Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

When I was still pretty wet behind the ears and chock-full of whizz and vinegar, I won a fight with a feller who was thereafter said to be patrolling the roads with several friends and an announced intent to beat me at least half to death. An old cop told me I should go down to the hardware store, buy me a new pickaxe handle, and toss it in the back seat of my car just in case I got in a fight and needed help. He also said that if I did that I should be sure to break the handle out of a pickaxe and throw it under my front porch. His rationale was that if I was carrying that handle in case of trouble it was a deadly weapon and evidence of premeditation, but if I really had broken the handle out of my pickaxe and the replacement just happened to still be in my car when I had unexpected trouble, I stood a better chance of staying out of jail. If the old cop had been sober, the advice might have been different. Fortunately, even back then I knew better than to take such advice. Even more fortunately, the feller and his buddies never accosted me. But for some reason, I've never forgotten that interesting perpective on self defense. And, for Pete's sake, I certainly do not recommend it. Just tellin' war stories.

One of the things my mother used to do when walking through a dark parking lot at night was to get her car key in the ready to unlock position before she left the building. She would then take other random keys from her key ring and have them poking up from between her fingers, in kind of a Wolverine type fashion. Then she would walk out to her car cautiously, trying to be as aware of her surroundings as possible.

As far as the axe handle goes, it's not illegal to possess one; why should it be illegal to use it to defend yourself when attacked?

mamabearCali wrote:A primary defense? A pocket knife! Good heavens--NO, a pocket knife would not be my first choice on stopping an attack if I had any other way to keep distance! Way way to close of an encounter! There is a reason I have a CHP! It is better though than teeth, fists, or finger nails.

Agreed, a Knife has an intimidation factor that a fist does not have. I just stated that I'd rather bring a Gun to a Knife fight than a Knife to a Gun fight, or a gun to Gun Fight. And never a fist to a gun fight unless I am a T-101 Terminator.

spadesofcolumbia wrote:I had a customer tell me the other day the best defense is Bear spray and a butt out field dressing tool.

While I don't even want to think about the Butt-Out tool as a defensive weapon I have recommended to some folks who do not yet own a firearm that they purchase a can of wasp spray. It shoots a 20 foot stream, and really hurts if it gets into the eyes/nose of an aggressor. It may not bring someone down, but it will certainly give the victim time to create some space (i.e., another weapon, or at least a phone).

Riana wrote:

spadesofcolumbia wrote:I had a customer tell me the other day the best defense is Bear spray and a butt out field dressing tool.

While I don't even want to think about the Butt-Out tool as a defensive weapon I have recommended to some folks who do not yet own a firearm that they purchase a can of wasp spray. It shoots a 20 foot stream, and really hurts if it gets into the eyes/nose of an aggressor. It may not bring someone down, but it will certainly give the victim time to create some space (i.e., another weapon, or at least a phone).

Wasp spray seems a bit bulky, to me. I can't fathom where I'd carry a large aerosol can.

Riana wrote:

spadesofcolumbia wrote:I had a customer tell me the other day the best defense is Bear spray and a butt out field dressing tool.

While I don't even want to think about the Butt-Out tool as a defensive weapon I have recommended to some folks who do not yet own a firearm that they purchase a can of wasp spray. It shoots a 20 foot stream, and really hurts if it gets into the eyes/nose of an aggressor. It may not bring someone down, but it will certainly give the victim time to create some space (i.e., another weapon, or at least a phone).

Riana - sending you a pm.