OBG:
How do I identify your RV...so I can stay the heck out of it! You sound MEAN! You'd actually hit a poor burglar in the groin?

.........unsporting!

I almost died on this one. Mine would say "Beware of Mauser" but most folks probably wouldn't know better.

But, just a question, after reading Taurus... and OBG, perhaps you can shed some professional light on this question:

If you do end up defending yourself (with or without deadly force) and you're trained for such (eg police, military), are you more or less likely to have the Wrath Of The Law come down on you?

In my place there are no halls because it's an 'open concept' condo. There's 30 feet of open space between the front door and the bedroom.

I've often pondered this scenario because when we first moved in and half the condos weren't occupied there were a lot of squatters PLUS I live downtown and can count the homeless from my living room window PLUS the front door has a 6 foot pane of glass in it. I'm sure it's tough glass but no match for a well placed kick or pipe or bat, etc.

I don't own a gun or even a bat and if somebody did break in they'd be able to get to my kitchen knives long before I would could even get out of my bedroom.

There's also no running. I'm on the 3rd floor and there's only one door.

I'm not sure I'd have much of a hope against any sort of determined intruder.

In your case, I think that I would do something about that glass in the door...

A lot of that depends on where you live. Some states have passed the "home is your castle" kind of laws, whereby you can whack anyone who comes thru the front door uninvited. Others, like CA, require you to leave by the back door if someone comes thru the front. So all are advised to know your local laws. And have the phone number of a good attorney on hand...

"...How do I identify your RV..."

It is the one with the US flag flying on the homemade flagstaf/weathervane, the rusty looking metal vulture bobbing his head near the front door (found that one in a store in Wyoming), and maybe a few empty vodka bottles floating around.

Re the groinshot, years ago I was taught, among other things, the "three from the ring" brand of baton use (this was a plain old wooden stick, not the sidehandle baton). First thrust to the throat area, second to the stermum, third to the groin. Bam bam bam. Works like a champ most of the time...

I don't have a gun or a bat (I'm kind of scared making this known - are the criminals in my area smart enough to read as I "advertise" this?). But I do have a short sword, about three feet long.

Not too long ago we called the police to complain about loud noise, music, and fighting that was coming from next door and about fifteen minutes later some random guy came stumbling to the door, three sheets to the wind, demanding to know why we called the police and saying he was going to kick all of our...well, you get the idea!

Nothing came of it, but to make a long story short I, along with that sword, was waiting at the top of the steps for this idiot to make a move. I had a perfect bee-line to the middle of the kitchen the instant he would have barged through the back door. Had he broken in, he would have had more to worry about than a police report and a hangover in the morning!

I always my trusty Gerber machete around. I guess it couldn't hurt to keep it by the bed.

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0039823517381a.shtml

Hi Hacksaw,

I have never thought of using my hooked machete for home defence but do really like using it in the bush. I have an old Fiskar model and a new Wetterlings (have not used it yet), how do you like the Gerber?

Mike

I like it a lot. Unfortunately when I bought it I was hoping it could chop up kindling instead of an axe or hatchet but the blade is too thin and the whole thing is too light...The weight is fantastic for backpacking, especially if there's a lot of wrist thick stuff or smaller stuff around.