# Machete crime



## Carol (May 1, 2009)

Machetes appear to be the weapon of choice for a particular street gang who deserves no further publicity.

In my area, there have been a couple of machete stories in the news.  While these do not appear to be gang related incidents, they are cases where a machete was drawn to end an argument...which, is still something that is disturbing (not to mention felonious).

Man swings machete, hits woman's hand

Machete allegedly drawn, man accused

Anyone else seeing machete crime in their neck of the woods?


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## jks9199 (May 1, 2009)

Plenty of it.  That particular gang you mentioned is a major gang in my neck of the woods...  As are it's rivals.

Machetes are popular weapons because they're cheap, intimidating, and effective.  They're also easily available -- and often around for legitimate reasons on things like landscaping trucks.

They're also more concealable than you'd think...  especially with baggie clothes.

(Incidentally, in VA, they've been specifically added to the list of concealed weapons and a specific law addresses brandishing a machete or anything with a blade longer than 12 inches.)


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## shihansmurf (May 1, 2009)

They've been a problem around the Crystal Lake region for a number of years now....

I would think that the defense against them wold be daunting. Sort of a combination of club and knife type weapon given the size of the blade and the chopping motion used. Caution would be needed not to make contact with the cutting edge, of course, should one be forced to attempt a disarm.
Its an interesting thought, though, how to go about such a movement. I think I've found a new project to work on with a couple of my senior students.

Mark

Of course when we get roving gangs wielding chainsaws, I think I'll just stick to the classic .45 defense, which to be fair, would work perfectly well here. In all seriousness thanks for the heads up, Carol.


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## sgtmac_46 (May 1, 2009)

One needs to remember that most of the nearly 1 million people slaughtered in the Rwandan genocide were murdered with cheap Chinese machetes.


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (May 1, 2009)

Carol Kaur said:


> Machetes appear to be the weapon of choice for a particular street gang who deserves no further publicity.
> 
> In my area, there have been a couple of machete stories in the news. While these do not appear to be gang related incidents, they are cases where a machete was drawn to end an argument...which, is still something that is disturbing (not to mention felonious).
> 
> ...


 
Not a lot lately. But I remember being scared of these things as a kid in Hawaii. Lotsa locals carrying these in their cars, on their person...

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(kf5okn45lxiqzpme5wcvyg45)/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=998012480

Great when combined with FMA.


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## Deaf Smith (May 1, 2009)

Now for those who carry small guns with low power. Think about a machete at close range and how you really really want to stop them right there, in their tracks. And maybe you will re-think your weapon choice!

I have a machete in the garage. Used it many times in the field. It's a short sword more for slashing than stabbing. And yes, it can cut an arm off with one swipe!

I don't know you can get a CCW were you are at Carol, but if not, come down to Texas! You can have an equal chance here against those with such as a machete. You can carry the 'great equalizer'.

Deaf


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## Carol (May 1, 2009)

Thank you kindly for the invite :asian:  I don't think Mr. Massad Ayoob would live in the great state of New Hampshire if it was hostile to 2A rights.


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## Thems Fighting Words (May 2, 2009)

Machetes used to be a lot more frequent a dozen or so years back when everyone was wearing baggy pants or trench-coats. But then police were given powers to stop and search those who they conceived as being suspect. Usually teens and young adults with baggy pants or trench-coats or who were Asian. I got searched a lot because I came home from MA late and wore a trench-coat to keep me warm and I'm Asian. In the end, it was too much hassle getting continually stopped by the police so people switched to knives (which were a lot easier to conceal) or now glass (which is freely available).


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## K-man (May 2, 2009)

Still heaps around down this way. Just do a google search and there are machetes everywhere. Good things to keep away from.


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## zDom (May 4, 2009)

There is only one answer: make them illegal or register them all.

Only police should be using machetes. Or professional landscapers.


















/end sarcasm


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## arnisador (May 4, 2009)

I've heard a lot of this. Australia was having a particular upstroke in this a few years ago.


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## Thems Fighting Words (May 5, 2009)

K-man said:


> Still heaps around down this way. Just do a google search and there are machetes everywhere. Good things to keep away from.



Colder down there so I guess clothes that allow for concealment are much more common whereas it tends to look out of place up here. Also from a quick Google, seems a fair bit more gang activity. It'd probably be similar in Sydney.


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## Guardian (May 7, 2009)

Deaf Smith said:


> Now for those who carry small guns with low power. Think about a machete at close range and how you really really want to stop them right there, in their tracks. And maybe you will re-think your weapon choice!
> 
> I have a machete in the garage. Used it many times in the field. It's a short sword more for slashing than stabbing. And yes, it can cut an arm off with one swipe!
> 
> ...


 
Small Guns with low power LOL.  I'll take any gun any day over a machete low power? or not.  Placement partner, placement.


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## tellner (May 7, 2009)

At close range I'd rather face the pistol than the machete. Seriously.


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## Carol (May 7, 2009)

tellner said:


> At close range I'd rather face the pistol than the machete. Seriously.



Aye.  If you're in close with a pistol you could parry, sidestep, or do something that gives you a chance of not being covered with the muzzle.  A machete at that range though...much harder to avoid.


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## arnisador (May 7, 2009)

tellner said:


> At close range I'd rather face the pistol than the machete. Seriously.



Close enough, I'd agree. Something like half of all shots taken at less than 6' miss. Not many machete swings do.


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## Thems Fighting Words (May 8, 2009)

tellner said:


> At close range I'd rather face the pistol than the machete. Seriously.


Having faced both, I'd rather face neither. But I'm a big coward who doesn't like being shot at or hacked at. :uhohh:


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## Spartan 117 (Jun 15, 2009)

Carol Kaur said:


> Machetes appear to be the weapon of choice for a particular street gang who deserves no further publicity.
> 
> In my area, there have been a couple of machete stories in the news. While these do not appear to be gang related incidents, they are cases where a machete was drawn to end an argument...which, is still something that is disturbing (not to mention felonious).
> 
> ...


 
Machete crime is quite common in my country, especially in rural areas. Machetes are cheap, very sharp, (they can chop an arm off with a single hit), and since they are a tool used for local peasants, they're hard to control for local police.

Even if you survive a machete attack, most of the times the victim is severely crippled. And most people here who uses a machete know his way around with it. Not a good idea to pick a fight with them.


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## sgtmac_46 (Jun 18, 2009)

Just watched the 'Gang Land' episode about the New York 'Trinitario Gang', a street gang made up of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, who's trade mark is the use of the machete. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinitarios


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## Gaius Julius Caesar (Jul 16, 2009)

tellner said:


> At close range I'd rather face the pistol than the machete. Seriously.


 
 I am with you on that I would add at close range I would rather fight a pistol than a knife and it's why I might rarely carry my pistol but I always carry a knife.

 Shugyo!
 Dylan


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