Custom Wooden Slingtop Underarm Crutches by Ed Openshaw

Openshaw Slingtop Underarm Crutches have a unique design. The wooden sides of this bow crutch are steam bent in gentle "S" curves that oppose each other to form a leaf spring effect.

When the soft leather hammock like underarm piece has the users body weight put on it, the hammock dips pulling against the two "leaf springs" resulting in a very smooth ride with very little pressure on the underarm. I add 21st Century technology to this time proven success with my Poron Hand Grips and Tornado or Performance Tips. Ed has enhanced this product too by utilizing beautiful and durable imported Rosewood. Our new and improved Sling-top will challenge any underarm crutch made today.

Poron Crutch Hand Grips have a tough PVC vinyl shell covering a shock absorbing polyurethane closed cell sponge center giving you a comfortable hand grip that is easy to clean and prevents skin sheer.

Your choice of my patented Tornado and Performance gel tips have Absorbalite™ gel polymer inside. Absorbalite™ gel has the ability to eat shock by transforming it into heat energy instead of transmitting it up the crutch shaft into our upper bodies. Reducing these negative ground impact forces will help mitigate overuse syndrome keeping us vertical into the future.

Ed carefully hand selects only the long straight grained Rosewood, rough-cuts it, boils it for hours before bending it into the old wooden forms where they dry for a least two weeks. This insures that they always hold their shape. Ed still uses the same forms that made the same crutches for all those Civil War soldiers. The only design change aside from the tips and hand grips and Rosewood is the 1" wide woven nylon strap inside the medical grade leather wrapped underarm hammock instead of the original long hair from the tail of a horse. During the Civil War the making of crutches joined the Industrial Revolution. This sophisticated Sling-top crutch was designed for wounded Northern officers.

The wood is shaped with a drawknife, painstakingly hand sanded then buffed out to a soft luster. Ed then hand rubs the wood to a bright durable oil finish. I have customers who have owned the same pair of Rosewood Sling-top crutches for over 30 years and have only had to replace the tips and sling-tops (we sell replacements for $125.00 pair).

Ed crafts this classic style wood crutch from hand selected Rosewood, Oak or Rock Maple.

Undearm Measuring Instructions

Order Form

Please allow Ed 6 to 8 weeks delivery time.

Item # 601 Price: $845.00 for Rock Maple or Oak per pair includes shipping
Item # 601R Price: $945.00 for Rosewood per pair includes shipping