Caution!!!!  Accidents with this weapon can be as dangerous to the beginner user as the sling!!!!

The Kusari fundo is a samuri/ninjitsu weapon.  We practiced with this in my ninjutsu class.   They're like a bola except that they are used as a striking, choking and grappling weapons.  Although I'll test it to see if it could be used as a bola.

I made one with a steel chain with a 90 pound strength.  The length is 31 inches (the length of my favorite sling)  I attached 2 small Master Locks on either ends.  They are the smaller kind (9/16" / 14mm) (1 inch and 1/8 wide).  One lock seems to weigh about 3 ounces. I attached them to the chain with a 1/8 inch caribeener / quick link.  They can be made much cheaper with rope and fishing weights, nuts and bolts, or anything else with a bit of heft.

I practiced on a milk jug attached to a tree limb and it packs a heck of a wallop.  Just be careful when it swings back towards you!!!

Here's a picture of it disassembled.  Just attach the locks at the ends like a bola.  I'll try to find a decent youtube video of it in use.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx120/RJB111/1106111544.jpg

LOL I saw one on sale for $50.00.

Practice ones are made of a heavy rope with knots at the ends.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kusari-fundo

Heres a youtube video that's only a little bit cheesy  :).  It's not my video, but I can attest that the shattering of the coconut is real.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9UJdL2mJ04

I've thought about making something like this as an anti-pit bull weapon for when I'm walking the Huskies.  I can absolutely see how such a weapon could be extremely useful in a situation.  

I think you would be better off with a sturdy staff Ratman (a loaded one if you need just that little extra impact...).

lol it's a weighted chain - who knew it had a name ?
made something like that many years ago.

Kusari Fundo is just Japanese for chain with weights.

A simple leather belt with a big buckle will give a fair smack too ;)

but this chain seems alot more effective, looks like a good self defense weapon wouldnt want to get smacked with that.

AncientCraftwork wrote on Nov 7^th, 2011 at 1:02pm:

A simple leather belt with a big buckle will give a fair smack too ;)

More than just a fair smack, there was a guy in my town who died after getting hit in the head by a belt buckle in a fight.

wrote on Nov 7^th, 2011 at 9:58am:

I think you would be better off with a sturdy staff Ratman (a loaded one if you need just that little extra impact...).

That's what I normally do, kuggur.  Most of the time I carry a nice, stout shovel handle.  It works fine unless it's raining hard.  Then I like to carry an umbrella.  It's very hard to manage two rambunctious Huskies, an umbrella, and a walking stick at the same time.  I need something I can either put in my pocket or wear around my neck on those rainy days.  ... and no, I'm not being paranoid.  Three times in the six years I've had Kali I've had to rescue her from attacks by larger dogs.. two Pit Bulls and one large, mean, Yellow Lab mix.  She does well against dogs her own size, but she's only fifty pounds.  No one has bothered us yet when Odin is with us but for some reason he rarely goes on the night walk with us.  He's usually good for the morning only.  

Oh I know you are not paranoid (in this matter that is ;)). I was wondering what lonely pit bull would have the balls to bother a grown man accompanied by two huskies. A crazy one probably, and they are the worst...
I hadn´t considered umbrella´s, we don´t don them here; the rain usually comes in horizontally here, and at high speed...
You probably heard about that self defense umbrella (was it cold steel that markets it?), dunno what kind of punch it packs.
So i´d still vote for the staff, and rain clothing... I also own an ash walking stick that was a shovel handle in a previous life, now that thing is a pit bull stopper...
I think these kind of weapons as mentioned in the opening post are just too awkward to be wielded by someone who didn´t have extensive training with it, too dangerous for the user...

Very similar is the "Manriki", again weights with a chain, but the weights are usually long enough to use in the hand as a striking weapon similar to a yawara stick.

Note that these qualify in all states as a "slung shot" type of weapon, and carrying would be of very dubious legality.

Some years ago, in one of the martial arts magazines, a fellow showed his idea for what he called a "Manri-key".  Essentially the same as above, but substitute a wad of old keys on a split-ring for the padlocks.
Works about the same, but the keys might provide a little more legality.... "Really officer, I got a lot of locks to keep track of..."

Caution... Practicing with these flexible weapons can be very hazardous!

A padlock in a handkerchief works just as well. Dont ask me how I know this. ::)

Bikewer wrote on Nov 7^th, 2011 at 8:02pm:

Very similar is the "Manriki", again weights with a chain, but the weights are usually long enough to use in the hand as a striking weapon similar to a yawara stick.

I saw one someone made from crescent wrenches.  With the ends of the wrench sticking out from a fist, it makes another weapon.

Someone I know had to get stitches in the head when a weight bounced off a board and smacked.  It like when they say a blade cuts both ways.


Quote:

Note that these qualify in all states as a "slung shot" type of weapon, and carrying would be of very dubious legality.

Very true.  If the links are small enough you may be able to say its a necklace.  I personally don't carry this.  I just like playing with stuff like this at home.

You can make these kinds of weapons a lot of ways but like nunchucks unless you train often and for awhile you have a pretty good chance of hurting your self.  :)

I live in "the country" but "in case I need it" I carry a knife that I never use other than for it's intened purpose (SD) with the CS Spartan in the warm season or the CS Recon Tanto in Sai Mai III. I know a guy down south that carries a shambok down his pantleg when he walks his dog which alows for freedom of movement with his hands. You might be able to kill something with it (definitly a bird or snake but probably not a large dog) but you really only need to hit whatever you need to once.Ppolice officers in South africa used them for riots. It usually allows for a large amount of pain but won't break any major bones. Not sure what the rules are in the UK but they are legal in pretty much all of the US. Plus you are much less likly to hit your self with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPQzC877O6Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6e843u9qaU&feature=related

Best option comes usually in 38 special or 45. though.  ;)

Reminds me...Years ago, I met an Okinawan karate instructor.  This was back in the early 80s when pendants were a big fashion item.  This guy had a very handsome one, a sort of "iron cross" on a stout chain, done in stainless steel.
I mentioned something about it, and he proceeded to pull it apart, revealing that the cross was in two sections, almost invisibly joined by two cleverly-machined pins.
Each half made one of the weights of a manriki.

I have heard it said that the "gangsta" fashion of large chains was a response to harsh laws against carrying knives in Britain. I've also noticed here in NYC that a lot of messenger/delivery boys use chains and padlocks to lock up their bikes rather than cable or ubars and wear them across their chest when riding. I would be far from surprised if they preferred the chain and padlock for the possible self defense options.

I echo the note about training with them, or any flail-like weapon, they aren't good weapons to fool around with in order to figure out how to use them.

The chigiriki, of japan makes much more sense to me as an offensive weapon as then you have the flail at the end of a staff, so you have to worry less about it hitting you by mistake.

All that said, I have wondered about having a pouch designed so that you could quickly "bind" the stone in the pouch to use your sling as an improvised flail. With proper training, it might be useful.

perpetualstudent wrote on Nov 8^th, 2011 at 10:40am:

All that said, I have wondered about having a pouch designed so that you could quickly "bind" the stone in the pouch to use your sling as an improvised flail. With proper training, it might be useful.

I've been playing around with metal clips and strings around the pouch of a sling for such a weapon.  So far they either take too long to tie if needed in an emergency, don't hold the stone well, or the mess up the function of the sling.  It might be a fun friendly competition to see who comes up with the best device  :)

RJB wrote on Nov 8^th, 2011 at 6:33pm:

perpetualstudent wrote on Nov 8th, 2011 at 10:40am: All that said, I have wondered about having a pouch designed so that you could quickly "bind" the stone in the pouch to use your sling as an improvised flail. With proper training, it might be useful. I've been playing around with metal clips and strings around the pouch of a sling for such a weapon.  So far they either take too long to tie if needed in an emergency, don't hold the stone well, or the mess up the function of the sling.  It might be a fun friendly competition to see who comes up with the best device  :)

Just tie an overhand knot with the cords to keep the stone in the pouch, will probably last the rest of your life if you need such a weapon in a real fight :D

I have played around a bit with chains and padlocks, and read a lot of these weapons, but after a couple of test twirls I always begin to think about my dentist, and how it would be to spend a lot of time with him and pay him a lot of §§§§§§§.  I also wear strong and expensive spectacles which have no more need than my teeth of being smacked with a padlock.

Fits better in a pocket than a staff, though ;)
timann