Kilted Hero in Ottawa

[Archangel]

I thought long and hard about arming my self. Purchasing a gun. Or something. After much thinking, circumstances being what they are, I do not feel the need to be armed at this time, as I am perfectly capable of dealing with what ever might happen with my own two hands. Carrying a concealed firearm would be pointless. I feel as though that I am plenty capable of keeping my self, and all those around me, safe. While a gun might be handy, that could potentially put others around me in danger. I can not allow that to happen.

I am supremely confident in my abilities. Nothing else has ever managed to take me out up to this point, and I have been stabbed, shot, bludgeoned with all manner of blunt objects, ran over, thrown out of an upper level apartment window, and several other assorted events that should have meant my untimely demise, all of which have failed to kill me. I am a little uglier for wear and tear, but I am not complaining.

again, your restraint is admirable.
One of the best arguments for not carrying a gun came from a person, here in Canada, that had a rare permit to carry a concealed one. He said he figured that no-one is going to come and say, "draw." That with all the other concerns, there was little point in continuing.

I don't want to be part of a gun debate here. Here's where I agree: with all the legal/safety conditions for keeping a gun for self-defence, it become more practical to have a brick beside the bed. But I think a live katana is more "decoritive", and you already know I don't believe in decorative weapons, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

[Dreadbelly]

again, your restraint is admirable.
One of the best arguments for not carrying a gun came from a person, here in Canada, that had a rare permit to carry a concealed one. He said he figured that no-one is going to come and say, "draw." That with all the other concerns, there was little point in continuing.

I don't want to be part of a gun debate here. Here's where I agree: with all the legal/safety conditions for keeping a gun for self-defence, it become more practical to have a brick beside the bed. But I think a live katana is more "decoritive", and you already know I don't believe in decorative weapons, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

Where I am at, namely, a densely populated area, downtown, a gun didn't seem prudent. Anybody with any sort of combat experience knows that 9/10, in close combat, a knife wins over a gun each time. My cane is a good deal longer than a knife. (But I keep one of those too) So if you think about this in a logical fashion, which I did, arming my self with a gun would actually reduce my ability to effectly control a hostile situation. My voice, my menacing looks, and my commanding authoritative aura should suffice, or, in last ditch efforts, I get my hands dirty.

Should I ever feel the need to defend my self with projectiles, I do have one weapon in storage. It is a 350 pound xbow. Lever action. It will shoot a bolt clean through an elk or a bear and keep going for quite some distance. I have a good assortment of bolts, and a small stockpile of Rippers, special bolts with hooked barbs in both directions, that rip going in and coming out, designed to bring down big game. I also have three harpoons.

It may sound silly, but I keep it around in case of emergency. Should there ever be a major disaster or some kind of horrible event that brings civilization around me crashing down, I wanted something that I could protect my self with, get food, etc. And I didn't want to have to depend on gunpowder or chemical based projectiles. In some cases, simple is serviceable.

[Riverkilt]

Me too on guns...a good friend in my old AA Home Group down in Phoenix was a top Sgt in the Air National Guard. Knew his stuff. Worked nights and carried money. So he also carried a pistol.

He wound up getting into a road rage incident with a drunk kid. When they pulled over to "discuss" the situation the kid ran up to my friend's car and started punching him in the face and glasses. Friend was able to reach over and grab his pistol. He got out and drew down on his assailant.

The drunken kid grabbed the pistol, discharging it, and sending around through his own aeorta. The coroner got his blood alcohol level (0.07) out of his eyeball fluid since all his blood pumpted out onto the sidewalk.

My friend did five years in State Prison for "introducing a pistol into a fist fight." As the judge told him, "You were the victim until you pulled the pistol." No NRA dudes showed up to help with my friend's defense.

I've been shot at a bunch, shot back a bunch, and worse - have had to draw down on people and hold them at gunpoint. That's the worst...just hope, pray they don't challenge me. That's where the "act crazy" training comes in handy.

Don't really wanna go back to those days....but as I age, I have been considering just a small Glock.....but with the examples of the power of the kilt...maybe don't need one.

Ron

[davedove]

in close combat, a knife wins over a gun each time.

I had a good friend who had trained extensively in martial arts. One time, he was being trained on how to disarm someone with a gun. The first thing the teacher told them was you had to be within about five feet of the armed person. Someone asked the teacher what would happen if you were farther away. The teacher answered very matter of factly "You get shot."

[Dreadbelly]

I had a good friend who had trained extensively in martial arts. One time, he was being trained on how to disarm someone with a gun. The first thing the teacher told them was you had to be within about five feet of the armed person. Someone asked the teacher what would happen if you were farther away. The teacher answered very matter of factly "You get shot."

Actually, that number is more like upwards of 20 feet, depending on the combatant and situation. That's why combat instructors teach you to BACK UP and keep backing up when confronted by an attacker with a melee weapon.

The problem of course lies with the fact that some melee weapons can become ranged. Me, and many other people, we can take a knife and plant it in somebody's forehead with but a casual dismissive gesture.

[Archangel]

The problem of course lies with the fact that some melee weapons can become ranged. Me, and many other people, we can take a knife and plant it in somebody's forehead with but a casual dismissive gesture.

no, no, no, hard to soft, soft to hard. oh, now you've got me doing it.

So, got your point, ha. In my years as a martial arts instructor I incorporated what someone referred to as "environmental kung fu". (My style is actually a Japanese form.) The idea is that the weapons are all around.
Example: a) one of the sectarian groups in Ireland charged into a pub intent on some killing. They had automatic weapons. The patrons started throwing bottles, glasses and ashtrays at the armed men. The men retreated. (NB, if the Irish are going to waste guinness on you, you're cause is already lost.)
b) not to encourage you when you've toned down your violence so much but..frying pan to a robber. Yeah, you're already there. Peace.

[Dreadbelly]

no, no, no, hard to soft, soft to hard. oh, now you've got me doing it.

So, got your point, ha. In my years as a martial arts instructor I incorporated what someone referred to as "environmental kung fu". (My style is actually a Japanese form.) The idea is that the weapons are all around.
Example: a) one of the sectarian groups in Ireland charged into a pub intent on some killing. They had automatic weapons. The patrons started throwing bottles, glasses and ashtrays at the armed men. The men retreated. (NB, if the Irish are going to waste guinness on you, you're cause is already lost.)
b) not to encourage you when you've toned down your violence so much but..frying pan to a robber. Yeah, you're already there. Peace.

I have my own fu, and trust me, it works just fine. I call it my "F*** You Up Fu." It involves a lot of applied physics and some detailed anatomy. An example. A frying pan in motion will remain in motion till forward motion is arrested by a human face. What goes up, must come down. Should my knee happen to be where a body is falling, a body in motion will disperse momentum is all sorts of interesting ways. A body in motion is a weapon. When grabbed by the hair, or other natural handles, a human being makes for an excelent blunt object, perfect for smashing other human beings. Picking a human being up by hooking two fingers in to their nostrils and grabbing them by the balls with your other hand allows them to be thrown like a paper airplane, but they clearly lack aerodynamics.

It might not be pretty, it may lack aesthetics, and fancy form, and it will never look graceful or catlike, but it is a quick and dirty way to get the job done and done right. My fighting style is my own, and is perfectly suited for my excedingly short frame, stockly build, and extremely low center of gravity.

And best of all, I learned most of what I needed to know, not by studying Bruce Lee, but by watching the Three Stooges.

[davedove]

And best of all, I learned most of what I needed to know, not by studying Bruce Lee, but by watching the Three Stooges.

That's not as funny as it sounds. Some of the things the Stooges did to each other, if they had actually done what it appeared they were doing, would be severely disabling.