OC (Pepper) Spray And The Law

 Another video from POM Industries on the legal responsibilities that come with carrying and using OC Spray

 

Sunday With Blackthorn - Old School Street Fight Set-Ups

 There's No School like Old School. 😉

 

 

Blackthorn Blog For 9-26-26 Part 2 - Comment On Yesterdays POM OC Spray Video

 This came in  a little while ago.

 

 Excellent video! I've been carrying POM for some time now, as do others I know. I use the small size when I'm walking at the beach or something. Otherwise, I use the MK2.

I use the tactics she mentions starting at the 00:50 mark. 

1. Ask nicely: "I'm sorry, I can't help you" - and keep walking.

2. Forcefully Order: "GET BACK"! (assume defensive posture)

3. Give him (or her) a blast with the spray! (surprise deployment)

As I've said before, I keep the MK2 in the console of the vehicle. After I park my car, I grab my OC spray and keep in my hand while transiting the parking lot. At the store I stick it in my pocket, and then reverse the process when returning to my vehicle.

This is simple and it works very well. For one, if don't already have a weapon in your hand when an event occurs it might as well be left back at home. You'll never be able to retrieve it in the moment. If anyone notices you have pepper spray in your hand, just say something like  "It's a dangerous world today"  and shrug your shoulders". Of course one can also use a tactical pen or flashlight, but the advantage of pepper spray is that it's a distance weapon. You can employ step #3 at 12-15 feet instead of contact distance, which required to use a  pen or flashlight.

As we all know, distance is one of the key factors in a situation. The closer they get, the more strength and skill will be needed.

Now, to it's effectiveness. For any self-defense situation the goal is to break contact and escape, or transition to a better weapon, depending on the situation.

So, yes one can 'fight through' pepper spray, and some seem to feel no effects, but if employed correctly (surprise) and the eyeballs are saturated with it, it will at least give some pause. Heck, you can squirt someone eyes full of plain water and they will at least close and rub their eyes for a second or two. That is all we want. You are buying time by screwing up "their" plan. I don't believe anyone can receive a blast of OC directly into their eyes and have no effect whatsoever. Most of the fails we hear about are when people fail to employ surprise and allow the attacker to cover up.

And while it may not be totally disabling, it doesn't need to be. Again, our goal is to "break contact and escape". Fill the eyeballs full and get out of there. Or transition to a better weapon as appropriate.

I call this strategy defense in layers and we all know the best security is in layers forcing the attackers to defeat multiple layers to get to you. In this scenario: 

1. AVOID. I study the parking area before I get out of the vehicle. If I see something I don't like. I leave. 

2. DETER. I walk purposefully aware of my surroundings. Just have the can of spray as a deterrent . If a criminal notices something in your hand, even if not sure what it is, they may not want to find out. 

3. EVADE. Verbal interaction and continue walking. 

4. DEPLOY and ESCAPE. Issue an assertive verbal command and then the OC spray, and break contact and escape. 

That is at least four layers of security the criminal must defeat to get close to me. Close combat would be the final option if the everything else fails.

Bottom line, nothing is 100% fail safe including a magazine of 9mm. I have read of instances where an assailant was hit multiple time and kept right on fighting. Unless you hit a vital target , it can take a minute or two for your attacker to become unable to continue their attack.

That is why I firmly believe one should have a firm base in unarmed combat before anything else. Being weapon centric is a big weakness if that weapon fails.

Steve Forester

Some Morning Humor For A Soggy Sarurday Morning

 

From The POM Pepper Spray Company

 I personally carry Sabre Red, however POM has been making inroads into the OC Spray market. I have for several years now been promoting the use of OC Spray as a useful tool for self defense whether or not you carry a gun or some other potentially lethal weapon.  POM has put out a number of instructional videos on the use of OC Spray, and I will be showing them over the next few weeks.

 

More On Improvised Tools For Self Defense From Urban Combatives

 Sometimes the most innocuous items can be useful in getting you out of a bad situation.

 

 

United States Confirms It Has Weapons Platforms In Outer Space

 And Russia and China ain't happy about it. They consider it an unwarranted escalation of military dominance.

As if they don't have their own weapons platforms in outer space.  Gimme' a break!

  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-confirms-weapons-in-space-china-russia-respond/

Humor For A Mondy Afternoon

 

sunday With Blackthorn - Lucky Gunner Review Of The S&W 432 UC in .32 H&R Magnum

 I think I may have reviewed this a couple of years ago, but I couldn't find it, so I'm bringing it back as a Favor to my friend TC. The Lucky Gunner Youtube channel puts out what I consider honest reviews and if they don't like something, or it has  few negatives, they'll tell you so.

Blackthorn Blog Post For 9-12-26 - Part 2

 It's been too long since  we had another David James Video, so here we go.

I was involved in the FMA's for almost 8 years. I've seen more demonstrations of Knife Disarms, watched more videos, and read more manuals than I can remember. In all that time I've never seen any technique that had more than a 10% chance of actually working. 

And I'm being generous with that comment.

So, as always, PAY ATTENTION!!