I just about to ask what do you refer to as "padding" ha ha ha. I was thinking. that my staff is flat on one end, no one is going to get impaled but I still wouldn't want to catch the end of that.They just spread out the impact a bit and cover any sharpish edges, they aren't really "padding,' they are pretty solid.
This came to mind "Don't worry most of it is rubber and the end is blunt. So your fingers will OK if you smash them." Then I read were you say "they aren't really "Padding." Which sounds just right lol.