Best EDC and tactics for self defence (non firearm or blade)

[TheMaster]

So we are talking best EDC for self defence
All access and always available in any circumstances.
So no firearms
No knives, whether lock or other (in fact even folding knives are possibly illegal in some jurisdictions if blade is more than certain inches)
Folders are any way dubious for self defence so swiss army type knife probably a weak choice and anyway would be confiscated in many situations such as bar for example.

Ideally quick withdrawal so must be functional. Tactics for using this also discussed and combining with standard martial art technique if applicable.
So perhaps solid 'tactical' (or just metal) pen is one option here. Then practice your hammerfist from different angles.

Prototypical situations for application either
- a guy confronting you with a knife
- multiple attackers

Thoughts and suggestions

 

[RerouteToRemain]

I carry a folding knife almost everywhere I go. Usually one of these 3, depends on what I'm wearing. The Hogue I carry at work.

I guess other options would be
Fox Labs 5.3 oc spray
Tactical pen

As far as tactics I'm not sure. Avoid the situation or give the guy your wallet.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Tactical pen

Got one as a gift and put it in my driver's side console. Always good to have a pen in the car. Mag-light too. Still need to get that new bulb in there.

 

[Chesten_Hesten]

Pimp Hat with a hatpin:

A Swordcane

Some realistic fake bills you can toss around as a distraction before you run.

 

[TheMaster]

I carry a folding knife almost everywhere I go. Usually one of these 3, depends on what I'm wearing. The Hogue I carry at work.

I guess other options would be
Fox Labs 5.3 oc spray
Tactical pen

As far as tactics I'm not sure. Avoid the situation or give the guy your wallet.

Not sure your folder is gonna do much good here. Depending how long it would take to deploy and if you could unfold it with one hand preferably.

Tactical pen if used properly is no joke. Strategies with tactical pen against a knife might be to strike the knife hand then hit the face or neck.
Or maybe just use it to hit the hesd or body directly amd try to control the knife arm. One good hit from that the attacker will be backing off.

Possibly just brandishing it as an eqaulizer coupled with a serious vicious look in ones eyes and maybe a shout may do the trick also if the attacker is nervy.
Some of the tactucal pems are styled to look nasty so this might help as a deterrent.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Not sure your folder is gonna do much good here. Depending how long it would take to deploy and if you could unfold it with one hand preferably.

Tactical pen if used properly is no joke. Strategies with tactical pen against a knife might be to strike the knife hand then hit the face or neck.
Or maybe just use it to hit the hesd or body directly amd try to control the knife arm. One good hit from that the attacker will be backing off.

Possibly just brandishing it as an eqaulizer coupled with a serious vicious look in ones eyes and maybe a shout may do the trick also if the attacker is nervy.
Some of the tactucal pems are styled to look nasty so this might help as a deterrent.

It would take as long as it would take to take a pen out of your pocket. The ZT is assisted and the infidel is otf, both would only ever be opened with 1 hand and they open very fast.

Anything you can do with a pen you can do with a knife but to a more devastating effect...

 

[TheMaster]

I dont think anyone would argue the knife is more devastating. Obviously designed for this with lockblade, one handed assisted opening.

But the TP has its advantages also.

- easier to scale lethal intent. Why I dont like knives is they are always potentialy lethal even accidently. I think many edc knife carriers dont really think this through fully if they ever needed to use it. It means a much harder self defence case and likely jail time. Now, this of course maybe justified in some situations but often not.
The law has to be considered. Lets say your confronted by 3 guys. If your verbal deescalation and avoidance strategies dont work you might try and rely on brutal standup skills alone if you have that training and your confident enough in it and depending on their size. Might get it done if you smash up the first guy bad and the others get scared for example or you can take them out quick but more likely wont work against that many. Yes, brandishing a knife will get it done but would you really want to have to use it? Alot of blood and serious injury - the situation just escalated big time.
Some good punches and 1 or 2 tactical pen strikes and they are howling in pain and backing off without taking serious permanent injury (unless I want to strike them in a way that does that). My self defence case wont likely even arise

- even if you carry the knife with a pocket clip the TP will still be a bit faster to deploy. One smooth motion from withdrawal and raising hand to coming down with impact.

- will never be confiscated such as at a club or bar or going through an airport

All factors need be considered. Against a knife the pen improves your odds significantly to bare handed also although its not an equalizer against a knife but gives you at least more of a chance.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

I dont think anyone would argue the knife is more devastating. Obviously designed for this with lockblade, one handed assisted opening.

But the TP has its advantages also.

- easier to scale lethal intent. Why I dont like knives is they are always potentialy lethal even accidently. I think many edc knife carriers dont really think this through fully if they ever needed to use it. It means a much harder self defence case and likely jail time. Now, this of course maybe justified in some situations but often not.
The law has to be considered. Lets say your confronted by 3 guys. If your verbal deescalation and avoidance strategies dont work you might try and rely on brutal standup skills alone if you have that training and your confident enough in it and depending on their size. Might get it done if you smash up the first guy bad and the others get scared for example or you can take them out quick but more likely wont work against that many. Yes, brandishing a knife will get it done but would you really want to have to use it? Alot of blood and serious injury - the situation just escalated big time.
Some good punches and 1 or 2 tactical pen strikes and they are howling in pain and backing off without taking serious permanent injury (unless I want to strike them in a way that does that). My self defence case wont likely even arise

- even if you carry the knife with a pocket clip the TP will still be a bit faster to deploy. One smooth motion from withdrawal and raising hand to coming down with impact.

- will never be confiscated such as at a club or bar or going through an airport

All factors need be considered. Against a knife the pen improves your odds significantly to bare handed also although its not an equalizer against a knife but gives you at least more of a chance.

Knives open pretty fast, it would honestly be marginally slower. If you have the Emerson wave feature it would be just as fast as pulling out a pen.

A pen is significantly better than nothing and is why I put it in my first post along with oc spray.

I carry a p2x or p3x fury at night when walking my dog. That wouldn't be a bad option as well. Disorientating light and blunt object.

 

[Protectandserve]

A tactical pen is a good idea. It allows you options and is very discrete when out and about.

OC/Pepper Spray can be good too. It's pretty effective as a fight changer, not necessarily a fight stopper but can 100% give you a massive advantage on avoiding strikes and landing your own.

Biggest thing is mindset, followed closely by fitness and will to win.

 

[sakfjgadsyukgf]

A tactical pen is a good idea. It allows you options and is very discrete when out and about.

OC/Pepper Spray can be good too. It's pretty effective as a fight changer, not necessarily a fight stopper but can 100% give you a massive advantage on avoiding strikes and landing your own.

Biggest thing is mindset, followed closely by fitness and will to win.

So you really think a tactical pen would be effective in a street fight? I'll be honest, I thought they were kinda TMAish, but I respect your opinion and took a second look at some Youtube videos on them. I would definitely not want to get stabbed by one, I'll say that. Just seems like you're in punching range of your opponent and anything can happen there unless you're like an experienced boxer.

I really thought collapsible batons were a decent self-defense weapon until you said in a different thread you tried one live and it didn't do much. Too bad there's no concealable way to carry, like, a baton or steel pipe as a civilian. There's a weapon with both actual stopping power and the range to be able to strike while not getting punched back, for the most part

 

[jlagman]

Knives open pretty fast, it would honestly be marginally slower. If you have the Emerson wave feature it would be just as fast as pulling out a pen.

A pen is significantly better than nothing and is why I put it in my first post along with oc spray.

I carry a p2x or p3x fury at night when walking my dog. That wouldn't be a bad option as well. Disorientating light and blunt object.

I'm a big proponent of EDCing a flashlight, perhaps even a tactical one, especially when conventional self-defense tools aren't available.

 

[TheMaster]

So you really think a tactical pen would be effective in a street fight? I'll be honest, I thought they were kinda TMAish, but I respect your opinion and took a second look at some Youtube videos on them. I would definitely not want to get stabbed by one, I'll say that. Just seems like you're in punching range of your opponent and anything can happen there unless you're like an experienced boxer.

I really thought collapsible batons were a decent self-defense weapon until you said in a different thread you tried one live and it didn't do much. Too bad there's no concealable way to carry, like, a baton or steel pipe as a civilian. There's a weapon with both actual stopping power and the range to be able to strike while not getting punched back, for the most part

The range is an issue with a TP but figure in you have effectively 1 strike anywhere on the head, body or arms and the opponent will be feeling it and that will likely be enough.
Theres nothing to stop you combining it with conventional martial art technique either, and it effectively prevents them holding you also if they get close for more than a second before their backing away again fast.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Can you use folding blades for SD? What if the blade folds back into your fingers?

OOOUUUUCCCCCHHH ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !



And are there flashlights that are actually designed to whack people, and not damage the bulb?

 

[jericksen5]

The idea of carrying a knife for self defense is entirely dubious in my opinion. Unless your extensively trained in knife fighting, you’re only getting yourself in deeper trouble by introducing a knife to a self defense situation.

 

[cheez whiz]

I've been thinking about this a little. What could I carry, have in my car, or keep by my house door that isn't a weapon I'm going to get in trouble for or that will immediately escalate a situation, but will still be useful against your typical knife, tire iron, baseball bat, lead pipe, etc. My top choices so far are:

1. A backpack with a couple of hardcover books in it. Not considered a weapon, easy to carry, and can harm if swung or be used as a shield.
2. A good ol' 4 or 6 D-cell Maglite flashlight. Especially at night, this is a useful item not necessarily seen as a weapon, but could cave in a skull. And it's bright, so you could blind an attacker, then wallop him.
3. A nice sturdy walking-stick style umbrella. If it's raining or even cloudy, it doesn't seem out of place. But it could be used to keep an attacker at a distance, to poke or parry attacks.

That's what I got thus far.

 

[shincheckin]

my edc is generally a knife and pepper spray.

for your question, something that could be concealed anywhere and taken anywhere, would have to be some sort of disguised thing, possible some of these keychain things you see around. Maybe just your keys, or perhaps a specially designed self defense key. large rings can function as knuckle dusters, a caribiner clip on your keys can be used as a knuckle duster as well, however rings and caribiners could not be allowed into some places as well. For most bars, bringing weapons in is not difficult if its something you really want to do.

 

[BillytheFish]

Prototypical situations for application either
- a guy confronting you with a knife
- multiple attackers

Thoughts and suggestions

Engage left and right leg and run away...

If confronted with a knife then it will be to be robbed not raped (I'm sexy but I dont think anyone wants to rape me)...in which case "here is my wallet, enjoy"