Hey John I only notice that they drain when on. I always keep ample batteries on hand. I would guess the one I use regularly gets the lithium battery replaced every three months. The ones in my cars I replace around once a year or less.
I always have a mini mag or cheap led flashlight with me, and one of my nalgene water bottles. They make an excellent club.
I am very impressed with everyone's ability to use EDC items as weapons. However, I wonder the legality of your actions should you ever use a chocolate bar as a weapon after stating your intentions on here to do so? That is 'intent to cause injury' here in the UK, gents. A better approach would be to become competent with an EDC item and never ever EVER speak of your intention to use it lest you ever need to. Discussions are good and interesting, but telling the world you are badass with an umbrella/torch/walking stick/pool cue is less clever and could potentially cause you to spend a spot of time at Her Majesty's Pleasure.
This is so important in a legal system like the UK's. The object is irrelevant it is the intent that you are prosecuted for. Outside the UK things may be different but over here ANY object carried for the purpose of self defence is an offensive weapon. The police in general are quite good at seeing through lame excuses; large karabiners, pocket size sticks (of any material) spiky rings etc are going to set off alarm bells if the police search you. After a violent altercation you would have a very hard time persuading the courts you were not carrying it for "self defence".
...especially when the lawyers search for you online and find this thread stating your intention to knock ten bells out of any attacker with your legal keyring.
Not everyone trains solely for self defense. Weapons are fun! Weapons build strength- sort of a light weight training. Try holding a spear out with one hand and tell me that doesn't build wrist and arm strength. Weapons training helps with an understanding of targets and techniques that can sometimes be applied with regular items lying around. Flashlights, pens, letter openers, a big stick lying around in a park................An expanded awareness of your surroundings and what can be used in self defense is a part of weapons training. And did I mention they are fun? I like the tradition of some of those weapons. I look forward very much to learning the CLF farmer's hoe. The form tells the story of how a regular farmer can use his farming tools to defend himself. Starts off with the person pretending to work in the field, and then be attacked walking home from the farm. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WMasKl4hq4"]Choy Li Fut - Chor Tau - Farmer's Hoe - YouTube[/ame]
Yang style Sabre? I really like that one! Just received an observation and corrections from my Sifu on that one. I also know a two person sabre form. It is sort of frustrating because there isn't really anyone to work on it regularly with............ Or another one?
No, it's Wu style. And we don't have a two person sabre form. I don't think we have any two person forms, actually. There is a two sword form, but it only involves one actual human being. And I would imagine you have to study for about fifty years before you'd be ready to learn that one!
True! Not very applicable for EDC / self defence (within the uk legal system anyway) but the limited weapons training I have done is good fun. Weapons training can also have a carry over to empty hand techniques and weapons defence is always important training even if like me the main thing you learn is how hard it is to defend against them.
I'm trying to learn Vader's Force Choke as an EDC weapon. Fairly sure I can avoid legal troubles with it too.