# Irish Blackthorn Shillelagh by Cold Steel



## ArmorOfGod (Jul 20, 2008)

http://www.coldsteel.com/91pbs.html

It is made out of polypropylene but I have heard some good things about it.  I am surprised that people are liking it since it is not made out of wood.

AoG


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## jarrod (Jul 20, 2008)

that's the shillelagh on my wish list, since it's not only stronger than wood but cheaper than most true blackthorns as well.  most authentic shillelaghs on ebay are hovering around the $90 mark.

jf


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## naneek (Jul 20, 2008)

nothing beats the real thing mate, where i grew up in ireland blackthorn grew quite prolificly my cousin would cut blackthorn staves to sell to tourists and kept the best ones for our family, my uncle had a nice selection of sticks around thirty if i remember correcty.
im sorry but using a plastic blackthorn just seems wrong to me, just my opinion though.


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## arnisador (Jul 20, 2008)

Neat! I like my real one ($79).


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## lklawson (Jul 21, 2008)

Some people like 'em.  Others say it's too heavy and doesn't handle quite right. 

It's largely a personal thing.  I have a stick that everyone hates, except for me.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk


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## stickarts (Jul 21, 2008)

I have never handled one but it looks pretty cool. Thanks for the info. I learned about something new today!


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## arnisador (Jul 21, 2008)

lklawson said:


> Some people like 'em.  Others say it's too heavy and doesn't handle quite right.



Well, it certainly handles _differently _with that weighty knob at the end.


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## lklawson (Jul 21, 2008)

arnisador said:


> Well, it certainly handles _differently _with that weighty knob at the end.


Well, considering that both of the stick styles I study make use of a knobbed cane, it works out well for me.  

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk


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## RaisingCane (Sep 10, 2008)

I have one. Props to Cold Steel for make such a thing.  However, although I don't care at all whether something is "real" or "fake" (and polypropylene is, in fact "real"), my opinion is that this stick is WAY to big and heavy--about twice the weight of my "real" blackthorns.  And the light weight of the average shillelagh was, the research indicates, integral to the technique!  But Cold Steel always seems to make their sticks macho past practicality and into the serious legal-liability category.

The big exception is the Cold Steel MICARTA City Stick.  Now that is a subtle looking, blackthorn-weighted, amazingly indestructible walking stick.  Above all others, THAT is the Cold Steel stick I would highly recommend.


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## arnisador (Sep 10, 2008)

RaisingCane said:


> And the light weight of the average shillelagh was, the research indicates, integral to the technique!



How so?


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