Kubotan
The Kubotan (sometimes erroneously spelled as Kubaton or Kobutan) self-defense keychain is a close-quarter self-defense weapon developed by Takayuki Kubota. It is essentially a derivation of the yawara (柔) stick, usually 5.5 inches (14 cm) long and 0.56 inch (1.5 cm) in diameter, slightly thicker or the same size as a marker pen. Attached with a keyring for convenience and concealment, the Kubotan appears as an innocuous key fob to the untrained eye, although it may be considered an offensive weapon in some jurisdictions.
notion :
Aside from its size and shape, much of its usage is quite similar to the yawara stick. As with the yawara stick, the principal areas for attacks in self-defense include bony, fleshy and nerve targets such as knuckles, forearms, bridge of the nose, shins, stomach, solar plexus, spine, temple, ribs, groin, neck, eyes etc. The Kubotan is usually held in either an icepick grip (for hammerfist strikes) or forward grip (for stabbing and pressure point attacks). Common uses include hardening the fist (fistload) for punching, attacking vulnerable parts of an assailant's body, and gaining leverage on an assailant's wrist, fingers and joints. With keys attached, it can also function as a flailing weapon. As a pressure point and pain compliance weapon it can attack any point a finger can, but with greater penetration because of the smaller surface area at the ends. For example, a law enforcement officer may wrap his arm around the suspect's neck while simultaneously digging the end of the Kubotan into the small of his back. The officer may also reach around the suspect's neck and underarm from behind and cause pain by digging the end of the Kubotan into the top of his pectoral muscle. One typical pain compliance technique is a wrist "gasket" lock in which the attacker's wrist is captured and sealed around with both hands and the body of the Kubotan laid across the radial bone. Downward squeezing pressure is then applied to the bone to take down the opponent. Its techniques are greatly linked to 'empty handed' martial arts techniques.
In the absence of the Kubotan (and similar weapons like the yawara stick and the koppo stick) improvised versions can be readily found and used in similar fashion. Since a Kubotan is just a rod of material any restrictive regulation would most likely be ambiguous and undefined due to the ability for any rod-shaped item to essentially be used in kubotan-like fashion. Thus, the Kubotan can be replaced by everyday items that can include hairbrushes, pens, magic markers, flashlights and sticks etc.
In the United States, there are few legal restrictions on Kubotans, with the notable exception that Kubotans are prohibited as carry-on items for air travelers. Spiked Kubotan are now specifically listed as Offensive Weapons on the British Government's Crime Prevention site. In April 2010 actor and entertainer, Darren Day, was found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon (a Kubotan) by a Scottish court in Edinburgh.
History :
Kubotan is a registered trademark of Takayuki Kubota, who originally developed it as a tool for police officers to restrain suspects without permanent injury. Its popularity began in the mid-1970s when Kubota first brought the weapon to the attention of the LAPD and began schooling female officers in its application. It is often touted as extremely effective in breaking the will of unruly suspects with painful locks and pressure point strikes. Because of that the Kubotan is also sometimes dubbed the Instrument of Attitude Adjustment. In some law enforcement and security circles it is known as "The Persuader".The Kubotan keychain (as designed and sold by Kubota) is a hard high-impact plastic rod, usually made from Lexan, about 5.5 inches (14 cm) long and 9/16 0.56 inch (1.5 cm) in diameter. The body is lined with six round grooves for added grip and there is a screw eye with a split ring attached to one end for keys.
There are many other forms and variations of the original design available, ranging from aluminum alloy to spiked, pointed, tapered ones to more offensive looking "ninja" models that have blades, spikes, hidden darts or tear gas. Although they may be marketed as Kubotans, they are not and are actually classified along the lines of generic Self-Defense Keychain Sticks or SDKS.
The umbrella term pocket stick is also used sometimes to classify rod-shaped hand weapons like the Kubotan.
Kubotan is a portmanteau of "Kubota" and "baton".
videos :
how to use kubotan
how to make kubotan
Tonfa
History
The origin of the tonfa is debated, but experts believe it originated in either China or Indonesia. It is used in both Southeast Asian and Chinese martial arts and was probably brought to Okinawa through their influence. The Chinese believe it was developed from a crutch but Okinawan folklore holds that during the reign of the ruler Shō Shin, restrictions were placed on the use of weaponry in order to stabilize the country after a period of civil war. This restriction is said to have favoured the development of unconventional agricultural tools as weapons of self-defense. In this context, it is said that the tonfa was developed from a wooden handle of a millstone, a common agricultural implement. In modern times, the tonfa was the basis for the PR-24 side-handle police baton but their combat application is different.Technique
The tonfa can be gripped by the short perpendicular handle or by the longer main shaft. In defense, if the handle is grasped then the shaft protects the forearm and hand while the knob protects the thumb. If both ends of the shaft are held, the shaft can be used to ward off blows and the handle can be used as a hook to catch the opponent's weapons.
In offense, one can swing the shaft to strike the target. Large amounts of momentum can be imparted to the shaft by twirling the tonfa by the handle. The tonfa can also be wielded in such a way as to use the knob as a striking implement, held either by the handle or by the shaft. One can also stab opponents with the shaft of the tonfa. By holding the shaft and the handle of the tonfa together, one can use it for holding or breaking techniques.
Tonfa are traditionally wielded in pairs, one in each hand. This is unlike police nightsticks, which are generally used alone. As the tonfa can be held in many different ways, education in the use of the tonfa often involves learning how to switch between different grips at high speed. Such techniques require great manual dexterity. As with all Okinawan weapons, many of the forms are reflective of karate techniques.
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