On Panic buying

[DirtDiva]

My grandparents did not have an indoor toilet for a period of my youth. I remember those Sears and Roebuck catalogs well! Farmer’s Almanac still has the hole to hang it. Had to use a chamber pot when I stayed there. Also used a tin tub to bath in with water warmed on the stove and carried to the tub. There was an old fashioned manual water pump in the kitchen. They didn’t have a fridge either. Used a spring house to keep stuff cold. That water was so good!

GP I am not too proud to admit that I have used an outhouse or three in my day. Sounds exactly like my grandparents. Heat was the fireplace. Wood stove in the kitchen. Big old iron bed with a feather mattress and so many quilts you couldn't turn over. Well water was all there was. My grandma would fix you a cup of hot tea and some good old fashioned southern tea cakes. Simple pleasures of life!

 

[Kevin L]

There has been lots of panic-buying here in my part of Florida . . . but the only things almost impossible to get are hand sanitizer and TP.

There has also been a little violence, so I rarely leave the house unarmed.

I've started carrying my S&W .38 snubnose J frame (5 shots) in my ankle holster as a backup, and I switched from my Walther PPK/S (.380 ACP, or also known as 9mm Kurtz to my friends in Europe) as my main carry gun to either my Glock 19, or my Beretta 92 Compact, or my antique Beretta M1951 . . . all 9mm Parabellum. I use standard pressure 124 grain jacketed hollowpoints by Speer in my snub nose.

I load Fiocchi 124 grain jacketed hollow point in my carry gun.

And then I have my concealed blades.

Again, my GF judges me for this ("Do you think you're Rambo?"), but she's started to come around after all of the mass shootings.

We've heard stories about people pulling knives on each other over TP and hand sanitizer.

For a blade, I carry an automatic Buck 110, and sometimes one of my Ka Bar knives. I have a small Ka Bar with a 5 inch blade.

I usually don't carry pepper gas, but I've been experimenting with a new knife idea.

I took a hollow handle knife (yes, I know, most of them suck), and put a pepper gas sprayer in the grip after I throw away all of the worthless shit that the company puts in there.

If I hold the knife in an icepick grip, I can spray the pepper spray by pushing the button with my thumb. The sprayer can be glued to the botton of the inside of the grip. If the sprayer is too short, you can stack washers inside the hollow handle until the sprayer portrudes from the top.

When I get a reaction gap from the pepper spray, I can move in with the blade.

I'm still perfecting the idea.

I got the idea from studying a "ninjutsu" weapon called a shinobi zue (a kind of hollow walking stick with a concealed chain), and another weapon that sprayed a toxic mixture of water, iron oxide, and other stuff that blinds an opponent. I also got this idea after reading up on the 1980s era "Spetsnaz" ballistic knife.

My point with the pepper gas concealed in the hollow handle knife is that people get visually impressed by the blade, and don't suspect the pepper spray. Only an idiot (not that there's any shortage of idiots, mind you) would close his or her eyes when confronted with a blade....which is a principle that this weapon is predicated on. The other part of the deception is that people think of a knife as an "up close" weapon.

In other words, the pepper spray comes unexpectedly out of the clear blue sky, and this allows me to move in on the temporarily disabled opponent with the knife while (s)he is blinded.

My next incarnation of this design will involve putting Velcro on the bottom of the pepper spray, with corresponding Velcro in the bottom of the compartment in the hollow handle knife so that I can switch out the sprayer when the cannister is empty.

I sometimes have ideas that seem to work great in theory, but fail in practice . . . but this project is--as I said--a work in progress with a certian amount of trial and error.

I'll keep you guys informed if anyone is interested.

 

[Robinjopo1]

You and me both! Us girls have to have an equalizer.

My daughter is a realtor and we went for our CC the same day. She also carries a taser . that is such a scary job.

 

[KateMTx]

I got the idea from studying a "ninjutsu" weapon called a shinobi zue (a kind of hollow walking stick with a concealed chain), and another weapon that sprayed a toxic mixture of water, iron oxide, and other stuff that blinds an opponent. I also got this idea after reading up on the 1980s era "Spetsnaz" ballistic knife.

My point with the pepper gas concealed in the hollow handle knife is that people get visually impressed by the blade, and don't suspect the pepper spray. Only an idiot (not that there's any shortage of idiots, mind you) would close his or her eyes when confronted with a blade....which is a principle that this weapon is predicated on. The other part of the deception is that people think of a knife as an "up close" weapon.

In other words, the pepper spray comes unexpectedly out of the clear blue sky, and this allows me to move in on the temporarily disabled opponent with the knife while (s)he is blinded.

My next incarnation of this design will involve putting Velcro on the bottom of the pepper spray, with corresponding Velcro in the bottom of the compartment in the hollow handle knife so that I can switch out the sprayer when the cannister is empty.

I sometimes have ideas that seem to work great in theory, but fail in practice . . . but this project is--as I said--a work in progress with a certian amount of trial and error.

I'll keep you guys informed if anyone is interested.

I want to know more about this. Honestly I'm a little skeptical. And I'm wondering who you're testing it on?

 

[Kevin L]

I want to know more about this. Honestly I'm a little skeptical. And I'm wondering who you're testing it on?

Testing it on a paper target. I'll post pics later when I figure out certian issues with my phone (probably user error, as I'm clumsey with computer stuff).

Basically, I took a mini pepper spray (see below):

And I put it in the hollow handle of a gimmick cheap, Rambo-style knife (see below):

I glued it in there with stacked washers on the inside to make sure that the nozzle just clears the butt of the knife.

It's inconspicuous. If you hold the knife in an icepick grip (see below), you can spray the pepper spray with your thumb.

There are drawbacks. When I trained on how to use a knife in a fight, there are many techniques that call for striking the opponent with the butt of the knife.

Hitting with the butt of the knife on the backs of the hands, the temple, certian parts of the knee, and so on are important techniques, but having the nozzle of a pepper spray protruding from the grip (in place of the threaded cap) seems to preclude these techniques.

In my experience, people tend to revert to training (ie: "relying on muscle memory") during times of sudden stress and crisis, so my concern is that I may use butt-striking techniques in a conflict and, perhaps, take myself out of the fight if the pepper gas cannister ruptures and it sprays back in my face. This is why I say that this idea is a work in progress, as I have further details to work out before I can advocate that anyone tries this.

BTW, these photos came from the
Internet. When I figure out how to post my own pics, I'll get back to you guys if anyone is interested.

 

[jontte]

less people in stores today, tp almost gone..trains,very few people too...

 

[Gazrok]

For most, this is day 1 of self isolation. For us, it's day 3. Already logged in for work, now getting ready to make some breakfast. Before, I'd have been in traffic for an hour, so I'm not complaining.

 

[Maverick]

My son and daughters said it's quiet on the roads not seeing a lot of people out for a Monday morning.

 

[Brent S]

I went to a Walmart this morning when they opened. Figured they would be less busy so a little safer. It was ransacked. There were still groceries to be had but as many empty shelves as not. Bread was hit particularly hard, as was bottled water, dog food (glad people are thinking of Fido), cleaning supplies, TP, etc. I went ahead and filled a buggy since I risked going out but really didn’t need to. Went to get a tv for the bedroom as ours died yesterday. Also splurged on snack pack puddings and chocolate. Who the hell cares about a diet during a pandemic! Lol.

 

[BillMasen]

I went to a Walmart this morning when they opened. Figured they would be less busy so a little safer. It was ransacked. There were still groceries to be had but as many empty shelves as not. Bread was hit particularly hard, as was bottled water, dog food (glad people are thinking of Fido), cleaning supplies, TP, etc. I went ahead and filled a buggy since I risked going out but really didn’t need to. Went to get a tv for the bedroom as ours died yesterday. Also splurged on snack pack puddings and chocolate. Who the hell cares about a diet during a pandemic! Lol.

Nearest Asda to us (owned by Walmart) looks like it was bombed by lunchtime.

 

[DrPrepper]

My son and daughters said it's quiet on the roads not seeing a lot of people out for a Monday morning.

Same here. Traffic was a breeze and our patients are saying the same thing. Nobody is out on the roads.

 

[Brent S]

Same here. Traffic was a breeze and our patients are saying the same thing. Nobody is out on the roads.

That’s a good thing to slow down the spread.

 

[DrPrepper]

Academy sports store shelves look like the shelves at the grocery store... wiped out. People are applying for new guns.

 

[Brent S]

Academy sports store shelves look like the shelves at the grocery store... wiped out. People applying for new guns.

I figured gun sales would be higher than normal now. I believe we are still a long ways off before crimes increase appreciably but also believe in being prepared. Let’s just say that I brought a couple ways to defend myself out of the safe and spread them around the house, just in case....

 

[DrHenley]

My wife heard about this at work:

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/03/16/us/newport-911-toilet-paper-trnd/index.html
An Oregon police department is asking residents to stop calling 911 because they've run out of toilet paper

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

My wife heard about this at work:

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/03/16/us/newport-911-toilet-paper-trnd/index.html
An Oregon police department is asking residents to stop calling 911 because they've run out of toilet paper

This is a prime example how dependent many Americans have become on government. Color me DISGUSTED!

 

[Maverick]

My wife heard about this at work:

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/03/16/us/newport-911-toilet-paper-trnd/index.html
An Oregon police department is asking residents to stop calling 911 because they've run out of toilet paper

That's the West coast for ya, the favorite 911 calls around here are no cheese on the hamburger

 

[Kevin L]

My wife heard about this at work:

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/03/16/us/newport-911-toilet-paper-trnd/index.html
An Oregon police department is asking residents to stop calling 911 because they've run out of toilet paper

In my mind, stuff like this should be criminal.

Tying up emergency communications over shit like this--especially during a national health crisis--is beyond wrong.

I'm saying this as an ex-paramedic who had some professional training in EMS dispatch.

 

[Helen Back]

Hey Mav, went to Walmart and Winco on 99 today. Walmart had many empty shelves; tp gone, water gone, most meds gone, aloe vera and alcohol gone... Winco was pretty bare too. The people in there were silent and had a look of panic about them as they grabbed things to throw in their carts. The produce was wiped out, as was most of the meat, cheese, eggs, pasta, sauce,...

The cashier said at opening there was 300 people waiting and they cleared the shelves like locusts. We laughed about the water grabbers among other things. In Portland, and I think WA, they have said nobody's utilities will be turned off for non payment. Water will continue to come out of the tap. If they are that afraid, they could always fill a tub. It was kind of an ominous silence, like before a tornado. The cashier said they have supplies coming and don't expect them to stop. I smiled, and said good bye, as I strolled out not to return for at least a couple of months at least. I did almost get in a fight on my way out of the parking lot. People are HIGH strung.

 

[Kevin L]

I have a few cheap (and unused) 55 gallon plastic garbage pails.

If it gets down to it, I'll fill up both pails with tap water, and filter it as needed with my Katadyn ceramic hiking water filter (good for 13,000 gallons . . . plus I have replacement filter elements).

Then it can be boiled. It can be treated with my pool shock.

And so on.

P.S. (added later after further thought) There is a very effective water filter available at Walmart (see below):

This filter is about $21.00, weighs about 2 ounces, and is good for over 10,000 gallons of water (depending on the circunstances). It seems compatible with plastic soda bottles.