TBO-TECH

The pepper pen is an excellent self-defense gadget — handy enough to conceal in your pocket, light enough to carry and easy to use.  Unlike self-defense lessons, the pepper spray does not have a steep learning curve, so pretty much anyone with sufficient eye-hand coordination can use it for self-protection.  But is it safe to use?  And how effective is it?  If you’re planning to buy a pepper pen, make sure you know how to use it.  Here are tips to keep in mind:

Understand your tool
The pepper pen is a small self-defense gadget that looks like an ordinary pen.  This works as a camouflage, making the pepper pen easy to disguise and carry.  What makes it an effective weapon against attacks is that it contains an irritant called capsaicin.  Capsaicin works on the mucuous membranes, causing inflammation.  Because mucous membranes are affected, the spray causes coughing and difficulty breathing.

Since the substance also affects the eyes, it also leads to the production of tears, which is the body’s way to rid itself of the irritant.  As a result, the pepper pen spray can also cause temporary blindness in an attacker.

The key here is to understand that the pepper pen spray can and will affect the user as well, particularly if you make a mistake.  If you hold the pen in the wrong direction, it probably will not affect your attacker or at the very least, do little damage.  You could also harm yourself.

To use the pepper pen, be careful that you point the spray in the direction of the attacker.  Be mindful, too of wind direction particularly if you’re outdoors.  When using the pepper pen, be sure that the wind is behind you.

Know the effective range of the pepper pen
The pepper pen spray may not be effective at certain distances.  Depending on the spray, it may not, for example, be able to throw as effective a dose from 20 feet away.  Check the manufacturer’s instructions prior to purchase so you know its limitations.

Not all types of pepper pen sprays are considered safe
Be aware that there are certain formulations that are marketed as pepper spray that can cause physical harm not just to the attacker but also to the user.  This is because they are toxic and not safe for the environment.  Some have been criticized because they are known to cause permanent damage to tissues and even cancer while others have not been tested for safety.

When choosing the pepper pen to use, make sure to check thoroughly the component or formulation.  Currently the best choice is one that contains OC or oleoresin capsicum, a substance that is sourced from certain types of peppers.  It can cause major discomfort but is non-lethal.  It’s also safe for the environment.

Tags: pepper pen, self-defense gadget

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 at 3:52 am and is filed under Cool Gadgets, Women's Self Defense. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.