Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Cold Steel Weapons



The term, “Cold Steel” has been around for centuries, well before the “Cold Steel” we know as a knife company, came along.
“Taste the cold steel”. “20 inches of cold steel will do the deed “. “My cold steel will change his mind”, and so forth. Guns are a hot weapon, and what if for some reason you cannot get your hands on one, you name the reason. What’s left are cold weapons, most obvious being a blade of some sort and the myriad iterations—daggers, swords, machetes, Kukris and the everyday butcher knife. In California, the weapon that has killed more people by one man is a butcher knife— Ramon Salcedo killed 7 people with a butcher knife. All knives make fine self defense cold weapons, with a little training. There might be reasons where a cold weapon is better, silence is one factor, surprise another. There is a reason for the 21 foot rule with a gun against a knife. Knives are natural in the hand and move with you. Most knives are easy to conceal as well, and as a cold weapon, offer many choices.
Before leaving the cutting edge cold weapons, the hatchet, ax, and ubiquitous tomahawk are called on. The ax, hatchet, and tomahawk go back thousands of years and They certainly have the rep to back them up. They are fearsome to face and can reach out and do damage. They are easy to have by your bed or other close by place you can grab in a heartbeat. Practice should be done with countering and attack moves. However, I feel it is a natural weapon in the hand and it will come to you easily. Two tomahawks in your hands is a thing to see in action. Tomahawks were even used in’Nam. That sums that up.
A good old all American baseball bat makes for a cold weapon, as does a pipe, and have been used many times. They also have an intimidation factor that more dangerous weapons do not. They are still used as cold weapon for robberies because of the intimidation factor. the baseballl bat is a cold weapon of choice, for many in their truck or car. Stored with a few baseballs and  baseball mitt to show you were not planning on using it as a weapon, might help. Most really do not know how to use the bat other than to swing it. I suggest you get a few lessons, I have seen some good ones on Utube
Another cold weapon is a cane, and you can take them everywhere, at the time of this writing, including airplanes the last time I checked.
The hook or crook can be used to trip someone or to capture an ankle or the back of a knee and take them down. Around the neck works well as does capturing an arm and twisting the cane as you pull it toward you.You may also just whack your attacker, or poke them in the face or location of your choice, like the groin. Canes are so common and it is not  unusual for any age to be seen with one. I have on occasion carried a cane. On that same train of thought, an umbrella, a crowbar or a tire iron can ruin an assaulter’s plan really fast.
The bow and arrow are cold weapons but as a self defense weapon, could be a bit awkward in a home or ant close quarters. The crossbow it seems might work much better, the draw back, no pun, is they are slow to reload. From a distance, both could be a physiological edge. Having a few arrows landing at random in your AO, or a few quarrels would be a discombobulation factor, especially if your partner has an arrow sticking his chest, that only happens in movies right?!
The sling shot and the ancient sling can be mastered in a short time by practicing everyday for a month. The sling shot has taken large game like deer and in the hands of the person who has mastered that skill would be deadly to go up against. The slingshot today has the power to generate velocities that are unreal. The ancient sling was used in armies of old. The Macedonians used them and many times those troops were the front line and they employed the slingers by the thousands, even having special locations in which they manufactured the ammo. The ancient sling is still used today in many parts of the world.
In truth anything you can pickup is a cold weapon. A lamp in your face is not pleasant. A fork in your eye is hurtful, and any corner of a table that is squared is a weapon waiting for you to shove some scums head into it
These are just a few ideas on cold weapons. You may have others as well, maybe they will work better for you… you do have options.
If you live in the country, a pitch fork will work. Sledgehammers or any hammer will also work. A shovel is a great weapon too.
What do you have in your passive cold weapon collection, hidden cleverly, under your tunic?

By Dude McLean


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