Real Applications - Half Joking?

[Master Lucien Kane]

I agree with Jammo... That being said... I live in California, so my lightsaber is a fantastic incognito weapon.

Also I carried lightsabers with me in my turret in Iraq... Just in case I ever got the chance....

Come on... knife kill? How about lightsaber kill... That being said... I never got the chance

[Jammo]

I agree with Jammo... That being said... I live in California, so my lightsaber is a fantastic incognito weapon.

Also I carried lightsabers with me in my turret in Iraq... Just in case I ever got the chance....

Come on... knife kill? How about lightsaber kill... That being said... I never got the chance

We never really got to use our fun little Air Defense turrets thanks to our forces efficiency in neutralizing opposing airpower, but every gunner agreed that a gun kill was more bad ass than a missile kill, so I understand the sentiment.

[Niassa]

That said, for two women living together somewhere they don't feel safe? Might I suggest one of these?

I feel plenty safe, lol. Being 6'4" tends to make all but the most daring fool scurry away. For the rest, well, it's the same reason you never assume a Mandalorian has been totally disarmed.

My roommate is actually a guy, and while not an imposing one, the two of us make a pretty good team in that regard. Still... I like the way you think, sir!

[Amanita]

LOL, I'm very much female:) I'm short, about 5'4, and stocky in build, part of that being fat, part muscle. My legs are muscular as hell, and my forearms are getting to that point.

In regards to the confrontation I described, I've had people ask me "Why didn't you drop the saber?"
Whaa?
Why the heck would I drop what could have been my biggest advantage if that hussy had tried to get physical? Why would I drop something that she could get a hold of and use against me? Why would I drop a several hundred dollar prop and risk losing it?
Dropping my saber would have been one of the stupidest things I could have done.

[navajas]

Christ, now rereading what you wrote about that I can't figure out why I thought you were a dude after thinking you were a woman before thinking you were a dude. *sigh* I must be getting stupid a long with getting old. I really thought I read some pronouns in there that, well whatever.

I'm going to stop typing now.

[navajas]

Jammo and Lucien: Granted, when things go bump in the night, I reach for my Sig. But a woman home alone? I tell my wife to get the 870. For a person with no thought to carry and/or train, a shotgun is a better choice for home defense I think. A good dependable shotgun is much less expensive, much easier to use and much more intimidating. You always run the risk of having an invader not give your pistol credence, especially if held by a woman. It's much harder to maintain your bullshell bravado regardless of who's holding it when you hear them rack a 12ga. and point it at you. Hell, hopefully that keeps you from actually having to use it, and if you load the first two with bird shot, even if you do, you hopefully won't kill the guy and end up in prison for daring to defend yourself.

[Master Lucien Kane]

Not to mention a couple loads of rocksalt is enough to make any home invader sit down and wait for the cops to get there.

[Jammo]

Long guns do have a touch more fear factor, it seems.

[Mitth_Fisto]

I don't know, I have more fear of a sawed off shotgun then a rifle, or any gun really, if I was inside a house/apt with bending corners.

[Kaiden Shardsbane]

Plus, they make these nice little rubber slugs for shotguns now, that while they might not be as... potent... as regular shells, are quite handy.  It'd keep you from blowing holes in your wall, and you won't have to worry about accidentally killing your victim and getting sued by his corpse.

Now, back on topic.

I took my sabers to my Eskrima class and sparred with them a bit.  My master was quite impressed, except for his words of caution "Not to break a $60 toy."

[Jammo]

Meh, I'd just assume use buckshot and leave nothing to chance... besides, Arizona has reasonable self-defense laws. If you have proportionate force or imminent danger you can pretty well do whatever. Not as aggressive as places with castle laws, but generous enough to not jail people for legit uses of force.

[Kaiden Shardsbane]

Yeah, around here if your hand touches a weapon in those situations, you get prison for life.

[Amanita]

Where do you live? I would love to relocate to NYC, but if NY is one of the places that ridiculous about self defence, that's a negative right there!

[Niassa]

Where do you live? I would love to relocate to NYC, but if NY is one of the places that ridiculous about self defence, that's a negative right there!

I'm in NYC - Harlem. It depends on what your definition of self defense is. NYC it's almost impossible to even own a gun let alone actually get a carry permit. I mean, people do own them, but it's tough here. On the other hand, when it comes to beating the snot out of someone with a lightsaber or something, I'm pretty sure you can get away with that if it's on your property. Carrying is again a difficult issue.

They'll stop you if you're carrying a staff for example, so a lightsaber with blade attached is out of the question, unless you're, say, going to a con or party, or something. Hilt would be fine most likely, so if you have a pommel with a nice edge to it, you might get away with that.

Chances are, anyway, that the worst thing that will happen to you if you do happen to defend yourself, particularly in your own home, is that you'll be brought in to take a statement, and maybe questioned. Outside your home, take it as it comes. If you bludgeon someone with one of those pointy pommels like on TCSS, you might have more explaining to do, and you'd likely lose the saber as evidence.

[Amanita]

Oddly enough, last time I was in NYC I carried a saber around, and nobody hassled me- I've got some pics in the general gallery thread, "where has your lightsaber travelled" or something like that.

Perhaps having it lit made it look like a toy, or perhaps the fact that I also had robes on.

I have to admit, being hassled just for carrying a staff worries me- I've been known to practice solo with bokken, or more recently, the polypropylene version in some of our public parks. (Keeping a distance from other people, of course). How do you carry weapons used for martial arts practice back and forth to practice? I know a lot of NY'ers don't have cars. And not everyone belongs to a school either, so being restricted to "recognized" schools as practice places isn't practical for everyone.
Gahh, I hate Nanny State rules. I consider myself a fairly liberal person on many issues, but I believe the right to self defense should be paramount. Sitting around singing Kumbaya never made bad guys leave anyone in peace, at home or in the street.