Reporting for duty

Over a year ago, I picked up a Cold Steel Jungle Dart



I got it because it looked useful, but never really figured out what to do with it. So it sat in a box.

A little bit ago I was trolling for new knives I don't need -- because I'm a knife-o-holic -- and found a good suggestion for the jungle dart. Shower duty.

It has a rubber grip on it, so it would still be sure in soapy hands, it's made of fiber glass, so it won't rust or corrode in the hot, wet environment of the shower, it's light, so it won't be heavy enough to hurt if it falls onto you, and it's as simple as any other stiletto, so you don't have to worry if you're caught off guard. I removed the ring it comes on, because it didn't seem to aid in retention in any way, and added another dimension of bulk to it.

So the Jungle Dart reported for Shower Duty last night, after I found it in a box somewhere. First, I tested it out on an old leather couch we had, just for piece of mind. It stopped abruptly at the wood, but punctured the leather easily, leaving a triangular opening. Width is important for puncture wounds, since skin tends to want to close around them. After hitting the wood a few times, I grabbed a knife and shaved a little bit off the point at the last few millimeters. I reduced the angle to make the tip stronger, and leave a sharp point.

Now that I think about it, I can think of a few other places I can hide or tape these. For $6, it's hard not to.

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Some gunbloggers have been dismissive of the bathroom/shower attack, but I don't understand why. Aside from the external visibility of bathroom lights or fogged shower windows, it's all about cost vs benefit.

The cost is easy; for $6, you can put it on the ledge above your shower. There are no further conceivable costs. You buy it, you put it there, it sits there. No maintenance, no double checking, nothing. It sits there forever.

The benefit is extremely high; a human fighting another human is difficult. We don't have sharp claws, protruding jaws, or armor of any kind. In fact, we're rather fragile against edged or pointed trauma. You can punch or kick, but you're still not going to do a terrible amount of damage, unless you target sensitive areas. A pointed or edged weapon becomes a force multiplier in this situation. A human with a pointed or edged weapon is significantly more dangerous than one without. Getting the upper hand while grappling with an experienced criminal in a slippery shower, or the tight confines of a bathroom is almost impossible. Put a stabbing weapon in your hand, and your chances of not only survival, but actual victory shoot up.

Of course, the chances of you ever having to use it are imperceptibly thin. You're probably more likely to be struck by lightning. But, as I like to say; no matter the odds, people do still win the lottery, and there are some lotteries you do not want to win.

Besides, what's the worst thing that happens if you buy it and don't need it? You're out $6?

But what's the worst thing that happens if you DON'T buy it and you DO need it?