Officers'Wife
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I humbly suggest a mix of Philippine stick fighting techniques and Euro sword - namely the foil. The mix of strike and lunge, especially with a cane intuitively looks quite effective.
Budget-friendly, Improvised weapons/tools/devices
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I humbly suggest a mix of Philippine stick fighting techniques and Euro sword - namely the foil. The mix of strike and lunge, especially with a cane intuitively looks quite effective.
OP
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Thanks for the tip! Appreciate it. I don't know much about Euro sword techniques, did some light reading on Bartitsu, not sure if it is something similar to what you are referring to, though.
Instinctively, humans like to pick things up and swing or throw them. About as primal as it gets. Those things cross over well for the cane and umbrella. Of course, there are times when you can't swing - close-quarters, someone grabs the cane etc. That's where I feel the techniques below can be very beneficial; particularly the upward jab.
http://www.spanglefish.com/moderncombativesgroup/news.asp?intent=viewstory&newsid=16412
Thanks again for the recommendation. I'll definitely look into them.
Officers'Wife
Member
The foil is a thrusting weapon, to me the main strength of the baton is not as a club but as a straight on thrust to fleshy area. Consider a full force thrust of a baton to say the stomach with the attackers entire weight behind it.
OW,
Not sure how much Escrima you've seen, but it includes thrusts as well as strikes and is as complete a stick system as available to us. I studied FMA as well as fencing and western combative sword and it was enjoyable to find a lot of compatible and complementary material in all three.
Not sure how much Escrima you've seen, but it includes thrusts as well as strikes and is as complete a stick system as available to us. I studied FMA as well as fencing and western combative sword and it was enjoyable to find a lot of compatible and complementary material in all three.
entropy
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The mind is the weapon. And it is (or should be) free. Everything else is just tools.
OP
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Agreed. That's why we are collectively putting our minds together to help select the best tools for the job. It's all part of preparedness to go along with the weapon of opportunity mindset. 
Tools do need to be stored in context.
I was stopped at the age of 20 and the officer searched my car. it was at a time when there was some debate over it and there had been a recent SC decision on it.
Regardless, I had a 16" flat tip screwdriver between the seat and tunnel for self defense there. And it was because other drivers have been aggressive about me being on the road. The officer explained the stop was because I was driving a similar car - red 66 Mustang convertible with white top - who's owner was a known bad boy and getting official attention whenever possible.
I was asked to put the screwdriver in the trunk. I did and we went our separate ways. Two things held out for me, 1) the cars had hubcaps then and I was having trouble with them, I explained (because they were falling off at the cornering speeds I was getting up to,) and 2) I had my tool box in the trunk.
For all the implements of destruction you might want to carry expediently, you need a plausible reason. I'm not carrying pink workout weights or tacticool water bottles around all day. Most of us won't. But we can carry other items for their specific purpose, knowing they also have an alternate ability.
The OP started this with "improvised," not "tacticool," of which there are hundreds of items for the 5.11 dress up set who need to have Brands blazoned all over their gear for all and sundry to see. Point being not all of us are range warriors strutting around at work like turkeys on display. Some of us aren't playing those games - for whatever reason we prefer the grey man game and not telegraphing our (lack of) skills to the world. So we choose ordinary, commodity items - that can be extremely disabling or even lethal under the correct use. Things that are not considered lethal by design or intent.
Like, the jack handle two steps behind the counter at work. Or the 1/2" drive breaker bar out in the tool aisle. Carb cleaner spray in the chemical aisle. A jug of antifreeze two steps to one side. Metal cans of fuel additive which can be used as blunt weapons. Ink pens in my pocket.
We are surrounded by weapons right where we work, the point of the thread (I thought) was to recognize them for their alternate use in extremis. We wouldn't have any issue coming up with half a dozen if the scenario was a bar - bottles, mugs, stools, pool cues, etc all leap to mind.
What do you have within arms reach that you can use? Even a librarian has at hand materials. One tightly rolled up magazine and they can go full tilt Jason Bourne on some poor patron two days late paying their fines.
Pink weights? Ok, valid if and only if you're at your favorite gym. Nobody really plans to go grocery shopping with one in their pocket, I hope.
What else do you have within eyesight?
I was stopped at the age of 20 and the officer searched my car. it was at a time when there was some debate over it and there had been a recent SC decision on it.
Regardless, I had a 16" flat tip screwdriver between the seat and tunnel for self defense there. And it was because other drivers have been aggressive about me being on the road. The officer explained the stop was because I was driving a similar car - red 66 Mustang convertible with white top - who's owner was a known bad boy and getting official attention whenever possible.
I was asked to put the screwdriver in the trunk. I did and we went our separate ways. Two things held out for me, 1) the cars had hubcaps then and I was having trouble with them, I explained (because they were falling off at the cornering speeds I was getting up to,) and 2) I had my tool box in the trunk.
For all the implements of destruction you might want to carry expediently, you need a plausible reason. I'm not carrying pink workout weights or tacticool water bottles around all day. Most of us won't. But we can carry other items for their specific purpose, knowing they also have an alternate ability.
The OP started this with "improvised," not "tacticool," of which there are hundreds of items for the 5.11 dress up set who need to have Brands blazoned all over their gear for all and sundry to see. Point being not all of us are range warriors strutting around at work like turkeys on display. Some of us aren't playing those games - for whatever reason we prefer the grey man game and not telegraphing our (lack of) skills to the world. So we choose ordinary, commodity items - that can be extremely disabling or even lethal under the correct use. Things that are not considered lethal by design or intent.
Like, the jack handle two steps behind the counter at work. Or the 1/2" drive breaker bar out in the tool aisle. Carb cleaner spray in the chemical aisle. A jug of antifreeze two steps to one side. Metal cans of fuel additive which can be used as blunt weapons. Ink pens in my pocket.
We are surrounded by weapons right where we work, the point of the thread (I thought) was to recognize them for their alternate use in extremis. We wouldn't have any issue coming up with half a dozen if the scenario was a bar - bottles, mugs, stools, pool cues, etc all leap to mind.
What do you have within arms reach that you can use? Even a librarian has at hand materials. One tightly rolled up magazine and they can go full tilt Jason Bourne on some poor patron two days late paying their fines.
Pink weights? Ok, valid if and only if you're at your favorite gym. Nobody really plans to go grocery shopping with one in their pocket, I hope.
What else do you have within eyesight?
OP
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You made me laugh with this description. I've also heard this described as the "5.11 Tuxedo"
Perhaps the most well known version of this concept is the "Millwall Brick"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millwall_brick
I'd say the best known version these days is the tightly rolled magazine thanks to TV and movies. The old Millwall Brick is sorta last century. I quit carrying magazines with me flying, but there's always one in the seat pocket in every row.
I quit carrying magazines with me flying, but there's always one in the seat pocket in every row.
OP
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Lol...Very true!
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I really like the "flash & smash" concept of using a palm-sized flashlight for defensive purposes. Although Surefire (G2) is my go-to, it is just beyond the price range for this thread.
How about this one by Streamlight:
http://www.opticsplanet.com/streamlight-protac-2l-tactical-light-with-white-led.html
It checks all of the boxes and doesn't have a 'DNA sampler,' which I personally try to avoid. I'm all about low-key.
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