white cane problem.

Category: Daily Living

Post 1 by Gilman Gal (A billy Gilman fan forever and always!!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 21:36:49

Hello all,
I am having a problem with my alemmonim folding cane and have been having it for awhile now. when I unfold it to use it, it won't stay locked! no matter what I do, nothing works! could it be the elastic string wich holds the joints together? do any of you have this problem? is so, what can I do for it?

Post 2 by Gilman Gal (A billy Gilman fan forever and always!!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 21:37:45

god I hope this thing makes since!

Post 3 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 21:39:14

What do you mean won't stay locked. Is the string loose?

Post 4 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 21:39:36

Sorry, is the string loose or is the elastic worn out?

Post 5 by Gilman Gal (A billy Gilman fan forever and always!!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 23:17:37

I don't know. I'll lock it so I can use it, like so it'll stay together, but it never locks right! it keeps unlocking, and I'm frustrated because I can't use it like that. I mean, every few steps or so, I have to push it back together. I don't know how to explain it.

Post 6 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 23:36:16

Check to see if you can feel two strands of elastic between each section of the cane. In particular, look between the first two sections where the cane comes appart. All this assumes your cane has two strands of elastic, and not one. If at some point, you find only one, the elastic is broken. As stated by an earlier post, the elastic could be worn out, but at least for me, t that long.

Louthe canes don't las

Post 7 by JH_Radio (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 0:23:49

I doubt this could've happend but is it posibla that somehow your alastic is starting to come out of one of the joints?

Post 8 by Hilikme (Veteran Zoner) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 2:01:09

As other people have pointed out... the only thing I could really see being the problem is the elastic, either too loose or roken etc... As the only problem I've had with folding canes is them being a pain to unlock lol, I'm not sure what to suggest... If it's loose, and if the elastic comes out of the top of the handle, you could pull it taught (when the cane is unfolded and locked temperarily) then tie a new knot in the elastic further down,... I hope that makes sense, but I don't even know if that's your problem anyways, sorry.

Post 9 by bozmagic (The rottie's your best friend if you want him/her to be, lol.) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 4:43:17

Yeah, it's probably the elastic, though I've never experienced the problem myself with any of my canes, but you could try gluing the two bits that don't lock together. Yeah, you won't be able to fold it up anymore, it would be a straight cane, but it would solve the locking problem if you didn't want to get a new one.

Jen.

Post 10 by Harmony (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 16:05:17

The only problem I have with my folding cane is that is sometimes really hard to unfold. That happens especially if it's been out in the cold or the rain.

Post 11 by Gilman Gal (A billy Gilman fan forever and always!!) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 18:54:29

thank you all. I'll have a look. I know that there's the alastic part between the handle part and the next joint. actually I think there's elastic between all of the joints. I can't see where it's broken though, that doesn't mean it isn't, I'll let my parrents look at it later on tonight. maybe they can see something with there eyes, that I didn't catch. thanks again all.

Post 12 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 19:45:49

As for getting the joints apart after they've been out in the cold, try using W.d.40. i know it smells when you first put it on, but that's how my dad helped me get them apart. works great with creaky door hinges too.

Post 13 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 19:57:04

Actually, try using a pencil. Something in the graphite makes it come apart.

Post 14 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 21:25:54

How do you do that without breaking the pencil tip off?

Post 15 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 21:44:23

What does it have anything to do with the tip? You do it where the ends of the joints are that are getting stuck.

Post 16 by Gilman Gal (A billy Gilman fan forever and always!!) on Monday, 08-Oct-2007 0:34:07

she means, how do you do it with out the led breaking off? and I would like to know myself.

Post 17 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Monday, 08-Oct-2007 0:40:02

You just do it lightly.

Post 18 by ezziejc (The Bathroom Skyper!) on Saturday, 13-Oct-2007 19:20:41

Here's the next question in the saga - how do you get WD40 onto a cane when you can't get the joints apart to get it on anyway?

Post 19 by Harmony (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Tuesday, 16-Oct-2007 14:25:42

The middle and bottom parts of my cane will come apart, but the top part is really stuck.

Post 20 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Wednesday, 17-Oct-2007 4:15:19

It might be a two-person job to take the cane apart, where one holds each of the offending sections, and tries to walk or pull in opposite directions. Try twisting the sections as you are pulling them apart. If you have access to a vise, put one section in the vise and secure it well, and pull the other one away, or at least try to do so.

Any other suggestions?

Lou

Post 21 by Harmony (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 19-Oct-2007 12:45:58

We tried virtually playing tug of war with my cane trying to get it apart. The bottom 2 sections come apart, but the top part is justy stuck there.

Post 22 by Gilman Gal (A billy Gilman fan forever and always!!) on Thursday, 08-Nov-2007 5:57:16

did you try twisting the stuck peaces as sugjested in the post above? and that pinsle thing still has me stuck. what does this person mean?

Post 23 by jen91_09 (777) on Friday, 16-May-2008 16:11:53

I would like to know that as well.

Post 24 by blindndangerous (the blind and dangerous one) on Friday, 16-May-2008 18:17:55

So would I. I've never heard of that gefore, but I guess we won't figure it out, his account's been disabled.

Post 25 by Dave_H (the boringest guy you'll ever know) on Saturday, 17-May-2008 0:14:53

Graphite's a great lubricant, so, if you rub a pencil tip on the 'male' part of a cane joint and/or on the inside of the 'famale' part, I suppose you could lube the thing. That may be what he's refering to, but, we'll never know for sure. I have two frequently-used folding canes, one of aluminium, and the other of graphite. Do you think the latter ever gets stuck together? LOL.

Post 26 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Tuesday, 20-May-2008 15:30:15

Hi guys, try using petroleum jelly on the joints of a cane to keep them from sticking.

Post 27 by jamesk (This site is so "educational") on Tuesday, 20-May-2008 19:28:09

just buy a good straight cane and be done with the whole issue. it'll give you more information than the folding one and isn't near as heavy

Post 28 by Dave_H (the boringest guy you'll ever know) on Wednesday, 21-May-2008 1:22:36

I get plenty of information from my very-light folding cane.

Post 29 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Wednesday, 21-May-2008 5:44:51

I agree with Dave on this one. As materials are lighter in weight now and more conductive, more information is indeed transmitted through the cane. Further, on windy days, I've nearly had canes blown outof my hand. Not a big deal, but it is a factor that some may want to consider.

Lou

Post 30 by Harmony (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Saturday, 21-Jun-2008 3:33:46

My cane comes apart fine now, but the only thing is, I've had it only since January this year and the 2 pieces of elastic snapped in it yesterday. One piece snapped yesterday morning just before lunch, so I had to borrow a cane from the mobility office until they fixed mine for a couple of hours, then the other piece broke just before I was about to go out last night. Now I'm borrowing a friend's cane which is miles too long for me, which I'll have to use until I meet my mobility teacher on Monday!

Post 31 by Gilman Gal (A billy Gilman fan forever and always!!) on Friday, 04-Jul-2008 21:43:51

the thing about straight canes, are they are hard to store when you are out and about. like when you are in churches, out with friends having dinner, Etc. I have found a teloskoping cane works just fine for me.

Post 32 by Dave_H (the boringest guy you'll ever know) on Saturday, 05-Jul-2008 1:50:58

I never quite learned how to use the telescoping cane without it telescoping while in use.

Post 33 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Saturday, 05-Jul-2008 10:35:42

I hope they've improved them since I used them. They weren't sturdy enough for me, or I just had a heavy hand. The only way I found to make them work properly was to twist the sections slightly after it was fully extended.

Lou

Post 34 by Dave_H (the boringest guy you'll ever know) on Saturday, 05-Jul-2008 22:58:23

I think I tried twisting the sections in order to lock them. It didn't work to my satisfaction. If the design has been improved, I'm willing to give it another try. I'm rough on canes, but think I've gotten less so.

Post 35 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 06-Jul-2008 3:25:34

I've been really pleased with my cane from revolution enterprises. I'm hard on canes, too. There's last me about two years.

Lou

Post 36 by Gilman Gal (A billy Gilman fan forever and always!!) on Friday, 11-Jul-2008 7:22:25

I don't have a problem with it at all. it's easy to use and doesn't fold up while I'm using it.