Self-protection in Fiction - Carrying a Kubotan - Information for Writers

Kubotan (Photo credit: trapgosh)

DISCLAIMER - This is a non-political site that is geared to help writers write it right. I am presenting information to help develop fictional characters and fictional scenes. In no way am I advocating any position or personal decision.


Your heroine is in danger, and she knows it! She has to protect herself. But how? Sometimes giving your character a new tool to use makes for a more interesting read. So for the next few weeks, I will be introducing self-defense tools beyond the pistol in the purse.

Let me start with some credentials. I am a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I have trained with several hand-to-hand weapons in preparation for my second degree black belt testing.

As far as weapons go, I will offer this piece of advice, with your characters as well as in real life, if the decision is made to have a weapon handy:

1.) Know how to use it.
2.) Be willing to use it.
3.) Practice - often.

For me, as far as everyday-carry (EDC) goes? I always have a KUBOTAN handy.

Questions???

Is it legal to carry a Kubotan?
Check with your local state, but in my research, I have never found a law against carrying a kubotan. I have carried it into federal buildings, airplanes, courthouses. The only place anyone ever stopped me was an event where the POTUS was speaking. The Secret Security asked me to give them my "weapon." (And it was my pretty pink one! Boo.)

Are they expensive?
10$ Depending.

Are KUBOTANS dangerous weapons?
First, let me say that almost ANYTHING can become a weapon and be used in a dangerous way (okay maybe not elbow macaroni, but you understand what I'm trying to say here.)
*My car keys can gouge out your eyes.
*My high-heel can be planted into your windpipe.
*My coat-belt can choke you out.

So dangerous is as dangerous does. If your character doesn't know how to use a kubotan or is unwilling to inflict pain/damage it is better for your character that she not carry one because it can be turned against her - though that might make a good plot twist.

Where would my character buy a KUBOTAN?
Gun shops
Self-defense shops
Martial arts suppliers
Amazon.com

Are there different types of KUBOTANS?

This is a cylinder kuboton. I think of it as a boys' kuboton. I wouldn't carry it. I think it would slip out of the hand too easily. Security guards carry this a lot for pressure point pain infliction.

This is my kuboton. See how pretty it is? Everyone thinks it looks like a Christmas tree ornament. Yeah, think that.

Notice the ridges that fit nicely between my fingers. It helps me grip it tightly. Imagine holding that in a fist for a punch. The solidity helps to protect the hand bones, and the keys will fling out - double impact. For example, while landing a punch to the nose, causing a break that will take the fight out of most assailants, the keys will fling into the temple. A temple strike, for your character, can be fatal to their attacker.

(Attached you also see my LED flashlight - another EDC component that might get your heroine out of a bad situation.)

On my KUBOTAN, notice the sharp point. This, in my opinion, is key. It is for applying pressure, and makes a (hammer) strike that is much more devastating.

There are also kubotans that have a release so that a chord extends between the keys and the kubotan. This makes the kubotan ILLEAGAL in many states because it becomes a modified numchuck. Jail time slows the pace of a book. Just sayin'.

What are the basics of KUBOTAN protection?
*When I fight, my left foot is forward and my right foot behind and
  to the side for stability. (This frees up my dominant leg for kicks
  and allows for pivoting for running away and for back-sliding if
  they are brandishing a weapon - like a knife)
* The kubotan is carried in the dominant hand; the non-dominant
   arm is up to block the attacker's response.
* DO NOT aim at your target. Aim significantly past your target, so
    you get the full range of motion. For further information about 
    how to aim and follow through go to this LINK
* Keep your motions controlled and tight. (No wide/wild swinging
   around) Why? They'll take your weapon; you are left open for a
   strike; it's fatiguing; you lose power in the swing...snap instead.
* Once you start striking, strike until you have cleared a path for
   retreat. DO NOT STOP the defense.  GO means GO - then have
   the character run, or not, you know what happens next in your
   plot.

After writing this article, I received a question from a writer about the helpfulness of a kubotan in two different scenarios: the blitz v. premeditation. She was also curious as to how effective a kubotan actually is. Here's my answer:

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Women Carrying Concealed - Information for Writers

Schietsport, vrouwen met pistool / Sports, shooting. Women with pistols (Photo credit: Nationaal Archief)

DISCLAIMER - This is a non-political site that is geared to help writers write it right. I am presenting information to help develop fictional characters and fictional scenes. In no way am I advocating any position or decision.

Fiona - 

Today I am interviewing Kelli about conceal carry. Hey Kelli, are you ready?


Kelli - 
Yep. I'm cooking deer meat, so I may get up and walk off for one second if you wonder why it takes me a minute.

English: Handgun showing self lighting Tritium sights. These sights are commonly referred to as night sights and allow use in low-light and night conditions. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fiona - 

Bahaha. You do that. Kelli, how would you describe yourself to my readers?

Kelli - 

I'm a 'down home' type of person. I like being in nature and with plants and animals and being able to do things for myself as much as possible. 

I was taught not to ask for help, that shows weakness. Friendly, helpful, but not a doormat to anyone. Growing up, I rode motorcycles, tried to rehab animals that were hurt, went camping with my family and spent most of my time outside playing. I grew up in southern West Virginia.

Wikipedia

Fiona -  

Kelli is being modest. She also holds an MA in education, qualifies to test for her third degree black belt, and is a Tae Kwon Do instructor. Okay, girlfriend, let's talk conceal carry. Watcha got in your purse?

Kelli - 
In my purse I have a journal, my wallet, and some chapstick. I don't carry in my purse!

Fiona - 

Where do you like to carry, what do you like to carry and why do you do it?

Kelli - 

I carry a .380 Ruger LCP and I use a Smart Carry for that (goes around the waist, deeply concealed). I carry for the same reason people wear a seat-belt, not because I think I will need it, but because it is a good idea for that 'just in case' moment. 

English: Clockwise start at the top left: Glock G22, Glock G21, Kimber Custom Raptor, Dan Wesson Commander, Ruger sp101, Ruger Blackhawk .357, Sig Sauer P220 Combat. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fiona - 

Have you ever needed it?

Kelli - 

Thankfully no, I have never had to draw! I also keep a .357 Ruger revolver in my console of my truck.

Fiona - And also a knife?

Kelli - 

As an herbalist, I always carry a good pocketknife, Benchmade! 

(Click here to go to Benchmark Knives website)

Fiona -  

So let's start at the beginning - when did you decide to start carrying and was there any particular reason?

Kelli - 

When I moved to CA we couldn't take a lot of our guns with us because of the law. So I left most of them at home in WV (we took one) after left there I moved to VA, and I realized there were times I was in some 'not so good' areas (not like home in WV where we know everyone). 

I started thinking about how I had lost my shooting skills being gone and how I would like them to get sharpened again. So I took a few classes and then saw they had a conceal carry class and thought that would be a good idea. So I went to the class, got my certification, and went through with the permit! 

My husband had been in Iraq, and I remember feeling a little more vulnerable during that time. I thought I should keep my shooting skills up and get more proactive with my protection of the house and of my daughter. Especially when we were out (we often traveled out of town on agility trials and went back home to WV a lot. (Kelli trains dogs for agility trials.)

Fiona - 

You like to use a Smart Carry and even made a YouTube video, right?

Kelli - 

Yes. I love the Smart Carry, and there were no videos showing how it fit women and how good it was for conceal for women. Most of the videos showed men only. So I wanted to show how easy it was for other women who may be thinking about it.

Click here to go see Kelli show off her Smart Carry.

Click here to go to Smart Carry Website

Fiona - 

Thanks for sharing! When you read books or watch videos of women with guns - I'm sure you see mistakes. What are some of the things that you would like writers to know about women carrying concealed?


Kelli - 

One of my biggest issues with the way women carry is that in most cases they think it is safe or preferable to carry in their purse. I am not saying this is wrong, but I don't feel it is the safest and quickest way to access your gun. Someone who wants to rob you may take your purse (now they have your gun, too).

English: An XOXO brand purse. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fiona - 

Okay Ladies, don't put your gun in your purse. And writers, now you can see how this can go wrong for our heroines - if you're trying to make the scene go bad.



Kelli - 

Right. If you have your gun on you, you can access it quicker and if you walk off from your purse there is no risk of someone (maybe a child) getting your gun. To me, that is very dangerous, and I don't care for it.

Youtube of a bra - carry

Fiona - 

Agreed. What about the chick who is afraid, and so she goes to the gun shop, buys a gun, and sticks it in her purse - do you like that one?


Kelli - 

Yikes! Know your gun. Practice with it. Practice drawing from different angels, different scenarios.


Fiona -

You mean I won't have time to hit my favorite pose and do some cleansing yoga breaths?


Kelli - Uhm, no. Fear can cloud your judgment, I would suggest that person get with an instructor and help her overcome her fears, and teach her how to use and carry her gun appropriately to fit her situation and circumstances (whatever they may be).


Fiona - 

Any other advice for the scared rabbit heroine?


Kelli - 

Don't be scared. Be prepared.

Fiona -

We should make a T-shirt.


Kelli - 

Bahaha. Yes. But that is my best advice on anything. Don't be scared, find ways to help yourself feel more confident about your self-defense skills (maybe take a women's self-defense class, martial arts, etc) but fear is NOT your friend! Confidence is your friend!


Fiona - 

Any ethics we need to keep in mind about conceal carry?


Kelli - 

If I am carrying, I usually take my gun off before going into someone's home, unless I know they are gun-friendly, and I usually do tell them. I ask them if that makes them uncomfortable (though I usually remove it). I think that is just being a good friend. If I know they are okay with it and carry themselves then I wouldn't think about it as much.


Fiona -  

Where can you get in trouble carrying - for writers who don't use guns, can you make a quick list? That was cryptic. I mean like a bar, the courthouse...


Kelli - 

That can depend on the state (you should always follow your state laws) but generally government agencies and schools are the top ones. I am not an expert in that so anyone interested needs to research that thoroughly and keep a list on your refrigerator, memorize, keep it in your car, etc. you need to know the law, if you don't you are not ready to carry! 

Click here to go to a site that has more information on this subject.


Fiona - 

Advice for the heroine carrying concealed?


Kelli - 

Well my daddy told me this, "Never put your finger on the trigger unless you are ready to kill what is in front of you," and that is a big thing to consider. So my best advice is really think about it. Is your heroine willing to squeeze that trigger if she has to? If not, then she shouldn't carry. If your heroine hesitates, the gun can and will be used against her. Your heroine has to be 1000% sure of her ability to defend her life (or her family's). This is not play time; this is serious. And she needs to be serious about it.


Me - 

And now for the last words...


Kelli - 

My final thought? My life is worth defending, is yours? I really would like to see more women either carry, learn self defense skills, or something to protect themselves, sadly this world is not rainbows and unicorns. Women are often victims; it is time to end that!


Fiona - 

Amen. Thanks to Kelli for sharing her insights and thanks to you for stopping by. 

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How to Punch Cement - for Writers

DISCLAIMER: It would be idiotic to read this article, go out and buy some cement, and without any preparation, training, or hands-on guidance attempt to punch through it - ‘nuff said.

note: in this video I am striking with a kubotan in my hand.

If you saw me after my last Tae Kwon Do testing, with my wrist in a cast, you would not read any further. Yes, I punched cement and the cement won. Only it wasn’t a normal concrete block; the one I attempted, unwittingly, was reinforced. It’s constructed to be unbreakable - and you know what? It is. Had my block been normal concrete, I would have punched through it, as I had in the past, as if it was butter. Okay, not butter - something crispier and with more crumbs.

Why would anyone do that? I do it because I can. It’s a brain training exercise. It’s about understanding mind over matter. This doesn't always work. Ask my friend who just attempted a mind-over-matter walk over a path of hot coals. There wasn't a happy ending. She had major burns on her poor feet. But unlike coals, which I know nothing about -  punching through a concrete slab is a matter of physics, focus and will.

The first thing to remember is the idea of dispersal. You are applying force. Energy can be focused on a small space thereby increasing the force; or, it can be spread over a large space dispersing the force. Think of this in terms of high-heeled shoes. A high-heeled shoe will leave a little dimple in a wooden floor where a flat heel will not. The smaller you can get your strike - the more successful you will be.

Second, the goal is not to aim for the cement. The cement creates the top of a table and two blocks create the legs. This gives room for the strike to follow through and for the debris to fall to the side. The aim, as in all punches, is not the point of contact but the other side of the contact. Ignore the cement and try to punch the floor. If you are aiming for the floor, your force will not stop when it feels cement - your force will drive further down towards your intended goal and the cement will break on the way.

Okay - why write about this? First for people trying to reach a goal...The goal is an end point. What can you see on the other side? What happens next? If you aim for what comes next - the other side of your goal, you have to pass through your point of intention on the way. The point of intention can look big, daunting, and undoable, but if it’s just a point along the way, it looses its overwhelming quality. Do you think I really want to punch cement? No - it looks impassable. (and if it’s reinforced it is indeed impassable). It is daunting; because of this, I would flinch, hesitate, and hold back. If I had any of these reactions, there is no way that my fist is going through that cement. I will probably just end up hurting myself.

As a writer how can I apply this? Breaking cement is what I think about when people tell me they have writers block. I don’t personally believe in writers block. I think that the aim is too shallow, and that’s why the writing isn’t swinging through. Try not aiming for the block - don't keep punching at an impassable object. Instead, put a word or two in to hold the place and aim for the floor. The floor here being the completed project. I bet as you swing through, towards the goal, that the block will crumble.

And what about the idea of concentrated force? Writers that I know are tweeting, blogging, reading, writing, researching… doing too much? Maybe trying physics would be helpful. Dispersing force, from a physics stand-point, is ineffectual. What I have learned in punching cement is that I should focus on a small target. The smaller the strike area, the more focused energy. When I am writing my manuscripts, I take a vacation from interruption. I aim my focus to the other side of the goal. I take a deep breath, and I strike through. You might want to try this technique. I bet you'll crush it!

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Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.