Best Improvised Home Self Defense?

[Carbonator]

In the movie "Pulp Fiction" the character played by Bruce Willis has his gun taken away at the pawn shop and he resorts to looking around for an improvised weapon. Hammer, baseball bat, chain saw, sword...

This really is a serious question though. The above scene always reminds me that even though we can be disarmed, we will make do with what we have to protect our families and not resort to a victim mentality. Well, wasn't exactly a family scene, but you get my drift.

If you had nothing that is generally referred to as a weapon first, what would you personally use for improvised home defense? Anything from Home Depot or a sports store is acceptable, but no firearms, fighting knives, batons, or swords. No mace or OC spray. No stun guns.

What would you keep "at the ready", in place of a "real" weapon?
Baseball bat?
Propane torch?
Nail gun?
kitchen knife?
chainsaw?
Household chemicals?

 

[Wiley McRiley]

I'd probably go for a baseball bat. Although, the movie Lethal Weapon made using a nail gun look cool too.

 

[DJ E.]

Honestly, I would use anything and everything. My first choice would be a nice Louisville Slugger, but I don't have one of those on me all the time. But if it meant that I had to throw a bunch of quarters at the guys face, throw some dirty laundry at him to buy me some time, or even start stabbing with a ball point pen, I would find something that I could either wound him with(preferably fatally, such as a artery shot to neck), or at least buy me a couple of seconds so I could find something more appropriate. My $1.50...

DJ

 

[igor]

Any distance-creating, stopping-capable implement, blunt or bladed. As a plus, capability to modify the environment or create distraction (open or break passageways, cut electricity, impose flooding...).

Kitchen knives, flashlights, any blunt objects, crowbars, machetes, axes...

 

[CWL]

Whatever is at hand if the need arises.

Purposely leaving too many instruments of destruction lying around may also provide BGs with handy weapons as well.

 

[Lupine]

A cheap shoe

Fought off an attempted rape by nailing a guy with a high-heel shoe. The sole had worn off the heel, so the protruding metal left quite a ding in the guy.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

i have a dumpster found, short aluminum ball bat stashed near the front door

i have mused upon the thought of Harry homeowner firing up ye olde Poulon chainsaw
when something goes bump in the night. Most nefarious folke would most likely exit stage left ASAP. I think however, that frau Tuttle might object to the chain oil drips and the gasoline vapors in the master bedroom.

 

[Ryder]

hatchet

 

[TheeBadOne]

A nice length of metal pipe.

 

[foghornl]

A 2-foot length of 1" PVC pipe, filled with sand and capped at each end....

Never mind how I know, I just know....

 

[ksnecktieman]

A standard pool cue? Used as a lance? Yes, officer, it broke off and splintered this way by accident:O

 

[OrvilleYertleson]

I used to keep a nice sharp shovel in my car.....so I could dig it out if it got stuck.

 

[Josh]

I'm gonna go with the baseball bat too. It's survived the test of time as aerodynamically perfected in the art of sending small objects like balls & punkin heads far away.
And combined with a mitt, it's innocuous, easy to explain to the gestapo should the need arise, and fun!

A walking cane is another amazing self defense tool.
http://www.canemasters.com/

 

[cidirkona]

I think my milk-crate-turned-night-stand would do well, maybe a chair or two... the TV if there wasn't anything left... then again... my computer has 1" metal spikes all over it (thanks to growing up skater-punk)... a handful of pennies... an ice cream bowl...

I think I just mentioned everything next to my bed in my apartment... then again, I can't think of a time i the past year that I've ever been more than arm's reach of my knife spare traffic-court crap.

Every kitchen has an 'ish'load of knives in it...

-Colin

 

[ksnecktieman]

Consider the confrontation may take place in a hallway or a door way? Do you have room to swing a bat?

 

[El Tejon]

You should be thrusting, not swinging, anywho.

Carb, as with anything software is the primary concern. Rather than seek an item, seek knowledge of fighting. Many styles of boxing teach blunt weapons (White Crane boxing's "two short rods" or Choy Li Fut's improvised weapons) which can be used. How about bokken of the Japanese arts or Arnis sticks?

Learn to fight first and then allow the weapon to become an extension of your hands.

My vote: coffee can full of lye. Watch that backblast!!!

 

[clubsoda22]

my old shop teacher had a nail gun that was so used the disconnect wore out. It would spit nails full-auto. I think that's what i would use.

 

[cidirkona]

Hmm... I don't remember having a coffee can full of lye next to my bed... I think I keep that over by the couch...

-Colin

 

[wingnutx]

cidirkona- I'd like to see a pic of that computer!

Nice to know more skater punks are on the board

 

[cidirkona]

There are now spikes going around the top and sides, the spikes have been moved up one bay between a burner on top and two cdroms under that... I'll get a new pic tonight of all the new spikes.

-Colin

 

[cidirkona]

Oops, forgot to attatch...

 

[Aikibiker]

My favorite improvised weapon is a solid vertical structure. For example: walls, sign posts, trees, fire hydrants, cars, etc... I practice a martial art that has a lot of throws in it. Now in real life the bad guy isn't gonna fly through the air and go splat as pretty as they do in the dojo, but if I send him stumbling head first toward a solid immovable object it is sure to leave a memorable impression. You can also pin someone against a wall so they can't move effectively while you work them over.

I have to go back to my roots for a minute and give mention to the perrennial favorite motorcycle drive chain. If you wanna mess somebody up and leave em scarred for life just slap them up side the head with an old length of drive chain.

If there is time and the materials you can make a pretty effective shank out of a piece of plate glass and some tape, cloth, etc wrap around one end as handle. It will even go through metal detectors.

Fistloads are always a laugh and can be improvised out of almost anything. Small flashlight, roll of quarters, spark plug, random stick you find on the ground, deep well socket. The list goes on.

The true weapon is the mind everything else is just a tool.

 

[Cosmoline]

I vote for a hickory stick or something close to it. The chainsaw is a terrible weapon, nearly worthless for anything other than inspiring fear. It will at worst give nasty surface wounds, it has a terrible arc of attack, it's noisy and it doesn't always start quickly. Oh, and it jams easily on fabric.

 

[cidirkona]

Yeah, but the chain saw has definately got that Mossberg feel - the very sound will usually send someone running... ...or shooting.

Aikibiker:

Fistloads are always a laugh and can be improvised out of almost anything ... roll of quarters...

Do you always have a roll of quarters with you for some reason?

hehe sorry...


-Colin

 

[Aikibiker]

cidirkona:

Do you always have a roll of quarters with you for some reason?

Nope I'm just happy to see you.

If I am passing through a metal detector or somewhere I can't carry my normal arsenal I carry a mini-maglight with me. Makes a good fistload. I would like to learn some kobutan techniques to use with it eventually, but for now it makes for a good reinforced hammerfist or punch.

And hey it's a flashlight I use that all the time.