lightsabers and self defense

Arisaig wrote: Seems there is a fascination in creating new lightsaber threads...

Would we use lightsabers?
How to use Shoto Sabers
What do you do with lightsabers?
Does anyone have a Darksaber
The main difference between these two lightsabers

And I'm pretty sure these questions were answered in at least three of those...

Yes. I actually feel they don't get discussed as much as especially the lesser known kinds of lightsabers like the pikes and curved hilts As you noticed I talk about self defense but not really a thread about using sabers for defense specifically. Also asking if anyone uses or would use a saber besides just a standard or a shoto as I never see Jedi with double blades or pikes or use red ones. If you notice, I asked would we use lightsabers if they are real. Here of course, I am mentioning the plastic lightsabers we use today.

I figured it would do well unless you have a darksaber in which the blade is very brittle.

Useless for the most part, but if its the best thing to grab when I need to grab something... why not!!

Though, making the attacker have a laugh when they see me wield a light saber might give me a moment to jump em, and take them down with a tackle - or more likely leg it into escape and evade

I view them as a physical training and ritual tool, but anything can serve as an improvised weapon for self defense, like a stick or chair etc.

What do you think a lightsaber brings to the self defense situation Yabuturtle?

Adder wrote: Useless for the most part, but if its the best thing to grab when I need to grab something... why not!!

Though, making the attacker have a laugh when they see me wield a light saber might give me a moment to jump em, and take them down with a tackle - or more likely leg it into escape and evade

I view them as a physical training and ritual tool, but anything can serve as an improvised weapon for self defense, like a stick or chair etc.

What do you think a lightsaber brings to the self defense situation Yabuturtle?

Mostly as physical training but potentially useful at night since it helps you light your way a little and a good way to subdue someone without doing too much physical harm. It would still hurt though but some lightsabers are hard plastic while others are like rubber noodles xD

Sound fonts aren't important other than somewhat startling the robber xD But lightsabers can ward off people. I mean it would hurt me if someone whacked me with it x3

Perhaps useful at night on a stroll with a saber cane. Something to walk with and at night it helps illuminate your surroundings. Could just use a cane but then, canes don't glow xD

To the point that people are making about night time use, I bought the toy version of Qui Gon Jinn’s lightsaber and used it to take my kids trick or treating. It was great for illumination and it scared some other kids that tried to sneak up on us at one point too.

Now that I have a Ultrasaber copy (in purple instead of green) I can see how quickly it could be used to beat someone away and cause a temporary blindness that would leave openings to be exploited.

I think people are seriously underestimating how devastating a lightsaber can be. xD Especially when it illuminates at night. I'd prefer the sabercane. I can walk with it and attack at night with great clarity.

I'd be more scared of it than a mugger threatening me with a switch blade to be honest.

We don't need real lightsabers, the ones we have are dangerous enough xD

Especially if you had some acrobat swing a double bladed one right in front on your face. I would get out of there!

In the end, self defense and home defense comes down to: what you're comfortable with, What's available, knowing your abilities and knowing your environment...

RyuJin wrote: In the end, self defense and home defense comes down to: what you're comfortable with, What's available, knowing your abilities and knowing your environment...

Well said. Nice to have your insights here once again.

As promised, a video on the matter of strobes, using a lightsaber for home defense.

I guess I should say... potential epilepsy warning.

The fact that it is a light makes you more of a target not less. You can actually be fairly accurate on where the person is because the handle is fixed to your hand. No one is going to be that blinded by a saber, or disoriented, and the path of attack will be highly predictable due to the nature that it lit up.


Why i wouldnt use a lightsaber for self defense is because they are a)not real and b) there are literally dozens of better options.

The fact that it is a light makes you more of a target not less

A fair enough statement in say, jungle fighting.

In the hallway or lounge room of a house - there might be some merit in their argument.

(not sure why we think a lightsabre would be more useful than any number of bright commerical torches on the market)

in any case, it'll only buy you the smallest advantage, and probably won't be able to be done repeatedly (unlike a mortal kombat move) - so if you don't use that half second of bewilderment to take real, physical control of the engagement, it was all for naught.

and the path of attack will be highly predictable due to the nature that it lit up.

This depends on the other party's experience. You can surprise someone in clear daylight with a very visible weapon if they don't know what they are doing.

In the end, self defense and home defense comes down to: what you're comfortable with, What's available, knowing your abilities and knowing your environment...

Sometimes something as simple as not looking like you have things worth stealing, and not pissing off the street by doing burnouts can be far more effective than all the baseball bats, tasers, or loaded revolvers under the pillow in the world.


(also in pragmatic terms, my understanding is that lightsabres are quite expensive? Unless for some mysterious reason I had no other choice but to beat someone to submission with my expensive toy, I'd probably use something else, like a coffee table)