Aside from using it for walking support, how many other ways have you seen Dr. House use his cane? He gets quite creative with it sometimes. Learn more about the variety of different canes he has used too.
Let’s talk about the derby handle first. If you watch the hit television series House M.D. on Fox, you have seen a derby handle cane in use by Dr. Gregory House (the character played by actor Hugh Laurie).
In the early seasons and throughout, the derby walking cane of Dr. House was of beautiful walnut stained beechwood with a stainless steel collar.
If you were in the process of choosing a cane style, would you choose a derby cane? Here are some reasons why you might want to.
The shape of the derby handle is ergonomic, meaning that it is shaped to fit the movements of the human body to help keep movements comfortable and to help prevent injuries such as those caused by repetitive strain.
Because the derby handle cane is an ergonomic shape, it is easier to grip than some other handle styles, making it a popular choice for anyone who suffers from arthritis and any other conditions that could make gripping difficult.
The shape of the handle, added to the reinforcement of the point where the handle attaches to the cane shaft, results in the user’s weight being directed over the shaft, which contributes to comfort and to keeping the user in a balanced position.
The handle shape also makes it possible for the cane to be hooked over an arm when not in use or when both arms are needed to do something.
There are many designs available in a derby handle cane, from solid wood to floral patterns and even a derby handle Dr. House flame design that is a favorite of many. A tourist handle flame design cane was used by Dr. Gregory House on the hit television series House M.D on Fox, first seen in the episode Family.
An opera or L handle cane, of wood with an ivory collar accent, was seen in the pilot of season one and in various episodes. Sometimes the best views of this cane can be spotted when it is just leaning against a desk or with Dr. House holding the cane casually while he is sitting.
Other cane types used on the show by Dr. House have been several different tourist handle canes, which are the traditional rounded handle shape, sometimes called a hospital cane. This type can be used in either hand.
During the episode All In of season two, he used a black maple shaft cane that had a floral pattern alpacca tourist handle. Alpacca is also known as German silver or nickel silver because of the silvery appearance but it actually contains no elemental silver (except when it is plated with silver). The materials in alpacca are copper alloy with nickel plus generally include zinc. The handle on the House cane is the model named Horn of Plenty/Fall Harvest. It is a fancier cane and Dr. House sometimes used this one on the occasions of attending special events in some of the tv episodes.
He started using a solid rosewood tourist handle cane in season seven.
But not to forget the adjustable cane with the aluminum shaft and wood handle that was used for a time, starting in the Whack-a-Mole episode (until it was destroyed by a dog).
A few others have been an aluminum shaft with an offset handle, a red cane and the black beechwood shaft with skull handle walking stick style cane.
Sometimes a cane is a focal point of a scene, as Dr. House rests his forehead or his chin on the cane. He has also been known to use his cane to push an elevator button and to do other interesting tasks with it. As you see episodes, it is amusing to notice these things.
If you were choosing a Dr. House cane replica, to use for walking support, one of the derby handle styles could be a practical choice but if you were choosing one as a fan of the show, intended not for use but just for display, which would be your favorite?