Switching up my edc

That's what I do. For my age, it looks normal.

problem with me is it's VERY to buy Hickory crook cane. I only know of one place. They are 1 1/16" diameter(if that). I am looking for something thicker like 1 1/8" diameter, can't find it. If anyone know where to get a crook cane like this, let me know.
Try Canemasters.com. They make a bunch of models and you can select the woods and diameter. It seems all their standard 1 1/8" ones are octagonal. They also have a "design your own" option. You can have them make one any way you want. They are not cheap, though.
 
Try Canemasters.com. They make a bunch of models and you can select the woods and diameter. It seems all their standard 1 1/8" ones are octagonal. They also have a "design your own" option. You can have them make one any way you want. They are not cheap, though.
I just check, it's $135 for 1 1/8", unfinished!!! I paid $67 including shipping and tax for mine!!

Crook Cane, Hickory Unfinished, NO engraving 1 each
 
I just check, it's $135 for 1 1/8", unfinished!!! I paid $67 including shipping and tax for mine!!

Crook Cane, Hickory Unfinished, NO engraving 1 each
I was just providing a resource I knew about. I didn't realize this was some sort of contest.

If you want to play that game, I got a very high-quality, handmade hickory fighting cane for free at a free cane self-defense seminar for veterans. We also got free barbecue for lunch from Mission BBQ. Top that!
 
I was just providing a resource I knew about. I didn't realize this was some sort of contest.

If you want to play that game, I got a very high-quality, handmade hickory fighting cane for free at a free cane self-defense seminar for veterans. We also got free barbecue for lunch from Mission BBQ. Top that!
I don't mean to offend you, I was just commenting how expensive it is.
 
I agree. I don't carry a knife as a weapon, but as a tool. I would never be without a pocket knife, but I would have to really be in extremis to use a knife as a weapon, because I would have to have exhausted the use of my gun and my H2H training, so it is unlikely. For one thing, I have heard lawyers advise that even though written law doesn't say it, prosecutors and juries tend to take dim view of using a knife for SD. And I am not a believer in the old "Rather be tried by 12 than carried by six" thing. Going to prison is an unacceptable outcome for me.

You also have to be aware of the laws in your area. Where I am, knives are OK to carry concealed, but spring-type retractable batons are illegal and the law is worded vaguely in a way that a solid expandable baton might be seen as illegal. For an impact weapon, I like the cane. It is always legal, everywhere, and it can be highly effective if you've trained with it.
Notice the law is always against law abiding citizens? They always try to make example of normal people and lenient to criminals. Look at McCloskeys didn't even firs a shot and they got into trouble. Latest 73yrs old man in Az in jail protecting his property.
 
I was just providing a resource I knew about. I didn't realize this was some sort of contest.
Not a contest, just useful info. Canemaster's is pricey, so it's nice when people post alternatives. That's one thing a forum like this is good for. :)

BTW I picked up one of these at a fair price back before the pandemic:

It's listed as 1 1/16 in straight-grained hickory. The biggest problem was that instead of the "3-5 day shipping time, I waited well over a month and then had to contact them and complain before it eventually arrived. It was solid and heavy, but the grain wasn't very straight and the finish needed attention. That was back about 5 years ago. Maybe they've got their act together now? I hope so.

BTW I'd advise against carrying am obviously "weaponized" cane like a lot of the canemaster's stuff (and other so-called self-defense canes). Gimmicky and vicious looking sharp pointed crooks, saw-toothed/serrated sides, etc. only call attention to you and don't really make for a better self defense tool.

That's what good MA training is for. ;)
 
The TSA isn't the problem. I frequently travel with a gun, and it's no big deal.
Start by finding out what she can legally carry in Las Vegas, and go from there.
She normally carries a spyderco around here, I'll make sure to have her put it in her checked bags. Thanks.
 
I always liked the telescopic baton, I got a little rush opening it, brought out the youth in me. I still love the sound of opening that bad boy. Like I love the sound of a shotgun jacking.

Unfortunately, the telescopic batons don't work well. Especially against crazy or a highly motivated criminal element.

I DO like it held in hand, closed, like a long roll of nickels that extend outside the fist. Works really well that way if you get good training by an experienced trainer familiar with it.
I mean they work sometimes at stopping threats, and self defense, but I've seen videos of guys on pcp who a 9mm wouldn't stop. One guy got shot 35 times by the police before he collapsed. Nothings 100% but you know that better than I do because you used to be a Leo. I've never been a leo but I agree batons don't work 100% of the time against drugged up assailants, but you have the capability of using lethal force with a baton if the situation turns into life or death.
 
I mean they work sometimes at stopping threats, and self defense, but I've seen videos of guys on pcp who a 9mm wouldn't stop. One guy got shot 35 times by the police before he collapsed. Nothings 100% but you know that better than I do because you used to be a Leo. I've never been a leo but I agree batons don't work 100% of the time against drugged up assailants, but you have the capability of using lethal force with a baton if the situation turns into life or death.
The ineffectiveness of collapsible batons for law enforcement has more to do with law enforcement "rules of engagement" or rather our use of force policies or guidelines.

I am still a certified baton and use of force instructor for law enforcement, and trained a lot of police on its use. The problem is by the time force reaches a level of warranting lethal force a cop is typically better using a more efficient tool, his handgun, for that purpose.

But most often the baton is being used to strike large muscle groups, to gain compliance through pain compliance, but without seriously injuring the suspect. In that context it isn't very effective. To the point most cops leave their baton in the car if they can.
 
Not a contest, just useful info. Canemaster's is pricey, so it's nice when people post alternatives. That's one thing a forum like this is good for. :)

BTW I picked up one of these at a fair price back before the pandemic:

It's listed as 1 1/16 in straight-grained hickory. The biggest problem was that instead of the "3-5 day shipping time, I waited well over a month and then had to contact them and complain before it eventually arrived. It was solid and heavy, but the grain wasn't very straight and the finish needed attention. That was back about 5 years ago. Maybe they've got their act together now? I hope so.

BTW I'd advise against carrying am obviously "weaponized" cane like a lot of the canemaster's stuff (and other so-called self-defense canes). Gimmicky and vicious looking sharp pointed crooks, saw-toothed/serrated sides, etc. only call attention to you and don't really make for a better self defense tool.

That's what good MA training is for. ;)
That's where I bought my hickory canes. They ship fast for me.

I try to make my cane look as innocent as possible I also use this cane, but I CUT the hook, put a rubber boot on to make it look innocent. Hang on the table in restaurant very well, never slip off.
United Cutlery.jpg
My canes.jpg


I agree, practice is the most important thing, don't count on the sharp hook as weapon. I can carry my cane everywhere.

This is a little heavier than the Hickory, it's a little softer and can flex very slightly. But when I hit the heavy bag, I really cannot tell the different which one hits harder. This is made of fiber filled Nylon. It is durable. At the beginning, it's too heavy for me, I had to drill a 3/8" hole about 10" deep at the center of the end of the cane to reduce weight. I drilled slanted(sloppy) and might have weaken the cane, so I just use it for hitting the heavy bag. It's been 1 1/2yr, still holding up with heavy hitting. I don't think the Hickory stand a chance. Also, it's cheaper, it's only $53 and free shipping. Lately, I go back to carry this out, nothing is worst then the cane splinter when you need it.
 
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She normally carries a spyderco around here, I'll make sure to have her put it in her checked bags. Thanks.
Depends on how old she is, a cane might be good also. I carry a cane, a pepper spray in my left pocket and a Steel will 3.5" folder in my right pocket. Lose one, still have backup.
 
The ineffectiveness of collapsible batons for law enforcement has more to do with law enforcement "rules of engagement" or rather our use of force policies or guidelines.

I am still a certified baton and use of force instructor for law enforcement, and trained a lot of police on its use. The problem is by the time force reaches a level of warranting lethal force a cop is typically better using a more efficient tool, his handgun, for that purpose.

But most often the baton is being used to strike large muscle groups, to gain compliance through pain compliance, but without seriously injuring the suspect. In that context it isn't very effective. To the point most cops leave their baton in the car if they can.
Yeh, it's not reliable to count on pain to stop the attacker. I used to practice single hand escrima. I saw a video of competition, the two guys wack each other stupid from beginning and they both standing after the match. They might wore protection gear and use a thinner stick, But they really landed on each other from beginning to end. There is no defense to speak of, just landing from start to end. from that day on, I change to using a heavier cane and swing with both hands. My canes are like 20oz, nothing like the rattan that is below 10oz(even the thick one I have is only 12oz and that's HEAVY for rattan).
 
I have to use a cane due to medical problems. When I leave the house I always have at least three weapons, including the cane, with me. My most used canes are either hickory or oak (can't tell) and have the hook with the end slant cut. This is the cane I was taught with and generally carry. I cut the canes from 6' shepherd's staffs. I mostly use wrap and throw techniques since ra makes my hands too painful & weak to rely on swinging/striking techniques. I also rely on "pool cue" strikes since little swinging is required. I also use a metal section collapsible cane on occasion.

I generally always have two knives on me at all times. A spring assisted thumb flip pocket knife. And on my belt is a small K-Bar with a 2-7/8" blade. The knife is strongly curved so points like a revolver rather than straight up. I rarely if ever carry a sidearm even though I legally can. Also a "tactical" type pen with one end a "DNA gathering" top and short spike on the bottom. But if a cop asks about it I can simply pull the two halves apart and show it's indeed an ink pen. And I have so many knives it's easy to outfit with variation. I have a collapsible baton and a bunch of other harmless looking weapons.
 
The ineffectiveness of collapsible batons for law enforcement has more to do with law enforcement "rules of engagement" or rather our use of force policies or guidelines.

I am still a certified baton and use of force instructor for law enforcement, and trained a lot of police on its use. The problem is by the time force reaches a level of warranting lethal force a cop is typically better using a more efficient tool, his handgun, for that purpose.

But most often the baton is being used to strike large muscle groups, to gain compliance through pain compliance, but without seriously injuring the suspect. In that context it isn't very effective. To the point most cops leave their baton in the car if they can.
Yeah my goal is different than that of a leo. I'm not worried about taking someone into custody and to get them to stop resisting, I'm trying to stop them from hurting me and my family a bit different goal. Some things I do would probably not be allowed from what you said of the Leo use of force rules. I would use some large muscle strikes at first to see but if those don't work I'm going to probably go after arms and knees. If they can't punch or kick they are no longer a threat.
 
Taurus Judge with 1-2 round of 410 snake shot and 3-4 rounds of .45 Colt.
I'm curious, what order do you place the different ammunition types in and why? I thought about getting the S&W Governor and I'd like to know your rationalization.

Thank you
 
I'm curious, what order do you place the different ammunition types in and why? I thought about getting the S&W Governor and I'd like to know your rationalization.

Thank you
I'm guessing the snakeshot goes first, followed by the slugs. One somewhat common method for loading home defense shotguns is to load less lethal rounds first, and rounds with more penetration later on. For example, in a pump shotgun with 6 shots, you might have 2 shells of birdshot, 2 shells of buckshot, and 2 slugs.

Personally, I don't like this method. Because your first two shots are less likely to stop the attack, and your last two are more likely to overpenetrate. I just load buckshot in mine.
 
I'm curious, what order do you place the different ammunition types in and why? I thought about getting the S&W Governor and I'd like to know your rationalization.
I don't share the common phobia of snakes, so I wouldn't likely kill a snake unless it were venomous and I couldn't simply move away from it.

That said, the birdshot would be loaded into the first chamber to be fired, and I'd make sure when I closed the cylinder to remember that revolvers revolve BEFORE firing.

In the case of larger animals (we have a lot of fox and coyote in our neighborhood, and things like bear and cougar are possible), the noise (and minor sting) from the first round has a good chance of convincing the animal that I am not prey. If not, the follow up .45 Colt rounds add more power to my argument. For those larger animals, I'd actually prefer to carry a .44 Magnum, Desert Eagle 50AE, or the S&W 500 Magnum. But I do not own any of those.

The other use for this load out is close quarters self defense. As an example, a car jacking. The bad guy is going to be right there. If they aren't, I can probably just drive away. In this case, the Judge is carrying 2 rounds of Winchester PDX shotshell. These shells have 16 birdshot pellets behind 4 plated disks. At the range I'm talking about, those will all land in an area of just a couple inches. There is good penetration from the disks, sting from the pellets, and the noise to back them off a step or two, but minimal precision is required. And there's still the 45 Colt.
I'm guessing the snakeshot goes first, followed by the slugs. One somewhat common method for loading home defense shotguns is to load less lethal rounds first, and rounds with more penetration later on. For example, in a pump shotgun with 6 shots, you might have 2 shells of birdshot, 2 shells of buckshot, and 2 slugs.
You do you, but I do not personally care for the shotgun as a home defense weapon.

The size makes it much more difficult to move through a house, especially if you prefer not to reveal your position. Holding the weapon vertically will mitigate this to some degree, but at the cost of taking longer to get the muzzle on target. One of the bullpup designs would also help, and if I were to choose a shotgun, it would be a bullpup.

Typical shotgun as very rounds limited, and unless you're Jerry Miculek, you're probably not going to reload them quickly. There are some bullpups (such as the KSG) that have twin 6 round magazines. Changing between them is as easy as a magazine swap. And the number of rounds isn't usually going to be an issue.

Shotguns also have a limited range. The further away the target, the more spread. In a home defense scenario, this equals a larger chance of hitting unintended targets.

Then there is the recoil. You're never going to double tap a shotgun. And the smaller your pellets, the less likely you are to achieve a quick end to the threat, which makes the rapid follow up shot important. Slugs do help with this, since they decrease the need for a follow up shot.

And of course, there's the noise. Shooting any firearm in a room is painful and can cause permanent hearing loss. My home defense gun is suppressed, the fix this. That makes it longer than most handguns, but it's still usable one handed, leaving the other hand free for things like doors.
If you add a suppressor to a typical shotgun, the bulk problem gets even worse. And on a bullpup, it becomes as bulky as a typical shotgun.
Personally, I don't like this method. Because your first two shots are less likely to stop the attack, and your last two are more likely to overpenetrate. I just load buckshot in mine.
In testing, the risk of overpenetration from a rifled 12 gauge slug is no greater than it is for typical defensive handgun ammo. And it's considerably less likely to over penetrate than the cheap hardball ammo many people still have in their pistols.

A round hitting a body causes damage in two ways.

First is the actual damage to the tissues the round passes through. This is simple. The larger the diameter of the round, the more tissue it destroys. This is why good defensive ammo mushrooms.

Second is shock waves. Kinetic energy transferring to the tissues surrounding the impact site. This causes temporary or permanent cavitation. Temporary cavitation doesn't really damage anything. Permanent cavitation does. Even the best defensive handgun ammo does not leave any significant permanent cavitation. This is why shot placement with handgun is so much more important than caliber. Birdshot and buckshot also cause no significant permanent cavitation. Buckshot does have adequate penetration, though, so it increases the chances of hitting something vital without requiring as much precision. Slugs, however, do cause significant permanent cavitation. If the shot lands within a couple inches of a vital organ, it will likely result in death.

If I were to chose a shotgun for home defense, it would be a twin magazine bullpup design like the KSG. I'd use the 2 3/4" shells rather than 3" to bring the capacity to 7+7+1. I'd likely have buckshot in the chamber and possibly one in the first magazine. I'd add a suppressor, because I like being able to hear music, my grandkids, birds...

But you do you.
 
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@Dirty Dog

The main reason I went for a shotgun over a rifle is the local range where I lived when I first got into guns was only rated for shotgun and handgun (or at least handgun calibers). Because I wouldn't be training with it, a rifle becomes the inferior choice.

The shotgun is a much more stable platform than a handgun, which is why I trust myself more with 7 rounds of #4 buck or 00 buck than I do with 17 rounds of 9mm.
 
@Dirty Dog

The main reason I went for a shotgun over a rifle is the local range where I lived when I first got into guns was only rated for shotgun and handgun (or at least handgun calibers). Because I wouldn't be training with it, a rifle becomes the inferior choice.

The shotgun is a much more stable platform than a handgun, which is why I trust myself more with 7 rounds of #4 buck or 00 buck than I do with 17 rounds of 9mm.
Like I said, you do you.

Rifles share the drawbacks of shotguns, but with a greatly increased chance of overpenetration.

Now I'm thinking about getting a Kel-Tec KSG with an Osprey Salvo...
 

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