“Michael P. Fay, said in an interview that the four strokes with a rattan cane on May 5 had left three dark-brown scars on his right buttock and four lines each about half-an-inch wide on his left buttock”(“U.S. Student Tells of Pain Of His Caning In Singapore,” 1994). A cane is a long slender stick made of wood or synthetic material (“Cane.” 2017). Canes can be used for making various furniture, boats, baskets, and even kitchen utensils. For the main purpose of this paper, it is used for making a corporal punishment implement. There are many types of canes and sub classes of canes. However, in this article we will discuss the two major types of canes being rattan and bamboo.

 

     According to the design furnishings website, “Rattan originated from Southeast Asia thus it is inherently a tropical palm tree”(“The Difference Between Rattan, Cane and Wicker Furniture.” N.d.) Rattan is one of the strongest known woods with many different uses. Rattan is used for mainly furniture but can also be used as a walking stick or a beating stick. In order to get the cane like figure, this same website explains that you have to “peel off the skin of the rattan vine”(“The Difference Between Rattan, Cane and Wicker Furniture.” N.d.) One of the main furniture types that rattan is used for is wicker such as chairs, beds, dressers, etc. According to the select furnishings website, rattan originated from Indonesia and then eventually made its way to China and then Japan (“A Short History of Rattan.” 2012). Rattan can reach 200 meters and is solid in its core.

              

     While rattan has been used for furniture uses it has also been used as a form of discipline since the 21st century according to the kink shop website (“3/4 Inch Rattan Cane.” 2016). It mostly measures ¾ inch thick for discipline purposes and will undoubtedly leave a mark.

 

     As mentioned before, Michael Fay was beat with a rattan cane for punishment in Singapore. It is very common in Singapore to not only be put in prison but to also be beat for any major wrong doings. According to an article titled “Why is caning a legal punishment in Singapore,” “The idea was that the Indian Penal Code reflected attitudes in Britain at that time and attempted to codify all offences into a simple code rather than having to rely on Common law (“Why Is Caning A Legal Punishment.” N.d). Watching a caning in Singapore was a big deterrent for others to not commit the same crime. By having these canings, it was known that the crime rates were a lot less in Singapore versus the United States.

 

     While caning in the United States does happen on a personal level, it is still not used on a government level. There has been some reasoning that the U.S. crime level would considerably drop if the same practices as in Singapore were used. While rattan is the most popular type of cane used, there are many others that are used for similar reasons. The final type of cane discussed in this article is bamboo.

 

     According to the select furnishings website, the main difference distinguishing bamboo from rattan is its core (“A Short History of Rattan.” 2012). Unlike rattan, bamboo is hollow in its core thus making it easier to split and splinter off. This makes it more dangerous to use a bamboo cane because of the possibility of breakage. While rattan originated in Southeast Asia, bamboo originated in the United States. While reading the articles titled “America’s Native Bamboo Parts 1 and 2” on the show me oz website, it explains that while bamboo was also used to make furniture, it was also a source of food. While it is a common food source for Pandas now, it was also a major food source for the Europeans who discovered the New World. Bamboo can grow anywhere from 6 to 30 feet high (“America’s Native Bamboo.” 2016)

 

     Like rattan, bamboo can also be used as instruments for walking and even beating after it is treated. According to the book “The Evolution of the Modern Concept of School Discipline” Bamboo was often used as a form of punishment in China as well as India (“The Evolution of the Modern Concept of School Discipline.” N.d). Based upon my research, using bamboo as a form of punishment isn’t as common in the United States as it is in China or India. While there are some people who use bamboo as a form of punishment in the U.S., it isn’t widespread knowledge as it is in other countries.

 

     These two types of canes can range anywhere from 20” to 40”. The longer the cane, the more it hurts on impact and making it harder to control. There are straight and crooked handle options when looking at style. It is said that there is no benefit as to one or the other; it is strictly personal preference. However, using a rattan cane, you can bend it to make other shapes such as a loop thus becoming more versatile. It is best that the person using the cane practice on a pillow to perfect his or her aim before applying it to someone’s buttock.

 

     If you do invest in a good cane, you most certainly want to take good care of it and enhance longevity. It is not necessary to soak in water or linseed oil. However, soaking in a liquid will increase flexibility and weight, thus making it more painful upon contact. If you do decide to soak your cane, you must be careful not to over soak it, as it will begin rotting from the inside. To clean your cane, simply wipe it down with warm soapy water. If the fibers were to get blood on it, make sure to only use on one person to prevent infections (“SuperConnie6.” N.d).

 

     Finally, store your cane when not in use in a cool, humid condition. Excessive heat and dry conditions will cause your cane to dry out and increase chance of breakage (especially your bamboo cane). As with any purchase, it is best to buy from a reputable company. Asking questions is a must to ensure you are getting what you want. Like any implement you must know how to use it properly to prevent damage to your implement, and more importantly, severely injuring the spankee.

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Sources:

U.S. Student Tells of Pain Of His Caning In Singapore. (1994, June 26). Retrieved January 07, 2018, from http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/26/us/us-student-tells-of-pain-of-his-caning-in-singapore.html

The Difference Between Rattan, Cane and Wicker Furniture. (n.d.). Retrieved January 07, 2018, from http://www.designfurnishings.com/blog/difference-rattan-cane-wicker-furniture/

A Short History of Rattan. (2012, June 25). Retrieved January 07, 2018, from https://selectfurnishingsme.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/a-short-history-of-rattan/

(n.d.). Retrieved January 07, 2018, from https://www.quora.com/Why-is-caning-a-legal-punishment-in-Singapore

America’s Native Bamboo – Part I – History and Ecology. (2016, August 10). Retrieved January 07, 2018, from https://showmeoz.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/americas-native-bamboo-part-i-history-and-ecology/

America’s Native Bamboo – Part II – Identification and Culture. (2016, August 10). Retrieved January 07, 2018, from https://showmeoz.wordpress.com/2015/07/15/americas-native-bamboo-part-ii-identification-culture/

The Evolution of the Modern Concept of School Discipline. (n.d.). Retrieved January 07, 2018, from https://books.google.com/books?id=kY9DAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=how%2Bis%2Bbamboo%2Bused%2Bfor%2Bdiscipline&source=bl&ots=eyUu7oize-&sig=drDstTPs0UCRxXE3G021GMUJleY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjS69vkr8bYAhWMRt8KHZ6XB9w4ChDoAQghMAM#v=onepage&q=how%20is%20bamboo%20used%20for%20discipline&f=false

Cane. (2017, December 24). Retrieved January 08, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane

3/4 inch Rattan Cane. (2016, December 03). Retrieved January 08, 2018, from http://thekinkshop.com/product/34-inch-rattan-cane/

Superconnie6's profile. (n.d.). Retrieved January 08, 2018, from https://www.ebay.ie/usr/superconnie6?_trksid=p2047675.l2559