There was a guy in Austin, Texas, Jerry Robinette, who taught unarmed self-defense as well as s-d pistol and, germane to this thread, the use of the cane. I don't know if he's still going, since he's probably older than I am; possibly his sons...He was one of those USAF guys of the 1950s who was stationed in Japan, and got black belts in Everything.
At any rate, the things a trained "caner" can do are absolutely devastating! Robinette's demonstrations made a believer out of me...
Oh, well. For that matter, don't get goosey with a guy on crutches. Talk about reach! And he's still tripod-balanced!
, Art