Carabiner knuckle duster

[Fosbery]

I bought myself a carabiner the other day. I needed something to attach all my stuff too and I'd heard they make good improvised knuckle dusters.

I wanted a steel one but the only steel ones were too big and had these twirly lock things which I thought looked too 'evil' and might get called a weapon.

So I got an aluminium one. I know it's not ideal but I'm thinking that if I need to use it enough times for it to break, I'm screwed anyway.

Problem is, the hinged door thing is getting in the way. If I hold it with the hinged section facing the target, it will open in on my fingers, probably breaking one of them at the knuckle.

If I hold the hinged section in my fist, then my hand presses it into the back of my fingers when I strike. I'm reluctant to take a proper swing at something substantial in case it breaks my fingers. From 'light' testing I don't think it will break my fingers. I think it just tilts a bit but I'm not super keen on testing it

Any idea on grips or non-evil looking modifications I could make to make it safe to use? I can certainly use it for downward strikes, like a kubaton, but I'd like the versatility to punch with it as well.

 

[Rupestris]

Take a look at some of the locking carabiners.

http://www.mrcarabiner.com/gear_shop/Carabiners--Locking-.html

Sounds like the difference in price could also buy you a little peace of mind.

 

[Tim Burke]

I never thought carabiners made very good improvised brass knuckles. And if you modify them to improve their utility for that, then I'd expect the law to treat them as brass knuckles, which are illegal in some jurisdictions.

 

[.38 Special]

You should buy a rope to go along with the carabiner. Then you can tell police you have a carabiner because you're a climber, and prove it by showing him the rope. Which can also be used to strangle people. You know, when the SHTF.

Also, you might want to look into ice axes and crampons.

LMAO.

 

[kahr404life]

Good idea!

 

[Pax Jordana]

Screw locks like this?

They're for the express purpose of keeping the gate from opening under load. And, you know, breaking your knuckles.

problem solved, right?

You could still use the un-locked one you have for hammerfists..

hey, just be glad your hand fits in one, mine are too fat to go inside a 'standard' climbing carabiner. And they ARE handy for holding your keys.

 

[Fosbery]

My hand only JUST fits. It's quite uncomfortable but it's better than getting stabbed to death I suppose.

I might try and find a standard size, better priced locking one but I can just see a police officer suspicously inspecting the lock and asking me why I need it to lock if it's just for holding keys...

 

[Joe Demko]

They can be used as field-expedient knuckle dusters. That doesn't mean they are actually really good for the purpose. Further, cops and bouncers and such are well acquainted with the use of carabiners for mayhem. In many venues you will find yourself relieved of it or denied entry and turned away if is spotted or wanded.

 

[carterbeauford]

I use a Climb High brand carabiner as a keychain, it's huge. Unless you have massive hands it should fit you.

 

[DragonRider]

I have one on my bag, so that it can use it with the strap to hang it on the tree sir. Thats why the 550 cord is daisy chained, it just happened to become a mace.

 

[hso]

I might try and find a standard size, better priced locking one but I can just see a police officer suspicously inspecting the lock and asking me why I need it to lock if it's just for holding keys...

"No, officer, don't climb any more, but I carried this one for years and I keep it to remind me of the good old days."

Stuff the thing in a bag of sand and kick it around a while to give it some character and call it used or just go buy some used kit and carry the biner.

 

[Zero_DgZ]

You can keep the carabiner. I think I could hurt somebody a lot more with one of my descenders.

I have enough climbing junk in the trunk of my car that I could probably get away with it anyway.But if you're going to get a carabiner to hold your keys with as well as act as a makeshift knuckle duster, get one of the "quick lock" ones, instead of one of the "screw lock" ones. It will annoy you a lot less when you go to actually use the thing as a key clip, and it still won't open up into your knuckles unless you're both A) Thor, and B) punching a brick wall.

If anybody hassles you for it, remind them that we live in a free country (probably a bad plan these days) or point out that if you carry your keys everywhere and do anything remotely physical and/or remove them to use them a lot the little springy thing in the 'fake' carabiners wears out fast and the pawl tends to get all chewed up so it doesn't hold shut anymore.

Me, I busted the pawl out of two 'not for climbing' keychain carabiners in as many months before I started using a real one. Just tugged it hard enough to pop it out of where it belonged and there went my keys...

 

[Fosbery]

Thanks. Got a link to one of these 'quick lock' ones? I'm not sure what to look for.

You may live in a free country (I assume you're American) but I'm afraid I don't

You can get nicked for absolutey anything these days.

 

[Zero_DgZ]

Linkage.

Here it's called an "auto locking" carabiner. They all work the same way: "normal" carabiners have a nut that rides on a threaded portion of the pawl (that's the hinged part) that you can tighten usually five or six turns and it locks the whole affair shut by riding up on its threads so it physically covers and blocks the junction where the thing closes.

The twist locking or auto locking carabiners don't have the nut riding on the threaded thing; Rather, the 'nut' is spring loaded and has a notch cut out in it. It locks the pawl shut by way of rotating 90 degrees so that the notch doesn't line up with the flat hook (don't know if it has a name) that the pawl locks against.

So instead of unscrewing the thing five or six revolutions you just twist it 90 degrees and you can open the carabiner. As soon as you let go its spring tension locks it shut again.

I don't know if that explanation makes any sense, but that's the best I can come up with right now.

 

[Boats]

Were I unfortunate enough to live in the UK, I'd commission Mr. Folts for some of his milled titanium chopsticks.

1 ounce and nine inches of useable penetration. In extremis one to the neck, face, chest, or groin ought to dissuade just about anyone.

Carry some take out receipts in your pockets.

 

[Skofnung]

If it is uncomfortable when gripped, and it fits tight on your hand, you are quite likley to break a digit when you use it. You need finger clearance.

I like Boats' chopstick idea.

 

[Fosbery]

Sorry Boats, those chopsticks look way too much like some kind of martial arts spike to me so they will do to the police and therefore they would get me put in jail. Yep, you read right: chopsticks in public mean prison across the pond

 

[Boom-stick]

Fosbery,

Halfords are selling key-chain screw drivers at the moment that, when held, offer a passing resemblance to a comtech stinger, all for the grand sum of
79p. Everyone is getting them as stocking fillers this year

 

[Zero_DgZ]

Might one to rethink that. I just fielded a thread on Totse where a man was arrested in the UK for carrying a single screwdriver, doing nothing else illegal, and at the "suspicious" hour of 9 AM on his way to work...

 

[Coronach]

I think you're worrying too much about carabiners, at least in every place I have been. I use one as a keychain. I carry it on airplanes.

No problems thus far. In truth, I bought it for convenience (it holds keys, it clips to things), but I did note that my hand slipped right inside and that it would really suck to get punched in the face with one...

Mike