Do you carry your laser as self defense at night?

You guys sound like you live in some pretty crazy places. Once, when I was out at night, a dog barked at me. Then a police officer rolled up to ask if I was okay. I could probably carry a candy cane for self defense.

Kyosama66 said:

You guys sound like you live in some pretty crazy places. Once, when I was out at night, a dog barked at me. Then a police officer rolled up to ask if I was okay. I could probably carry a candy cane for self defense.

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I don't know, I got in a fight over a Payday candy bar with a big gray squirrel in Colorado Springs, the frigging squirrel got half of it. He did scare the hell out of me.

Pepper spray is much better than a silly laser. You can't guarantee hitting their eyes in a split second self defense situation with a laser. Pepper spray is guaranteed to blind them if you can get the spray off. Then you can get away or kick the living shit out of them as they are defenseless. Id even take Pepper spray over a knife in almost all situation. Why risk hand to hand combat with a guy who might be tougher than you and take that weapon away and use it on you? Id rather spray him and take control that way. Then again, this is all assuming they dont surprise you with a gun. It seems like most car jackings or robberies they usually have a gun on you.

BShanahan14rulz said:

Aurora Firesteel Firestarter < typical flint firestarter, more compact option

TiSurvival Titanium Fire Piston Fire Starter w/ Random Heat Anodized Finish - Blade HQ
This is just nifty. Still not entirely sure how it works, but it looks like you could run over it with a tank and still use it afterwards.


Say, anybody know where to find those handwarmers that you snap the little metal disk inside and it starts the precipitate reaction? I heard those are reusable, and was thinking about getting some. I think you just have to boil them clear.

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I was just about to suggest a firesteel but you beat me to it. I don't ever really use mine for anything useful, just like spraying orange sparks.

Regarding the fire piston, the way it was explained to me is that it works like a deisel engine. Rapidly increased pressure generating heat. Or something like that. The fellow on the programme had a really big one (roughly the length of his forearm) with a perspex tube and with cotton wool it let off quite a blast. It was a documentary about explosives, I'll see if the link still works if you're interested.

And, sodium acetate handwarmers, my dad got one ages ago at a market stall and recently (like, in the last week) me & Chez stole it and started using it. You have to boil them until they go clear then you snap the disc and that generates shock that the entire mass of sodium acetate crystalises and freezes around. As I understand it, how they work is that when boiling the bag you melt all the acetate but there is no way for it to refreeze when it cools again because there isn't space for the molecules to form a regular structure, so the snapping of the disc initiates shock which starts a chain reaction and causes it all to freeze exothermically. The packet is then really weird and non-newtonian. Fun to hit stuff with. They're sold everywhere, so I could buy one and ship it to you if you wanted?

^ LOL, are sodium acetate hand warmers still available around ? ..... here in Italy is a lot of time that i don't see them in shops (maybe for the short time duration, they was lasting 15 or 20 minutes, against the hours of the "fuel type" ones like "zippo" ..... anyway, the working principle is the same as for the "hot ice" joke ..... sodium acetate trihidrate can produce a "supersaturated" solution (when you heat it, it melt, but don't solidify when it cool down in the same range), so it stay liquid until you don't start the reaction ..... can be a "seed" (a dry crystal that touch the liquid), the touch of a fingertip, or also a vibrational shock or just pinching the pack in a point ..... this cause a reaction called "nucleation" (not "nuclear", LOL ), and produces a crystal, and this act as growing seed for the rest of the solution, recrystalizing all the rest (at least, this is that what i remember from my old chemical courses ).

ekeup said:

Here's a nice 'self-defense' laser, in more ways than one...

From this thread

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Wow that's a really nice host there, it reminds of a Laser I already have; very much like the style.

For carrying though, usually no Lasers; just a Glock 40 cal or Sig 40, a Microtech DE Executive Scarab, and a Spark SL6 light.

I used to carry my green laser while taking the dog for a walk because we had a drug house up the road and the pit bull was always loose so the green dot distracted the dog so my dog wouldn't get attacked saved us a bunch of times.

I have a stupid sounding question... Who has experience with collapsible hand to hand weaponry? I cant have a gun, and a knife is to short for my taste. (doesnt work with kicks) I have allways felt most comfortable with a batton, a sword, a cane, or even a simple stick in hand. The problem with those options are, I cant find anything that will fit in my pocket AND have the length for what I want. I have consedered a bit of coilling wire which extends and somehow supports itself, but it just doesnt seem practical. And I cant get my hands on a collapsible batton for the same reason I cant get a gun.

So I ask...

What should I get/build ?

PS: If this is in any way an in-apropriate post please delete it first and ask questions later. Also, if this is in the wrong thread, again, please let me know. I couldnt think of anywhere else to ask it though...

^^^I'm curious, why can't you get an expandable baton?

They too big for what I would consider pocket carry, but go nicely in a belt holster, I'm partial to the 21" although most leo's prefer a longer reach. Then again, I would prefer to stay out of a confrontation... they don't have the option so the longer reach does make a difference.

Lascannon, no worries by me about posting questions. Thats what the forum's for and who cares what a few nit pickers on here think..
You could buy a collapsible baton online and carry that but its a little heavy. Its a good weapon, cops carry them and they come in different sizes.
Sounds like its illegal there and you dont want to break the law. The worst that would happen is a ticket but most likely it would just be taken away. Then again, if you carried a home made weapon, cops could bust you for that as well if they really wanted to and Ive ran into a few real dickhead cops before..
If you cant carry a bat, a sword, or a AK-47, why not carry Pepper spray? It can work great and then you wont have to use your Ninja skills.

^^^Why can't you carry a bat? Or maybe a hokey stick in case you're in a cold climate

All jokes aside... I suppose I hadnt really looked into the laws on the batton, just assumed it was ilegal. Turns out, it isnt, I just need to buy it local, since customs wont let it in.

Weight is not an issue, and most defense items I carry tend to be kept in a lower back holster. Conventiently next to my wallet and my phone, and just hidden enough to keep anyone from noticing what I'm doing.

Clearly, a collapsible baton is the perfect item. They collapse to less then the width of my back, why extend to a suficient length (21'' is only three inches less than the batons I have trained with) and can be produced at speed, while not being leathal.

Another thaught I had was that I am not the type to open carry or show off weapons. I have had it drilled verry thoroughly that you draw, aquire target, and strike. In the type of situation where I would use a baton, I will accept the ticket/confiscation gladly. Otherwise, I am unlikely to be searched or stopped by the police.

Clearly I did not think the process through. I'm not sure why I dismissed a baton so quickly... I guess I'm just used to being legal...

Anyway thanks guys any recomended us sellers/brands?
Also, is it possible to make them? I allways prefer to make my own...

I cant carry a bat or a hocky stick since the entire point of this is not to apear menacing. If I want that look, I will bring my brothers old riot armor, helmet, and shield, along with a 3'7'' ultralite katana, NV equipment, and a few friends.

As for pepper spray... Does it work? I'm sort of skeptical about it.
The reason for my preference of edged or blunt force weapons is that they dont miss and are allways effective. My greatest fear is allways that a strike will prove in-effective. Probably something left over from uselessly beating on my brothers back while trying to wrestle. There is nothing more frustrating that throwing a full force punch and having it absorbed.

Also, anyone have anything to say about tazers? These are another thing I will be skeptical of until I see them in action...

Thanks!

ASP batons are pretty good. There are other brands, but since batons aren't that expensive... well why bother shopping.

Actually batons are in principle very very simple... if you have access to a decent metal shop I don't see a reason you can't make one for fun... for use though, idk if you want to depend on something you make, considering the strength and tolerances you can achieve might not be what's needed in an emergency.

Also I wouldn't consider them entirely non lethal. Crush someone's windpipe with one, or a strong hit with the tip to the temple... well I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end... I like breathing.

Pepper spray does work, and is in many way the easiest and safest to work with, there are many kinds though. Since I don't have any, nor do I want to get any, that's something you'll have to research unless someone else can chime in.

Same goes for tazers... I haven't ever been shot with a tazer (yet:undecided, but have experienced the shock from a stunner.... believe me they work. Of course they are also illegal in a ton of places.

Ultimately though if you're in situation where you feel you need a baton, a tazer, or pepper spray, IMO you need a gun.

I would prefer a gun. Really I would. I just dont have a funds. And, although I could get one from a familly member, the consequences if I were caught with one would be extremely severe.

Peper spray: Good to hear.
Baton: On its way.

Honestly, as far as batons go, I have allways been trained to strike at joints with weapons, since a windpipe or a temple is easilly struck with limbs. When I say non-lethal, I of course mean that I would be using it in a non-lethal way.

Maybe I should explain the situation:
I attend a local comunity college. I do not have a car, and so am obliged to first bus and then walk to get there. The walk is... interesting. Last semester I twice broke into a run, and felt like a fool for doing it. But when an otherwise empty street sudenly has people at both ends who are clearly under substance influence...

Anyway classes start again in two weeks and I want something easy to give me more of an edge than I already have. I dont mind dieing much, but there are worse things than dieing, and I wouldnt want to put my familly through that, so...

Anyway thanks for the help guys I'll get my brothers to show me how to use a collapsible baton, and then I should be good to go.

Am I completely paranoid?

Lascannon said:

Am I completely paranoid?

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Yes. But than most of my friends consider me paranoid for having a knife and a flashlight in my pockets at all times.

Regardless, you're better off running away...

i can just imagine you smoking weed :crackup: :crackup:

sorry if that was inappropriate :shhh: