Do you know how...

[Zeb_Carter]

Do you know how to use any of these?

 

[SeaCat]

Do you know how to use any of these?

Maybe.

Cat

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Maybe.

Cat

Wonder who picked other?

Me too!

 

[cloudy]

Yep. My body is also being fine-tuned into a weapon, so I'm good.

 

[TE999]

I'm a tad out of practice, but it's like riding a bike...you don't forget how, or the NCO hollering at you.

 

[jomar]

I'm waiting for R. Richard to weigh in.

I've shot a small short-barreled gun at a target 30-50 feet away-harder than it looks.

I'm not bad with a rifle from 1000 yards and I can mothertrucking carve a turkey!

 

[3113]

Other. I can throw a rock.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I have never used a compound bow or boomerang, and I can't remember the last time I used a rifle. It's been a while for all firearms. I am actual surprised about that, as I grew up around guns, and always thought I would grow up to own a few. And yet here I am owning none.

 

[midwestyankee]

And this is important why? Have we been magically transported back to a time when longbows were necessary to survival?

Have you missed the fact that we have policeman and grocery stores, Zeb?

 

[Weird Harold]

Do you know how to use any of these?

all of them. I'm not very proficient with any except rifle and handgun, but I do know how to use them.

I used to be very good with a Sling as a child, but it is something that takes constant practice to use effectively, so that would be the (main) "other" I know how to use but am not currently proficient with.

 

[R. Richard]

And this is important why? Have we been magically transported back to a time when longbows were necessary to survival?

An interesting question. It would seem that the USA special forces warriors find it at least useful to use crossbows in modern warfare. (It's said that to properly train a longbowman [or compound bowman,] you need to start with his grandfather. Thus, the modern warrior uses a crossbow, that requires a bit less training.) The advantage of a crossbow (longbow, compound bow) is that it's pretty much silent, whereas a firearm makes noise.

The famous English longbow was a self, a single piece of wood. The Huns used a recurved self bow that was more powerful than the English longbow. The Turks used a composite bow that was still more powerful. A modern compound bow is, of course, better than any of the older bows.

If you want the ultimate in bow performance, a release aid is recommended. Scott makes a fine product. In the old days, the same problem was normally addressed with a Mongolian draw.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

And this is important why? Have we been magically transported back to a time when longbows were necessary to survival?

Have you missed the fact that we have policeman and grocery stores, Zeb?

You know...it figures.

You never know when a skill might come in handy. A longbow is easy to make and a useful tool when trying to survive where no other tools are available.

Guess you don't feel the need to learn anything...useful or to pass the knowledge on to your children.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

You know...it figures.

You never know when a skill might come in handy. A longbow is easy to make and a useful tool when trying to survive where no other tools are available.

Guess you don't feel the need to learn anything...useful or to pass the knowledge on to your children.

Sorry to correct you, old man, but a longbow is far from easy to make. Atlatls are easy to make but hard to use. Longbows are much easier to use but they are quite difficult to make. Good arrows aren't any cinch, either. That's why there were separate guilds making each, the Bowyers and the Fletchers. We have a chap here in SoCal who will give you the bow-making basics in an entire weekend at a shop for $400, but it still won't be really good. You'll have to make a half dozen before you can say you really know how.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Sorry to correct you, old man, but a longbow is far from easy to make. Atlatls are easy to make but hard to use. Longbows are much easier to use but they are quite difficult to make. Good arrows aren't any cinch, either. That's why there were separate guilds making each, the Bowyers and the Fletchers. We have a chap here in SoCal who will give you the bow-making basics in an entire weekend at a shop for $400, but it still won't be really good. You'll have to make a half dozen before you can say you really know how.

I made a longbow in boy scouts and arrows too. Mine was good enough to hit the target at 100 yards, not bulls-eyes but I hit the target.

Now a compound bow would be difficult without carbon fiber.

 

[Weird Harold]

I made a longbow in boy scouts and arrows too. Mine was good enough to hit the target at 100 yards, not bulls-eyes but I hit the target.

A sling is easier to make and doesn't require any time or skill to make ammunition for it, either. Even the scaled down version I could use as a half-grown boy could sling a golf-ball (or equivalent sized stone) over a hundred yards with enough accuracy to hit an archery target (if I'd had any archery targets to throw at ) or bale of straw.

A sling is adequate for most threats up to, and including, giant Phillistine warriors from Gath.

Now a compound bow would be difficult without carbon fiber.

It isn't the carbon fiber arms that make a compound bow work, it is the pulleys and cams that are the technological breakthrough that would be difficult to duplicate without samples to copy.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Yep. My body is also being fine-tuned into a weapon, so I'm good.

Only if someone plans to use you to club an elephant.

 

[Liar]

I can kill with my awesome brain.

 

[colddiesel]

An unofficial weapon which I saw some New Zealand troops use very effectively in counter insurgency work in Malaya was a net. From memory they were about 2m square with small weights on the corners or edges.

Defensively they were used to neutralise a potential attacker at close quarters, offensively in combination with something else.

 

[oggbashan]

I used to use a longbow made in one of Her Majesty's Dockyards to a description in a medieval book.

That was before they found the Mary Rose and real longbows.

The mistake I/we made with the longbow was making the pull far too heavy. To use it effectively needed a pull of 180lbs. It was difficult to pull at that weight and remain accurate.

A greased steel-pointed arrow would penetrate three inches of oak, 3/8 inch of steel plate and over 1/2 inch of iron sheet at a range of 50 yards. It would go right through 1/4 inch of steel and two inches of oak, leaving the fletching behind.

We also built a crossbow with a geared winch. That was rated at over 300lbs pull. The steel bolts from that would penetrate much thicker materials. At fifty yards it went right through a hanging pig's carcass and slightly dented the armour plate backstop on the rifle range. Most rifle/handgun bullets flattened on the armour plate.

Og

 

[driphoney]

Does a hand-mixer count in the "other" category?

 

[TxRad]

Does a hand-mixer count in the "other" category?

According to whether you are referring to throwing it or the food you make with it.

Zeb, you left off my favorite weapon, the blow gun and poison dart.

And would a fart come under other if they were silent and deadly?

 

[Tio_Narratore]

My "others" includes the bolo,he sling, and the atl-atl.

 

[R. Richard]

As I have stated before, probably the best street self defense for the average person is a cane. A cane is an intermediate/short range weapon, properly used mostly as a thrusting weapon at intermediate range, with slashing parrys. The slightly sharpened handle end can be used with devastating effect as a hooking weapon to the face of an opponent, as close range. Best of all, the cane is legal in all jurisdictions. However, the effective cane user does need to practice and keep in shape.

For close range work in confined areas, the yawara is an excellent choice. Although the classic yawara is made of wood, a metal yawara not only functions as a striking weapon, using either end, but also increases the impact of a punch, functioning as a fist load. The yawara can be claimed to be a Bhuddist religious object and, as such, is legal in all jurisdictions. However, the effective yawara user does need to practice and keep in tip-top shape.


The nunchaku would make an excellent street defense weapon, but it's illegal in almost all jurisdictions.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

As I have stated before, probably the best street self defense for the average person is a cane. A cane is an intermediate/short range weapon, properly used mostly as a thrusting weapon at intermediate range, with slashing parrys. The slightly sharpened handle end can be used with devastating effect as a hooking weapon to the face of an opponent, as close range. Best of all, the cane is legal in all jurisdictions. However, the effective cane user does need to practice and keep in shape.

If you sharpen any part of your cane, you can be convicted of intent to harm after getting into a fight with it. I would suggest against sharpening your cane, it can be dangerous enough as it is.

 

[R. Richard]

If you sharpen any part of your cane, you can be convicted of intent to harm after getting into a fight with it. I would suggest against sharpening your cane, it can be dangerous enough as it is.

True, but not really relevant. The end of the cane isn't 'sharpened.' It's just cut off at an angle (70 degrees is popular) leaving an abrupt line of demarcation. However, the line isn't sharpened as such, it's just the result of style and finished as it would be in a normal furniture situation.