What’s in your Toolbox?
My Friend - Happy Monday,
If you own a gun of any kind, why did you buy it? Why do you carry it? Was it to be cool? Thought it was a good idea and then just forgot about it? To FEEL safe? Or BE safe? Was it because you came to understand that your safety is YOUR responsibility and protecting your life and way of life was up to you?
These are questions I challenge myself with continually. Owning a gun doesn’t fulfill any responsibility and believing in the 2A doesn’t either. You have to be skilled. You have to actually know how to use your firearm. Know your ‘WHY.’ Soap box here, me stepping off.
What’s in Your Toolbox?
In a previous newsletter and recent YouTube video I answered the question of whether or not you should always carry a gun. Here I will share some of the things I do to stay safe and be prepared WITHOUT a gun. Note that these are things I do even when I carry a gun. The gun is my absolute last resort, I still have line of defenses before that. There’s no reason to neglect those at any time.
1. Carry What Weapon or Tool You Can.
A push dagger is one of my favorites. I like the design of the push dagger for self defense over other knives for a couple of reasons. First, if you know how to throw a punch at all, then you can wield this knife with some skill. Secondly, retention. Losing hold of a knife is a huge risk in a fight, with a push dagger, that is extremely hard to do as even if you open your hand it still sits between your fingers. A huge bonus. When I can’t bring a knife, I always carry a tactical pen. This is perhaps only a slight advantage but still an advantage. Other recommendations to look for would be pepper spray, daggers made out of G10 and thus immune to metal detectors, there are a few options so you don’t have to be defenseless.
2. Carry Medical Equipment.
This doesn’t necessarily keep you safe but is something you should do when carrying a gun and there is no reason not to when you are gunless. My go to is a tourniquet (CAT or Snakestaff Systems ETQ) and occasionally an IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit). No downsides here, and you are statistically more likely to need medical of some kind than you are a gun. We carry guns to save lives, remember, so make sure to carry other life saving kit too.
3. Use Your Head
When I first started carrying my situational awareness went through the roof! This your first line of defense whether you are carrying a gun or not. Now what does this look like? First, make yourself a hard target. Walk with confidence, have your head up, and make eye contact with people. Don’t act like a victim and your chances of being one decrease exponentially. Secondly, avoid going out alone. There is strength in numbers and two people will always be a harder target than one. Lastly, mind your surroundings. This ties into being a hard target. Keep your head out of your phone, pay attention to and stay away from blind spots, vehicles, allies, etc., and stay alert. This is your greatest weapon.
Closing Thoughts
This is not an all inclusive list but rather a good starting point for you to conduct your own research. If you own, train with, and carry a gun out of personal responsibility, then I encourage you to apply that same responsibility to learning more about the above. Your gun is just one tool in your toolbox for being prepared and staying safe. Fill your toolbox and learn how to use those tools.
Be Civil, Stay Savage,
Peter
