiberglass canes, call the Iowa Department For the Blind’s articles and devices store. Jodi was heading it up when I talked to them several years ago, and at that time, an Iowa cane was $20. They come in even number lengths, so my memory tells me.

I have a Rainshine cane, too, but I don’t think they make those anymore. While yes, you can probably do anything to one of those, including possibly running it over with a truck, finding tips for them might be a challenge. Anyone got a source for Rainshine tips? Barring that, anyone got an idea how, or if, a Rainshine cane could be modified to take an NFB tip? The other thing about the Rainshine canes is that they are quite heavy. “Do anything with them” would probably also include bludgeoning an attacker successfully. 

— 
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194 
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: buddy at brannan.name



> On Nov 11, 2014, at 2:43 PM, Jim Portillo via nfb-talk <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I'm mainly asking this out of curiosity.
> 
> What materials are these latest NFB rigid canes made out of?  I'm asking
> about the ones they have for free.  Are they still fiberglass like the older
> ones, or are they a new type of material?  For anyone who uses them, do you
> find that they break easier than the older ones or the carbon fiber ones?
> 
> 
> 
> I ask this because about two or three weeks ago, I got one, and it was
> working great!  Over the years, I've learned the value of a good rigid cane,
> and I was in need of one, so I figured I'd take advantage.  
> 
> Yesterday, I was on the bus, and I had the cane standing next to me between
> the patrician of my seat and the seat next to me.  There was a little metal
> wall like thing between the seats.  Anyway, the driver had to make a very
> sudden stop and hit the breaks hard so as to avoid a driver or something.
> Wasn't quite sure what happened, but we stopped hard.  My body, especially
> my shoulder moved to the side and hit the cane that was standing there.  I
> then heard a snap.  I felt it, and it was kind of funny in that it broke
> perfectly into two pieces.  Of course, I was headed downtown and would
> definitely not be able to use it any more.  No way I'd even try to use it
> because I knew it would snap once it got used, so I just finished it off.
> Bummer.  It was a good cane and I thought it would durable for a long time
> to come.
> 
> They probably are, and I just had that particular experience.  Just curious
> if anyone's had similar things happen to theirs recently and if the material
> is more fragile.
> 
> 
> 
> I remember having asked about the Rainshine several weeks back, and if I
> recall, you could do anything to that cane, and it would always bounce back
> and not break.
> 
> 
> 
> So, I'll have to get another one now.  
> 
> 
> 
> Jim
> 
> 
> 
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