Sticks and stones can break your bones, so don’t hesitate to use what’s around you to win a physical confrontation if you are without conventional weapons.
Like I’ve said elsewhere, people have been using improvised weapons for thousands of years. And in reality, improvised weapons are more of a mindset than actual objects.
Objects such as keys, pens, pointed high heel shoes, glass bottles, the legs of a chair, the entire chair, and our old favorites, sticks and stones can all be used as weapons. Anything can be used as a weapon with the right mindset. Household items such as kitchen knives, scissors, baseball bats, wrenches, screw drivers, pry bars, and the good old fashioned cast iron skillet can all be effective weapons. It’s the mindset behind the object. The mindset to do whatever it takes to survive, and to use whatever you can to ensure that survival.
Wasp spray, insecticide, bleach or ammonia in an attacker’s eyes can slow him down. Heck, the old trick of throwing dirt into your attacker’s eyes will slow him down too. If your attacker can’t see, it makes it a lot easier to escape to safety.
I want to repeat this. Just about anything can be used to defend yourself if you have the right mindset. I remember reading years ago when I was in high school how to roll a newspaper or magazine and strike to the throat with it if that’s all you have. (I practiced it too.)
Remember, just having these items doesn’t guarantee your success in a self-defense situation, but some thinking about and training in the use of various improvised weapons can even the odds when you have nothing else. (It’s still always better to have the right tool than to improvise if you can. That’s why I recommend Reflex Protect to hospitals, schools, etc. But I still teach how to use the fire extinguisher to protect yourself in case Reflex Protect isn’t available.) Don’t plan to improvise, but realize you can if you have to.
If you want to use keys as improvised weapons, don’t do that nonsense of sticking them out through your fingers making a fist. Here’s one of my videos on how to use them better: