The weapon that makes you feel safe?

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wombatt said:
I keep a small fixed blade on my side and its relatively intimidating if taken out but is never something I'd use for self defense. Knives take skill to manouver and are generally not great weapons for people with no training but they are very intimidating and if you just want to feel safe or ward off creepers they are a good choice. For actual self defense though I Cary a smiley, it's legal (as long as you untie the bandana or have the key) and is much easier and more reliable for dealing blows. As for the power of the mind yeah most conflicts can be avoided but I am a small houseless queer person and sometimes trouble just finds me and there's not much I can do about it so I trust my smiley to fix any problem my words can't.
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Very smart commentary about knives being a better deterrent than weapon.

Most knife fights result in both parties going to the hospital. That was something my knife instructor told us to encourage finding alternatives to violence. I've since forgotten everything else he taught. Just never needed to stab someone.
 
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AlmostAlwaysLost said:
Very smart commentary about knives being a better deterrent than weapon.

Most knife fights result in both parties going to the hospital. That was something my knife instructor told us to encourage finding alternatives to violence. I've since forgotten everything else he taught. Just never needed to stab someone.
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I feel the same way about knife use....I feel like it definitely isn't the best defense because it can easily be taken from you and used against you unless you're one of the rare people who have been trained with a knife lol. Both parties get hurt in the end. I definitely intend to get some mace and hopefully a taser for when I'm in enclosed spaces.
 
hazel drifting said:
I feel the same way about knife use....I feel like it definitely isn't the best defense because it can easily be taken from you and used against you unless you're one of the rare people who have been trained with a knife lol. Both parties get hurt in the end. I definitely intend to get some mace and hopefully a taser for when I'm in enclosed spaces.
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You should still make sure and travel with a knife. It is a necessary tool.

I'm not sure I believe in the knife being taken away from you thing. As a female u stand a better chance with a knife than without. But if u do decide pull a knife you need to attack and make sure you cut on the first strike. Don't wave it around trying to scare the guy. Its like the don't point a gun at someone unless you mean it.

But if a person is willing to risk their life disarming and stabbing you, you were already in trouble. If someone pulled a knife on me my first thought would be can I outrun them.

But I think mace or a taser or maybe even smileys are good tools. Pulling a knife escalates the situation too much. If the attacker doesn't run you know your gambling with your lives.

Be careful not to mace yourself though...I've done it playing with mace at work lol. My boss was pissed.

But I think everyone is right when they say your brain is the most important tool. If you make smart choices about where u sleep and who you hang out with you will be fine.

I was out there for 12 months last time and I never saw anyone get seriously hurt. And in general, the homeless men always watched over the women. Avoiding druggies and men looking to pimp was the main problems i saw. And don't be alone with people you don't know or trust. I borrowed this advice from the other users from another thread.

But you should get yourself a decent knife for traveling. They are essential tools in an emergency or survival situation.

I like Mora's they are cheap and hold a good edge. Perfect starter knives.
 
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The mind and instincts are definitely the best, everybody be right about that.

Makes me feel so damn boring for just liking a nice shotgun. What can I say? I like things that go bang. Honestly though its the psychological factor attached to firearms which makes it preferential to me, when I've camped out in a travel trailer for awhile rural nobody decided to keep intruding, being loud, or acting big around me soon as they saw me with my shotgun. It's stupid really but just how it is I guess.

Cons are pretty definite though, you can't expect to be treated fairly in cases of defending one's self with a firearm and even moreso if you're any sort of nomad to homesteader. I always recommend just using it as a deterrent if you REALLY had to. Pros are obvious however, people aren't terribly motivated to run towards the barrel of a gun for any reason besides wanting to get shot I guess.
 
I'll admit that I didn't read all the threads just the op. I apologize if my thoughts have been posted before. The only weapon you have in all reality is you. Whatever you feel that you can use and use well is what you should have on you. Be it a bazooka or a pea shooter, if you show it, use it. Else it's just another tool to get you deeper into the shit.
 
I carry a can of mace that is attached to the left side of my hip and a large buck knife attached to the right side of my hip. I only carry these items when I am train hopping or travling for serval months at a time. Good for self defense and to ward off aggressive animals.
 
Not sure if anyone has said this already but when I was 16 alone on the streets in Jacksonville Florida I realized how the only thing I had on me for protection was a pen I used to draw with. I just held on to it in my pocket...in case someone tried anything I imagined stabbing them in the throat with it... kinda gnarly but true.
 
When I would hitchhike in shady areas I would just put a few rocks in a sock and tie it, and when I get to town I take out the rocks and it's a sock again, pretty easy to get away with and not get caught with a "weapon". Luckily i've never had to use it, but ive seen the damage it can do.
 
If I carried a weapon I would just hurt myself, I don' t consider my knife a weapon. My attitude and mind has kept me safe so far.
 
not my self defense knife, just the one that I actually used

a handcrafted 4” hunter


View attachment 39788

Left this thing in fresno CA by accident. Never felt so heartbroken over a posession.
Didnt make me feel safer necessarily, not even with it strapped against my front pocket, but certainly more secure because it was like a sixth appendage for everyday wear and tear
 

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wizehop said:
My brain...

Sounds cliché but it's served me well over the years. Using it keeps me out of situations where I may need the use of a second weapon.
I've been around the world and found myself in some pretty vile places. Had guns pointed in my face, had my life threatened many times. Never once needed a weapon other than a little critical thinking to get out of things.

99% of the situations where you may need a weapon, can be easily avoided with a little foresight. I've been on this earth 36 years now, never once had to stab a biatch.
There was once in Haiti where I came close but I quickly realized if I actually did anything, my situation would have gotten a million times worse.

I know that's not what your looking for in this thread, but it's worth considering before people get gung hoe over weapons.
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1000% agree. Situational awareness can help you avoid 99% of physical safety issues. You never know who you are dealing with or what they are capable of, so it's best to avoid situations and people with bad vibes altogether. Having said that, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to protect myself or family and friends if there was no choice. Fortunately those situations are incredibly rare. If you stay alert you will most certainly stay alive. It's not the punches you see coming that are the most devastating.
 
My awareness, my knife and my sling. The sling does take time to get good at but it is damn powerful and you can turn otherwise small rocks into scary-ass missiles. Also it's perfect for stuffing in my pocket and not getting in the way, it's my favorite primitive weapon for hunting (someday) and if your target closes distance before you can throw, you can use it pretty much like a smiley =)

I had a really awesome knife that I made but I've been carrying just a cheap walmart flatblade - easier to carry, stronger, and 100% expendable.
 
Like others have said- the mind is the most important. 2. Bear Spray. That shit sprays 30-40 ft and if it's enough to stop a Grizz it'll stop a piece of shit scumbag, or 3. Another GREAT option is a high powered flashlight. If they can't see they can't do anything.
 
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wizehop said:
My brain...

Sounds cliché but it's served me well over the years. Using it keeps me out of situations where I may need the use of a second weapon.
I've been around the world and found myself in some pretty vile places. Had guns pointed in my face, had my life threatened many times. Never once needed a weapon other than a little critical thinking to get out of things.

99% of the situations where you may need a weapon, can be easily avoided with a little foresight. I've been on this earth 36 years now, never once had to stab a biatch.
There was once in Haiti where I came close but I quickly realized if I actually did anything, my situation would have gotten a million times worse.

I know that's not what your looking for in this thread, but it's worth considering before people get gung hoe over weapons.
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Agreed. I've de-escalated / talked people out of 99% of the fucked up situations I've been in on the road. Other than that this guy gave me a smiley made with a pool ball which is pretty sweet. Used to have a taser but it broke. That was useful too.
 
I keep a pi lot survival knife in my side, if I can't have a weapon showing I cary a train spike. But I keep an estwing tomahawk strapped to my pack, it's got a good range, and extremely intimidating in hand to hand. It s a skull splitter for sure. Plus if you ever need to enter or exit thru a self made hole in the wall, estiwng tomahawk all the way
 
ResistMuchObeyLittle said:
Like others have said- the mind is the most important. 2. Bear Spray. That shit sprays 30-40 ft and if it's enough to stop a Grizz it'll stop a piece of shit scumbag, or 3. Another GREAT option is a high powered flashlight. If they can't see they can't do anything.
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Fuck bear mace. I had a can of bear mace puncture in my tent with me and my dog inside. I had to cut a hole to get out to sav e my dog. The metal should be thicker on the can. I went completely blind and had chemical burns on my eyes and face, all my fest was trash, but I save my dog. If I would have been alone I would have ended up permanently blind or suffocated. . . . Keep a blade and an axe. I carry train spikes for when I'm esting in the gospel mission. All I don't have to shed blood in public, and easy to dispose. . .
 
Thor and Broomhilda said:
Fuck bear mace. I had a can of bear mace puncture in my tent with me and my dog inside. I had to cut a hole to get out to sav e my dog. The metal should be thicker on the can. I went completely blind and had chemical burns on my eyes and face, all my fest was trash, but I save my dog. If I would have been alone I would have ended up permanently blind or suffocated. . . . Keep a blade and an axe. I carry train spikes for when I'm esting in the gospel mission. All I don't have to shed blood in public, and easy to dispose. . .
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can you recall how it got punctured...? so i may avoid the same situation
 
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