WHAT is the BEST SWORD for HOME DEFENSE??

frankieus

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Right, I guess many of you would say that the best weapon for home defense would be a shotgun or similar but in my country is virtually impossible to acquire such licenses. Having a firearm without a license grants you years in jail not to mention using it! Even swords cannot be acquire as weapons but as collection item or decoration, so legally speaking if I protect myself with it would be like using a a decorative jar.

Unfortunately thieves have become in these days extremely violent in my country when it comes to break ins; before they would wait for you to be out of home and then would search the house for money and jewels. Now they don't bother, they wait till you are at thome, and then they break in and torture you to force you disclose the location of money or jewels... and you better have something to disclose cause otherwise they won't believe you and you'll have to go through an ordeal.

I guess most of us agree there is no such thing a "best sword" cause it depends on the situation, therefore, I would like to present the most usual scenario in the modern house break ins in my country so that we can discuss about the best weapon for that situation. I am really interested in your point of view since I know many of you are great experts in the field.

Situation to consider (according to police records):

  • Two intruders (minimum) breaks into your house.
  • At least one carries a fireman axe (They use it to break doors in case you lock yourself in a room)
  • The other/s usually carry big knifes, knuckle dusters and so on...
  • Occasionally they might bring a handgun though not so common since they know you don't have one at home anyway.

"Weapons" that I can legally purchase in my country:

  • Baseball bats.
  • Knifes & Swords.
  • Hammers, Axes, Chainsaw... Any garden tool.

My guess for the best weapon:

  • If I use a baseball bat against the axe I am done, so nope... And so it goes for the Hammer or any garden tools that I know.
  • The axe would be a fifty-fifty thing against the guy with the axe and two slow to contain two attackers.
  • The Chainsaw looks terrific in theory but have a few drawbacks that makes it not so good choice:
    • might not work, or take me too much time to make it work.
    • heavy and slow.
    • a blow with the axe on the chainsaw might take the chain out of the rails leaving me with no weapon at all.
  • So that leaves me with a sword/s as best choice...
    • rapier & dagger: with a trapping dagger the rapier might be the best choice for unarmored 1-1 duels, but this is not 1-1 and a good cutting powers seems to me a must in this situations.
    • one long sword: perhaps if I am in the middle of the dinning room they would be the best choice, but if in a small room they could be really hard to maneuver. On the other hand they will be the best to keep away the intruder with the axe. But if I go for one long sword I think it is better a double edge longsword so that I can handle one attacker at 12 and other at 6 ( hitting with the backside edge at 6 and rapidly hitting at 12 without repositioning the blade).
    • two short swords: great for small spaces, perhaps not so great against the axe, but so far imagining myself in that situation the two short swords seems to give me the best options; against the axe I can block and attack at the same time, and against the 12-6 I can use one blade for 12 and the other for 6.
Conclusion: Well I think the best choice is two short single edge swords. So how about two Chinese butterfly swords?

I would really appreciate you answers and help. Thank you very much.
 

Ninjamom

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I think you have to assume that multiple armed house-intruders won't really care if they are breaking your country's stringent anti-gun laws. Meaning: you will probably be bringing a sword to a gunfight.
 
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frankieus

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You might be right and then my only choice is to beg for mercy, but it is also true that, because they know I won't have a firearm, often they rely on big knifes and axes. So I still think the question makes lot of sense... At least in my country.
 

JadecloudAlchemist

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Why not bar your windows,change your locks,get a security system,get a trained dog.

Even swords cannot be acquire as weapons but as collection item or decoration, so legally speaking if I protect myself with it would be like using a a decorative jar.

It is a real sword right not a 440 stainless steel one?

How about a spear gun or a cross bow?

A theif usually wants an easy house to pick if you have bared windows and doors and a security system chances are he is going to run away.

There are better weapons than a sword such as a good old fashion aluminum bat.
 
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frankieus

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Yes, real sword considered as a collection item.

Spear guns are banned too, even a simple defense spray is illegal in my country, even blowpipes are banned. The cross bow only if for sports. Nonetheless using arrows could be fine for one intruder (assuming you don't miss), but they're always at least two so I don't think it would work.

About the locks and security systems... As I said they wait till you are at home, they only have to wait for some of your family members to go inside home to hold the door and break in... In any case I am not saying that passive security method has not to be there, just that they're not always enough.

Aluminum bat? sure... with some magic spells maybe?
 

Bob Hubbard

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What about a machette? They're like $10 at Walmart near me, sold in the camping area, no questions asked.


Defensive spray substitute - Wasp killer. Long range, burns, is v.bad for them. :)

Also, take some classes in Jodo (not Judo), and learn how to use a Jo, or any short staff type thing like a broom or shovel handle.
 
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frankieus

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What about a machette? They're like $10 at Walmart near me, sold in the camping area, no questions asked.


Defensive spray substitute - Wasp killer. Long range, burns, is v.bad for them. :)

Also, take some classes in Jodo (not Judo), and learn how to use a Jo, or any short staff type thing like a broom or shovel handle.
Well, the butterfly swords are machete like so I guess we agree on that.

I didn't know about the wasp killer! I'll check on that! good tip, thank you. Hope that thing is not banned too. Very interesting the Jodo thing as well, thank you.
 

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Something else to consider - wakasahi's. Shorter sword, easier to use in a cramped location. A katana or other long sword isn't much use in a doorway.
 

JadecloudAlchemist

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Yes, real sword considered as a collection item.

Spear guns are banned too, even a simple defense spray is illegal in my country, even blowpipes are banned. The cross bow only if for sports. Nonetheless using arrows could be fine for one intruder (assuming you don't miss), but they're always at least two so I don't think it would work.

About the locks and security systems... As I said they wait till you are at home, they only have to wait for some of your family members to go inside home to hold the door and break in... In any case I am not saying that passive security method has not to be there, just that they're not always enough.

Aluminum bat? sure... with some magic spells maybe?

How about a chain with a sickle on it?
Well if someone waits for you to open the door then its not going to matter what weapon you use because they got you by surprise.

An Aluminum bat is great because it a good range weapon and it might be able to hold up against a strike from an Ax and can dull bladed weapons.

Can I ask what country you live in?
 
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frankieus

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Something else to consider - wakasahi's. Shorter sword, easier to use in a cramped location. A katana or other long sword isn't much use in a doorway.
but wakasahi (the pictures I've seen) do not protect your hand, right? trying to stop the axe with that could be tricky
 
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frankieus

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How about a chain with a sickle on it?
Well if someone waits for you to open the door then its not going to matter what weapon you use because they got you by surprise.

An Aluminum bat is great because it a good range weapon and it might be able to hold up against a strike from an Ax and can dull bladed weapons.

Can I ask what country you live in?


¿chain with a sickle? I didn't think about that... but seems to me a good option against one opponent... and remember inside the small spaces of a house the chain might not have much use.

It could be a family member the one they use to break in, then you'll have to help him anyway.

Sorry, when you said a bat I thought you were kidding. Do you honestly believe is a better choice fo fight an ax than, let's say, a katana? Well... now I am surprised.
 

JadecloudAlchemist

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Having handled a sword a real one before.

I can tell you that if you hit it against a blunt object it will ruin the blade.
Same will most likely go for an ax. However since I have not hit an Aluminum bat with an Ax I can only speculate.

The chain is for long distance and the sickle is for close distance.

Nothing is fool proof and going up against more than one armed person without a gun puts you at a disadvantage.

Even with a Machete you may get killed. By the way I have used a decent chain in a small closed area fine.
 

jks9199

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What about a machette? They're like $10 at Walmart near me, sold in the camping area, no questions asked.


Defensive spray substitute - Wasp killer. Long range, burns, is v.bad for them. :)

Also, take some classes in Jodo (not Judo), and learn how to use a Jo, or any short staff type thing like a broom or shovel handle.
Machetes are very, very effective weapons.

Bob's got some great advice here.

But I'm going to start a bit more basic. What do you know how to use? Because you're better off sticking with something you can actually use, like a bat or a cane, than trying to figure out how to use a sword effectively when the bad guy's already at the door. You can practice and train much more openly with a bat or similar item than any sword -- and if you haven't actually struck objects with it, and cut things, you're in for a shock with anything.

Learn to use a short stick or cane; you can adapt the tactics to anything close. It's not a glaringly obvious weapon, and won't raise questions having it handy. And they require less training than swords.

As an aside -- butterfly swords require fairly extensive training to be effective.
 
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frankieus

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Machetes are very, very effective weapons.

Bob's got some great advice here.

But I'm going to start a bit more basic. What do you know how to use? Because you're better off sticking with something you can actually use, like a bat or a cane, than trying to figure out how to use a sword effectively when the bad guy's already at the door. You can practice and train much more openly with a bat or similar item than any sword -- and if you haven't actually struck objects with it, and cut things, you're in for a shock with anything.

Learn to use a short stick or cane; you can adapt the tactics to anything close. It's not a glaringly obvious weapon, and won't raise questions having it handy. And they require less training than swords.

As an aside -- butterfly swords require fairly extensive training to be effective.
I don't really know how to use nothing at all... I just have experience with martial arts without weapons (Karate, Tae-Kwon-Do, Tai Chi... Some Judo)

The idea was to find out what weapon offers an strategic advantage in that situation and then learn how to use it, at least in its basic form.

So yes, I guess using two swords at the same time is not as imple as using one, or using a bat, but probably I can learn and practice a few techniques with them even if I am not an expert.

About the stick... perhaps you're right but then I would really need to be an expert to beat an ax with a stick.

Are truly butterfly swords that difficult to handle?
 

Langenschwert

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Machetes are very, very effective weapons.

Bob's got some great advice here.

Yup. Machetes are great. And cheap. And legal in most areas.

But I'm going to start a bit more basic. What do you know how to use? Because you're better off sticking with something you can actually use, like a bat or a cane, than trying to figure out how to use a sword effectively when the bad guy's already at the door. You can practice and train much more openly with a bat or similar item than any sword -- and if you haven't actually struck objects with it, and cut things, you're in for a shock with anything.

That's the key right there. A poorly used weapon won't do you any good. If you're going to use a sword, then train it, and train it HARD.

Learn to use a short stick or cane; you can adapt the tactics to anything close. It's not a glaringly obvious weapon, and won't raise questions having it handy. And they require less training than swords.

I'd recommend La Canne Vigny as a good system for that. It assumes you've got a cane with a brass head or wooden ball for a grip, and makes the most of it. Paladin Press puts out a good video that could supplement whatever stick/sword training you're already doing. If there's a Savate school that teaches La Canne nearby, study it and remember what's "sporting" and what's not. Since you're in Spain, training in Jogo do Pau would be a good idea as well. I imagine someone from Portugal is living in Spain teaching it.

Europe has many indigenous stick arts that will serve you well, if you can find them. Good luck in your search.

Best regards,

-Mark
 

girlbug2

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Back in his college days my dh actually did use a machete to defend himself from an attempted home robbery ( I witnessed this). He didn't have to actually strike anybody with it, the sight of him pulling it up as he turned to face them at the door was enough to cause them to turn and run. However he is a trained martial artist with some understanding of how to handle that type of weapon; he would certainly have been effective with it if they had not run away.

I think the element of surprise that a homeowner actually is brandishing a machete at a would-be intruder works well if and only if you catch them before they've managed to enter. That makes the retreat option easier for them. Once they're inside you'd better really know how to "bring it".
 
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frankieus

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Yeah I agree about the psicological dimension of the weapon. That is why that I think taht if I use a stick, regardless how good I am with it, the intruder might not feel specially threaten and will try to attack... a sharp sword, they'll think twice.
 

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