Carl Levitian
member
One thing I have definatly noticed as I got older, was a very marked decrease in my manual dexterity. Things that I never even took note of before, give me trouble now. I hate to admit it, but I finally reached that age where I am reiring my trusty old Cross pen for a thicker barrel Pilot G2 with the rubber cushion grip. Making matters worse, I have to tell the guy at the drug store not to put my medications in a child proof bottle. Neither Karen or I can deal with them very easy.
I remember reading a few years back, where the Ford Motor company had some of their engineers dress up in heavy padded clothing, and wear thick goves and try to drive the cars and manipulate the controls. Ford was interested in making their cars more user friendly to older people. I think self defense tools need that same outlook after a certain age. Deny it all you want, but you will end up there one day.
Thinking abut the subject of defense, all this makes a huge difference in what we may use. The biggest changes in my life was between the age of 60 and 70. We try to keep in shape, diet and exercise, but time has a way of stealing what we are, no matter how many hours a week you spend on the home gym.
I used to carry one of those Mini mag two cell AAA's in a pocket for a koppo stick, something to wack a bad guy with if it was root hog or die. But I switched up to the regualr AA mini mag because it's easier to grip, and leaves a little more sticking out the end to spare my hand any impact.
Forget folding knives for defense. All those thumb studs and thumb holes, and gizmos won't help you in the small space of fractions of seconds you have. Old fingers get stiff, and it it's winter, you're going to have gloves on. You need something that can be grabbed, and put right into use. No delays, or fiddling with something to flip it open. This means a small fixed blade or a plain old fashioned screw driver. Or an innocent looking folder in a toss away plastic and duct tape sheath in a coat pocket. Getting old is time for being underhanded and sneaky. Like I said, your self defense tools need to be able to be used at he very first grab.
Forget those little pocket pepper spray things. Aside from being too small and not packing enough 'ammo', they are hard to manipulate the little safty that has to be turned. Karen went for the regular police size can to carry in her purse. easier to grab, and has range with a solid stream that's way better than the itty bitty cans they sell for ladies key chains. Not to mention lots of spray time in seconds, in case of multible assailants. When we go walking in the wood in any of the regional parks, we both carry the full size cans in a nylon police style sheath. Easy to get to, no digging in a pocket.
Cultivate the appearance of a walking stick in your life. It's surprising how fast people around you get used to seeing something new, then forget about it as it becomes part of the scenery. It's like a new hat; people will notice the first day, but after that, it's just your hat. With a cane. people may ask, and you can tell them it's an old back injury if you want. That way you don't have to fake a limp. After seeing you for a time or two with the cane, it just becomes part of your persona. Then they expect to see you with it.
Things change as we get older. We have to change with it. That may mean some new attitudes, and a little more calculating coldness of thought. An older person can't afford to give the bad guy a sliver of a chance.
Carl.
I remember reading a few years back, where the Ford Motor company had some of their engineers dress up in heavy padded clothing, and wear thick goves and try to drive the cars and manipulate the controls. Ford was interested in making their cars more user friendly to older people. I think self defense tools need that same outlook after a certain age. Deny it all you want, but you will end up there one day.
Thinking abut the subject of defense, all this makes a huge difference in what we may use. The biggest changes in my life was between the age of 60 and 70. We try to keep in shape, diet and exercise, but time has a way of stealing what we are, no matter how many hours a week you spend on the home gym.
I used to carry one of those Mini mag two cell AAA's in a pocket for a koppo stick, something to wack a bad guy with if it was root hog or die. But I switched up to the regualr AA mini mag because it's easier to grip, and leaves a little more sticking out the end to spare my hand any impact.
Forget folding knives for defense. All those thumb studs and thumb holes, and gizmos won't help you in the small space of fractions of seconds you have. Old fingers get stiff, and it it's winter, you're going to have gloves on. You need something that can be grabbed, and put right into use. No delays, or fiddling with something to flip it open. This means a small fixed blade or a plain old fashioned screw driver. Or an innocent looking folder in a toss away plastic and duct tape sheath in a coat pocket. Getting old is time for being underhanded and sneaky. Like I said, your self defense tools need to be able to be used at he very first grab.
Forget those little pocket pepper spray things. Aside from being too small and not packing enough 'ammo', they are hard to manipulate the little safty that has to be turned. Karen went for the regular police size can to carry in her purse. easier to grab, and has range with a solid stream that's way better than the itty bitty cans they sell for ladies key chains. Not to mention lots of spray time in seconds, in case of multible assailants. When we go walking in the wood in any of the regional parks, we both carry the full size cans in a nylon police style sheath. Easy to get to, no digging in a pocket.
Cultivate the appearance of a walking stick in your life. It's surprising how fast people around you get used to seeing something new, then forget about it as it becomes part of the scenery. It's like a new hat; people will notice the first day, but after that, it's just your hat. With a cane. people may ask, and you can tell them it's an old back injury if you want. That way you don't have to fake a limp. After seeing you for a time or two with the cane, it just becomes part of your persona. Then they expect to see you with it.
Things change as we get older. We have to change with it. That may mean some new attitudes, and a little more calculating coldness of thought. An older person can't afford to give the bad guy a sliver of a chance.
Carl.
