Saved by sgian dubh?

[thescot]

Well, I'm glad you came out alright. I am also glad that the young punks wisely moved on. And, I am also happy that you refused to be dinner for a bunch of hooligans, whatever their intent was. And whatever it was, it was not honorable.

Like you, I'm an old guy (55), so it would be foolish for me to try to get into a test of strength with young, strong fellows.

I figure I have to hurt them quickly and get it over with. I prefer not to do either because I am peace loving person, but on the otherhand, I won't be easily intimidated.

No one appreciates peace more than those who have known war. But few are more dangerous when they have to come out of a corner.

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

I'm not against firearms, but they are not my thing. I like blades and I think they are a good protection. Power on.

A wise man once said: "Never bring a knife to a gun fight." The state of Alaska is a right to carry state. I exercise my rights quite regularly. Heck around here you may need it against moose, bears, or other wildlife.

[Tattoo Bradley]

Ok guys, this thread has been heavily watched by the Mod Squad since the start. And, as feared, it seems that it's gone south and further into the weapons aspect. PLEASE REMEMBER THE RULES:

Our Policy on Weapons Discussions
The only discussion allowed about any type of weapons will be those concerning weapons traditionally and/or historically associated with Highland attire and/or the Scottish regiments.

Posts containing any reference to any other form or type of weapon will be deleted, without exception.

This thread was originally to do with the sgian dubh, however it has increasingly gotten further away from the black knife and more towards a discussion on firearms. If the thread keeps in this direction it will have to be pulled...

[Ranald]

I posted this over on the Braveheart kilt forum but thought I would post it here too. It's rather funny.


Six days ago we had a fairly cool morning. I was up at 6 a.m., so decided to take an early walk in Memorial Park. This is a rather large city park with a concrete walking path over a mile long. It's a bit hilly with a large parking lot in the center.

Anyway, I elected to dress a bit traditional. Wore my 8 yd. Black Stewart with a white polo shirt, cream hose, black flashes, and a sgian dubh. I only saw 2 other cars in the park, and couldn't see any people. I started my walk (I walk with a cane), and stopped at a picnic table and stood there to rest after a bit. I noticed a group of men on the other side of the parking lot. When they spotted me, I heard laughter, and saw some of them elbowing each other. They started walking across the parking lot in my direction. When they got closer, I was able to tell that there were 5 of them. Looked like they were in their mid to late 20's. Two of them were wearing tank tops, and baggy athletic shorts. These two appeared bigger than me (I'm 6'0" and 255 lb) and fairly muscular. They all looked like they hadn't showered or changed clothes in several days.

Laughter continued, and they headed straight for me. When they got within about 25-30 feet of me, I put my right foot on the seat of the table, pulled the sgian dubh, and stuck it in the table top. They stopped right were they were. I brought my foot down, turned to directly face them and stood their starring at them with both my hands resting on the handle of the cane. They looked at each other, and one of them said "let's go." They headed back across the parking lot and then towards the park entrance.

I don't know whether these guys were just coming over to razz me or to tell me to hand over my wallet. I didn't see were any of them were carrying any weapons. Whatever their intentions were, they apparently decided 5 against 1 was not in there favor after all.

Darrell

Good for you, kilt on and be proud of who you are.
Don't mess with the dude in the kilt, he means business.

[Mr. Woolery]

I think there's too much fear of "weapons" in the minds of most decent citizens. I carry a knife daily and feel really wrong without one. But I have only ever used it as a tool.

Anyone who has been involved in an altercation knows that a confident demeanor goes a long way toward defusing things. I've been in two and didn't have to use a knife either time. I pray I never do. But what ended both episodes was my willingness to be involved and not back down. Nobody ended up hurt, no blows thrown. The other guys responded to my confidence. I'm not that intimidating a figure, actually. I suspect that Newkilt could not have bluffed it without a show of force on some level, but having both the visual aid of a sock knife in the table and a confident demeanor was enough to end the incident without problems.

I was not kilted at either time, or it might have been over even sooner.

Good people should never have to be afraid to walk alone in public places. Ever.

Jamie- I like you. And you dress well. But I have to ask: how is anyone going to take a knife out of Newkilt's hand and use it against him? The only part he can grab is sharp!

Respectfully,

Patrick

[Howard Clark]

And besides all the rest, if they had no evil in their hearts, and were intent on just having a chat about how cool it is to wear a kilt, they would have talked to you anyway, and asked about the sgian dubh as well. It is precisely because they were going to give you a hard time that they decided to withdraw when resistance (and risk to themselves) was obviously going to be the case.

Give the man the benefit of the doubt. He has lived for 61 years on this planet, a good bit longer than many of you who disagree with his actions. He has, no doubt, developed a fair bit of sense about people in that time. And if you think that you cannot sense intent in another human by their behaviour, then I suggest that you could benefit from some meditation practice, and quiet time alone. And read "Blink", by Malcolm Gladwell.

I think he did just fine. And for those of you who disagree, well let's just agree to disagree. You live life your way, and I'll live it mine.

[Galb]

I actually read an article the other day in regards to our ability to sense danger and how the body reacts. It had mentioned that our subconscious can pick up some of the most minute details and realize that something is wrong and begin a series of reactions within the body to create the fight or flight reaction. The article mentioned that we humans are the only animal to ignore these warning signs. Every other animal, once feeling something is amiss, takes the proper precautions. But humans tend to brush them off instead of listening to their instincts, sometimes to seem less courageous, and other times to be more socially accepted.

You know when something is amiss. Your body reacts, and if you do not listen it will ramp up the reactions until you take action. If this kilted gentleman felt slightly threatened, then he was in the right to make the motion of removing the sgian, which, if you think about it, is no different than a stray dog showing its teeth and growling. It's not a challenge to those around him. It is a warning sign, much like the vibrant colors on certain animals, to stay away. What I am getting at is we need to listen to our own instincts more often. They tell us a lot about the world that surrounds us without us consciously knowing it. There is nothing wrong with showing our teeth every now and then.

[JS Sanders]

The previous two posts - well said.

Slainte,
steve

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Good, so everything turned out okay this time. Let me offer everyone a little "real world" advise:

1) Drawing the sgian dubh and sticking it into the table is legally defined as "brandishing" and is prohibited in around 99% of all municipalities in the USA.
2) Whether "brandishing a lethal weapon in public" is a misdemeanor or felony will depend on the jurisdiction in which you reside.
3) Multiple thugs should never be aggressively confronted, except as a last resort.
4) If you are of limited physical ability and find yourself regularly in situations where self-defensive measures may be necessary, consider the following:
(a) avoid going to those places, if at all possible. OR
(b) obtain a permit to lawfully carry a concealed firearm or other, non-lethal, deterrent (ie: pepper spray, tazer, etc.).

If anyone really thinks that they can run off a bunch of punks with 3.5 inches of pointed steel, then let me suggest one other thing you might want to have tucked into your sock. A large can of Vasoline. It'll make having something shoved "up there" a lot less painful when you are overwhelmed by a bunch of thugs who are street tough and not afraid of a few cuts or scratches.

One of the best self-preservation tools is your cell phone. If you see a potentially dangerous situation pull out your phone and dial 911. Don't push the call button, but pretend to be talking to someone. Acknowledge the potential threat with eye contact, and maybe a slight nod of the head-- this tells them you know they are there and are aware of their movements. KEEP WALKING. If the situation escalates into a potential confrontation, PUSH THE BUTTON and call 911. KEEP WALKING as you speak to the dispatcher. Tell her that this is a PHYSICAL ASSAULT IN PROGRESS and KEEP WALKING. DO NOT SPEAK TO YOUR ASSAILANT. Speaking to an assailant will only escalate the situation. If the assailant asks for your wallet (or whatever) give it to him-- remember: compliance is better than a conflict you may not win.

[Streetcar]

Good, so everything turned out okay this time. Let me offer everyone a little "real world" advise:

1) Drawing the sgian dubh and sticking it into the table is legally defined as "brandishing" and is prohibited in around 99% of all municipalities in the USA.
2) Whether "brandishing a lethal weapon in public" is a misdemeanor or felony will depend on the jurisdiction in which you reside.
3) Multiple thugs should never be aggressively confronted, except as a last resort.
4) If you are of limited physical ability and find yourself regularly in situations where self-defensive measures may be necessary, consider the following:
(a) avoid going to those places, if at all possible. OR
(b) obtain a permit to lawfully carry a concealed firearm or other, non-lethal, deterrent (ie: pepper spray, tazer, etc.).

If anyone really thinks that they can run off a bunch of punks with 3.5 inches of pointed steel, then let me suggest one other thing you might want to have tucked into your sock. A large can of Vasoline. It'll make having something shoved "up there" a lot less painful when you are overwhelmed by a bunch of thugs who are street tough and not afraid of a few cuts or scratches.

One of the best self-preservation tools is your cell phone. If you see a potentially dangerous situation pull out your phone and dial 911. Don't push the call button, but pretend to be talking to someone. Acknowledge the potential threat with eye contact, and maybe a slight nod of the head-- this tells them you know they are there and are aware of their movements. KEEP WALKING. If the situation escalates into a potential confrontation, PUSH THE BUTTON and call 911. KEEP WALKING as you speak to the dispatcher. Tell her that this is a PHYSICAL ASSAULT IN PROGRESS and KEEP WALKING. DO NOT SPEAK TO YOUR ASSAILANT. Speaking to an assailant will only escalate the situation. If the assailant asks for your wallet (or whatever) give it to him-- remember: compliance is better than a conflict you may not win.

With respect, and as a law enforcement officer, let me offer some additional real world advise.
When you call police, it will take time for the screener to get your information, to relay it to the officers and for the officers to get there - ASSUMING an officer is available at that moment.
There is an old saying: Call a cop, call a fireman and call for a pizza. See which one gets there first.

I would argue that the individual has not just the right, but the responsibility to protect him or herself.

Yes, if you think you are in a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation, walk away. But there are also times when you are all ready in the soup. Trying to walk away will be seen as encouragement by those that would prey on the weak.

I realize this thread is straying from the subject, and into the realm of self-defense and I apologize for continuing the drift. I would be happy to continue the discussion by p.m. or email with any who would wish it.