I first came in contact with a steel baton during my years in the law enforcement, and its practicality as a self-defense weapon stayed with me long after I left the force. I have a steel baton in my car, and it’s my weapon of choice to convince an assailant to change his mind.
Reliable authorities within the law enforcement community report that incidents of violent crime—mugging, rape, daytime holdups, and burglary—are on the rise. In present society, according to experts, about I in 25 people yearly can expect to fall victim to a crime that invokes them on a personal level.
You may believe it will never happen to you, but according to knowledgeable street cops in major cities, unless you spend the greatest percentage of your waking hours sitting behind double-locked doors watching TV, you will at some future date be involved in a situation that threatens you.
One cannot go on forever without encountering a dangerous situation. How long can you avoid a crime against yourself?
Consider that roughly 90 percent of all personal crimes are perpetrated by unarmed assailants. The laws of this country frown on a victim who draws a huge .45 Colt and blows a hole through a bully who uses fists or a club to commit a crime.
So how might you, the citizen, defend yourself against street crime or any altercation of a threatening nature? You could buy a steel baton.
A steel baton is ideal for self-defense
People do not wish to stand and allow an outlaw to hold them up and take their valuables. Most desire to defend themselves. But, because of the problems one can encounter in court, the average citizen wishes to use a decidedly non-lethal method of self-defense.
Because a firearm can kill, and some thugs can walk through the CS from a tear gas canister with no more concern than swatting gnats, the average citizen wonders where to turn for the appropriate means of defense from harm.
The steel baton provides a viable alternative. It is non-lethal. It can be controlled easily so that an attacked person can stop a criminal by administering pain in the correct dosages without breaking bones.
If one has spent time practicing with the steel baton, it is possible to render an assailant unconscious in a swift attack and go merrily on one’s way knowing that serious damage was not done to the attacker.
The steel baton offers solid defense against knife or club if the thug decides to use a weapon instead of his bare hands to commit his crime.
The effectiveness of any self-defense device can e measured in two ways:
- Your mastery of the device, which enables you to use the defensive tool in the manner for which it was intended
- The speed with which you can bring the device into use.
This applies to all self-defense weapons.
The steel baton, in particular, is easy to master. Just hold it in your hand. using the prescribed method of grip, flick your wrist, and a 16-inch column of spring steel flies out, ready to strike at your opponent.
Unobtrusive
The striking spring is made of the came “music wire” used in trigger springs and auto-pistol magazine feeds. Because the steel baton is only about 8 inches long when collapsed, it fits easily in one’s hand, to be carried unobtrusively in purse or handbag or tucked in one’s belt for rapid use.
There is no worry about the steel spring coming loose and dangling while you are carrying the baton because a ceramic magnet holds the coiled striking spring tucked safely away until it is time to use it.
Detailed instructions are supplied with the steel baton. However, it is impossible to become an expert with any defensive weapon without practice.
Fortunately, it is possible to learn how to use a steel baton effectively in a brief practice period. No self-defense schools teach use of the steel baton. However, baton training and striking methods lessons are available online, and some of these work well.
The steel baton can be applied with great effectiveness to the outside of both knees, the sides of the head and the sides of the body, and chest. When the steel baton is carried in hand, it makes an excellent yawara stick in its closed position.
For close fighting, when an attacker stands face-to-face with you, and you know for a certainty that he intends to mangle you, the closed steel baton can be slammed into the side of your adversary’s head, This creates quite a lot of pain for the attacker, enabling you to run or continue the defense.
Tapered Coils
Because you wield the steel baton by its solid steel handle when someone tries to disarm you by grabbing the extended coils of the baton, you can jerk the weapon back toward you and break his grip.
The coils arc tapered and arc progressively narrower toward the grip, preventing anyone from getting a solid grip on your weapon. If the coils are grabbed and the thug is trying to wrest the weapon away from you, bend your wrist in any direction that is handy.
This makes the coils bend in the thug’s hand while you control the only solid part—the steel grip tube. It also forces the thug to move to you, enabling you to apply a knee to his groin, following up with the steel baton on the head or shoulder when he releases the weapon to grab his groin.
If you are jumped from behind, you will feel your attacker’s arm around your neck and a hand gripping your shoulder or throat. Usually, while holding you like this, the mugger will use his free hand to dip into your purse or pocket. Sometimes a mugger will use a gun or knife held to your throat or head while he rifles your pockets.
If he is armed, do not even think about defending yourself. Let him have your money. But if you have reason to believe that your thief is unarmed, you can break him up using the steel baton. Begin by jamming the steel baton into the hand that grips you.
This will crush the tendons on the back of the hand, causing extreme pain and making him loosen or release his grip. Turn in the same direction the hand came from and when you can see the person, unleash the steel baton into his face or head.
Related article: Surviving And Dealing With Gang Attacks
Then, without a pause, follow through with a quick reverse strike into your target a second time. Usually, the first blow is enough to send a person reeling.
Any attempt to fight off a gunman or a knife-wielder should be as a last resort. Never use a lesser weapon against a knife or gun unless you believe your life is in the balance. If you believe that the thug will be satisfied with your billfold or purse or other possessions, then give them to him and let him go his way.
On the other hand, if you should be facing a psychopath and you believe he is out to kill you, then you must defend yourself. Unleash the steel baton at the hand or arm that holds the weapon. Direct your first strike to the inside of the arm holding the gun or knife.
Consider that you have an effective fight-ing range about 12 inches longer than your extended arm. So make your strike a powerful one. Use any upward stroke from waist level or sideways against the arm. If you hit the arm correctly, it will be temporarily paralyzed, and the fingers should open involuntarily, allowing the weapon to drop.
Instantly, you should strike to the head area to daze and disorient your attacker. Two hard, well-directed blows to the side of the head, the forehead. or the collarbone can do the trick.
The steel baton for the Lady
A lady recently defended herself against a thug who grabbed her from behind and tried to steal her purse. She used the collapsed steel baton to slam backward into his groin. The man Instantly released her and bent over, coughing.
The lady then extended the steel baton and applied a powerful, well-directed blow to the side of the man’s head. He fell to the ground, unconscious. The lady kept her wits about her and screamed until a police car showed up and took the thief into custody. The man was later found to be wanted in connection with several rapes.
The advantage to the steel baton is that it needn’t be displayed until it’s time to use it. And once the decision has been made, it can be put into action in less than a heartbeat.
I believe that the owner of a steel baton has the edge on the street. If he or she will lake the time to outthink an attacker. Consider how you would react in the event of a street mugging. Think about ways to improve that reaction.
Take the steel baton and practice with it until you know exactly how quickly you can produce it, ready for action. Experiment to find the best place on your person to carry it.
Women can tuck it into a purse, standing up at the side of a handbag pocket, ready to grasp.
Men can tuck it behind the belt near at hand.
Practice grabbing the baton’s cylinder and bringing it out as a yawara stick for use in close fighting or grappling. Learn to grab it, bring it out and flick it open in one movement.
Never knowingly invite any attack. Thugs like to watch people in order to find a likely victim. For example, a woman walking along a sidewalk with short, halting steps, clutching her purse in a death grip, frequently looking over her shoulder is a scared person, a victim.
On the other hand, a woman who walks confidently, looking as though she could deal with anything that might happen to her is a woman likely to be avoided by thugs.
Don’t Panic
When confronted by an attacker, do not panic. Think about and analyze the situation. Evaluate whether your life is in danger. Perhaps it may be possible to escape. If force is necessary, do not hesitate.
Let the crook make his move, then recognize his unprotected vital areas and bring the steel baton into play in an instant attack. Strike quickly, then retreat as soon as possible. The point is not to engage in hand-to-hand combat, but rather to tree yourself from an assailant.
While you are attacking the most vulnerable parts of your assailant’s body, scream loudly for help. Do not stop screaming. Kick, jump up and down, attract as much attention as possible. Above all, while you are kicking and jumping and screaming, apply the steel baton judiciously to the exposed area of your assailant’s anatomy.
When positive your life is in danger, and that a fight is inevitable, remember a golden rule: “He would do unto you, so do unto him, good!” Always be prepared to defend yourself on the street, or at home.
Even though you never have to defend yourself, preparing and being ready will give you greater independence and confidence.
The illegal use of a steel baton
The law frowns on illegal use of any weapon. You cannot, for example, haul off and bash your mouthy neighbor just to shut him up. Using any weapon when the action is not justified will bring you in contact with the police.
Be certain, when you defend yourself, that your actions are justified. Do not develop overconfidence.
Just because you manage to live without being attacked does not mean that it can’t happen someday.
Never assume that you have the answer to any attack. If you can slow down a thug and give yourself time to get away you will have accomplished the aim of countering street crime. At least your attacker will know that he has encountered you.
If there is no way out and you must defend yourself, do it with determination, vigor and resolve. Hit hard and accurately. If you do buy a steel baton, buy it to be prepared, not to be bragged about to “prove yourself.” Your aim is to stay alive. The steel baton can help you do just that.
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