Ageless Weapons: Primitive Defense for Non-Gun Preppers
Dr. John Woods 08.28.19
Believe it or not, not every prepper owns a firearm. That is by their choice and likely for a wide variety of reasons. Unlike us old guys who were raised in rural America where guns were as common as a garden hoe, generations since have not been exposed to guns, shooting, hunting, or such. Firearms are simply foreign to these people.
This is not necessarily good or bad, and we should not be judgmental of others about such things. When push comes to shove, every human wants to defeat whatever threatens them. Every prepper is the same in this regard. Yet how will those without firearms defend themselves during a SHTF event or other threat? Well, there are other options.
Weaponry of all sorts have been around since the first use of a jawbone to inflict terminal damage. What could non-gun preppers use? The list is endless. Start with knives, clubs, baseball bats, golf clubs, swords, walking sticks, fireplace tools, an assortment of garden tools like a hoe, rakes, trimmers, shovels, hammers, axes, hatchets, heavy pipe wrenches, sledge hammers, scythes, and so much more.
Any or all of these common hand tools could be used for self-defense. That is, if — and this is a big if — the person wielding such a tool has an inkling of what they are doing. At best, such tools come with a distinct disadvantage to an approaching threat.
Assuming some skill with using such weapons, the main limiting factor is reach. At best a long rake or shovel puts you five feet from an assailant. That is close. Most of these kinds of “weapons” put you even closer to the threat. Thank about that if you elect this course of action.
As with firearms, practice and orientation with such ageless weapons will be needed. Prep them for use by smoothing handles, wrapping with gripper tape, sharpening edges, whatever. Keep a few posted at doors or easy to reach locations as disaster events unfold.
Be wary, and be prepared, gun or not.
