I’ve been giggling for the past few days, since a Google search unearthed the following site for me: Somerset Willow Growers Ltd – “growing quality willow in the Somerset levels”.
Not just willow, it seems, if you have a few moments to browse, although their bundles of green willow do have potential. Peeled rattan of varying degrees of thickness: twenty or so canes for £40. Thin unpeeled rattan poles look especially cruel. And there’s a whole selection of mean kooboo cane which is:
Ideal for a variety of uses including basket making, basketry cane, outdoor articles, uprights, sticks and cane furniture.
‘Sticks’. Right. Slightly euphemistic, I feel – a 4mm kooboo being entirely impractical as a walking stick. But perhaps saying ‘implements’ would get them into trouble. Still, I do wonder what proportion of their sales are to folks like us with naughty purposes in mind!
Googling “Kooboo cane” I found a detailed article about canes and caning techniques here: http://www.theoriginalinstitute.com/thecane.htm
Sooo not the story I was hoping for when I read the title. Sooo many sad faces:( !