Review (5/5): A True Gentleman's Walking Stick
Alpacca is also named German Silver or Nickle Silver. Consisting mostly of copper, nickle and zinc content. In my brief research I find that Alpacca does not contain any actual silver. Though some may be silver plated. But do not think of it as cheap imitation silver. It is more akin to a subset of brass.
This Alpacca cane is the pricier big brother to the plastic headed walking stick of the same design. The plastic brethren of this stick was love at first sight. The flared head and modest fluting simply screams elegance. Nowhere have I found a more elegant walking stick for the 'top hat' era.
As reported with flared head sticks, it is better suited for show. The slightly rounded top makes putting any kind of real pressure uncomfortable without leather gloves. However, it does provide modest balance if weight bearing is not your walking issue. The silvery smooth head does not make the cane top heavy.
The rubber tip is pretty standard and is useful for standing the 3/4" wide cane on flat surfaces. On the negative side, it takes away from the distinctiveness and gives an "old man" quality. I ordered my cane through a vendor who does silver ferrules (plated brass tips) and upgraded the business end of this cane to become a "Gentleman's Walking Stick". Silver ferrules raise the value and elevate the distinctive beauty.
This Alpacca cane lacks the distinctive charm of a chrome collar. My vendor states he routinely heats up such heads for removal, but the extra cost hardly seems worth the upgrade. It was mostly due to removal of the head. Unlike the screw top plastic cane, the Alpacca head is hollow and intended for permanent mounting, using pitch.
As it stands, this cane is suited for mild assisted walking. Use it more for classy strolls, theater, special occasions and dancing. Do not forget the white leather gloves!
Addendum:
On Saturday, 2/7/2015 I finally revealed this walking stick for a big birthday celebration. My black and white clothing style makes me look good, but there is a "whoa" factor when seen with this stick and a pair of white leather gloves. It helps that I had the tip refined with a ferrule and small rubber tip. I love it.