# What weapons do you like to train with and why?



## PhotonGuy (Sep 3, 2015)

So for everybody who trains with martial arts weapons, what weapons do you like to train with and why?


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## Touch Of Death (Sep 3, 2015)

The stick or club, because, they are the most common thing you will be attacked by, and the most common thing that just happens to be lying around.


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## donald1 (Sep 3, 2015)

My fists! They punch, they gouge, they block, they grab pull hyperextend and throw the target across the mat right before I driving my knee into their side. That or probably something cool you might see in some kind of bruce lee movie

Joking aside; my real answer would probably be my rokushakubo it was my first weapon I learned I like it because it gives me distance from my target thus have time to think of a strategy


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 3, 2015)

Touch Of Death said:


> The stick or club, because, they are the most common thing you will be attacked by, and the most common thing that just happens to be lying around.



Good point. You like to train with weapons that are likely to be close at hand. You can be the best person in the world with a particular weapon but it won't do you much good if you don't have the weapon with you in the first place.


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## Danny T (Sep 3, 2015)

Stick, Short Sword, Tactical knife, Pocket folder, Hand Gun, Rifle, Staff.
The applications work well and they all integrate with the training I have.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 3, 2015)

Danny T said:


> Stick, Short Sword, Tactical knife, Pocket folder, Hand Gun, Rifle, Staff.
> The applications work well and they all integrate with the training I have.



So what would you use a short sword for?


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## Tez3 (Sep 3, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> So what would you use a short sword for?



Hitting people.


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## hoshin1600 (Sep 3, 2015)

Boken and jo staff, not practical but sets the foundation for other things.
Machete, baseball bat, knives, long handle hachet and my favorite the carpenters 22 ounce waffle head framing hammer. 
In my younger years I played with nunchucku, tonfa and sai. Did I mention the framing hammer....I like to Crack bones


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 3, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Hitting people.



To be able to do that you would have to have it with you in the first place. Do you ordinarily carry around a short sword?


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## Danny T (Sep 3, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> So what would you use a short sword for?


Well I am from South Louisiana where there is huge amount of flood plain area/s. A lot of swamp, black berry briars, and forest, and sugar cane areas.
So for me a Short Sword =
Machete, Cane knife, or a bolo type sword. ...and I do have a machete in my vehicles.

The training with and against the short sword builds great attributes which integrates into other martial applications.


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## Blindside (Sep 3, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> To be able to do that you would have to have it with you in the first place. Do you ordinarily carry around a short sword?



You are assuming that there has to be a reason for training something beyond "holy crap this is fun!"  

I will be the first to say that me practicing sword dueling is time poorly spent if my main purpose was simply to defend myself.


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## Sapphire (Sep 3, 2015)

The step ladder, the garbage can, and my beard that I still can't grow.


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## Touch Of Death (Sep 4, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> Good point. You like to train with weapons that are likely to be close at hand. You can be the best person in the world with a particular weapon but it won't do you much good if you don't have the weapon with you in the first place.


If it gets too crazy, I will smash my opponents into what have you.


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## Tez3 (Sep 4, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> To be able to do that you would have to have it with you in the first place. Do you ordinarily carry around a short sword?




Absolutely


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 4, 2015)

Danny T said:


> Well I am from South Louisiana where there is huge amount of flood plain area/s. A lot of swamp, black berry briars, and forest, and sugar cane areas.
> So for me a Short Sword =
> Machete, Cane knife, or a bolo type sword. ...and I do have a machete in my vehicles.
> 
> The training with and against the short sword builds great attributes which integrates into other martial applications.



A machete you could say is a type of short sword and its a commonly used tool and very effective so you could keep one in your car and say you're camping and it won't arouse suspicion so machetes are good.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 4, 2015)

Blindside said:


> You are assuming that there has to be a reason for training something beyond "holy crap this is fun!"


Well that's a reason and if that's your reason to each their own.


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## Tez3 (Sep 4, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> A machete you could say is a type of short sword and its a commonly used tool and very effective so you could keep one in your car and say you're camping and it won't arouse suspicion so machetes are good.




Don't think that's going to wash here, nobody _needs_ a machete in the UK.


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## donald1 (Sep 4, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Absolutely



Strangly when I carry my saber I find people to be more polite and compliant


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## Tez3 (Sep 4, 2015)

donald1 said:


> Strangly when I carry my saber I find people to be more polite and compliant


 I don't have a sabre, have a rather nice kukri given to me by a Gurkha friend though. Mind, just walking down the street with a Gurkha makes people be polite lol.


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## Xue Sheng (Sep 4, 2015)

I train with a Dao, because I like it... that is all


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## Danny T (Sep 4, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> A machete you could say is a type of short sword and its a commonly used tool and very effective so you could keep one in your car and say you're camping and it won't arouse suspicion so machetes are good.


As to arousing suspicion; in my area it is rather common to see Rifles, Shotguns, and pistols as well as bladed tools of many sorts. It is not unusual to see walking sticks either. We are a farming and oil & gas industrial community with a love of the outdoors and hunting, camping, and fishing is prevalent. 
You'll see people from the ages of 6&7 up 80; blue collar workers, farmers, business and professional people who are in camo for a morning hunt, business suits for work and in the evening back in camo for another hunt or maybe in the boat fishing. As the culture has changed it isn't seen as much but it is still not unusual to see a youngster with a knife, a machete, a shotgun, or even a rifle.


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## Tez3 (Sep 4, 2015)

Danny T said:


> As to arousing suspicion; in my area it is rather common to see Rifles, Shotguns, and pistols as well as bladed tools of many sorts. It is not unusual to see walking sticks either. We are a farming and oil & gas industrial community with a love of the outdoors and hunting, camping, and fishing is prevalent.
> You'll see people from the ages of 6&7 up 80; blue collar workers, farmers, business and professional people who are in camo for a morning hunt, business suits for work and in the evening back in camo for another hunt or maybe in the boat fishing. As the culture has changed it isn't seen as much but it is still not unusual to see a youngster with a knife, a machete, a shotgun, or even a rifle.



I live in a country area and we have plenty of shotguns here, most of us have at least one, though no one dresses up in fancy camo gear to shoot things (well apart from the soldiers on exercise on the training area but they get big toys to play with).


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 4, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> ↑
> To be able to do that you would have to have it with you in the first place. Do you ordinarily carry around a short sword?
> 
> Absolutely


Depending on where you are, that can get you in trouble.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 4, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Don't think that's going to wash here, nobody _needs_ a machete in the UK.


Just about anywhere in the USA you can keep a machete in your car. You could say that you're going camping.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 4, 2015)

Xue Sheng said:


> I train with a Dao, because I like it... that is all


That's as good a reason as any.


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## Sapphire (Sep 4, 2015)

Grade-A trolling goes unnoticed around here, eh?  Fine.  

I like to train the stick and/or knife.  Get good with those and you can wield anything with even a remote resemblance.  Also, the better you are with distance, timing, and accuracy with a knife in your hand, the less likely you are to gut someone when and if you're in the position to defend yourself with a knife.  Part of being highly trained is having high control over your movements imo.  And even still, if you know how to wield a knife, you should get pretty good at knowing how to defend yourself against a knife, too.


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## Tez3 (Sep 4, 2015)

Sapphire said:


> Grade-A trolling goes unnoticed around here, eh?  Fine.
> 
> I like to train the stick and/or knife.  Get good with those and you can wield anything with even a remote resemblance.  Also, the better you are with distance, timing, and accuracy with a knife in your hand, the less likely you are to gut someone when and if you're in the position to defend yourself with a knife.  Part of being highly trained is having high control over your movements imo.  And even still, if you know how to wield a knife, you should get pretty good at knowing how to defend yourself against a knife, too.



Who are you accusing of trolling? No one is trolling here, you are mistaken.
Carrying a machete in the UK, as I said, will get you arrested. Carry a knife without good reason and that will get you arrested also.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 4, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Carrying a machete in the UK, as I said, will get you arrested. Carry a knife without good reason and that will get you arrested also.


But usually not in the USA. I don't hang out in the UK much.


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## Tez3 (Sep 4, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> But usually not in the USA. I don't hang out in the UK much.


This is an international site though, people from all over the world on here so a good place to learn about other people's cultures.


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## Sapphire (Sep 4, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Who are you accusing of trolling? No one is trolling here, you are mistaken.
> Carrying a machete in the UK, as I said, will get you arrested. Carry a knife without good reason and that will get you arrested also.



See my last post in page 1.



PhotonGuy said:


> But usually not in the USA. I don't hang out in the UK much.



Same here.  I've never even left America unless you count being in Canadian water on a boat once.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 4, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> This is an international site though, people from all over the world on here so a good place to learn about other people's cultures.



That's why if you're going to train with a weapon for self defense that various factors must be taken into consideration and one of those factors is if you plan to carry the weapon and if its legal to do so in your country and location.


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## ballen0351 (Sep 5, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> But usually not in the USA. I don't hang out in the UK much.


Depends on where in the US you are.  I can very easily arrest you for having a machete in your car here if I choose to do so.  Ive never personally done it but Ive seen it done several times, machetes, knives, swords.


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## elder999 (Sep 5, 2015)

I train with knives, clubs, ball point pens and guns.

...because man's hands were made for clubs, and the gun is the *ultimate *club.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 5, 2015)

ballen0351 said:


> Depends on where in the US you are.  I can very easily arrest you for having a machete in your car here if I choose to do so.  Ive never personally done it but Ive seen it done several times, machetes, knives, swords.



You're from Massachusetts I believe. Im not surprised. Massachusetts can be like that. In most states in the USA you can just say that you're camping. They might not buy that in Massachusetts but in most other states that would be a good legitimate reason, particularly the more rural states.


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## Tez3 (Sep 5, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> You're from Massachusetts I believe. Im not surprised. Massachusetts can be like that. In most states in the USA you can just say that you're camping. They might not buy that in Massachusetts but in most other states that would be a good legitimate reason, particularly the more rural states.



So they aren't camp in Massachusetts then?


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## Langenschwert (Sep 5, 2015)

Swords, swords and more swords. Longsword, Choken, messer and my most recent love, the Dussack. It's essentially a leather sabre. Is it ever fun. A better trainer for range and timing with one-handed weapons I have never seen nor used. It's also insanely cheap to practice. Full speed sparring only requires a three-weapon fencing mask and lacrosse gloves. Maybe elbow and groin protection if you want to be really safe. For those looking to get into HEMA on the cheap, it's a great option.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 6, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> So they aren't camp in Massachusetts then?


From what I know about Mass they aren't that friendly about guns, knives, or any bladed objects, except for perhaps pocketknives.


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## ballen0351 (Sep 6, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> So they aren't camp in Massachusetts then?


I'm not from Massachusetts but either way claiming the machete hidden under my seat is for camping and you have no other camping gear well that's probably not a good answer.  Tell me it's for camping and I see a tent and cooler and sleeping bags well your prob ok


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## Tez3 (Sep 6, 2015)

Some aren't getting 'camp'  nothing like explaining a joke to spoil it.
Camp (style) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## elder999 (Sep 6, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Some aren't getting 'camp'  nothing like explaining a joke to spoil it.
> Camp (style) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


 

I got it, though I have to say that maybe it was already "spoiled," but  because it just wasn't that  funny.....


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## Tez3 (Sep 6, 2015)

elder999 said:


> I got it, though I have to say that maybe it was already "spoiled," but  because it just wasn't that  funny.....




Ah you have an American sense of humour though and never loved Captain Jack the way we do.


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## elder999 (Sep 6, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Ah you have an American sense of humour though and never loved Captain Jack the way we do.


 
Yeah, but Americans do camp-haven't you ever seen our Batman TV series from the 60's???

And I'm not sure which Captain Jack you mean??


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## Tez3 (Sep 6, 2015)

elder999 said:


> Yeah, but Americans do camp-haven't you ever seen our Batman TV series from the 60's???
> 
> And I'm not sure which Captain Jack you mean??




Gasp, Captain Jack, there's only one Captain Jack! All others are pale imitations. I thought you guys though that was the real Batman!


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## elder999 (Sep 6, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Gasp, Captain Jack, there's only one Captain Jack! All others are pale imitations. I thought you guys though that was the real Batman!
> 
> 
> View attachment 19484
> ...


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## Hyoho (Sep 6, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Who are you accusing of trolling? No one is trolling here, you are mistaken.
> Carrying a machete in the UK, as I said, will get you arrested. Carry a knife without good reason and that will get you arrested also.


I was arrested many years ago in a gang fight and had a knife in my pocket. I was told that "anything" I was carrying could be classed as weapon, even a pencil. That fact that it was not drawn had me in the clear. Carrying anything is INTENT in the Western world and you can be charged.

I carry a long blade in third world country. But then again so does everybody else including kids.


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## Tez3 (Sep 6, 2015)

Hyoho said:


> I was arrested many years ago in a gang fight and had a knife in my pocket. I was told that "anything" I was carrying could be classed as weapon, even a pencil. That fact that it was not drawn had me in the clear. *Carrying anything is INTENT in the Western world and you can be charged.*
> 
> I carry a long blade in third world country. But then again so does everybody else including kids.



Well, that not true at all, certain weapons are illegal to carry unless you have a license, carrying certain knives is illegal unless you have good reason such as needing it for work. If you were arrested for fighting then the police mostly likely were warning you off, you cannot be charged with carrying a pencil whatever your intent whether it was 'drawn' or not ( is that a funny btw)


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 6, 2015)

ballen0351 said:


> I'm not from Massachusetts but either way claiming the machete hidden under my seat is for camping and you have no other camping gear well that's probably not a good answer.  Tell me it's for camping and I see a tent and cooler and sleeping bags well your prob ok



So where are you from? 

The Machete could be in the trunk or back storage area. You could say that you often do go camping and you keep the machete in the car since its easier to just keep it there or you could say that you recently unpacked from camping and you forgot to take it out.


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## Tez3 (Sep 6, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> So where are you from?
> 
> The Machete could be in the trunk or back storage area. You could say that you often do go camping and you keep the machete in the car since its easier to just keep it there or you could say that you recently unpacked from camping and you forgot to take it out.




I don't think giving 'excuses' to Ballen is going to work somehow.


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## Tez3 (Sep 6, 2015)

Whitby is just up the road from me, I'm spending the week there with our Brownies at the Guide house in October so shall go and have a look, I will place a stone on the grave for you.


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## elder999 (Sep 6, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Whitby is just up the road from me, I'm spending the week there with our Brownies at the Guide house in October so shall go and have a look, I will place a stone on the grave for you.


 Thanks, Tez-that's kind!


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 6, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> Whitby is just up the road from me, I'm spending the week there with our Brownies at the Guide house in October so shall go and have a look, I will place a stone on the grave for you.



Bringing your short sword?


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## Sapphire (Sep 7, 2015)

elder999 said:


> Yeah, but Americans do camp-haven't you ever seen our Batman TV series from the 60's???
> 
> And I'm not sure which Captain Jack you mean??



Actually a better "camp" Batman would be George Clooney's Batman in "Batman and Robin" with Ahnuld Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman as Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy, respectively.


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## Tez3 (Sep 7, 2015)

PhotonGuy said:


> Bringing your short sword?



No, if you go to Whitby you take wooden stakes.


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## Dirty Dog (Sep 7, 2015)

And a good shortsword would be handy for making new ones or sharpening old ones. 
These are for protection from vampires, right?


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## Tez3 (Sep 7, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> And a good shortsword would be handy for making new ones or sharpening old ones.
> These are for protection from vampires, right?



Absolutely! Dracula Experience Whitby


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## Tgace (Sep 7, 2015)

Hyoho said:


> I was arrested many years ago in a gang fight and had a knife in my pocket. I was told that "anything" I was carrying could be classed as weapon, even a pencil. That fact that it was not drawn had me in the clear. Carrying anything is INTENT in the Western world and you can be charged.
> 
> I carry a long blade in third world country. But then again so does everybody else including kids.



There is a valid legal point here. It can be State specific in the US, but many states have "dangerous instrument" laws (or approximations).

In New York, a person is guilty of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, pursuant to New York Penal Law 265.01(2) when that person possesses a "dangerous instrument" or "deadly instrument" with the intent to use that weapon unlawfully against another person. Unlike 265.01(1) where the weapon in question is automatically a weapon solely based on law, this subsection includes anything that is a "dangerous instrument" or a "deadly weapon."

However, simply possessing a pen/pencil without having demonstrated an intent to use it is not enough to support a charge. I cant arrest everyone with a pen in his/her pocket. If he threatened someone with it as a weapon? Different story.

The issue can change with knives though. Any knife can theoretically be a "dangerous knife" by NY law and possessing it can be PC for arrest....read this for more info.

NY Knife Law


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## elder999 (Sep 7, 2015)

Tgace said:


> There is a valid legal point here. It can be State specific in the US, but many states have "dangerous instrument" laws (or approximations).
> 
> In New York, a person is guilty of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, pursuant to New York Penal Law 265.01(2) when that person possesses a "dangerous instrument" or "deadly instrument" with the intent to use that weapon unlawfully against another person. Unlike 265.01(1) where the weapon in question is automatically a weapon solely based on law, this subsection includes anything that is a "dangerous instrument" or a "deadly weapon."
> 
> ...


 
I've posted before about this-my mom knew a nurse who was mugged on an elevator in NYC, back in the 60's. She had a pair of scissors in her purse, and used them to defend herself.

She had a legitimate professional reason for having scissors in her purse.

She was being attacked (mugging or sexual assault, I don't really know which.)

She defended herself.

She was charged with assault with a deadly weapon-the charges were later dropped, which is how it kind of works in most instances of "self-defense" in NY. In my case, with the pen, I was held (really nicely, like in an office, fed pizza and given clean clothes)  until the DA said he wasn't going to bother-it was pretty clear that I'd defended myself, and, for a variety of reasons, no onet wanted it publicized, so I went home later that day.


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## Hyoho (Sep 7, 2015)

Tgace said:


> There is a valid legal point here. It can be State specific in the US, but many states have "dangerous instrument" laws (or approximations).
> 
> In New York, a person is guilty of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, pursuant to New York Penal Law 265.01(2) when that person possesses a "dangerous instrument" or "deadly instrument" with the intent to use that weapon unlawfully against another person. Unlike 265.01(1) where the weapon in question is automatically a weapon solely based on law, this subsection includes anything that is a "dangerous instrument" or a "deadly weapon."
> 
> ...


Sorry maybe I was a bit over the top saying a pencil. They did say that they would charge anyone carrying something that was used as a weapon or intent to use as such. They asked me why I had a knife as if I had not intention of using it, why would I carry it anyway?

 There was also a limitation on blade sizes at that time. Nowadays there are retractable box knives or ceramic ones that you can snap off so I see little point in thinking that longer is more dangerous.


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## Hyoho (Sep 7, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> And a good shortsword would be handy for making new ones or sharpening old ones.
> These are for protection from vampires, right?


There are many aswang (Vampires) in the Philippines. At least that's what they think.


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## Tez3 (Sep 7, 2015)

Hyoho said:


> They asked me why I had a knife as if I had not intention of using it, why would I carry it anyway?



It is a very good question though.


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## Blindside (Sep 7, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> It is a very good question though.



Yesterday I opened two boxes with my knife.


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## Tez3 (Sep 7, 2015)

Blindside said:


> Yesterday I opened two boxes with my knife.



Then it would be no problems to the police here at least.


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## Dirty Dog (Sep 7, 2015)

Blindside said:


> Yesterday I opened two boxes with my knife.



I just trimmed a hangnail with mine...


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 8, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> No, if you go to Whitby you take wooden stakes.


Those are effective weapons too if used properly.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 8, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> And a good shortsword would be handy for making new ones or sharpening old ones.
> These are for protection from vampires, right?



A good short sword would be good for making new short swords or sharpening old ones? 

For protection from vampires your short swords would supposedly have to be made out of wood, and they would have to be driven through the heart as well.


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## Dirty Dog (Sep 8, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> No, if you go to Whitby you take wooden stakes.





Dirty Dog said:


> And a good shortsword would be handy for making new ones or sharpening old ones.
> These are for protection from vampires, right?





PhotonGuy said:


> A good short sword would be good for making new short swords or sharpening old ones?
> 
> For protection from vampires your short swords would supposedly have to be made out of wood, and they would have to be driven through the heart as well.



The stupid... it makes my brain cry...


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## Tez3 (Sep 8, 2015)

Ah well, there you go.


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## Tez3 (Sep 8, 2015)

A good talk to go to. How to Kill a Vampire - Halloween Lecture
Even if you didn't fancy killing vampires the speaker is Curator of Firearms at Leeds Armouries, part of the Royal Armouries. I've been to Leeds Armouries a few times, they have *every* weapon you could imagine using, from ancient to new. It's a magical place to spend a day or three or a week, a month


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## donald1 (Sep 9, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> A good talk to go to. How to Kill a Vampire - Halloween Lecture


A lecture?? That wont do at all... 
Just round house kick em and if it dosnt work try again...

Im sure master ken would know how


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## Tez3 (Sep 11, 2015)

donald1 said:


> A lecture?? That wont do at all...
> Just round house kick em and if it dosnt work try again...
> 
> Im sure master ken would know how



The lectures at the Royal Armouries often have a quirky theme but brilliant at telling you about ancient ( and modern) weapons, their history, how they are made, how they are used. I went to one about Japanese archery, learnt a lot. Also one about the Battle of Waterloo. There are also galleries of modern weapons, some quite odd and very inventive. There's early rifles and handguns as well as modern ones. Some quite nice shotguns too which my husband wanted (in the UK many of our shotguns we still use are heirlooms, beautifully made and valuable, shotguns aren't banned we just love the workmanship of the 'old' ones))


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## PhotonGuy (Oct 14, 2015)

So there's been lots of responses as to which weapons a person chooses to train with and why. This is what I like to train with. I like to train with sticks and knives because I find them practical. Knives you can carry with you depending on where you are and they're also very common. Sticks are easy to come by. They are perhaps even more common than knives so its not hard to find a stick of some sort lying around. Also, some people mentioned that they train with certain weapons such as the dao because they're fun. I must say the dao does look like a fun weapon to learn and I would take it up if I knew of a place that taught it in my area. For that same reason I train with swords and sais, because they're fun. Also, some of the techniques done with swords and sais can be applied to other weapons such as sticks. Aside from that I've had exposure to many different types of martial arts weapons, some of them quite unusual, and the techniques for using them. I do that for research and general knowledge.


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## Grenadier (Oct 15, 2015)

*Admin's note:*

Given that this conversation has pretty much dove off into the realm of fantasy, it seems that there's no need to keep it open.  If someone wants to continue such a conversation, please use the off-topic forums for that purpose.  

Thank you.

-G


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