Crowbar Cane

Not too long ago my partner was diagnosed with a degenerative hip disease and found out that she would often require a cane to simply get about. Her doctor provided her with a standard-issue medical-grade black cane. Having to walk around everywhere with a "grandma cane" was not in line with her personality and seemed to be getting her down. It was a sad state of affairs.

After reflecting upon the problem I decided that she needed a "badass cane." Initially I was hoping to find a cane at the flea market or an estate sale with a steel cobra handle, naked mermaid, or something generally classy-like. However, canes of this sort are apparently few and far between. As is often the case, if you want something done right you have to do it yourself.

When we were in our early twenties, I had gotten her a crowbar for her birthday. We were living in New York City at the time and a crowbar seemed like something that would be generally useful for menacing people and breaking-and-entering. She greatly appreciated this gift. However, we ended up having to store it temporarily in my mom's basement when we moved out west and when we returned to get it we found that my stepdad had used it to remove a tree stump from the backyard. By that point we pretty much lost ownership of the crowbar.

Anyhow -- I digress. The point being that when I was trying to figure out what a "badass cane" should be, I quickly arrived at "crowbar." Even though we were no longer in New York and a number of years had passed, the idea of publicly menacing people still suited her personality. With this in mind, I have made the crowbar cane. After all, just because you have a degenerative hip disease doesn't mean that you can't be a stylish hooligan.

You will need:

(x1) 36" crowbar
(x2) Foam bicycle handlebar grips
(x1) 3/4" Rubber cane tip

Determine the height of the cane you need.

Cut the tip off the crowbar so that it is the right length.

Note: I was able to easily mark it with a hand file, which means it is possible to cut through with most blades designed for cutting steel. I used a horizontal band saw to do the job, but just about any metalshop saw should work. An angle grinder would probably be your next best bet. You should also be able to make it work with a cut off blade for a miter saw or hand-held rotary tool like a Dremel. If you have a lot of patience and need a workout, a hacksaw should slowly get the job done.

Using a belt sander or grinding wheel round the edges of the cut end so that it is no longer sharp.

Also use the belt sander or grinding wheel to remove any sharp points from the claw.

Cut a hole on the closed end of the foam bike grips so that they are hollow all the way through.

Slide the first foam bike grip up onto the crowbar until it bends around the arc.

Cut the other one at a slight angle and then slide it on until it joins up with other grip.

Put the rubber tip onto the end of the crowbar.