Inbox
Thu, Nov 29, 6:14 PM (4 days ago)
James,
I have two questions for you.
1) In your works you emphasize the importance of not verbalizing with a potential aggressor; instead one should remain silent as a Spartan and keep eye contact with the target. What about sunglasses? Could wearing them be a bonus (they can't see your eyes and may find it unsettling) or is it important to lock eyes with The Woman's Children without fear?
2) I like claw-shaped blades. I think a compact-sized karambit with a serrated edge would do wonders in the rip-cut department and make emergency kidney removal a breeze. What is your take on these blades? Do you think such a curved blade could be carried discreetly and deployed fast enough to be useful, or is the whole thing a gimmick and better left to FMA enthusiasts?
Best regards,
- Mike the Exile
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Mike, I am so sorry that it took so long to answer, but answering your last question got me in so much trouble I was offline and in hiding for the weekend...
Silence is golden in violent encounters with The Oppressed.
Eye contact is touchier as it can be a challenge. You make eye contact when you are convinced he is coming behind a challenge. Do not initiate the challenge. Use hard eye contact against:
-A verbally assaulting or otherwise loudly aggressing threat
-A silent attacker who is moving towards you but not yet within reach
-A person which you have decided to intimidate first rather than make immediate contact
Against more subtle threats use you eyes more subtly and track them through:
-Peripheral vision
-Shadows from the sun or street lamps
-Reflections in mirrors storefront glass, bus stop panels
Against active threats beware of your vision going binocular and focus on his chest, so that you have his vitals locked in and are focused to detect elbow movement, which betrays most hand motions, and, if you are not too proximate, permits you to see the hips enough to detect movement there as well.
Sun glasses help avoid accidental eye contact that might be used as an aggression cue as well as make your focus less obvious in other ways. Shades also protect against coffee, dirt, spit, bleach and other oppressed projection elements that might be used against your eyes.
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The claw blade?
These may be legally categorized as sheath knives or martial arts weapons, so check your state and local statutes. It is unusual for an American jurisdiction to provide permission to carry knives for defense. This is reserved for guns, where it is permitted. Unless you are in a state that permits the wearing of swords and big knives for self defense read statutes and their absence according to a negative interpretation. Keeping this in mind, declare that you use your claw blade to cut packing straps for your imaginary ebay business and incase you need to cut yourself free of your seatbelt.
Tactically, the claw blade is ideal for defending against grappling attacks. Keep in mind that heavy clothing and coats can render it ineffective against the torso. So if you live where there are cold seasons focus un attacking the limbs, particularly the arms of the attacker.
As for deployment, rip-cut [icepick grip] blade rigs are faster than forehand blade rigs.
Let the Weak Fall: A Guide to Urban Strife for the Misanthropic Man
Regarding blades and legal aspects self defense. When I was an Arizona resident the state carry permit read "concealed weapons permit" and there was considerable discussion as to what "weapons" it allowed. The general consensus was that it covered other than pistols.
Now as a Minnesota resident my permit specifically states "pistol". As to knives we've had two local findings of not guilty by virtue of self defense in knife homicides. One was very high profile as it involved two fisherman and the dead guy was a respectable father of five. They're stingy with the details on the news.
I wonder if anyone has published a state-by-state guide on this?
Perhaps Ayoob?
If such an online resource exist, someone please send a link so I can link it on our network page.