Wednesday's Random Slang-o-rama: Sharp stick

When I bumped up against "sharp stick" in Americanisms, Old and New by John Stephen Farmer, my first thought was the phrase: "It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick."

But, of course, that is too literal to be a slang term.

Any guesses as to what this might have meant in casual conversation in times of old (i.e., 19th century)?
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Well, guess no more! To say "He's after him with a sharp stick" means someone is determined to have satisfaction or revenge.

That's no stick, but it *is* sharp. [The Peoples' Revenge by Leopoldo Mendez, 1943. National Gallery of Art]