Good Lord.

I understand the reasoning behind it, but as it has been pointed out by lazerman121 already.

The last thing we need is someone replicating this with a more power full laser.

Click to expand...

What if someone with a cheap 445nm laser decides this is a good idea? Plus whatever is used in defense can also be used in offense. What with other issues surrounding handhelds, do we need another option for stupidity. Laser dazzlers are legitimate defense tools, but only when safety and technical details have been issued.

CurtisOliver said:

I understand the reasoning behind it, but as it has been pointed out by lazerman121 already. What if someone with a cheap 445nm laser decides this is a good idea? Plus whatever is used in defense can also be used in offense. What with other issues surrounding handhelds, do we need another option for stupidity. Laser dazzlers are legitimate defense tools, but only when safety and technical details have been issued.

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A modified, say 2 watt laser with a highly divergent beam would be no more dangerous than a very bright flashlight of the same output and I've not heard of anyone using a flashlight in a defensive manner. To date how many reports have any of us heard of anyone using a laser in this fashion? 0 as far as I know. I suspect for most persons the idea, instruction, construction and it's implementation is not very practical. It would be much more practical to buy a flashlight or better yet a green led flashlight with strobe for the purpose. I have a laser, but I have no urge to make this when it's easier to buy a device for this purpose and even then I'm not motivated to do so.
Laser light is only dangerous because all of the energy is confined to a relatively narrow beam over a great distance.

Lasers are also a coherent light source so all the photons are travelling in the same direction, also you can focus a laser much more tightly than a normal light source. This means that your eye lens can too. Yes, a highly divergent beam would not be as dangerous as a collimated beam, but the point is that the individual who would go and do this from the video, would not have any expertise on laser safety. The brighter the dazzle the more effective the weapon. It wouldn't take much for them to realise that slightly diverging the beam is more effect than floodlighting. I do understand your points and where you are coming from. But it is a possibility that I don't want to risk taking.

Where I live this is a legal matter. And I quote
CONNECTICUT: Limitation on sale and use of laser pointers

Connecticut General Statutes 53-206e
Limitation on sale and use of laser pointer

(a) As used in this section, “laser pointer” means a hand-held device that emits a laser light beam and is designed to be used by the operator to indicate, mark or identify a specific position, place, item or object.

(b) No person shall sell, offer to sell, lease, give or otherwise provide a laser pointer to a person under eighteen years of age, except as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

(c) No person under eighteen years of age shall possess a laser pointer on school grounds or in any public place, except as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

(d) A person may temporarily transfer a laser pointer to a person under eighteen years of age for an educational or other lawful purpose provided the person to whom the laser pointer is temporarily transferred is under the direct supervision of a parent, legal guardian, teacher, employer or other responsible adult.

(e) No person shall shine, point or focus a laser pointer, directly or indirectly, upon or at another person in a manner that can reasonably be expected to cause harassment, annoyance or fear of injury to such other person.

(f) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall have committed an infraction.

I other words a felony
Ed

Well said. Want to give you a rep but can't.

Or better yet a handgun...

steve001 said:

A modified, say 2 watt laser with a highly divergent beam would be no more dangerous than a very bright flashlight of the same output and I've not heard of anyone using a flashlight in a defensive manner. To date how many reports have any of us heard of anyone using a laser in this fashion? 0 as far as I know. I suspect for most persons the idea, instruction, construction and it's implementation is not very practical. It would be much more practical to buy a flashlight or better yet a green led flashlight with strobe for the purpose. I have a laser, but I have no urge to make this when it's easier to buy a device for this purpose and even then I'm not motivated to do so.
Laser light is only dangerous because all of the energy is confined to a relatively narrow beam over a great distance.

Click to expand...

Antharak said:

Where I live this is a legal matter. And I quote
CONNECTICUT: Limitation on sale and use of laser pointers

Connecticut General Statutes 53-206e
Limitation on sale and use of laser pointer

(a) As used in this section, “laser pointer” means a hand-held device that emits a laser light beam and is designed to be used by the operator to indicate, mark or identify a specific position, place, item or object.

(b) No person shall sell, offer to sell, lease, give or otherwise provide a laser pointer to a person under eighteen years of age, except as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

(c) No person under eighteen years of age shall possess a laser pointer on school grounds or in any public place, except as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

(d) A person may temporarily transfer a laser pointer to a person under eighteen years of age for an educational or other lawful purpose provided the person to whom the laser pointer is temporarily transferred is under the direct supervision of a parent, legal guardian, teacher, employer or other responsible adult.

(e) No person shall shine, point or focus a laser pointer, directly or indirectly, upon or at another person in a manner that can reasonably be expected to cause harassment, annoyance or fear of injury to such other person.

(f) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall have committed an infraction.

I other words a felony
Ed

Click to expand...

If you are referring to (e) then you misunderstand it. It applies to normal circumstances of unlawful uses not when personal harm is eminent. Just as it is a federal offense to interfere with an aircraft by a laser it would not be an offense if you used it as a signal to be rescued

steve001 said:

If you are referring to (e) then you misunderstand it. It applies to normal circumstances of unlawful uses not when personal harm is eminent. Just as it is a federal offense to interfere with an aircraft by a laser it would not be an offense if you used it as a signal to be rescued

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I think you may be right Steve. I could not find a provision relating to the use of a laser in self defense.

steve001 said:

Let's keep things in perspective. He said he lives in an unsafe neighborhood. He's not suggesting at all this device should be pointed at anyone for any purpose other than for personal defense. Flashlights with strobe can be used for the same purpose and that's what he's done with this laser by putting an external lens that spreads the beam turning it into a flashlight.

If you had your laser with you one night or day and you were in a situation of personal eminent danger from someone else would you not use your laser as a defense tool with no option to run away?

There's no law that I can find prohibiting anyone from using a light producing device as a personal defense tool.

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I have to agree with this. I find it slightly worrying that we have a huge thread on this forum dedicated to Americans' God given right (as it were) to carry around assault rifles in public yet there's an outrage at this? Priorities people, priorities.

steve001 said:

Let's keep things in perspective. He said he lives in an unsafe neighborhood. He's not suggesting at all this device should be pointed at anyone for any purpose other than for personal defense. Flashlights with strobe can be used for the same purpose and that's what he's done with this laser by putting an external lens that spreads the beam turning it into a flashlight.

If you had your laser with you one night or day and you were in a situation of personal eminent danger from someone else would you not use your laser as a defense tool with no option to run away?

There's no law that I can find prohibiting anyone from using a light producing device as a personal defense tool.

Click to expand...

Blinding someone with a laser is a war crime, and he is using the invisible 808nm light, it's like filling a super soaker with battery acid to use for self defense, any jury would find you guilty of pre meditated intent to maim, a bright flashlight and a can of pepper spray would be the right way to go.

Blinding lasers will land you in prison, there are laws against doing that for any reason and pre meditated would be an aggravating factor.



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trencheel303 said:

I have to agree with this. I find it slightly worrying that we have a huge thread on this forum dedicated to Americans' God given right (as it were) to carry around assault rifles in public yet there's an outrage at this? Priorities people, priorities.

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You can see a man carrying a rifle, you can deter an attacker with a gun without firing, but an 808nm laser will focus through a human eyes lens and burn a small hole in a persons retina releasing blood from the brooks layer of veins behind the retina into the vicious humor, this will make sight impossible, as looking through maroon mud, then the retina will likely detach causing permeant blindness.

If the optic nerve gets hit instant and permeant blindness can occur.

The fovea is a tiny dimple with tightly packed nerves that give us all our detailed vision, it's a tiny spot, an 808nm laser could obliterate it faster than you can blink. 0.25 seconds

As 808nm is invisible an attacker has no warning to retreat, it would be interpreted by a jury as a cruel and malicious premeditated intent to surreptitiously maim.

Much like coating your door knob with cyanide to stop a burglar.

The rifle is like a big toothy dog on a leash, it's a deterrent that does not have to do damage to offer protection, simply brandishing it can protect you, use of an invisible blinding laser is a war crime.

Visible dazzler lasers are a huge risk as what stuns one person can permanently blind another, it's a matter of blood flow and eye health, the distance and energy calculation is critical, this is why American police don't use dazzler lasers, but swat team robots do.

Who mentioned an 808nm laser? The video shows a green.

The original video showed removing the crystal and I think him talking about the pump diode being stronger as well, but maybe it's been edited or possibly I misunderstood it. I could have imagined what I think I remember, but I know shining a laser at a persons eyes is very dumb and illegal.

Either way a bright flashlight will keep you out of trouble, shining any kind of laser at someones eyes will likely get you arrested.

You can try holding roadside court with the officer who gets called out and explaining how your taped lens laser is ok to temporally blind people, I can hear the cop now asking what your certification and training is, I will recommend strongly against shining any kind of laser at anyones face, get some pepper spray and a nice bright flashlight.


Here is another of his videos, at 0:35 it shows an IR model is coming soon.
This is a good way to get into trouble and inspire new legislation against laser pointers.

all i saw was a video of a guy putting a lens over a green pointer and turning it into what is essentially a very well focused green light. perhaps i'm losing the plot.

PLOT = POINTING LASER AT EYEBALLS

Put a lens on a laser all you want, focus, expand, have at it.

DO NOT POINT LASER AT EYEBALLS!!!

I just got off the phone with the desk sgt of my local PD, and he said that under no circumstances would it be legal to carry or be used by the general public. Modifying it, is what makes it illegal and any high powered laser would be considered a dangerous device.
So here in CT it's a felony to carry or use a modified laser pointer or a high power hand held for defense. One out of the box that could not cause permanent eye damage would be ok.

I believe this would be the case in most places.