Wake-up Call

[The Reaper]

Burglar bars with a double cylinder deadbolt and the key in the lock?

TR

[Ryanr]

Thank you all for the posts and PMs, very much appreciated.

[bravo22b]

Exterior doors would have no glass, or adjacent glass in a perfect world. All should be steel or fiberglass with deadbolts, strikeboxes, kickplates, and 3" screws throughout. Door jambs should be reinforced by doubling or tripling studs on both sides. All doors should be heavily shimmed and properly installed.

Just to add to this good advice - One way to reinforce the jamb is to use minimal expansion spray foam to fill the space between the door jamb and the studs. This has the additional benefit of eliminating a major source of air infiltration into the house. Once a door jamb has been foamed in place, very little short of cutting through the foam all the way around the door will dislodge it. It also helps the jamb from being compressed with a pry bar between the door and jamb.

The right way to do this is to pry off the casing (trim) on one side of the door. Make sure the door jamb is properly shimmed and fastened, especially shimmed behind the hinges and the strike of the lock. Use minimal expansion foam (red can around here) or foam labeled for use in sealing doors / windows (blue can up here). If you use triple expansion foam you will make a big mess and may not be able to open the door after it expands. The foam made for doors / windows is OK, but dries softer than the minimal expansion foam, and won't resist forced entry as well.

Use the can to spray a bead of foam into the gap, just enough to bridge both sides of the crack. Don't fill up the whole gap front to back. After you have sealed the gap with the right amount of foam, close the door (if not already closed), and shim between the door and the jamb to maintain the gap. If you do not do this, the foam may force the jamb tight against the door and prevent it from opening easily.

When the foam dries, cut off the excess, and reinstall the casing.

Take care not to get the foam on you or your belongings. Put a dropcloth down before you start, and if you do drop some foam on something, consider letting it dry before you try to clean it up, otherwise you may smear it all over the place.

[craigepo]

I received an e-mail regarding using wasp spray as a replacement for pepper spray. I'm attaching a Snopes review, which states generally that wasp spray works, and might work too well.

On this subject, I'm curious if there are any other household/barnyard chemicals that would work in a self-defense pinch, i.e. after I've fired all remaining ammo?

http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/waspspray.asp

[nmap]

Originally Posted by craigepo

On this subject, I'm curious if there are any other household/barnyard chemicals that would work in a self-defense pinch, i.e. after I've fired all remaining ammo?

I'm under the impression that pepper - the kind kept on the table - is somewhat effective if thrown in the face. Partly because it gets in the eyes, partly because it causes sneezing. If so, it would make a possible expedient when one is unarmed in a restaurant.

However - I would like to hear the thoughts of others as to the validity of the notion.

[plato]

A good auto paint supplier will fill any spray can with whatever you like (absent stuff that is illegal in itself). That can be a can of paint that's been adjusted for fading to the age of your car.

That can be a good can of Louisiana Hot Sauce

[craigepo]

I remember when mre's first came out with small bottles of hot sauce. One of our guys accidentally threw one in a fire---damn thing exploded and almost took out a whole team.

[LarryW]

Here's a cell phone that advertises itself as also a stun gun:

http://www.safetygearhq.com/cell-phone-stun-gun.htm

The common bear spray has a range of 15-30 feet (depending on variant), but may come with restrictions re: use against humans.

http://www.safetygearhq.com/bearspray.htm

Just some thoughts.

[plato]

Originally Posted by craigepo

I remember when mre's first came out with small bottles of hot sauce. One of our guys accidentally threw one in a fire---damn thing exploded and almost took out a whole team.

I remember hot sauce as a crucial item of supply. There are a number of things I've eaten while deployed that would never have stayed down without it, and a lot of stuff that shouldn't have stayed down anyway

[plato]

Originally Posted by LarryW

Here's a cell phone that advertises itself as also a stun gun:

http://www.safetygearhq.com/cell-phone-stun-gun.htm

The common bear spray has a range of 15-30 feet (depending on variant), but may come with restrictions re: use against humans.

http://www.safetygearhq.com/bearspray.htm

Just some thoughts.

Be very careful with stun guns. Youngest son bought one home from a local "Trade Center" where merchants rent tables and sell and these were sold openly.
However, Mich. law considers the carry of one, absent LEOs, COs, etc., to be a Felony.

[KLB]

I haven't given this its due consideration. I have three dogs which should at least give us ample warning. My wife is handy enough with her .380 pistol to hold her own. I've got a .45 in the bed stand and plenty of firepower in the closet. BUT, you've made me realize that my daughter is on the other end of the house. Thanks for the wake-up call. I'll work on this.

[jatx]

Originally Posted by nmap

I'm under the impression that pepper - the kind kept on the table - is somewhat effective if thrown in the face. Partly because it gets in the eyes, partly because it causes sneezing. If so, it would make a possible expedient when one is unarmed in a restaurant.

If I were in a restaurant, the pepper shaker would not be the first thing I grabbed to defend myself. Brain them with the beer pitcher, slash or stab with the steak knife or any other utensil or smash them with a chair - show some spirit!

If you throw pepper in their face, they will DEFINITELY want to kill you...

Originally Posted by Ryanr

Excellent post, thank you TR.

If I may ask a question; I have a two story house, with a tall deck accessible off the second floor. It runs along the entire back of the house, and has stairs down to the back yard. As of such, the master bedroom has a window that is directly accessible from the deck (and thus the back yard) -- so it's basically a "first floor" room with a large window.

Anyone who wished harm upon me or my family could smash that window and immediately be in the room where my wife and baby and I sleep. Do you have any recommendations as to how to fortify such a vulnerable window without negatively affecting the property value? Double-paned glass doesn't seem like it would serve as much of a deterrent.

I like that it is easy to exit the window in case of a fire, but I'm displeased with its potential as a point of entry.

How about fixing the stair so that it can be made to swing up and be secured in the UP position, therefore not encouraging someone to use the stairs as a avenue of entry? Not saying it could not be an entry but generally most people seeking to enter a house univited look for something easier.

Originally Posted by nmap

I'm under the impression that pepper - the kind kept on the table - is somewhat effective if thrown in the face. Partly because it gets in the eyes, partly because it causes sneezing. If so, it would make a possible expedient when one is unarmed in a restaurant.

However - I would like to hear the thoughts of others as to the validity of the notion.

Cayenne Pepper is even more effective. At one point Cayenne Pepper poured into bottom paint was supposed to be a deterrent to bottom bio growths on boats. I can tell you that it is a deterrent to ever using it again. I had the joy of sanding the crap off a boat. Long sleeves taped shut, pants taped shut and a respirator did not keep that stuff out of my eyes. Horrible experience.

Ammonia in half or two thirds strength. - deterrent
Any bug spray in the face can be lethal.
Straight bleach in the face can permanently blind someone.

Hot cooking oil/boiling grits can be thrown on an intruder.

Hair spray in a can. Any Aerosol spray can either be a deterrent or lethal depending on what it is.
laundry stain remover..
Bleach
dish soap in the eyes is a deterrent.
nail polish remover..

You can take a can of hair spray and turn it into a flame thrower. Don't ask me how I know this...

In a word, SUPER SOAKER... once primed they are awesome water weapons.

That enough ideas your honor?
AM

[Ryanr]

Originally Posted by armymom1228

How about fixing the stair so that it can be made to swing up and be secured in the UP position, therefore not encouraging someone to use the stairs as a avenue of entry? Not saying it could not be an entry but generally most people seeking to enter a house univited look for something easier.

I'm sure it could be done, but it's actually quite a long way down. I've certainly never seen it done. I'm actually considering just removing the bit of deck that wraps around to the bedroom. It'd mean someone could still access the kitchen across the house, but not just stand outside my bedroom window.

It's basically something like this: http://www.ejwadeconstruction.net/im...ck%20below.jpg