The rule is: don’t read the comments.
Sometimes, though, I’m human and can’t resist, or the comments come to me.
One of the common questions raised in response to my InRange series is how effective these kitty kat key chains are as a self-defense tool. Mine here are metal and ordered directly from an online retailer that specializes in this and closely related products. I was lucky that when it arrived, it showed some issues with paint finish, but not seams or other rough spots in the openings fingers are intended to go through. It was also somewhere in the neighborhood of appropriately-sized. All of this is more than I can say for some others I’ve seen, especially the plastic examples or those molded in resin using widely available molds and widely varying levels of craftsmanship.
Nevertheless, while not as dangerous as using actual keys as a force multiplier, these toys have their own drawbacks primarily related to how thin they are. They don’t spread the force of a punch as effectively as properly constructed and fitted brass knuckles so they can injure your hands through impact. Worse, they can cause degloving injuries because of the thin, ring-like nature of the eyes that the fingers go through and the fact that the sharp, pointy ears can get stuck and as you draw back to strike again, you could pull your fingers out at very wrong angles. All that, and they’re still as illegal as brass knuckles in many jurisdictions.
However, there is one way I’ve come up where they can be used relatively safely and somewhat effectively. I demonstrate in the video attached to this post, but let me be clear: I’m not recommending that you go out and buy these as a safety tool. But if you or someone you know already has a set and insists on continuing to carry them around, at least know this better way to use them.
