Continued from "Defending against a Knife Attack, 6"
What do I do if I"m out and about, and I don't have my batons with me? I carry my keys.
As an interesting aside, those who have studied the peculiarities of the socioeconomic classes tell us that the more keys one carries, the lower his class. The janitor and the night watchman with their big rings of many keys are pretty much at the bottom. If you're a Rockefeller, Kennedy or DuPont, you probably don't even carry car keys, because your chauffeur and aides take care of most situations that require them.
My key ring screams, "Proletarian!" I have loaded it with as many good old, heavy brass keys as it will hold. The key ring is affixed to an old dog collar of the choke-chain variety.
I have recently tried to make it a habit when away from home and I'm going to and from my vehicle to loop the chain around my hand. This turns the key ring into a mini-mace that -- because of the velocity possible -- will generate a surprisingly powerful impact.
Since the improvised mini-mace is already in my hand, I do not have to draw or retrieve it in case a knife-wielder attacks. The chain adds to my reach, and the bunched keys will deliver blows to his knife hand, face, head -- whatever I can reach.
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5 comments:
Hmm, never thought of it in that use. Only know of the typical between-finger-thrust move.... Sounds like a good stun/first strike weapon. Do you think it could do serious damage, though? Just a question....
I sometimes use fresh new keys to punch or hit against my knuckles in order to roughen up my skin....
The impact you generate will depend on two things: 1) the weight of your keys; 2) the velocity at which they make contact.
Say you have 4 oz of keys on your ring. That's a quarter of a pound. Do you think you could do serious damage with a quarter-pound brass ball on the end of a chain?
OK--point taken, but I'm going to illustrate my lack of knowledge in physics (oh, bother!) and say if it were a medieval mace ball it would be killer; but will the various keys, all separate pieces of metal, deflect and absorb force too much to be as effective as a stout iron ball might be?
So, test the hypothesis. Load a ring with keys, tie it to a length of cord or fasten it to the end of a chain, and then swing it with speed into the palm of your hand.
Remember that the relation of force to weight is 1:1. That is, if you double the weight, you double the force.
By way of contrast, force is directly proportional to the square of the velocity. In other words, double the velocity & you will quadruple the force; triple the velocity, and you will increase the force 9 times.
...I need me some keys....
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