It looks like an eclectic key fob, however there are individuals trained to use these in unexpected ways. For the novice the kubotan can be held in the fist and used effectively to swing keys attached to one end to deliver a devastating strike to the eyes or face. Held in the closed fist it can support the bones of the hand for straight closed-fist punches. Further it can be held in the same fashion to deliver hammer-fist blows for point-end strikes to sensitive areas like elbows, knees and wrist joints or any bones close to the surface. Pretty much any place you strike with the end of the kubotan is going to hurt. Therefore it is an excellent defensive weapon to carry on your keys to have with you at all times.

There are those who are highly trained to use this plain looking tool however. For instance in the art of Kali, (Pilipino knife fighting) the kubotan is used like the handle of a knife or the end of a fighting stick, just below the handle. The lower portion of a knife handle can be quickly manipulated for a wrist lock and take-down of an attacker, so can the lower portion of a fighting stick. Short kubotans are carried when a stick is not practical and a knife is not an option. Strikes, wrist locks and wrist-lock take-downs can be done at extreme speed by a Kali expert and learned by a novice with only a little focused training.

Kubotans are often legal to carry on campus where a stun gun or pepper spray may not be. Many people have no clue it is anything other than a large keychain fob for the myopic to locate their keys, and most persons of bad intent never expect to be hit with it when they attack.  If I had to choose one defensive weapon to carry, it would be the kubotan. It can be held in a non threatening manner that attracts no attention yet is 100% ready for battle at all times when held correctly. I carry other forms of self defense but my kubotan is always with me! I have been in situations on more than one occasion where I felt I needed a weapon to make it home safely and felt confident walking with only a kubotan. With practice you can disable an attacker as quickly as with pepper spray. The only down side is it involves full contact self defense, but it offers a measure of leverage as a force multiplier that is hard to get with any other small device. A device that you can carry with you at all times without drawing attention.

The Kubotan; don’t leave home without it!