Sorry about the spammish, folks, but this does pertain
to a fanfic I'm writing, so I hope ya don't mind. n.n;;

Natsumi, the older of the two 'Tendo' girls from the
Ranma 1/2 OAV 'Akane and her Sisters' uses an odd sort
of staff in combat.  Scriviner described it as looking
like a rugbeater, which it ain't.

Anyone know what that thing is supposed to be?

Uhmmm.... well... Zen would like to know how you know that it *isn't* a rug
beater... Zen has gone through the film manga for that particular OVA and,
it sure as hell looks like a traditional japanese rug beater to Zen.

The grip at the base of the shaft is cloth wrapped, and there are three
loops that look something like a pretzel with an elongated centre loop...
it looks *exactly* like the sort of thing that Zen has seen used to beat
futons during spring cleaning to swack out the dust.

-rpm

Verdict:  It's a rug beater.

Zen no Itan-sha