An Expert's Guide to hand Weapons and Weapon Selection

All about self-defense when you or your loved one's lives are in jeopardy.

A very real scenario: “On the bus back to Wimbledon after a night out, I noticed a man sitting across from me. I didn’t look too closely, except to register the scruffy anorak, bedraggled hair, stubbled chin and intent, creepy gaze. The longer he stared, the more the conviction came into my mind — he’s going to follow me home.

To thwart it, I jumped off the bus a stop early — I didn’t want this man knowing where I lived. Unfortunately, this stop was right in the middle of the vast, shadowy common that I needed to cross in order to reach my house. Even more unfortunately, the man got off, too.

Cursing the fact it was a moonless spring night, I set off across the grass. I could hear him a few yards behind, his pace matching mine. When I sped up, so did he. Fueled by nerves, I ploughed on, but my apprehension increased when after a few minutes of silence, he drew level and spoke.

‘Can you tell me the way to Raynes Park?’

I gave the directions once more. Then came the same question, a third time.

Just a few yards ahead loomed a well-lit road. I decided as soon as I reached the pavement I would run, but before I could, the man sprang from behind, hands on my shoulders, throwing me to the ground. I fell to my knees, trapped beneath him.

He was more powerful than me, and I might not have stood a chance, but for two things. First, in the instant of attack, the adrenaline that consumed me transformed my terror into a violent rage, so strong I felt momentarily fearless.

Second, I was carrying a heavy bag. Swinging it up wildly, it connected hard on the side of his head. He recoiled and I seized my opportunity — abandoning the bag, I ran.

Once I made it home, the police were called and the local streets scoured, but my attacker had disappeared into the night.

My experience was all too real, but there’s no escaping the fact that in fiction, on TV and in film, we are surrounded by images of women under threat.

Midlife women in danger are TV drama’s default. From Homeland and Line Of Duty to Broadchurch and Apple Tree Yard, the picture of a vulnerable woman in a hostile environment is intensely familiar. Whether raped, robbed, attacked or assaulted, the idea of a lone woman at risk seems to preoccupy our culture. It certainly preoccupies my thoughts.

I realize now, years after my experience, that the indelible tension of that adrenaline-filled night has never been far from the surface, erupting in the writing of my novels, which feature a hyper-vigilant female spy. While the vast majority of women will never, thankfully, experience an assault, which of us has not felt nervous walking in unfamiliar places or after dark?

With more women divorced or living alone, the fear of doorstep robberies or con artists, who force their way into the home, is unsettling.”

Jane Thynne Experience

How you can fight off an attack

This post is nothing about promoting violence but is about everything you didn’t think of as a weapon to thwart off an attack on your life. Pay attention to your surroundings even if you have to drive around a building before parking. Carry pepper spray or a stun gun when stopping at a rest area or pumping gas along the interstate when traveling, especially if you are a woman and traveling alone. Keep your head on a swivel walking to your car, putting things in your trunk, if you think something doesn’t look right, sound your car alarm and go back into the store. If someone is acting suspicious in a store, go to the front of the store and tell the manager. Don’t take your life for granted. Too many people think someone looks harmless but first define what you believe harmless is supposed to look like. Always trust your gut and your instincts. Be safe, and be aware!

An Expert’s Guide to Weapons and Weapon Selection

 There are several types of weapons; edged weapons, pointed weapons, flexible, weapons, hybrid weapons and so forth. For our case, we will dwell on a type of weapons known as impact weapons. Impact weapons are a type of weapons used to break bone and cartilage.

There is a reason why we will concentrate on impact weapons. The first reason is that it is rather easy for someone to use these types of weapons to strike an enemy in the name of self-defense. It takes a different mindset to stick a knife into someone belly, even if they are an enemy. Impact weapons on the other hand are easy to use because you don’t really have to think much before firing.

Before we go deeper into weapons, it is important to consider what happens in an ideal fight and how to stage the bet fight.

The best possible scenario is when you don’t have to fight at all. If you can reach a compromise with the enemy, then everyone can walk home safe and sound. However, sometimes you have no choice but to engage in a fight. This is when common sense should help.

Pick your battles very carefully. If someone breaks into your home and threatens to shoot your loved one, then you may have to pull the trigger or find some other means to fight back. You’re not just going to watch as they butcher your loved one or squeeze a bullet through their brains, are you?

However, you need to be reasonable. If you can disarm the bad guy and render them helpless without hurting them, then that would be even better. Otherwise, try to use as little force as possible.

The law exists to protect everyone, even burglars. If you kill a burglar, you will be charged accordingly. Do not expect to walk away scot-free. Even if you were reacting in self-defense, you will have to pay for your actions in some way. For deadly force to be justified, the threat of serious injury or possibly death must be imminent and unavoidable. Therefore, if you or your loved ones are not in any of these situations, you are not allowed to use deadly force.

Where Should I Target?

The following diagram shows some of the parts you should target when fighting an enemy. You will immediately realize that the head is not indicated as one of the parts to target. In fact, the target areas are mostly concentrated around the arms and limbs in general.

You should always aim to hit them in areas where you’re unlikely to cause fatal injury. These areas include the arms, shoulders, knees, and limbs in general. The second diagram indicates the areas that shouldn’t be targeted unless you want to cause serious injury or even death.

Types of Strikes

If you’re going to strike, you need to know how to hold the weapon you’re using to strike, how to swing it, and where to strike. There are many ways to strike but only a few will work for a given case. If you’re serious about protecting yourself or if you live in a hostile area and need professional training on striking, then you can find an instructor to help. Nevertheless, here are a few tips to consider.

There are at least three different ways to strike; impact driven, tip driven, and a combination.

Impact driven striking is when you strike with the top few inches of the tip, the pommel, or the bar. There are two ways to execute an impact strike.

The first is what is called a broken strike. In a broken strike, the strike travels from the point of origin at approximately 90 degrees to the target area and then back to the point of origin. For instance, if the strike starts at your right shoulder, it will hit the target and then return to your right shoulder. Broken strikes are excellent for stabbing or hacking.

The other way to strike is called fluid striking. This is where you swing the weapon at 180 degrees through the target. For instance, if you’re starting at your right shoulder, then the swing will cut through 180 degrees to your left hip before returning to your right shoulder. It’s more like a batter in baseball, swinging through the target. It is also possible to strike the target when returning 180 degrees to the point where you began, like a backhand in tennis.

Gripping Impact Weapons

As you would expect, there are so many ways of gripping an impact weapon.

· One hand hammer grip – This is where you would grab a hammer that you intend to use in driving nails into a piece of wood.

• Two hand baseball grip – This is where you hold the weapon with both hands. It is more suited to longer weapons such as baseball bat. One advantage of this kind of grip is that it allows you to put more power into the swing.

• Two-hand double-force grip – The main difference between a baseball and double force grip is that while in a baseball grip both palms rest on the weapon, in a double-force grip, only the strong hand palm come in direct contact with the weapon while the other hand supports it. It is effective for short-to-medium length weapons.

• The bayonet grip – This is where you start with the strong hand hammer grip with the support hand palm up.

• Angles of Attack

There are at least 7 angles of attack. The option you choose will depend on several factors including the type and length of weapon you’re using. To make it easy to understand, here are a few terms used in this section. First, a strike from your stronger hand is called a strong strike while that from the weaker hand is called a backhand strike. Secondly, a strike may come straight down or at an angle.

1. Downward vertical – This is where you strike straight down into your target area.

2. Strong side downward diagonal – This is a strike that comes from the stronger hand at an angle.

3. A backside diagonal – This is similar to a strong side diagonal except that it comes from the weaker hand.

4. Strong side horizontal – This is a strike that comes from the strong side, delivered in parallel with the ground.

5. A backside horizontal – This comes from the weaker hand delivered in parallel with the ground.

6. The thrust - This is delivered with two hands, in a bayonet style.

7. Cross-body – Also delivered with two hands, but more like a hockey player delivering a cross check. You will also realize that all the seven strikes discussed here can be delivered using a shorter weapon.

You will also realize that all the seven strikes discussed here can be delivered using a shorter weapon.

Basically, an impromptu weapon is something that you have access to and which you can use as a weapon, but which is NOT designed to be used as one. For instance, if you’re attacked outside the home and grab the trash can lid to hit your opponent, we can call the lid an impromptu weapon.

Semi-impromptu weapons are basically the same thing except that with these items, you may at one time have envisaged using them as a weapon. An excellent example is an axe.

The axe isn’t really designed to be used as a weapon; they are used to cut wood. But how many times are they used in fights? A lot. This is because people somehow see them as potential weapons. Another good example is a flashlight.

Impromptu-Weapons vs. Semi-impromptu Weapons

If you’re really concerned about self-defense, then you’ll also want to add power to your punch. You don’t want to break your fingers because you punched the opponent’s head.

 A hammer fist is a strike delivered with the bottom of a clenched fist, more like a swinging hammer. You can also deliver it horizontally like a back fist strike.

This fist isn’t likely to break your bones because there is no compression of the knuckles or metacarpals. It is therefore effective for striking the back of the head, the nose, temples, mandibles, the ear etc.

• Yawaras & Kubatons

If you want to add power to a fist strike, you can use the yawara. This simple tool helps to add about 1 inch to a fist and is usually the difference between a flat slap and a round slap. A blow from a flat slap is spread over a larger area resulting in a smaller impact. You want to deliver a strong force on a single place, not a weak slap distributed over a large area. A kubaton can be used as a yawara with the other end being used as a pressure point. Other items that can be used as yawaras are a screwdriver, a crescent wrench, a putty knife, a pair of pliers, and a wooden spoon to mention just a few.

Yawara Stick

Kubotan-The Ultimate Unarmed Self-Defense Tool

Kubaton Techniques Video

• Tape Measure

The tape measure can also be used as a semi-impromptu weapon, to enhance the power of the punch. When you clench a fist around the tape measure and deliver a strike, it will be similar to a strike from a flat strap. You can even turn the tape measure slightly in your hand and deliver with the edge. The third way is to strike with the sharp edge of the tape measure which is more likely to cause a cut.

• Slungshots

A slung shot is a device consisting of a weight or “shot” on one end of a line secured with a knot called a “monkey’s fist”. It is typically used to throw a line from ship to ship or ship to dock.

When used as a weapon, the end can be wrapped around the fist and the weight carried in the hand. In the event of an attack, throw the weight into your opponent’s face or swing it like a flail.

You can also make one quickly using a padlock and a bandana. Fold the bandana once diagonally and roll it so that you have only two opposing ends. Thread the bandana through a locked padlock and grab the two ends of the bandana to leave the padlock hanging. Now you’re ready to swing a dangerous strike. Slungshots

Other Impromptu Weapons

•  Double pulley – Get the right size and run a piece of nylon through it

• Dog collar – No one will suspect you. Just get the right one.

•  Blackjack (1) –. Load your bandana with a handful of bolts and ball bearings and you’re ready to go.

• Blackjack (2) – Put one or two rolls of coins into the middle finger of an old leather glove and one roll into an adjoining finger. Grab the glove below the coin and use it.

• Blackjack (3) – Fill a sock with sand and pour some water into it. Your weapon is ready.

• Blackjack (4) – Wrap your towel around a bar of soap and use it to deliver a walloping blow.

• A strap for self defense – Typically, a strap is used to hold the book in place while you try to take notes or to hold the recipe book as you prepare a meal. But who says it can’t be used a weapon?

• A wallet as a weapon – You can also use a wallet as a weapon. Well, you’ll need to buy a quality wallet in the first place. The wallets often used as weapons are made from conspicuously heavy leather with the stitches reinforced so they don’t burst if you use the wallet to hit something. The snaps and straps are all heavy-duty as well. You can carry the wallet with you all the time because it’s really not different from other wallets.

The unbreakable umbrella – The unbreakable umbrella is another weapon that doesn’t look like one but which can be used to fight an opponent. It weighs less than two pounds but wallops with the force of a pipe steel.

Books – You can also use a book to protect yourself. If you’re attacked while reading, use a large book to shield yourself from blows and knife attacks. Then you can counterstrike to the head, collar bones or arms using a two handed grip.

Edged Weapons

Basically, edged weapons cut things or give added focus to the edge. As such when you strike someone with an edged weapon, they will most definitely bleed. And when someone is bleeding and the blood is flying around, you risk infection. So, you need to be extra careful when using your edged weapons. Here are a few examples of edged weapons:

• A Knife

This is probably the most common edged weapon. And there are several types of them: from butcher knives to meat cleavers and paring knives. You need to be very careful when using a knife so that you don’t let it be snatched from your hands and used to slice your throat. There are at least 4 basic ways to grip a knife:

1. The fencer’s grip – This is where you hold the knife between your forefinger and thumb tightly with the rest of the fingers wrapped loosely around it. If the knife is single edged, the edge points downwards, if it’s double edged, the edges are held horizontally.

2. The reverse grip – This is where the knife is held upside down with the blade lying on your wrist and the edge pointing outwards.

3. The ice pick grip –The knife is held the same you would do if you were chopping ice with the blade(s) held outwards.

4. The hammer grip – This is where you grip the knife like you’re swinging a hammer with the blade pointed upwards and the edge pointing towards your opponent.

• High-heeled shoes - For the ladies out there, high-heeled shoes and be lethal. One blow to someone’s head with a high-heeled shoe may save your life!

• Torn Soda Cans - Bend the soda can into two, back and forth until it tears into two pieces and use the sharp edges as your weapon.

• A Dinner Plate - While this may not be the best of weapons, it can still work some magic. Simply break it into two and use it as an edged weapon.

• Broken Shard of Glass - It doesn’t matter where you get the piece of glass from, whether the table, a window, a cabinet etc. You can use it as an edged weapon.

• A Pizza Cutter - Again, this is not the best choice to use as a weapon but still a good call. You can use the handle as a yawara or slash with the sharp cutting wheel or use a combination of the two.

• Bottle Opener - Finally, the bottle opener is another very good choice. The point can be used as a wicked slashing instrument.

Pointed Weapons

Pointed weapons are another category of weapons. As the name suggests, these weapons are pointed.

Examples include:

• A Screwdriver

A screwdriver is an excellent example. A screwdriver can be held either in the ice pick grip or in the hammer grip. While it may not slash as effectively as a knife, the damage caused will be sufficient to leave a mark. Consider having a longer, heavier screwdriver which can allow you to flick the tip and strike your opponent’s temples, neck, ribs, upwards to the groin as you would do with the tip of a baton or nightstick.

• An Ice Pick

An ice pick can also be used as a weapon and can be easily found in the kitchen. A similar weapon called an awl (usually used to pierce holes in leather and wood) can be found in the garage or workshop. Stab the opponent in the eyes and throat or use the handle to deliver hammer strike blows.

• A Kitchen Fork

A kitchen fork can also be used to stab the eyes and throat during self-defense. You can use it in both an ice pick grip and hammer grip. If the opponent raises their arm to block your strike, stab that arm.

• A Rat Rail

 An aluminum or steel rat tail can be used to slash with the teeth and stab with the pointed handle into the eyes and throat.

• A Nail File

This tool is almost always in a woman’s purse. Hold the end of the file with your thumb and forefinger with about half an inch protruding beyond your fingertips and slash into the opponent’s eyes.

• Knitting needles

Yes, you can also use knitting needles to protect yourself. The big ones will particularly do a great job.

• Scissors

There are at least three ways to use scissors to harm your opponent. First, you can open them as wide as they can get and stab with the pointed end. Secondly, you can hold the scissors open about eye width and jab the eyes. Thirdly, you can also stab with the scissors in the closed position as a pointed weapon. You can hold it in the hammer grip or ice pick grip position.

• Pens

Lastly, pens also make very good, pointed weapons. They can be used in a stabbing motion to the arm, throat, and the nerve center in the top of the chest. If you hold it in the hammer grip position, you can use to thrust and jab at the face, eyes, and throat. And in the ice pick position, a pen can be driven into the face, neck, shoulder or pretty much any other target area within reach.

Conclusion

If you haven’t learned how to use a rifle, don’t waste any more time. Find shooting lessons and sign up for them. Alternatively, find a retired military person or an ex-police officer, and let them help you learn the basics. If you haven’t bought a firearm yet, this is also the time. You can easily find guns at gun shows or at online auctions. Attend gun shows and learn a few tricks. You could even search out local gun ranges or join a group.

Make sure that your home is secure, including your windows, garage and doors. Begin plans for constructing your safe room. And while you’re at it, start exploring your neighborhood to know exactly where you would run to if ambushed. These are all the things that you can start doing today to ensure that you and your loved ones are safe when the crisis happens.