Chuck says to carry Mace

[ford.304]

Man... it might be that raccoons are just tough buggers, or that we weren't committed enough... but anyway I have actually watched something be killed with a claw hammer and it wasn't as quick as I'd hoped.

One unfortunate side effect of having fairly hoplophobic parents despite living in the country is not having a gun around to deal with animal control.

There was raccoon hanging around our house, bothering our pets -- likely diseased. My dad pinned with a pitchfork. I went looking for something to put it out of its misery... couldn't find the axe, so I bring out a hammer and tried to smash its head in. First blow didn't do it, so Dad takes the hammer away from me and starts wailing on it.. The thing definitely *died*, but it wasn't really "out of the fight" until the 4th or 5th blow to the head... Sent blood spurting ten feet into the air. Dad looked like an extra in a Tarantino movie (washed that shit off right quick, too -- see the earlier "diseased" comment.)

Anyway... that sticks me with me hard any time I think about having to go hand to hand with someone. Gotta go hard and keep going.

[NETim]

Man... it might be that raccoons are just tough buggers, or that we weren't committed enough... but anyway I have actually watched something be killed with a claw hammer and it wasn't as quick as I'd hoped.

One unfortunate side effect of having fairly hoplophobic parents despite living in the country is not having a gun around to deal with animal control.

There was raccoon hanging around our house, bothering our pets -- likely diseased. My dad pinned with a pitchfork. I went looking for something to put it out of its misery... couldn't find the axe, so I bring out a hammer and tried to smash its head in. First blow didn't do it, so Dad takes the hammer away from me and starts wailing on it.. The thing definitely *died*, but it wasn't really "out of the fight" until the 4th or 5th blow to the head... Sent blood spurting ten feet into the air. Dad looked like an extra in a Tarantino movie (washed that shit off right quick, too -- see the earlier "diseased" comment.

Anyway... that sticks me with me hard any time I think about having to go hand to hand with someone. Gotta go hard and keep going.

'Coons be extraordinarily tough little critters. They can soak up a lot of .22 LR if the brain pan isn't hit.

[RevolverRob]

'Coons be extraordinarily tough little critters. They can soak up a lot of .22 LR if the brain pan isn't hit.

The last raccoon I killed with a gun was about 15-16 years ago on the farm. I shot it with a load of #8 shot from a .410 and that was a mistake. I only wounded it and had to go in the house and find something better (I ended up with a .38 caliber Webley) and then go track the raccoon down and put it out of its (and my) misery. The lesson I learned is...if it's bigger than a rabbit, shoot it with something you'd shoot a human with.

[NEPAKevin]

Not exactly a mace, but when my knees started to go, I picked up a heavy aluminum cane that I think would make a decent impression if so desired. It's sold under the Ka-Bar brand and while not solid aluminum it is much more robust than your run of the mill drug store adjustable cane. I think I got mine when it was a countdown deal or something as it was not nearly as expensive as they are listed on Amazon or LA Police Gear.

[1slow]

One of the old time strongmen, German I think, used to carry a solid steel cane as a joke. He would hand it to people and watch their surprise.

[LHS]

One nice thing about a mace is that there's no such thing as a flat strike. You don't have to worry about perfect edge orientation. It's just like that "Head On" headache remedy: apply directly to the forehead.

[Hambo]

I really like that Estwing tomahawk, but hold a bloody one up in front of a jury and you're going as far away as a jury of your squeamish peers can send you.

[Malamute]

I really like that Estwing tomahawk, but hold a bloody one up in front of a jury and you're going as far away as a jury of your squeamish peers can send you.

Interesting point. When I first look at such things the first thing I think of is how good of a camp tool it would be, which the Estwing doesn't look all that great for. Just like a cane, if you have an otherwise innocuous reason to have it youd probably be in better shape if it was used defensively. Tomahawk discussions are common on outdoors/bushcraft sites. Their usefulness as camp firewood or shelter building implements is the general line of discussion, with the "just in case" being generally secondary.

In the "axe/hatchet vs tomahawk" discussions, I tend to fall into the hatchet camp.

[Chuck Whitlock]

I really like that Estwing tomahawk, but hold a bloody one up in front of a jury and you're going as far away as a jury of your squeamish peers can send you.

Interesting point. When I first look at such things the first thing I think of is how good of a camp tool it would be, which the Estwing doesn't look all that great for. Just like a cane, if you have an otherwise innocuous reason to have it youd probably be in better shape if it was used defensively. Tomahawk discussions are common on outdoors/bushcraft sites. Their usefulness as camp firewood or shelter building implements is the general line of discussion, with the "just in case" being generally secondary.

In the "axe/hatchet vs tomahawk" discussions, I tend to fall into the hatchet camp.

http://www.estwing.com/ao_black_eagl..._axe_black.php

I've seen both this and the 'hawk on the racks at local hardware stores.

[HCM]

These are slightly more jury friendly and more useful as GP tools.

http://www.amazon.com/Plumb-11559P-O.../dp/B00004YYEZ

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004Z2XT/...WXNN291JY3QG06