[Vicious-Peanut]

Hey everyone. I commute to school in a not-so-great part of town and while they have police roaming everywhere and security guards, I would like to have a little protection myself. I am not 21, and even if I was the school is one of those beloved "no firearms zones." So, I came a cross a shoto (short bokken) that would fit perfectly under the seat in my truck. Anyone know how legal these are in Texas, and how effective they are? I figure a solid hit could very possibly break a bone, but I am not sure.

Also, where could I buy one actually intended for heavy use, such as combat?

[Vonderek]

Not really knowledgeable about bokkens but if you want a impact weapon why not just keep a baseball bat in your truck? If you ever got pulled over it wouldn't arouse suspicion like a martial arts weapon would. Just say you play softball.

[Kingcreek]

if you want a impact weapon why not just keep a baseball bat in your truck?
If you do, I suggest you also include a glove and ball.

[JShirley]

Field hockey stick, too...

[CWL]

This is a parrying and thrusting item and not meant for effective striking (baton). Most of the weight is towards the back and not at the tapered tip. Unless you know how to use one, I would not advise it for use as an impromptu weapon.

[seeker_two]

Why not a wrench, hammer, or tire tool?.... :scrutiny:

[Vicious-Peanut]

Because they arent as cool. I suppose the bat and glove are the best idea.

[Spinner]

The problem I see with all of the weapons mentioned is how are you going to use them?

All of the weapons mentioned (shoto, baseball bat, hockey stick, tyre iron, etc) are too long or unwieldy to be used while you're in your car, they're too long, bulky and unwieldy to conceal or otherwise carry on your person so basically they're going to have to stay in the car. So let's say you're accosted in a carpark on your way to your car ... you are without a weapon. If you get away and run to your car you can jump in the car and leave, or retrieve a weapon from the car and return to beat the living snot out of your attacker .... only now you can't claim self-defense ... you've suddenly become the aggressor seeking retribution for a previous attack.

I can't honestly see a practical use for any of these weapons without you ending up in a load of hot water.

Spinner

[CWL]

Spinner, any of the items you described can be used as thrusting weapons into the face of anyone trying reach into or trying to pull you out of a car. They can also be brought down to smash the small bones of someone's hands or be used as leverage devices for control techniques.

While I don't think it makes a practical and intuitive weapon for anyone not trained in weapons martial arts, I would use a shoto's point to punch every nerve cluster in an aggressors upper body as well as eyes, temple, nose, throat etc. I could also use the shoto's butt to do smashing strikes to disable a person's joints, fingers, top of head, face, collar bone, etc.

It really comes down to whether you know what you are doing.

[Harley Quinn]

Buy a nice cane and use it. They are legal and Canemasters makes some cool ones.

http://www.canemasters.com/

HQ

[Spinner]

CWL, I take your point that you can use these things as thrusting weapons, but you have to deploy them from under the seat of the car and a shoto is what 2.5-3 feet in length .... that's gonna be awkward getting that out from under the seat in a hurry ... unless you're standing outside the car.

All of the weapons mentioned can be very effective for self defense, but you're not going to be carrying them on you. The exception to this is the cane ... you can carry quite an effective self defense weapon with it hidden in plain sight. Having said that though, you have to put up with having to carry a cane everywhere and they can be a total PITA to cart around.

Personally I'd be getting myself a kubaton and working on situational awareness and trouble avoidance.

YMMV

Spinner

[JShirley]

A more realistic choice would be one of the new 3 AA MiniMag Lites. A shoto averages 20" blade length, so you would never find a 36" OAL one.

[Steel Talon]

Two different sized Cresent wrenches D-ringed/wired together . non-conspicous tools used for your truck ( "keeps tools organized" in your tool box). Wicked nunchaku type striker... Difficult to show intent.

Peace
ST~

[coelacanth]

We have so many really creative minds like Steel Talon wandering around you can learn something cool and useful most every day!:D "Why heck officer, this old zip tie is how I keep my wrenches from gettin' scattered all under the truck seat."

[hso]

Let's look at this logically instead of trying to be "cool".

VP, tell us what scenarios you envision where you'd be employing such a weapon?

If you're in the car, the car is the weapon. Keep the windows rolled up and the doors locked. Keep a maneuver distance between you and the vehicle in front of you so you can pull around or drive over the curb when stopped.

If out of the car what good will they do for you if they are in the car? Spinner has already pointed out if you're not carrying it and you go to the car to retrieve a weapon instead of driving off you're the aggressor, and an idget for wading back into a fight to boot.

So what situation would you be in that you'd be in the car and need a weapon?

[jahwarrior]

get a cricket bat. those things pack as much punch as a baseball bat, with the added bonus of having a narrow edge, like a hockey stick.

[Vicious-Peanut]

hso, the main scenario I can envision is I am putting my bag in my truck and am about to step in when someone walks up and demands blah blah blah. I would be standing outside my truck and could just easily grab something hidden under my seat.

[hso]

You can address that by maintaining good awareness of your surroundings and taking precautions as you approach your vehicle.

You can also get a long handled socket wrench/breaker bar (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_375812_375812) with a socket to fit your lug nuts and keep it tucked on the floor board beside your driver seat. Anything under your seat might as well be chained to the floor.

[frank23185]

4 D cell Maglight. 'nuff said.

[Joe Demko]

Take a walk down the tool aisle in any good department or hardware store. You'll see all kinds of things that are useful to have in your vehicle in case of emergency. The real beauty of it is that they can actually be used to make a repair on your vehicle. Martial arts weapons, sports implements and such aren't as versatile. How many of you actually play cricket?

[CZ.22]

Cricket beats the hec out of baseball- to play. It's a bore to watch. Specially fun to play when you're using a wooden sword as a bat.
How bout a "Lucky Charm?" Thong tied to heavy, but decorative weight (cross, crucifix, Thor's Hammer, crescent, Star of David, whatever floats your boat) Bam one blow to the nuts and the guy is gonna be eating his stomach. To the face and he's dead.

[Jim Watson]

Doesn't matter what you call it or what it said on the box when you bought it, if you whack somebody with it, it is a WEAPON and you will be investigated to see if you were justified.

[hso]

Bam one blow to the nuts and the guy is gonna be eating his stomach. To the face and he's dead.

Woah, reality check. First off, not everyone reacts the same way to a strike to the groin and connecting with anything short of a bat or a shin is iffy. Second even a heavy object to the face does not always knock anyone out, much less kill them. I see industrial accident reports and pictures day after day that deny these two statements.

[Autolycus]

As said its going to be hard to use when in your car. It is also useless when it is in your car and your not.

I would suggest a good knife, a cell phone, and staying alert to what is going on around you.