There are also cat ear self defense keychains.

I always figure I’ll have to use my can of bear spray on an actual person before I ever have to use it on a bear.

Can confirm that an elbow to the face is an effective deterrent.

> (the owner was a spitfire 5' woman - she didn’t mess around).

A better alternative would be the Raid bug spray with a handle. Shoots up to like 25 feet, sticks to what it hits, and will definitely impair whoever the would be assailant is.

The most important lesson I learned when I started studying martial arts is that life is not a movie. The first time I sparred with someone and took a full force punch to the face and realized I was fine and not dead or unconscious, it was a game changer. The same thing happened the first time I knocked someone else…

Then you stick it in the toaster and open the gas valve on your way out the dizzoor.

I don’t know where you are, but you might also check out bear spray. It’s not always regulated the same way as mace, since it’s a lower concentration of (usually) the same active ingredient. It might be more effective than spray paint however.

Definitely take a class if you can. At the end of the day the one who wins a fight is the person ready to win it. Not in the “believe in yourself” way, in the “who’s mentally prepared to gouge eyes out and break fingers and knee caps” kind of way. Taking a class can give you at least a sense of the stress and reality…

An old frail guy that used to buy beer at the corner store I worked at, showed me his handy dandy cane. The handle was gnarled and he had hollowed out enough to fill it with molten lead. That way when he swung it and it hit there was more of and “effect.”

Am I the only one who loves that he has both a sword cane and a fighting cane?

What is the punisment for carrying and illegal “weapon” thats not a gun? I carried pepper spray in Boston, had to use it while being robbed and beaten in the foyer of my apartment. The police didn’t care. I was asked if I had a licesnse to carry it to which I answered “yes” but was never asked to provide proof.

Not practical for walking around but I’ve always thought a fireplace poker is the ideal weapon for a home invasion scenario. Spear, hook, iron weight. Even if you miss you don’t really miss.

Jason Bourne showed me that. ;)

There are numerous pens and flash lights designed to act like a Kubaton that can be held. But at any rate, just about any security that wants to flag one is only going to ask you to remove it. At the airport, put it in your bag as you check in. Unless you’re at a 2AM flight alone in a terminal, you’re pretty safe at…

“church keys” as they were called

Other than a cane, mentioned above, another excellent weapon that doesn’t seem dangerous and which can’t easily be used against you is a tightly rolled up magazine. It is as strong as a board. You can strike with it hard enough to break bones or jab with it. And, if you let go of it, it becomes a magazine. Your…

Just carry a knife on your keys and take a class on how to use one in self defense situations. (search Amok) They are legal almost everywhere and are cheap enough to give up if you accidentally take one somewhere you aren’t supposed to.

I find that an old fashioned bottle cap opener works just fine. The other end is pointed and is an effective tool in tearing anyone’s face open or gouging out an eye. Use it on the other end of your keys. Where did I get the idea? In the 60's lesbian women fell into two groups that hung around a corner bar. Fems and…

FYI - kubatons are great but are considered weapons in some places (airports, government buildings, etc.) so plan accordingly.