Gizmodo: self-defense

"Want To See How Painful Our Stun Guns Are? Let Me Show You... On Myself!"

Elaine Chow — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:30:00 EDT

Showing a dedication to lightning reviews we could never hope to emulate, this Japanese stun gun company's president tested out his products on himself. That's right, we said PRODUCTS.

The one in the top video is self-defense tool shop KSP's TMM S-308 model. The man shows how, despite the layers of heavy clothing, being tazed with that thing still hurts like hell.

But wait, if that one didn't strike your fancy, how about any of these four?

That guy's leg has enough charge to power all the homes in Rhode Island by this point. [Gizmodo Japan]

Cop Tases Pregnant Woman for Trying to Leave Police Station

Matt Buchanan — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:20:08 EST

As tasers turn into must-have gadgets for self-defense and police officers alike, dubious tasings have apparently also gone epidemic, making taser-proof clothing a must for any activist's, driver's or breathing human's Christmas list. Today's exhibit: A woman walks into a police station, wants to give up her one-year-old, then tries to leave. Guess what happens? To be fair though, if she was more cooperative, she probably wouldn't have gotten toasted. [Liveleak]

"Spider-Man" Pepper Spray Bracelet Looks Like a Toy

Matt Buchanan — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:40:53 EDT

Aside the fact that it's easy as balls to spot from a mile away thanks to its impressive heft and blue hue, Domonique Torrence's Spider-Man-inspired pepper spray bracelet comes close to being a useful idea. It's loaded with pepper spray cartridges, so you just slam the button in your palm to disperse the mild irritant into your attacker's face or other body part(s) without fishing around in your purse for a can. It's coming out later this year for 30 bucks, and if nothing else, it'll match your similarly bulky, ugly Crocs. [Local6 via CG]

Wallet Sized Stun Gun Good for Zapping Muggers

Brian Lam — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 19:13:17 EDT

This stun gun, dubbed the small fry, could easily pass for a wallet in a dark alley. I'd imagine it could be used in a mugging where instead of handing over your wallet, you hand over 1,000,000 volts.

It manages both its tiny size (its the smallest on the market) with its powerful punch (the company claims the highest volts of any comparable system) by losing the 9v batteries that most tasers use for what I'd guess is a nicad or lithium battery. That also means you can recharge the little bugger. Not bad for $80. I wonder if there's a way to turn an old iPod's lipoly battery into something like this with a capacitor? [PersonalSecurity via Red Ferret]

Personal Protection Launcher Lets you Powder the Nose of your Attacker

AddyDugdale — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:24:57 EDT

With a range of 40 feet—that's 25 feet more than a Taser&mdasj;the Avurt IM-5 personal protection launcher will keep away anyone you don't want near you from getting too close. It's simple to work: aim at the chest of a large, blond man in a stadium, pull the trigger and the man will be too overcome by coughing to do anything to you.

The flashlight-sized IM-5 can shoot up to five pellets containing PAVA powder. When you see the large blond man in the stadium, unfold the weapon and, using the laser bead, take aim and Bam! you bagged yourself a large, coughing mammal.

The $300 protection gadget is not just aimed at women, either, because it comes in black, red and blue as well. So, guys, if you see a large blond man sitting in your seat at the ball game, you know what to use. [Avurt via KWGN-TV]

Blast Knuckles Stun Gun Delivers a Shocking Experience, Up Close and Personal

Charlie White — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:15:00 EDT

If a Taser is a bit impersonal for you, put on these Blast Knuckles that pack a 950,000-volt punch up-side the head. The Blast Knuckles Stun Gun is a $69.95 weapon powered by lithium batteries that lets you slam dunk and smack down any miscreant who might try to help him- or herself to your stuff or junk.

Also works like a champ on that lovable yet playfully bloodthirsty dog next door. It's banned in some of the wussier states. – Charlie White

Product Page [Hollywood Gadgets, via Coolest Gadgets]

Top 12 Guns for Geeks and Gadget Goons

Charlie White — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:55:11 EST

After the appalling tragedy in Salt Lake City earlier this week where an 18-year-old gunman began indiscriminately shooting people to death, our thoughts drifted toward arming ourselves to the teeth. The off-duty (and armed) cop on the scene saved countless lives, keeping the gunman pinned down until backup arrived. Maybe more citizens needed to be carrying guns on that fateful day.

I have been in an unfortunate situation where gunfire erupted and a person was killed right in front of me, and four others were shot. Short of somehow knowing what was going to happen and calling for peace before the shooting started, I wish I had been armed with the deadliest gadget of all, a BFG that might have been able to change the outcome of the melee.

In self-defense, if faced with a him-or-me scenario, some serious firepower could be life-saving. Gun porn coming, not for the squeamish. If I just woulda coulda shoulda had a...

Taser C2
First off, we'd rather not kill anyone at all, so why not just incapacitate them momentarily with a Taser C2? This one might be good for the fashion-conscious—it's available in a handbag-matching metallic pink or electric blue, plus the basic black or titanium colors that go with just about anything.

Beretta 92FS Semiautomatic Pistol
This full-sized Beretta 92FS semiautomatic pistol is good for lefties or righties, has a triple safety, and packs the serious firepower you might need in a tight situation.

Uzi Submachine Gun
The Uzi is a submachine gun created by Israeli designer Uziel Gal. It can fire 9mm rounds at 600 rounds per minute, and its magazine holds 25 or 32 rounds. The United States Secret Service carries weapons similar to this, hidden under their sportcoats.

DREAD Gun
This ferocious beast is an experimental weapon that looks more like the Starship Enterprise than a gun, but it spits out 120,000 rounds per minute of .50 caliber round metal balls at 8000 fps. Too big to conceal, you'd have to mount this one a truck.

Walther PPK
If you like your firearms shaken but not stirred, the Walther PPK might be your piece of choice, the same one that James Bond used. It's got .380 caliber firepower but its 20-ounce weight and 6.1-inch size makes it portable, too.

Thompson Submachine Gun
Here's an old favorite of the gangstas of the 30s, and it fires 230-grain .45 caliber Colt automatic pistol bullets. It's the one used in the Valentine's Day massacre.

Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44-caliber Revolver
Any invasive miscreant will have to stand up to his deepest fears when facing Dirty Harry's ballbusting handgun. If you're looking down the barrel of the Model 29, you've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?

Smith & Wesson Model 500 Revolver
This 5-shot hand cannon delivers the highest-powered commercial round in the world. The .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum's slug weighs just over an ounce and develops over 2,600 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. The Model 500 is the biggest and heaviest factory-produced double-action revolver on the planet. Get out of the way, bad guys.

Beretta Xtrema2 Recoiless Shotgun
Fill up this gas-operated bad boy with 3.5-inch magnum loads, and it still won't kick. One of the most dangerous objects you can hold in your hands besides a running chainsaw.

Maadi-Griffin .50 BMG handgun
You can't really legally obtain these guns anywhere, but its rounds are even bigger than that of the Smith & Wesson Model 500 mentioned earlier. It fires slugs that are akin to those used in 20mm antitank cannons in World War I. This monster could literally stop an elephant in its tracks.

Micro-Uzi
This is a variant of the standard Uzi, but it's more easily concealed because it's the size of a pistol and weighs just over 3 pounds. It fires an impressive 1250 rounds per minute, but its range is only about 90 feet. Plus, because of its small size, its magazine only holds 20 rounds. Better be a quick reloader.

Rail Gun
Finally, this one looks like something fresh out of a video game, but it's a rail gun that can make you feel like you've been hit by a Ford Taurus at 380 mph. Demonstrated by the U.S. Navy last month, this monster propels a 7-pound projectile up to 250 nautical miles using electric current. It's a really big BFG, though—you'd need to mount it on a really big truck.

Seriously, the idea of everyone being armed is more fearsome than any of these weapons, but then in a specific situation where one lunatic is about to kill a lot of innocent people, we're just sayin', would you rather have a gun, or not? – Charlie White

Stun Gun Shoe Stops Sleazeballs

Gizloco — Thu, 11 May 2006 11:58:30 EDT

Here's another product for all of our female readers who are tired of tactless men ruining their nights on the town. A concept shoe named the Electric Cinderella Shoe looks like an everyday, attractive looking pair of shoes that no girl would feel embarrassed to wear. There is a catch, however, designed to teach Mr. Wrong a very valuable lesson: don't mess with this señorita. For once our fair lady breaks the shoe's glass toe, a 100,000-volt surge of electricity greets her foil, telling him ever so subtly that she doesn't appreciate his uncouth behavior. Keeping in mind that the Electric Cinderella is only a concept, we should mention that the zap of electricity only works once, afterwards you're on your own. Electric Cinderella isn't available to purchase yet either, but the creator, Simona Brusa Pasque, is currently looking for investors. Any millionaires in the house willing to lend her a hand?

Electric Cinderella Shoes - with built-in stun g [gizmag via Shiny Shiny]

Shocknife

Jason Chen — Sat, 06 May 2006 03:00:36 EDT

Need training against a knife but don't want to look like Zsasz from Batman? Use the Shocknife, which looks like a knife, hurts like a knife, but doesn't cut your skin. With up to 7,500 volts but less than 1 milliamp, the Shocknife provides law enforcement and self defense classes real world experience with bladed weapons. The shock is activated but a button on the grip, and has four settings, "LOW", "MED", "HI", and "X".

If they could make a low-powered version of this thing I bet kids would snatch it up. Cuts like butter.

Shocknife [via Tech Ticker]

Loud Noise, Repulsive Odor - Trident Triple Action Alarm

johnb — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 10:32:46 EDT

Whenever I leave loud, odorous traces on everything it's because I just ate chili dogs and drank a bunch of beer milkshakes. However, the Trident Triple Action alarm can do all those things sans gastrointestinal distress.

The alarm sends out a 138 decibel scream, spreads a cloud of traceable dust that is difficult to wash off your skin and clothes, and emits a disgusting odor. The resulting "fun borealis" is enough to distract any would-be thief or haughty parking lot attendant for minutes, if not hours. Apparently, it's great for traveling. Hey jittery sophomores on your semester abroad—What a great way to make great new friends on the Rome subway!

Trident Triple Action Alarm [Travelizmo via Gizmos-UK]