Claw Hammers

In the few minutes that it will take to read this article, thousands of tons of a marvelous building material will have appeared on earth. Though of great strength, generally it is very light in weight. It is economical to buy. It is readily available to almost all peoples of the earth. Its appearance is absolutely beautiful. Yes, earth’s forests continually yield an unending supply of usable wood.

Woodworking is still widespread today. You may be planning to make something out of wood yourself. If so, will you be using hand tools or electric power tools? What principles should you keep in mind in order to do the work safely?

Some Simple Safety Facts

Simple nonelectric hand tools may seem quite safe. However, even such common tools as hand knives, wood chisels, handsaws and hammers can be used in an unsafe way. For example, one young woodworker, while trying to free a wooden handle from a tool, drove the straight claw of his hammer met into the wood. When it still would not split, he picked up another hammer and drove the first hammer farther into the wood by striking it on its face. Results? A loud bang, a sharp pain in his nose and quite a bit of bleeding. By striking the two hammerheads together he had caused a ’steel explosion,’ and a steel particle struck him in the nose about an inch from his eye as if fired from a gun.

So observe these safety precautions: Steel hammers should never be pounded face to face. Also, wear safety eyeglasses when hammering hardened nails into concrete.

Another young man cut his eye while working in close quarters with a long, thin screwdriver. Hence, care should be exercised to keep your face a safe distance away from the tools with which you are working.

When using sharp cutting tools such as wood chisels or hand knives, one cardinal rule is always to cut away from yourself. It is not easy to remember this rule when a person gets engrossed in cutting a piece of wood, but it can prevent some very serious accidents.

To illustrate: A putty knife may not seem very dangerous. Yet, while using one, a worker nearly lost use of part of his hand permanently. He was applying pressure when the putty knife slipped and slashed his other hand so deeply that tendons were cut. A block of wood can be clamped to a worktable and used as a “stop” to keep the wood from moving when you use chisels or knives. You may also grasp the wood in your hand, but always keep your cutting hand out farthest from your body, cutting only in the direction away from yourself.

When using a metal-cutting hacksaw, it is best to use one having a handle that completely encloses your hand. If the blade breaks, your hand will be more protected than with the open pistol-grip type. In purchasing saws, screwdrivers, pliers, hammers and other tools for home use, it is much better to buy those of good quality. They not only give better service and are less expensive in the long run, but, more importantly, are safer to use.

Geoff Cummings runs a DIY tools site at http://www.ourhometools.com where you will find products designed with you, the user, in mind, at discount prices.

A tool box that has all the right tools, and that you can get out and use easily, will make your life as a homeowner (or even a renter) infinitely easier. Gather all of the common tools you need for just about every job, invest in a sturdy tool box, and keep it in an easy to reach place, and each time you have a small problem like a picture falling down, you will not be tempted to put it off since everything will be ready for you. After a while, you may feel you need extra features and space, and a real toolbox will give those to you.

If you are just starting out in acquiring your tools, a small tackle box may serve the purpose of a tool box, as long as it is sturdy and big enough to hold the basic tools. There are even tools boxes that have molded spaces to fit the various tools perfectly. So what tools do you want in your toolbox? Here is what you should have, at a minimum.

-A home repair manual. This is not a tool, but you will use it often when you come across problems, so keep it right in your tool box for reference.

-A hammer. No one can do without a hammer for the most basic repairs such as if piece of trim is loose. A claw hammer has a claw that can remove nails. There are a lot of other kinds of hammers, such as framing hammer, balpeen hammer, a mallet or a sledge hammer. You will learn from experience if you need any of these.

-Screwdriver. You tighten or loosen screws with a screwdriver. It is a simple enough tool with a handle, shaft and head. The two basic kinds you should have are a slotted and a Phillips. A few of these in different sizes should handle most jobs. Again, as you learn more, you may want to have a crosspoint or a hex screwdriver as well.

-Pliers. Pliers enable you to grab things firmly. But there are also pliers that do more than grip, such as cutting pliers or crimping pliers for electrical work. But even gripping pliers come in different types such as flat nose, round nose and needle nose.

-Tape measure. You don’t even want to start a job if you can’t measure it. You can get a tape measure that is metallic ribbon in a retracting case, but even if you just start out with a cloth tap measure that you roll up, you will need at least 25 foot length in your toolbox.

-A saw. There are different types of saws depending on the material to be cut. A saw is simply a serrated blade with a handle and you can have a hand saw, which may be enough for a basic tool set, or a powered saw. A frame saw may be needed for larger jobs.

-Putty knife. This is used for scraping and applying putty, but it has other uses as well. The flexible blade can be squeezed under many surfaces to help in removal.

-Wrench. You will add leverage when you are turning nuts and bolts if you use a wrench. The open end wrench is the basic kind that you can lock to a certain size to grasp the nut or bolt. Other types are box end, crescent, socket and Allen wrench that are also provided with every truck tool box.

-Awl. Primarily used in woodworking, it starts a hole before you start drilling, or you can draw a line with an awl to use as a guide for your saw.

Greg Hansward continually pens news stories on things relating to tool storage and workbenches. His contributions on truck tool box are found on http://www.insidewoodworking.com and different web publications.

Each time I try to measure the window frame or hang some picture on the wall, I make sure to place my tool box back in its designated place. This is not a very accessible place: a hard to reach corner on the backside of the closet, which is kept near the iron board, under the winter coats, kept behind a cabinet. It’s very difficult to actually see inside the closet and so the subsequent time I visit the place to take my toolbox out, I actually need to inconveniently squat, reach past the ironboard never knowing what to expect, and then find my way under the coats and behind the cabinet to take out the tool box! I still haven’t learned that I need to keep my tool box in an accessible place because I use it almost every single day!

If you have a tool box which is well stocked and easily accessible, it can make life a whole lot easier – whether you are a renter, a homeowner or a college student. Here are the 10 basic tools you absolutely need in your tool box. These will set the correct direction and make your tool box self sufficient.

Hammer

These are usually used to break things apart or to drive nails into something. Comprising usually of a head and a handle, the most basic hammer which is essential to have is the claw hammer. It can be great for removing as well as driving nails in. The other hammer implements include ball-peen, framing, upholstery varieties of hammers, sledgehammer, rubber as well as wooden mallets.

Pliers

These are used for improving leverage and grip over something. Even within this category there are diverse functionalities a plier can do. The cutting pliers will pinch materials off or sever materials. The gripping pliers help in improving grip and comprise needle nose, flat nose and round nose plier varieties. The gripping pliers constitute the most basic variety and no tool box can ever be called complete without them. The crimping pliers are mostly used in electrical work types or for crimping connectors and terminals.

Saw

Used for cutting purposes, the kind of saw will be determined by the material that needs to be cut. Usually comprised of a blade with serrated edges, a handle, a saw can be used by the hand, electricity, water or even steam! The regular small sized hand saw can be good for basic functionality for your tool box. This can be great for small projects to be tackled inside the home. Back saws possess a thinner blade which is accented with brass or steel backs.

Putty knife

This type of knife has a flexible and flat blade. Instead of getting used for cutting purposes, this knife is great for application and scraping of putty. Useful for a wide variety of situations this putty knife is one of the least expensive of all the tools mentioned here.

Wrenches

These tools are used for obtaining greater leverage for turning around stubborn items like nuts or bolts. The open ended wrench is one of the most basic varieties and comprises of a solid metal piece with a U-shaped open end at one side which can grip the nut or bolt sides.

Focusing on the topic of truck tool boxes, he wrote mainly for http://www.insidewoodworking.com . You might discover his publications on used truck tool box at http://www.insidewoodworking.com .

John’s grandfather owned a furniture shop. As a child, he would go to his saw-dust smelling shop to watch the carpenters at work. He was always amazed at the things they made: round tables with curved legs, little school desks, book cases as tall as a wall, treasure chests, chairs, rocking horses and many, many more. But just as much as he was amazed by the skill of their hands, he was also amazed by the tools that they used. Steel hammers, wrenches, saws, pliers, drills. These tools helped them create the best furniture.

Kobalt Tools is one brand that will give you everything you need when it comes to “tough” tools. For their hand tools, for example, they have different kinds of hammers to suit various jobs: a curved claw hammer with angled handle, a steel rip hammer, a hammer with a straight handle and many more. They have a five-piece pliers set and even extra-leverage diagonal pliers. For their power tools, they have a 72-piece driving set, as well as a 39-piece multi-material bits set. Kobalt Tools is a brand that understands the particulars and specifics of “tough jobs”. And the best part of all? They have a lifetime guarantee!

All throughout John’s growing up years, he saw the same tools in the same hands create the same perfectly crafted furniture. His grandfather never had to buy new tools for his furniture business. He used Kobalt Tools. If you want your work to last a lifetime, so should you.

Makita Cordless Tools is a great resource to find reviews on the latest tools Makita has to offer. Visit us at Makita Cordless Tools Check out the review of the new Makita Combo Kit.

The hammer is actually one of the simplest items which will be in your tool kit, it only really consists of a handle and a head. However there are many different choices in terms of size, style, and uses. So which type of hammer do you need for basic home repairs?

There are quite a few tools which are known as hammers, many of these are only used for specialist tasks. These hammers include mallets which are used for woodworking. Ball peen hammers for metalwork, and more specialist hammers such as sledgehammers or roofers hammers.

I’m assuming that you just want to use a hammer to drive nails into a wall, and maybe even break things up. There are some common types of hammer which we will discuss in more detail now.

What is it made out of?

Many hammer heads have a metal striking surface.

The handle allows a firm grip and extends the arc of your swing which allows you to increase the speed and force of the strike. This handle also allows some form of shock absorbance. The cheapest forms of hammer have wooden handles. Wooden handles do offer some degree of shock absorption, however you will probably have to replace these at some time in the future. Wooden handles can also become damaged fairly easily if you hit it against a hard surface by accident.

You can also have handles made out of metal, these are very durable and will be long lasting. Metal hammers do not offer much shock absorption, and so many of these have cushioned grips.

Another type of handle which you may want to consider is a fiberglass handle. These offer the best of both worlds, they are able to absorb shocks and they are ridged and durable. Fiberglass hammers are also suitable for use by electricians.

What about the weight?

You should think about the weight when choosing a hammer, the most popular weights are between 455 and 680g. The weight of the hammer will vary the force you can get behind the hammer. This makes different weights of hammer suitable for different purposes. A 12oz hammer is used for driving in small tacks and nails, while a 20oz hammer can drive in much bigger nails.

Choose the type of head

Most hammers have a flat striking surface on one side of the hammer, and the other has a peen. There are a number of different designs of peen, the most common is a claw hammer.

Deciding which hammer is best

You should start by deciding what the hammer should be used for, but you should also pay special attention to how the hammer feels when you hold it.

Once you have decided on the weight, type of hammer and style you should start swinging them and see how they feel in your hand. If possible try hitting something with it, so that you can see how it absorbs the shocks.

Handle your hammer like a pro

Once you’ve brought a hammer you should practice using it. There are a few pointers which you need to consider.

Always make sure you use the right hammer for the job, otherwise it could result in considerable damage.

If you notice that the hammer slips off the nails then you could use some sandpaper to roughen the nail.

Check that the steel wedges which are used to fix the hammer head onto the handle are fixed in tightly. Wooden handles can shrink if it’s dry. If the head becomes loose then soak it in water overnight for it to tighten.

Linden Walhard often creates informative papers on subjects relating to antique drill press. You can find his writings on antique hand tools at http://www.insidewoodworking.com

Do you have a carpenter in you? Whether or not, every home should have a carpentry kit with some basic home tools for a person who chooses carpentry as a hobby to get going! To get the finished product, screws and nails have to be used to fasten pieces of wood to each other, and as such some of the most redundant looking tools end up being the most important for carpentry. A carpenter beginner guide provides all the guidance an amateur carpenter will ever need to for making furniture and fixing woodwork.

Types of drills:

For screwing and nailing, making holes in the hard board or ply, the gimlet and bradawl help a lot. Available online and offline you can source ordinary drills of various sizes. For drilling holes in softwood, twist drills and for drilling holes in planks made of hardwood, breast drills can be sorted and used. The beginner guide will provide all details of necessary tools required. The twist drill should be taken care of while drilling, as during the operation it could break or twist. To create more pressure, the amateur carpenter has to press hard with the flattened end against the chest.

Basic home tools:

It is important to refer to the beginner guide to have the right understanding on basic home tools. A durable set of twist drill bits which are made of high speed steel are best. They come in two marked sizes. One is the point tipped drill for drilling light and fine holes by using the Archimedean drill technique. In the amateur’s kit, Augers are used for drill holes in solid wood.

For cutting larger circles, the amateur carpenter can purchase a hole-saw which can be clamped to the twist drill, functioning as a starter, with the drill placed at the hole-center the tip. The screw driver is available in different sizes and contributes to a major part in the basic home tools kit. It must be understood that the screw driver is an indispensable tool. For light drilling jobs the Archimedean drill is best on ply and for drilling a larger diameter holes in solid wood using auger bits, the carpenter’s brace is used. During purchase the drill bits are packed with the hand drills.

For withdrawing and nailing jobs the claw hammer is the most useful and most important tool. In metal working the mechanic’s hammer and the Warrington hammer are used. For heavy duty work the sledge hammer can be used. There are many varieties of hammers accessible with the help of a carpenter beginner guide, alongside different carpentry tools. The carpenter beginner guide is the best ally to have close at hand.

There is much more on carpenter beginner guide, today you too can gain from our years of experience, visit Home-Decorating-Reviews.com

The color of a hammer is simply not important to most women. Blue hammers, brown hammers, pink hammers… who cares? You want a hammer that works, a hammer that will last.

Any hammer will do the job. After all, a hammer is a hammer. Right?

Well, yes, but…

Take a look at the hammer display at any hardware store, and you will see right away that hammers are different. And where are the tools for women? Most of the hammers on the rack are designed for the larger hands of men!

And that is just the beginning. For example, some hammers have…

- Curved claws.

- Straight claws.

- No claws.

- Too big.

- Not big enough.

- Small faces.

- Some are too light.

- Some are too heavy.

- Some are too long.

- Wooden handles that break and splinter.

- Some have an awkward or slippery grip.

So how do you decide which hammer is the right one for you?

Consider These Things When You Buy A Pink Hammer, or Any Pink Tools For Women:

First – Don’t compromise quality.

You want to own good, solid tools for women that do what they are supposed to do. You want hand tools that will last. High-quality pink hammers cost no more than ordinary hammers, and the color helps you find them when you need them.

Second – Recognize what you really need a hammer for.

If you do specialized jobs such as roofing or dry-wall or build cabinets, you need specialized hammers. However, you are probably not doing major construction or major demolition. So you probably don’t have a need for exotic specialty hammers designed for a single purpose.

In fact, you don’t even need a hammer every day, only once in a while. Around your home, you’ll use your pink hammer for basic, simple, occasional light repairs and craft projects.

So what you really need is a basic, all-purpose, get-the-job-done pink hammer. You’ll find that one hammer will handle nearly every hammer-chore in your life, those everyday jobs that come up when you just need a basic, quality hammer.

Third – Get a strong, rugged hammer that is comfortable for you.

Pink hammers for women and other ladies pink hand tools should fit your hand comfortably.

- Comfortable grip means better control of the tool. – Better control of the tool leads to better results. – Better control gives you more confidence. – More confidence helps you do your task more safely.

If You Could Only Have One Pink Hammer In Your Pink Tool Kit…

I recommend you get a basic, middle-weight (about 13-ounce), curved-claw, all-purpose pink hammer ergonomically designed for women. Here’s why…

- It is light enough and small enough to hang pictures and curtain rods.

- It is heavy enough to drive large nails.

- It has a comfortable non-slip handle designed for women’s hands.

- It has a curved claw (instead of a straight claw) that makes it easier to remove nails or pry things.

You may discover you also need a second hammer for other projects. Many women find the 13-ounce pink hammer is the best, all-purpose pink hammer in their pink tool kit, and they will buy a lighter, smaller 8-ounce pink hammer, for the smaller projects that need a lighter touch.

Finally, why choose a pink hammer, when color doesn’t matter?

Pink tools are less likely to be borrowed by men, who tend to forget to return tools they borrow. A pink hammer is therefore more likely to be right there in your pink tool kit for women, right where you left it, ready for you when you need it.

Plus, ladies pink tools are easier to find in a messy junk drawer!

Lisa teaches women about pink tools designed for women at her main site – Pink Tools For Women She sells Tomboy Tools® as an independent demonstrator. These quality pink tools for women are available online and through home tool parties. These parties are fun and profitable, and are an especially good business for WAHMs (work-at-home-moms).

Copyright 2010 – Lisa Lombardo. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give Lisa Lombardo full name credit as author.

People that eat Alaskan seafood know that they are getting a product from cleaner waters, harvested under more ethical rules than would otherwise be the case, and that is knowledge that a customer enjoys having. Hence, the spectacular success of the crabbing and fishing industry in general in the state.

The best crabs to come out of Alaska–at least in terms of popularity–would have to be the gigantic king crab and the smaller but sweeter dungeness crab. The hunting season for the king crab is very short, with the bulk of the catch coming in between October and January. The dungeness crab season, on the other hand, goes from December through June. Though these are the times to get them fresh at the market, they are both sold frozen and canned throughout the year.

When it comes to cooking crabs, there are plenty of dungeness crab recipes for you to choose from, but be sure to use plenty of boiling water or a large steam pot. Under cooked crab can always be put back in for a second longer, but over cooked crab isn’t salvageable at all, so don’t forget that you’ve got them in there. A rough time measure of ten minutes per pound is generally a good amount, though with experience you’ll be able to handle variations in sizes well, and not under cook the large ones or over cook the small ones.

Though many people enjoy the process of opening up the crab themselves at the table (a true crab feast), for a tidier dinner remove the carapace yourself and rinse out the meat and remaining part of the shell. Remove gills and jaws and serve up what remains, possibly split in half to accommodate for space. Serve with small hammers for the legs, or nut-crackers, as well as a small poking utensil to extract the meat (the point of a claw works well in this function).

Generally, both are served fresh from the pot, with some butter and lemon juice as a minimal accompaniment to the already strongly-flavored crab meat. However, both of these crustaceans are given to greater elaboration, and dungeness crab recipes are especially diverse given the incredible, incomparable sweetness of the flesh. Whichever one of the many dungeness crab recipes you choose, your guests are sure to love the result.

Interested in learning more about fishing in Alaska? You’ll find great bios of some of the state’s most famous fishermen at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Will you be remodeling an old bathroom in an old school looking home? Then there is a high chance that you will find cast iron bathtubs inside it. So before you get your hands into the total renovation, then you must consider to explore all your possible options first.

The bathtub can really be a special part of any bathroom but if they look really old and dirty, then they can be a great eyesore as well. The older type of tubs can really endure long despite heavy usage but they eventually show their true colors that can be unpleasant.

The cast iron bathtubs can really weigh a lot, around 200 to 300 pounds. They are also not so easy to dislodge since they are attached to various studs and some are even framed hard. Some already sledge hammers just to tear them to pieces and start the renovation.

This is also the perfect time to think whether you would also replace the existing tiles. Most likely, when you hate the old, worn out look of the cast tub, you would want to already replace everything in its entirety. And besides, it would be hard not to damage the tiles in the process of you taking off the tub.

The cast iron bathtubs can really be a good match to a home that carries a theme of an old-charm, country look. So it would be a bit difficult to find the right replacement for your old tub that would still be a match to the old theme of your home.

There are cast iron replica tubs which can be very costly nowadays when you research over the net. Hence, it is equally important that you consider also your allotted budget for this particular change in your home before you even move on the next step.

So, if you are the one who is running on a strict budget, which is understandable these days, you can just consider refinishing your cast iron bathtubs instead of buying a new one. Majority of these old tubs can really be helped with some brand new look with the help of some acrylic urethane resin coat.

It is recommended that you get the aid of a professional in doing this so that it would work out properly. The bright, new finish of your tub can last for a decade or two but most of the refinishing companies only offer five-year warranties.

Above is all I want to share with you about cast iron bathtubs. But for more information, I would strongly recommend you to go to http://www.bathroomreports.com.

If there is ever a moment that you need to physically defend yourself, I say don’t hesitate. Fight back. It could save your life. Many physical attacks have been averted because the victim fought back. Statistics indicate that the woman who fights has a greater chance of survival and getting away then a woman who does not resist. If a man is out to attack you, he is out to do you harm anyway. Fighting him will surprise him and because he wants to get away with the least amount of resistance in many cases he will let go of you to escape himself. An attacker doesn’t like a lot of noise, so make a lot of it. Yell as long and hard as you can. Say things that will attract attention.

“HELP HE’S ATTACKING ME!” – “I DON’T KNOW HIM!! HE’S TRYING TO KIDNAP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME” – “CALL THE POLICE HE’S HURTING ME!” “HELP ME THIS MAN IS FOLLOWING ME!”

If you are in a public place and you are aware that someone is following you or trailing you. Look fully at his face. Make sure that he knows you see him. Say in a very loud voice “I SEE YOU. LEAVE ME ALONE NOW.” “POLICE!! POLICE!!” He will think twice about jumping you. Also if you are alone and you feel someone is following you don’t get yourself cornered. Get into an open place, a public place, near people or a person. If you can ask someone to walk you to your car or train take the company and assistance. Again it could mean the difference between being vulnerable alone or avoiding attack with the company of someone else.

These are some of the suggestions to avoid attack. They may sound obvious but they are for your reference. Avoid going to dark places by yourself if you can. Go with someone when you can. If there is a lit place or a light, stand under it. Move away from someone who is trying to corner you or crowd you, but don’t move to a place that could be more dangerous for you. For instance don’t move closer to the tracks of a train, if you don’t know what this person is capable of doing. Be aware of who is around you and how many are there. Be aware of people and how they are dressed. Be aware of erratic behavior such as drunkenness, hostility, or confrontational behavior. Be aware of alliances, even if a man is not near someone doesn’t mean that they are not a part of a team. There will be signs of connection if you observe long enough. You will see interaction that they are trying to disguise; you will see signals to each other or looks. But if something starts to go down, they will make their alliance known. They will come after you together. Also don’t assume that just because you see a woman with a man that they cannot be a threat to you. Many times women can be the lure, and when you drop your guard, and then for many reasons, mostly to please the man that they are with, will let the man attack you or they will attack you together. There are lots of Bonnie and Clyde types out there. Just be aware of alliances.

Other suggestions: Don’t open your purse in public; prepare your money or keys before you leave a place. Carry a key firmly between your two fingers and your thumb with the pointed end exposed. If you are being cornered don’t blindly run. Before you go in any direction know if there is an exit or a dead end. When you walk, be aware of the environment. Doorways that someone can hide in, aisle ways, hidden entrances, and natural landmasses that could deter you or is a potential hiding place for someone. Also be aware of places that have people that can help you. Are there corner stores that stay open late, restaurants, Fire stations, Police Stations. Be aware of call boxes and really observe if they are working or not. If you need to make a cell phone call, be aware of landmarks to give some good directions. If you carry a purse, it is better for you if your purse has compartments, and you always keep your things in the purse in the same place. Then when you need your wallet, your cell phone, keys or lipstick you can retrieve it with a momentary glance down or without looking down at all. An organized person is less of a mark or target than a disorganized person. A person who is focused and aware is also less likely to be a victim or a target than a woman who is spacey and distracted. Walk with purpose and direction, not like you don’t know where you are going. Have routes plotted out to your home, and school or store etc. But also have alternative safe routes, be prepared to change direction in a moment if need be. The point is if you know a few ways to get somewhere you can take decisive action and not run blindly.

If you are attacked be prepared to fight until you have no more strength left in your body or until he is unconscious. There are three main areas that a man is particular vulnerable his groin, his eyes and his knees. If someone is attacking you, punch, kick, knee, grab, hit, squeeze, strike, claw him or even bite him in his private parts until you can get free. If he drops to his knees from the blow, strike him in the eyes, or grab the back of his head and knee him in the face, or make fists with both hands and drop them on his head as hard as you can until he falls down. Kick him or punch him repeatedly in the groin area. If you go after his eyes, try to claw them out, or squeeze your hands and fingers together like a bird beak and jab your hands and fingers hard into his eyes. Be prepared that he will lash out at you with his fists or available hand.

Brace yourself for any strikes or hits that he may throw at you. But don’t stop, your life is on the line! If he is attempting to hit you in the head or face with something like a hammer or a stick or hard object, cover your head with your arms and your hands. Keep your arms moving over your head to prevent damage to your head and face. It is better to receive hits on the arm than to your face or head. Kick him with your feet or knee him in the groin while he is attacking you. If you can’t reach his groin kick his knee hard with your heel. Keep kicking him until he releases you. If he knocks you down, curl your legs up to your body and keep your arms and fists by your face to protect your head and face. Look at your target and then really kick out your feet into one of his knees as hard as you can or if you can reach his groin. Forget about trying to reach his head or face, he may grab your legs or feet if you kick out at his face. Land solid blows or strikes to his knees, groin, and his eyes. If you bring him down, also don’t stop now, go on the offensive. Go after him moving with your feet first. Close in on his head or his groin and use your feet like hammers or an ax and chop downward with your heel into his head or his groin repeatedly wherever he is exposed. Jab your hands into his eyes. Don’t think that just because he is down that he will not get up again. Don’t think that just because you kicked him in the groin once that he will not be able to get up again. He may be so enraged that he throws off the pain to come after you. So keep on the offensive until he stops, or he is unconscious, or that you can break away and get help.

Even though you are unarmed you are not defenseless. Think of everything that you are holding as a potential tool or weapon. You can catch him by surprise. Even a rolled up newspaper or magazine, can become something of substance if used right. The end of a rolled up magazine or newspaper can be jabbed into his groin area. Your purse can also be slammed into his groin. A wooden umbrella handle can cause some pain if jabbed into his groin. A broach pin can be jabbed into his eye. A pen or a key can be jabbed into his groin or his eye. If you are wearing high heels, or a shoe with a strong heel, stomp on the instep of his foot. Slam a book or a briefcase into his groin. If he picks you up off the ground, from behind, elbow him repeatedly into his ribs, kick your heel back into his knees or kick up into his groin. Bite him on his hands. Use your hands like fist and slam your fist down and backwards into his groin area, or up and back into his nose. Use your hands like claws and make your hand firm in that claw and throw the hand back and down into his groin as hard as you can. Be aware of everything that you might be able to use. If you get a hold of an object that is hard like a rock don’t throw it at him, because you may miss and not have another chance with it. Instead hold it firmly in your hand and when he comes at you smash it against his nose, or smash it into his groin. Hold onto the rock because after the first blow, he may not become unconscious, and he may try to use it on you. Don’t give him any advantage. You be ready to use your tool or weapon again until he stops, or the tool becomes a hindrance rather than a help to you.

Even if he manages to get you down on the ground the situation is not lost. Keep your wits about you and your focus. He will expect you to fight and when you are down on the ground, you can pretend that you are cooperating, and then when he is sees that you are not resisting, he begins to ease up, then you twist your body out of his grab, roll onto your stomach, get your legs free, turn, look at your target and kick him either in his knee or his groin. If he is sitting on top of your chest towards your head, swing your legs up on either side of him and grab him across the chest with your legs and pull him backwards with your legs. When he falls backwards, release him with your legs, and once again go on the offensive with your feet, chopping him in the groin, or smash your feet down on his head or nose, since he is now on the ground, he will be lower and more easy to reach. If he takes you down do your best to avoid getting your hands tied or handcuffed, but if that occurs you still have your legs available. Choose your moment, and then fight with all you got. Tell him that you have AIDS or HERPES. Anything to make him think twice. Remember if he is coming after you, it’s his life or yours. His intention is bodily harm. Your intention is to escape or defend yourself, your friend or daughter. When push comes to shove this calls for no-holds bar.

There is a great self-defense course that I strongly recommend to all women. You can learn about a lot or all of the techniques that I have just described. In NYC it is called Prepare Inc, and in Boston it is called Impact Model Mugging. In NYC the phone number is 212 255- 0505.It’s website is http://www.prepareinc.com. The Boston phone number is 617 232-7900. It’s website is http://www.impactboston.com. It is a course that is designed for women to fight with everything that they have, and it simulates real attacks, from men that are heavily padded and highly trained so that they can receive your blows and strikes with full force. It simulates all sorts of scenarios such as; grabs, takedowns, one person or multiple attackers, rapes, intimidation, robbery, and even the trash talk that the attacker might say. They teach you in a safe environment with a coaching system. You are with a coach the whole way who talks you through it, and if you can’t handle the simulation, it is halted for you. They teach you how to use your body, feet, legs and voice with power, from a standing position or after you have been pulled to the ground. After the course, you know exactly how to react and what to do, and more importantly how to fight if you need to. It’s an intense 25 hour course and at this time it cost about $500.00 to $600. But you lose your fear and indecisiveness; and develop your confidence. When you finish you know that you can handle anything. It was the best course that I have ever taken and when you are old enough I would certainly enroll you. I have recommended it to my friends and sisters and students. So keep alert and remember keep this article as a reference. It could save your life. You can reach Katheryn Hoban at katscoolcorner@yahoo.com

Yoga Kat–aka Katheryn Hoban is a yoga teacher and Reiki Master Teacher with twelve years experience. She teaches children’s yoga ages 3-6, and Adults privately in NJ. She is the author of the book -Masters of Consciousness—A Guide Book for the Cosmic Traveler. She has created a children’s affirmation CD (ages 3-6) and an affirmation CD for adults. Yoga Kat is available for speaking or writing and can be reached at or 201 970-9340 http://www.thecircleofpeace.com and sign up for our newsletter and See me reading from my book on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDd_JyIActw