I admit to me it would be a lot more formidable sight someone whirling the full length one over their head. Even if I figured the momentum would stop after first strike, so if you survived that...

I'd keep my distance.

My friend is a scarily fit and agile guy who has put ten hours a week for past 12 years in various martial art dojos, and I think his "just grab the line and do this (insert a confusing half a second motion which ends with him making stomping motions against somebody's imaginary body part)" would end differently from my "shut my eyes while trying to grab the line and hope for the best"-approach.

-jh

A walking staff held between you and the Line may help aswell, it would in theory just wrap around it no?

yes with much force; may knock the stick out of other person's hand, or allow me to pull the stick out of other persons hands.

Kevin

Finally had some time to check out your YouTube video with the braiding instructions. Thanks. I'll start working on it.

I have been looking at this thread primarily as a guideline on how to weave & braid paracord, so I can make it into thicker ropes, cords. That part I find very interesting.

However, I noticed that a focus of your work seems to be to use these braided cods and balls as a self-defense weapon. That may take some time and effort to perfect as a skill. I'd be careful about leaping to the conclusion that you've got a breakthrough. It's worth remembering that in all the martial arts approaches that use weapons, skills and techniques have developed and evolved over very long periods of time. There's nothing wrong with innovation ... nothing at all. But quite often there are pitfalls that are not obvious unless you try something out repeatedly over many different scenario's.

Let me give you one explanation of what I'm talking about. You apparently have in mind that you will flip one of these balls (with steel core), on a short piece of paracord, at your attacker. OK, if you manage to catch him in the face, then you have attained the initiative (at least for a short moment). But trained fighters will cover their faces with their hands, and they will do it very quickly. Otherwise they get punched. So in this case your ball wraps itself around your opponent's forearm. That's very bad for YOU. Why? Because his next move is to snag the paracord line, which can easily be done with a quick movement of his wrist. Then your opponent swivels his hips, and uses his own body weight to drag you off balance. Remember, you are attached at the other end of the line. If you let go of the paracord, then he now has possession of your weapon. And if you don't let go immediately, your own body is thrown off balance. Then your opponent steps forward, wraps the paracord line around YOUR head, steps around you to the rear (of your body) and chokes you with your own weapon. If you're fighting against somebody who knows what he's doing, he could perform these steps very quickly. Once you're in a serious choke, you're down for the count very quickly.

Practice, practice, practice. :-)

Pete #2

Id suspect that If they are covering their face with their hands in a fighter style the Ball would be hitting their hand If your aim is good. In that case they would prolly have a broken hand and dislocated jaw if you had enough momentum.

all good points I don't deny; however somewhere in the middle of the scenario you described I pull out my glock 33 indiana jones style. end of story.

frisket, you are indeed correct. also, if Pete's scenario, once wrapped around their hand, who's to say I can't jerk them foreward into a front kick to the chicken mcnuggets?

just though I'd share this foliage/black I made cuz it looks cool

I did this little segment of braid for just one reason - to test the stopper knot known as the Double Wall Knot (ABOK p. 117, knot #676) for use as a stopper in my self defense lanyard. "your_comforting_company" from another online forum asked me why I didn't so some sort of decorative knot stopper for the sliding loop on the lanyard. It was a "duh" moment for me; I should be using something nicer. So I made this little piece to see how the knot would work (its the ring-like knot) in the middle. I think its going to be perfect. thanks!

Looks like a hidden black jack on a key chain to me. Grab the "Lanyard" and Swing the "Charm" around at people.