Hello everyone.

this weekend i joined a nice karate class that focusses heavily on self defence (half the lesson was self defence with the other half equally warm up and kata so it really is good for SD ) Anyway, the instructor had a Kubaton (think its spelt right) which is one of these:

used to hurt pressure points and therefore take control of a situation. Now im looking for a self defence tool that is also a keychain, this way its concealable and explainable to police etc while still being practical. I thought about a kubaton but its not as easy to explain, its rather clear its a weapon, and in the UK the government is practically a dictatorship and so even such a small tool as this could easilly land me a fine and a criminal record for "carrying a weapon" yeah... 'cause im gonna mug someone with that aint i.... So i kept looking and heard stories of a "sharpshooter" keychain which is this:


basically the weight near the keys adds power and you swing it like a flail at the face etc and just slash and cut and hurt, also for self defence and it seems better than a kubaton becuase it has longer range and would need less technique (as for the kabuton you need to get the attacker into the right position so you can easily pinpoint pressure points and use it properly)

so does anyone know the name of such a keychain in the UK? Ive tried sharpshooter but i jsut get guns and slingshots etc... I did find one similar, it was a metal chain, about twice the length of that one i linked with the keyring on the end and this looks very useful and easy to explain ( "yes officer its just my keychain that i clip to my belt so i dont drop my keys"). Are there any websites that sell such things? Im looking on ebay but they dont seem to have any and i cant find any sites. Im thinking of making my own from a length of chain from a hardware store, a belt clip/loop and taking the ring off a standard keyring. I have 5 keys so it will have weight to it. Does this seem a good idea?

PS: I dont want any "you shouldnt carry weapons blah blah blah" Maybe i shouldnt but this isnt just a weapon, its not illegal, its virtually impossible to turn back on myself because it will need practice and its not as if i could ever use it to mug someone but its perfect for defending myself.

This post has been edited by shadowx: Feb 11 2008, 09:01 PM

No martial art weapon is meant to be handled by a person with no proper Martial Art training.

Even if you try using one you'll endup hurting yourself. So please keep in mind all those guys in the movies and tv use these weapons only after several years of hardwork and rigrious training

Tis true. As i said ive joined a self defence/karate class so that will help and the idea with this particular "weapon" methinks is that its fairly basic, a string with a weight at the end so it should be easy to take control of methinks. The Kobutan would be harder to learn and use effectively i think.

As someone said earlier, "No martial art weapon is meant to be handled by a person with no proper Martial Art training.", well, while this is very true (and I could even go further and say that about any weapon at all, there are a few things you can use to serve as weapons for tricky situations.
One thing to do is to simply keep something in your clenched fist (eg. a lighter or something), you will be surprised how much harder and more effective your punches will be.
A second thing you can safely carry is a set of darts. If I am not mistaken you are from the UK (like me), so, if the police stop (and maybe search) you, you usually will not have any trouble if they find the darts on you. After all, how many people aren't there in Britain who go to the pub on a Saturday night (and often other nights too) and specifically go to the pub to have their game of darts? Now, as for using them, well, they can be used as you would use them on a dart board, ie. for throwing, making it a very suitable long distance weapon, but at short range a dart can also be used to poke/prick or even scratch somebody with. Another thing frequently used in a pub is a pool cue, maybe not as handy to carry arouns, and usually sits in a case in two pieces and has to be assembled before use, but it could serve (even half of the cue) as a weapon. Another very effective thing is a piece of rubber gas pipe, you know, the ones they use to connect a cilinder to a gas cooker or a caravan, or to connect a gas stove (although I think the latter is not allowed anymore and it has to be all metal now), but it is still a handy thing to have. It is flexible, so you can roll it up or fold it and put it inside your jacket, and when used as a weapon, if you hit a bloke with it, he definitely will not ask for a second one. This kind of weapon is also effective for short range and mid range. (Less for long range, as, if you take a piece that is too long, it becomes clumsy to handle). Another one we must not forget is the good old trusty key ring, which about everyone carries in their pocket these days. Very suitable for short range, just embed the keys between your fingers, and, take it from me, your assailant will not get away with very good memories if you are fast enough to hit him/her first. It is, of course, always handier not to get into any fights at all, but, then again, with all the scum that roams the streets these days, that is not a certainty anymore, whether day or nighttime. Always better to get away from a/a number of mugger(s) if you can, all the above only to be used as a last resort if you really have no choice. But, if yopu can, avoid dark alleys, dark places with no one around and the likes. If you do get attacked, try to run, or to get to a place that is well lit and where there are quite a few people about. Also, if you have to fight, do try to rely on your own body as well, ie. good old kicks, punches, head butts and the likes, all this in case you are totally unarmed or if there is no need to resort to the use of weapons. (Eg. when your attacker is unarmed). So, as yopu can see, there are quite a few possibilities, and should you need further explanations, I am always willing to give you further advice.
Good luck.

Firstly, those are all good suggestions by mrdee with one exception, the keys between the fingers is a bad idea. This was explained to my class by a peace officer, if anything goes wrong with your punch those keys can turn and damage the webbing between your fingers. As for items held in the fist to lend weight and a more solid impact keys can work, most lighters are too light except the metal ones, a roll of coins work well as does a fistful of loose change.

Secondly, don't bet on the keys-on-a-chain being easier to learn to use effectively than the kubaton(whatever it's spelling) that your instructor has. Any flail weapon (chain, nunchuku, whip, etc.) takes considerable skill to use effectively. Even the best masters with nunchuku when swinging it around experience a moment where they have no control over what it will do, they can only set it in motion, let physics do it's thing and hope that it doesn't do something unexpected but not be surprised if it does. The smartest person I know wore a motorcycle helmet while practicing nunchuku. Before you feel confident swinging keys around try swinging a yoyo around(shorten the string to the length you expect to use) and see how it feels. Now a short stick is more readily controlled and can be used for more than presure points. It can lend solidity to your punch, it can be used to help trap a joint(also where many pressure points are), use the end(even a blund end) to strike any limb and it can leave a near instantaneous deep bruise inhibiting their ability to use it. But how to justify carrying a 5 to 6 inch stick even as a key chain? You could look into a clear strong plastic resin half cylinder used for magnifying lines of words on a page, maybe on a site for those with nearsighted problems. Get creative and think outside the box.

Lastly, some of the advice I gave my son a few years back when he was having problems with bullies. Learn to use your elbows and knees to strike. Get inside their punches and use your weight to control where they are, assuming you have some weight; if you don't have weight on your side then you will retain more maneuverability in close quarters than your opponent. Learn to tangle up opponents' legs and put them on the ground. In a rough fight you will almost certainly end up on the ground at some point, at that time they have an advantage and time to strike while you stand up, so don't stand up until they are also on the ground or out of arms(and legs) reach. And speaking of falling, learn to fall in such a manner as to distribute the impact with the ground and then practice it; you will need this as a reflexive reaction for when you find yourself falling. It worked for him, I hope it helps you. But with these tecniques you will need to know how to take knives and guns away from opponents. Speak with your teacher about your specific concerns and he should be able to help you with more focused training when your skills are such that you could learn to use those tecniques effectively.

Good luck.

True again, Vixen_Poetic, as you said:

In the film 'Game of death' for example, it took Bruce lee about 4 hours to record the scene where he fights Danny Innosanto with nunchakus (a scene which lasts 3.5 minutes).
You can hardly say Bruce Lee was not a master in unarmed or armed combat, can you?
Well, in the deleted scenes that have been added to a second DVD with the film 'Game of Death', it shows scenes from the recording and making of that particular fight sequence, and on one occasion Bruce Lee gets hit on the head by his own nunchaku while he is swinging it. So, even the great masters do not have 100 5 control over their weapons all the time.

Therefore, it is always advisable, if you want to use weapons effectively (and let's not forget, some weapons, like nunchakus, are forbidden by law), learn to use them properly first, if not, leave their use to the experts. (Although, as both Vixen_Poetic and I pointed out, even they can have accidents).

I my self prefer things with triggers