Old Cane......and it's stuck in our attic...update!

[mojjax]

We found this old cane in our attic eves while looking for Christmas lights last week . There are 5 roofing nails holding it hard against the beam - won't budge . It's too close quarters to fit a hack saw .
Any suggestions on how to remove it without damaging it any more than it all ready is ?

the handle looks like it might be ivory .

[jewelerguy]

looks like some of the nails got it. I'd leave it... it may be a load bearing cane

[DoomDrag]

dremel tool

[Scar]

Cut the nails as close to the roof boards as you can with a pair of dykes, try to leave as much of the nail as you can sticking out of the cane so as you can get a good grip with a pair of vise grips or pliers to pull the nails out.

[B|lker]

Go about it from the top.
Looks like a fairly old house by the size of the lumber but i can`t tell whats on the roof, slate/asphalt.
If it`s an asphalt shingle purchase a flat prybar from Home Depot and gently pull the nails on the shingles from that area.
Good luck if it`s slate the nails on those have to be sheared and can get quite expensive.
Interesting find.
Bill
Hope that helped and Happy New Year.

[creskol]

Are you sure it's a cane and not a curtain rod?

[batcap]

I don't know anything about the cane, but if you remove it-you will only have an old messed up walking stick. If you leave it where it is you might be able to sell tickets just to let people look at it --you'll need an interesting story to go with it, of course.

Or . . . you could sell it as an artifact "in situ", and let the buyer remove it.

[Breezie]

Are you sure it's a cane and not a curtain rod?

Excellent question; how many inches long is it? A standard walking cane is approximately 36-37 inches. Breezie

[OldNBroken]

Looks like the original roof was wood shingle but was replaced with asphalt.
Anyways, sawzall the nails flush to the bottom of the roofdeck if you really must get it out.
Handle looks to be wood also

[aka, da Prof]

I'd try the dykes first- sawsall with metal blade might grab it to hard and chew it up-- or a sawsall metal blade in clamped in a vise grip is a 'tool' I use a lot when in this instance --H.N.Y. to ya!!! -------- da Prof ♬♬

[fistfulladirt]

Are you sure it's a cane and not a curtain rod?

My thought exactly.

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

The knob end is taped because it's hollow and contains precious stones or diamonds. If it were me I'd just yank that dude loose, keep the jewels, and throw the stick part away!

Happy "Jewel" Year

SBB

[Scar]

If you follow Bl Iker instructions you are fixing to screw up.

[Mark S.]

Thats a simple one.

Use a hacksaw BLADE. Wrap a bunch a duct tape around one end as a handle.

[diggemall]

Most nails that aren't intended for "harsh" duty are pretty soft (easier to form, I suspect)

Scar's got it "nailed" - clip 'em off with a pair of dykes (side-cutters) If that fails, I'd go the Dremel with a cut-off wheel route, but I doubt you'll have any problem clipping them.

Diggem'

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

~ Three Easy Steps ~

[creskol]

Are you sure it's a cane and not a curtain rod?

Excellent question; how many inches long is it? A standard walking cane is approximately 36-37 inches. Breezie

It obviously tucks very neatly between the two rafters. It is hard to tell which is the case by the photo, but rafters are customarily 16 inches on center (14 1/2 inches between them --give or take depending on the true size of the lumber used) or .. 24 inches on center (22 1/2 inches between them ..give or take) So, unless the rafters are 4 feet apart, the rod couldn't be over 22 1/2 inches long. I still think it is a curtain rod.

[mojjax]

I measured it , it's 35 inches long . It would probably be an inch longer if it had the tip on the other end .
I think I will pick up a metal cutting blade for my sawsall at the hardware store today and try that method .

thanks for all the input !

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Mojjax ~

I'm sure you have already thought of this. If not, here are a few things to consider ...

1. Most canes "taper" towards the tip end.
2. Ivory should be easy to recognize ... yellowish/smoothish/crackedish/hardish like stone.
3. Most canes are made of hardwood like walnut ~ oak ~ teak ~ etc.

Following are examples of a few ...

"Antique canes with ivory knobed handles"

The canes pictured had no specific information ~ Just "antique w/ ivory handles"

We will likely never know for certain, but I "suspect" when the cane/rod was nailed into place that it was done by accident by someone working on the roof who didn't realize the cane/rod was even there.

SBB

[diggummup]

Nothing to add, just replying to see how it turns out.