Weapon when traveling?

[dogbreath650]

With retirement getting closer I'm looking forward to doing some traveling with the wife. Thinking of visiting places in old/new Europe as well as flying to various US destinations. I obviously won't be able to carry a firearm to defend myself so I'm trying to figure out the next best legal option. What do you think?

[Great-Kazoo]

ball point pen, heavy belt buckle, something like a CC or DL with an edge on it. You're a bubble head improvise.

[Mtn.man]

Credit card.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I have a "tactical" pen for close order stabbing but I use carabiners and 100 ft of paracord (tied up in daisy-chained slipknots to bring the length of the cord down and make it look more like a shoulder strap) as my shoulder sling on my laptop bag. I figure heavy-duty 'biners getting whipped around at the end of 10-15 feet of rope won't feel too good. I also have a collapsible monopod for my camera -- haven't tried to carry it on but it's available when I'm not at the airport. It gives me a nice 5 ft staff when extended and no one thinks twice about a tourist with camera equipment. ;-)

Take a couple tube socks with you and do the old 70s thing of putting a couple rolls of coins in them for use as a weighted bludgeon. You can take cheap cafeteria-grade metal forks and break off the handle then bend the tines at 90 degree angles to make some throwing stars you won't feel bad about tossing in the trash when you're returning home no one is going to mistake them for anything but an improv weapon if they see them.

You should be fine as long as you keep your wits about you and don't go slinking into the dark alleys looking for love in all the wrong places. I'm more worried about pickpockets and identity thieves than violent criminals when in Europe.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Aloha did you just google prison weapons and shivs? Jk

Op - on a serious note do you do any hand to hand combat training?

[Lex_Luthor]

You can check a pocket knife in your bag, and then just carry it on you when in whatever country you are in. If you're going to be bouncing around from place to place via plane, then a good leather belt with a sturdy buckle is one of your best options otherwise. There are always trains and buses all over Europe, and I don't recall ever having to go through security on those during my trips abroad.

[dogbreath650]

No HTH combat training. As Kazoo pointed out my military time was spent on submarines, they figured we got in enough trouble without actually teaching us something like that! I was thinking of maybe some kind of collapsble weighted "walking stick" ??

[Great-Kazoo]

Inconspicuous, blends in and no one looks twice. However i suggest you practice with one prior to your travels. An observant eye can spot someone who isn't in need of a cane. Remember they are not a club, merely a first strike defensive tool. I knwo someone who may or may not have a weighted metal cane for trips outside CCW friendly areas.

https://sp1.yimg.com/ib/th?id=H.4753486363754641&pid=15.1

[dogbreath650]

This might work as I would likely be taking an umbrella along anyway...

http://real-self-defense.com/unbreakable-telescopic-umbrella-u-212/

[Great-Kazoo]

This might work as I would likely be taking an umbrella along anyway...

http://real-self-defense.com/unbreakable-telescopic-umbrella-u-212/

Any port in a storm

[earplug]

Lots of web information on canes for self defence. They are ADA compliant for airline travel etc. A cane was a gentlemans weapon for centuries.
Not hard to find decent 5/8 Oak or other hardwood dowel that fits a crutch tip. I prefered a round wood knob for a hand hold, then added a thong.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Aloha did you just google prison weapons and shivs? Jk

If you're talking about the throwing stars, I knew a guy in middle school who made those for fun. I knew the forks were cheap but the ease with which you could bend the tines was a surprise -- as was how well he could throw them. He left quite a few pockmarks in the school's doors ...

As for the rest ... there were a lot of self-defense classes in the late 70s. Remember, that was the era of "Death Wish" and "Dirty Harry".

[StagLefty]

Lots of web information on canes for self defence. They are ADA compliant for airline travel etc. A cane was a gentlemans weapon for centuries.
Not hard to find decent 5/8 Oak or other hardwood dowel that fits a crutch tip. I prefered a round wood knob for a hand hold, then added a thong.

I'm usually not bothered if I have a cane and I'm wearing a thong :eek:


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