Budget-friendly, Improvised weapons/tools/devices

[OC-Trainer]

A quick search on THR showed no shortage of improvised weapon/tool/device threads over the years. Lots of good info in those, but I thought we might try something a little bit different. A budget improvised defensive tool thread with specifics (brand, model, style etc). A cheat sheet, if you will. Bang for the buck items that get the job done.

The "Big 5" - cane, flashlight, pen, padlock, umbrella are frequently recommended items when a defensive tool is needed for a restrictive environment; and rightly so. Each adds useful primary AND secondary functionality. That said, some will 'perform' better than others in that secondary (defensive) roll. So the more specific the better when giving your recommended item(s). Here's an example:

Let's say you wanted to go with the padlock/bandana combo for use on a college campus with a very restrictive weapons policy. I personally would recommend the Master Lock Speed Dial 1500. No key to lose, anti-shim, and most importantly, it can be used without looking at it. Great for low/no light situations and because it can be used by feel, it enables you to remain more alert and aware of your surroundings while using it. Increased situational awareness is always a good thing in my book. Another quick example - A stainless steel Klean Kanteen (with a nice handle) is going to open a coconut much better than a plastic Nalgene... just saying. So when you are in the market for a new bottle, pick the one that will let you hit a home run, if need be, and not a single.

Only guidelines for this exercise:

• Must be budget-friendly - under $50 seems about right

• Must have a utilitarian use - This is essential

• The item's use/necessity must be plausible, considering both you and your environment.

A word about availability - A recommendation that is easily acquired and/or available is also a plus (but not essential). Even though it has never been easier to order something online, with today's shipping logistics - where 2-day shipping is the norm - there still is something to be said about being able to pick something up locally or immediately. Just in case grandma borrowed your one-of-kind tactical flashlight and you now need to stop and pick up another on the way to the airport.

So, what are you go-to items?

 

[JShirley]

Actually, any flexible plastic water carrier that fits your hand well, if full, can easily transmit enough force to knock an attacker unconscious. A cheap $.60 16 oz water bottle works great

 

[jmr40]

I taught for 30 years, most of them in Industrial Arts. I always figured if we had a school shooting I'd issue "tools" to all of the kids. Anyone who got through the door with a firearm would be bombarded with hammers, circular saw blades, files, and wrenches. Better than hiding in a closet.

 

[OC-Trainer]

Actually, any flexible plastic water carrier that fits your hand well, if full, can easily transmit enough force to knock an attacker unconscious. A cheap $.60 16 oz water bottle works great

Very true. If I'm given the choice though, I'd take the SS bottle. For the times I don't get a clean shot to the head or if I need to strike another part of the body. Smashing the knee or breaking a forearm would be a lot easier with metal on bone.

 

[hso]

OC-Trainer,

It may be that we intuitively think a metal container is sturdier than plastic, but that "metal" is thin and offers little structural strength benefit. As long as you have a completely full container and a good grip you're hitting with about a pound per pint of incompressible package. The key is in making sure the container is fully filled to remove air space and try to get as close to a liter as you can. I think John may have, but I've tested metal vs. plastic containers and saw little difference in impact.

All that said, I find most of the steel bottles to have better grip than the poly bottles so there is that to recommend them.

 

[OC-Trainer]

Thanks, hso. I definitely respect and appreciate the knowledge and experience that both you and John bring to the table. That is one of the great things about forums and threads, we can all share our experiences and bounce ideas off of one another to further educate and fine tune our strategies.

For me, I guess it depends on what type of plastic. Lexan is not going to feel too good, but there is no way (if given a choice) I'm choosing a PET plastic 16oz (Poland Spring) water bottle over a double walled stainless version for our purposes here.

I'm certainly not the last word on this subject, and for whatever it's worth, steel and glass bottles are both banned from many of the courthouses that I've been too. The Poland Spring style go through without a second glance.

 

[rcmodel]

Never know when you will need a replacement hickory ax handle.
Keep one by the door in case you break your ax handle!

http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-36-in-Axe-Replacement-Handle-2036700/100605578


Or when you might need a Philum to dig weeds in the yard.

http://www.amazon.ca/Ames-Tools-1941600-Handled-Dandelion/dp/B00004S1Z5
I keep one by my garage door in case I spot a weed.


Then there is always the basic $7.95 Chinese 18" Machete that will do for one-time use.


rc

 

[blindhari]

Long ago where I grew up in the country, about 1960, a petite young lady was accosted by two gentlemen as she was walking home from the school bus stop. She was all of 5' 3" tall and put both of them into the hospital. In doing so she destroyed an Arthur Ashe tennis racquet. This racquet was wood frame with gut strings. I know of nowhere a tennis racquet has been listed as a weapon and therefore illegal to carry. Her father gave her the racquet and taught her how to use it. Her father was a career Marine. Neither the young lady or her father played tennis.

Tennis and squash racquets are now made of metal with metal strings. They are legal everywhere. There are over 3000 listed on EBAY between $30 and $50. Light weight, devastating impact, maybe a little weird but legal any where, (even on planes and public transport), Legal in non weapon areas. I sometimes wonder why no one else carries one as base equipment in a vehicles emergency kit.

blindhari

ps I have never had to use a tennis racquet to stop a person, but you had to be there to see what it can do to a pit bull

 

[Drail]

Get a stockman's cane from any farm supply store. 1 1/8th inch solid hickory hardwood. Used for herding steers. They are almost indestructible and you can take it anywhere - airliner, courthouse - anywhere.

 

[Hunter-Gatherer]

I carry this with me pretty much everywhere I go.
Easy to conceal, great to write with. Under $40 at Amazon.

 

[JShirley]

For me, I guess it depends on what type of plastic. Lexan is not going to feel too good, but there is no way (if given a choice) I'm choosing a PET plastic 16oz (Poland Spring) water bottle over a double walled stainless version for our purposes here.

Let's test it. I do know a standard cheap store-brand plastic full water bottle can be used to hit a chunk of firewood hard enough to knock it for several feet. I am certain that a thin metal container full of water will significantly deform if it strikes the same hard object with similar force~ and I believe the metal will also transmit more shock to the wielder. How do we test this?

M had several metal water bottles, so I am willing to donate one or two to the cause.

When I did my budget tactical pen review a couple of years ago, I wrapped a coffee can with a layer of cardboard, topped with flannel. I then put the can on a 4 foot stick, and stuck it in a planter filled with dirt. My intent was to try to replicate striking something that would move like a limb after contact.

John

 

[OC-Trainer]

@jrm40 @Hunter-Gatherer
great stuff, thanks!

@rcmodel
I never knew what the Philum was called. Learned something new, thanks

@blindhari
I always wondered why more folks didn't carry this type of sports equipment in this context. These have the potential to be devastating, indeed.

@drail
Perfect example. I know that Cane masters is a popular recommendation in this category, but one doesn't need to spend a ton on a formidable cane. The stockman's cane is the perfect example of that. Way better than a drugstore cane, but without the high price tag of some others.

 

[OC-Trainer]

Let's test it.

John

I'm not exactly sure how you would test it. I know if it is me, and someone says that they were going to strike me as hard as they can in a boney part of my body, and I'd have a choice between being hit with this:
or this

I'm choosing being struck with the plastic bottle.

That's just one type of scenario. What if the bottles are both empty? Which one would cause more pain? Once empty, which one would be more formidable if turned upside down and now used with a hammer fist?

or

What if I'm carrying this one-

With the square edges to concentrate the force and big handle to really choke up on.

I guess there are too many variables.

 

[maxxhavoc]

Tactical flashlights are bright, small and efficient. A 4D Maglight is none of those things, and is a highly effective club.

A longneck soda bottle is surprisingly durable and easy to grasp. If it breaks, it is even more useful. And it comes with Mountain Dew in it.

A roll of quarters can be very useful, and you can always get a 100% return on investment if you don't like it.

 

[JShirley]

I honestly think the typical empty metal water bottle is not going to carry much impact, though of course it will carry more than an empty thin plastic one. A further problem is that at least some of the metal water bottles are too thick to really get a good grip on.

 

[JShirley]

A longneck soda bottle is surprisingly durable and easy to grasp. If it breaks, it is even more useful. And it comes with Mountain Dew in it.

Maxx, I'm going to strongly disagree about the defensive potential of a glass bottle.

It's a horrible idea. The defender risks inflicting a serious or even deadly cut on himself. Any potential defensive utility from the sharp glass is more than outweighed by the risk to the user.

John

 

[M-Cameron]

a standard phillips head screwdriver is pretty innocuous and would largely go unnoticed in most places without tight security.....yet would make one hell of a shank if you ever needed to defend yourself.

 

[glistam]

I'm all for testing, and will gladly lend what expertise/resources I have. The key is consistency, and reproducible methods and measurements.

A starting point for designing a potential impact test is what they did on Mythbusters, where they examined if an empty glass bottle causes more or less damage than a full bottle when used as a blunt-force weapon, specifically a horizontal circular strike to the head. It should be noted that they wore kevlar gloves when doing this because the bottles often would break in the hand, which is why this is not a recommended defensive solution. Long story short, the full bottle wins. Something they did that makes a lot of sense is automating the striking arm so that the force thrown would be consistent. This may seem daunting at first glance, but actually one could use an inexpensive pendulum system to do this.
They also used force gauges to determine the force of impact, but I'm not sure how affordable those are. Maybe one could use displacement of a heavy object along a scale?

 

[OC-Trainer]

Regarding the Maglite: Although the Mini Mags make excellent small impact tools, I prefer pocket size lights with push button on/off.

One I really like though is the Maglite 3-Cell LED. Perfect for walking the dog at night. I can come up with all sorts of ways to use that in a defensive situation. 100+ lumens isn't too shabby either. Nice tool for $27.

 

[M-Cameron]

This may seem daunting at first glance, but actually one could use an inexpensive pendulum system to do this.

a couple 2x4s, a hinge, and some bungie cords should be all you need to rig up a fairly repeatable testing platform

 

[OC-Trainer]

I'm all for testing, and will gladly lend what expertise/resources I have. The key is consistency, and reproducible methods and measurements.

A starting point for designing a potential impact test is what they did on Mythbusters, where they examined if an empty glass bottle causes more or less damage than a full bottle when used as a blunt-force weapon, specifically a horizontal circular strike to the head. It should be noted that they wore kevlar gloves when doing this because the bottles often would break in the hand, which is why this is not a recommended defensive solution. Long story short, the full bottle wins. Something they did that makes a lot of sense is automating the striking arm so that the force thrown would be consistent. This may seem daunting at first glance, but actually one could use an inexpensive pendulum system to do this.
They also used force gauges to determine the force of impact, but I'm not sure how affordable those are. Maybe one could use displacement of a heavy object along a scale?

Awesome, glistam. You're definitely the man for the job. The test that I think would be the most realistic are the one's I don't think we'll be able to do (with a clear conscience or legally, anyway)...and they would probably be far from scientific.

Take the "wasp spray as a replacement for OC spray" myth. Even though Sabre addressed it in print many, many times. It wasn't until they produced this video that people actually started to listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Uy9MnQfk_0

How in the world they actually found someone to volunteer to be sprayed with poison is beyond me.

 

[C0untZer0]

Muggers and rapists for years have used flathead screwdrivers as their weapon

 

[glistam]

On the general topic, I have one: the bandanna
Besides being general useful as clothing or carrying stuff (I'm a fan of the furoshiki tradition to cut down on waste), you can fold various small, dense objects into it, and then you have a sap. The unaltered and unweighted bandanna can also be used as a weapon by itself. FMA has a few traditions of using textiles as a grappling aid or blinding/distraction tool, described in the book Birang Silat and James Keating's Fighting Bandanna series, which have never seen but would be interested to know about. I've not used a bandana per se in combat, but I have used a small gym towel to snap an assailant in the face, which not only distracted against the follow-up kicks, but left a large V-shaped purple bruise on this cheek.

 

[AlfonsDeWolf]

Shingle hammers aren't illegal yet....yet

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...b2-9f36-5c3a-9b41-fb42c20792bd&pf_rd_i=553212

 

[OC-Trainer]

+1 on the bandana. I also like the shemagh in that same roll.

Regarding the pens: John had a great pen review linked above. Here are few more options that are probably available locally to just about everyone.

or

If you wanted something blunt, there's this popular option:


And one of my personal favorites -


All can be had for around the $10 mark and below