Flashlight as kubaton

I have posted here before about the use of a small flashlight as a kubaton. Since I am often in government buildings on business, my conventional kubatons generally do not pass the security screen. Since I have not been happy with the many flashlights I have used as a kubaton, I am still using an old Monadnock Persuader Model 2. In order to have an emergency light source, I attached a Photon Freedom Light to my keychain.

My concerns with the flashlights have usually been the weight, the diameter, the light output or how badly it gets beat up in my pocket attached to the keys. I am in a business suit five days a week and large or heavy flashlights just don't fit well in suit pants. I must have tried out more than 10 small flashlights, from xenon to LED bulbs, from N cells to double AAs, from anodized aluminum to neon-colored polycarbonate. A partial list would be the AA MagLite (xenon and LED), various Inova models, Streamlight and Pelican N cell flashlights, Streamlight AAA xenon dive lights, Underwater Kinetics AAA dive lights, the Streamlight BatonLite, etc.

I am pleased to report that I have just found a new flashlight that bodes well for use as a kubaton. I was in a local variety store (Fred Meyer, for anyone else in the Pacific NW), and saw a new flashlight hanging on the rack. It is the Garrity LED penlight and cost $ 7. A picture can be seen here: http://www.geekbro.com/index.cfm/hu...200gst06a-Nichia-Led-Stainless-Steel-Penlight

It is a long, thin flashlight with a tail clicky switch, a single 5 mm Nichia LED, takes two AAA batteries and has a robust stainless steel body. It is about a quarter inch longer than my Persuader kubaton. The beam is a tight, white spot with very little flood. It is brighter than the beam from my Photon Freedom light. It is not as bright as my Luxeon or Cree flashlights, but then again, those LEDs do not come in as small or inexpensive a form factor.

It did not have an attachment point for my keyring, so I drilled a small hole where the clip attaches to the body and put a split ring through the hole.

I have done some testing, and the flashlight still works after drop testing, whacking it against a counter and I cannot bend the tube body of the light. The brushed stainless steel conceals scratches and the like very well. The switch requires a firm click to activate, and so far it has not come on while in my pocket. Using common (AAA) batteries is a plus, and since it is a LED, I should get some very good battery life from this model.

If you also like to use a flashlight as a kubaton, think about this model.

PS: edited to add that the LED is recessed and behind a lens.

IMHO the best flashlight to use as a Kubotan (or Kubaton, there are 2 spells accepted) is the Inova X5, perfect size, weight AND resistence. :thumbsup:

What about Streamlights version of the kubaton?...the 3 ncell

I have tried both the Inovas and the Streamlight models referenced above. The Streamlight is dimmer and the Inova is larger and heavier, albeit with greater brightness. The Garrity is much cheaper than either of them.

My two cents and your mileage may vary.

MGLloyd said:

My two cents and your mileage may vary.

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What does it mean? Could you explain it to me? (I'm Italian, so I don't know English ways of saying very well )

I just don't see how a 2aaa light can be any more effective than a normal pen. IMO lights such as the Pelican 2370 or Surefire 9P size are an order of magnitude greater in effectiveness and much easier to grasp firmly. In particular the Pelican posseses a raised, thin metal rim around the bezel, and a solid buttcap that enhances striking capability without damaging or activating the light itself. Running on pair of 17500 Li-ion cells the lumens are guilt free.

Paladin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_two_cents_(idiom)

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/your_mileage_may_vary

In a nutshell, these two idioms commonly used in North American English, mean that "this is only my opinion" and "your opinion may be different".

In regards to Paladin above, for my situation, involving business dress and frequent entries into courthouses, one of my Surefires or the like is too large, heavy, the knurling eats my suits and may be confiscated at the security station.

So for me, a small, lightweight and durable flashlight that I can attach to my keys meets my needs. This serves double duty as a flashlight and improvised defense tool. I used to be a kubotan instructor, and the Garrity works very well as a kubotan.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

Wakarimashita

I would also point out that this would be an excellent penlight for the medical field. I used to work in emergency medical services, and a durable, bright penlight that can be easily cleaned, has accurate color rendition, has a pocket clip and runs on cheap and easily obtained batteries, is very useful.

The disposable penlights we used to get from the drug reps are almost useless, since they are so dim. A larger, heavier, or knurled flashlight drags down the pocket of your scrubs or digs into your flesh.

Tachikoma said:

Wakarimashita

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Nihongo wakarimasuka?

Only a few words, but I think we're OT here

Paladin said:

Paladin

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none of those are kubotan sized....
thats a koppo in your pic..

Anyone know of a website or a book that instructs in proper kubaton usage?

Kraid said:

Anyone know of a website or a book that instructs in proper kubaton usage?

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I suggest you go to a real martial arts school. Websites and books are cool, but not as close as the real thing. If your going to use anything (in this matter a light) as a weapon, then you should practice or spar with it everyday with a real person. Do this until you get really accustomed to it that it feels like it's a part of your body. Kubotan is a weapon of accuracy, it will be useless or uneffective unless you know here to hit or strike precisely.

IMO, the best light size for a kubotan is a mini Maglite, but with a rounded or pointed tailcap.

Kraid said:

Anyone know of a website or a book that instructs in proper kubaton usage?

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there is tons of info on the web if you google....

EDIT: search for pressure points as to give you an idea of usage..

hi MGLloyd.
I really don't think that pen light would make an ideal kubaton. The clip looks like it would be uncomfortable while holding it as a kubaton. Secondly, the caps on either end (bezel and tailcap) looks like it would break off if you force it hard enough on anything. Thirdly... if you were holding it and struck something hard with it, it would slip through your hand. Theres nothing to grip, also no checkering on the body at all. The diameter also looks a bit thin to be held comfortable while wearing gloves or without.

There is no substitute for a kubaton, but that sorta comes close. Just my 2£.

Steve

stitch_paradox said:

.... Kubotan is a weapon of accuracy, it will be useless or uneffective unless you know where to hit or strike precisely.

IMO, the best light size for a kubotan is a mini Maglite, but with a rounded or pointed tailcap.

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You could also use it as a hammer-fist enhancer. Accuracy then becomes less of an issue.

I agree about the Mini-Maglite. Maglite will never emphasize it, but it's no coincidence that the 2AA Mini-Mag makes an ideal kubaton.

MGLloyd....have you ever looked at a 2xAA Fenix L2D Q5 as a possible Kubaton? I would think that it's very similar in size to a real kubaton and extremely bright as well.

BTW: what are the dimensions of the penlight?

SureAddicted said:

hi MGLloyd.
I really don't think that pen light would make an ideal kubaton. The clip looks like it would be uncomfortable while holding it as a kubaton. Secondly, the caps on either end (bezel and tailcap) looks like it would break off if you force it hard enough on anything. Thirdly... if you were holding it and struck something hard with it, it would slip through your hand. Theres nothing to grip, also no checkering on the body at all. The diameter also looks a bit thin to be held comfortable while wearing gloves or without.

There is no substitute for a kubaton, but that sorta comes close. Just my 2£.

Steve

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Since I no longer work in a law enforcement role, I suspect that the opportunity to use this penlight as a kubaton is low. Since I am now a middle-aged, upper middle class executive who does not commit crimes, take drugs, drink to excess or hang out in places where such activities take place, I balance the risk of self-defense and my environment. And when I did use a kubaton in an enforcement role, it was almost always as a low profile tool for joint locks and pressure points to gain compliance with my commands. I rarely, if ever, used it as a fist load or flail, since I had an ASP collapsible baton for heavy-duty impact use. So impact strength was of minimal concern to me. With that being said, I often trained people on using improvised tools as an ad-hoc kubaton, tools such as pens, felt markers, flashlights, wooden dowels, metal rods and the like. I used to give people a demonstration on taking down an intoxicated person using a # 2 pencil and a wrist lock. With proper technique, the pencil does not break, and you can get the subject on the ground and in position for handcuffing in short order. The key is to apply pressure on the pencil at a point upon which the wrist bones are supporting the pencil.

Is this penlight, or for that matter, any flashlight, as good a kubaton as my Monadnock models? No, they are not. But it will do just fine in a pinch, and since I cannot take a kubotan in a government building, it gives me options. And if it breaks, at $ 7 USD, I can easily replace it.

If you, or anyone, has any other suggestions on suitable flashlights for this purpose, I would appreciate any comments. The Streamlight Stylus Pro, which is new on the market, looks very interesting.