I am curious: has anyone here ever made appearing or vanishing canes? What type of material did you use? What problems did you run into? How did you make them? I would love to hear anything anyone would like to share about this...if anyone has even made any before...

They are inexpensive enough and available in enough colors that you shouldn't need to make one. I would think it would be pretty difficult, though.

Amos McCormick

Other than toying around with adding machine tape rolls as a kid, not really-Like amosmc says, they are not too costly. Not so much that they are hard to make, but the set up makes the return not so good. If metal, then the shop tools and the spring sheet stock can get costly- and the finishing of the edges in improtant. I managed to put a number of shallow cuts into my palm while absentmindedly fiddling with my nice German metal cane- very springy- and cut metal edges!
Fantasio items are nice, light, good price, and pretty darned safe from sharp edges!
Kay