08.06.05 - 2nd Annual West Coast Kenpo Confederation
The Keyslinger
I had been looking forward to this class because Bill had shown me his Keyslinger and described what it was for. He said that Chuck would be doing some training at the seminar and a keyslinger would be included to everyone that partook in the class. I walked in the door and was surprised that the number attending class wasn’t larger than it was – if for no reason other than it was one of two classes that were led by Chuck Sullivan at this particular conference. It turned out to be just the right number of people in the room though as we started swinging these things around.
The Keyslinger is an invention of Chuck Sullivan’s that is described by him as “a leather strap and a key-ring”. The strap itself is approximately 12-14” long with a loop in one end big enough for a couple of fingers. The other end has a D-ring and a standard 1-1/2” split-ring key-ring running through it. That’s it. The idea is that you put your pinky and ring finger through the loop on the one end and wrap it around your hand. If attacked by an assailant, you can swing your attached keys at him much like a flail and inflict enough harm to escape. For training purposes, Chuck had brought in a small bail of cardboard that he split up and handed out for us to practice on.
We practiced with just an empty key-ring on the end of the Keyslinger – no keys. We partnered up and one person would hold the cardboard out about head-high and the other would strike it. It was amazing to see what this little device was capable of! The class room sounded like a firing range as we all took turns striking at the cardboard. Our particular piece of cardboard was double laminated corrugated fiber board – basically some tough stuff as cardboard goes. The empty key-ring sailed right through the stuff – and that was before we had instruction on how to swing it!
Chuck instructed us to face the theoretical opponent head on with the Keyslinger hanging relaxed in our hands. Using a short tight motion, he instructed us to bring the Keyslinger up directly toward the target and torque through the strike by bending the wrist slightly. He also stated that twisting at the waist would also increase the speed in which the keys were flying. The effect was simple and amazing. Shredded cardboard everywhere.
There were several questions asked about why he hadn’t put the device on the website for sale. He stated emphatically that he didn’t want these out in the general public, and he didn’t want anyone using one that hadn’t been properly trained in how to use it. When he was asked if he ever had to use it himself, he stated that he had not, but that a student had recounted an episode in which the keyslinger helped him to stop a 3 on 1 confrontation almost immediately. The student in question worked security at one of the movie sets in town. He “foolishly left the studio wearing his ‘security’ jacket” and was met by some gang-type thugs outside of the gate. Chuck stopped the story at this point and stated how it was smart to avoid trouble whenever possible and that the individual in question should have just taken off the jacket and left the lot as a civilian – not a security guard. His story continued with his description of the lead thug flanked on either side with a couple others. As he approached the security guard with ill intent in mind, the lead thug caught the full force of a set of keys at the end of a Keyslinger right square against the jaw along the side of his face. The effect was immediate. The thug dropped like a wet rag and was “making noises human beings were never intended to make”. The security guard saw that the other two thugs were momentarily stunned at seeing their buddy in a pile on the ground and took the opportunity to run away. Again, Chuck stopped his story at this point to state that the fight is over when you are no longer in danger, at which point “get the hell out of there” and don’t stick around to see what happens. Depending on who sees what, and how that information is interpreted, you may be seen as the aggressor and have to answer some very unfriendly questions. Just do what needs to be done and get out of there pronto. He finished the story by saying that the security guard in question feels that the other two thugs didn’t move in on him because they may have thought he shot the lead thug. He went down as if he had been shot, and there was plenty of blood. Chuck stated that this was a weapon and should be treated as such.
The class wrapped up a little bit early and I think everyone there was still a little amazed at how well this device works. Chuck stuck around and answered questions and told some stories but most left the room and when on their way.
I had been looking forward to this class because Bill had shown me his Keyslinger and described what it was for. He said that Chuck would be doing some training at the seminar and a keyslinger would be included to everyone that partook in the class. I walked in the door and was surprised that the number attending class wasn’t larger than it was – if for no reason other than it was one of two classes that were led by Chuck Sullivan at this particular conference. It turned out to be just the right number of people in the room though as we started swinging these things around.
The Keyslinger is an invention of Chuck Sullivan’s that is described by him as “a leather strap and a key-ring”. The strap itself is approximately 12-14” long with a loop in one end big enough for a couple of fingers. The other end has a D-ring and a standard 1-1/2” split-ring key-ring running through it. That’s it. The idea is that you put your pinky and ring finger through the loop on the one end and wrap it around your hand. If attacked by an assailant, you can swing your attached keys at him much like a flail and inflict enough harm to escape. For training purposes, Chuck had brought in a small bail of cardboard that he split up and handed out for us to practice on.
We practiced with just an empty key-ring on the end of the Keyslinger – no keys. We partnered up and one person would hold the cardboard out about head-high and the other would strike it. It was amazing to see what this little device was capable of! The class room sounded like a firing range as we all took turns striking at the cardboard. Our particular piece of cardboard was double laminated corrugated fiber board – basically some tough stuff as cardboard goes. The empty key-ring sailed right through the stuff – and that was before we had instruction on how to swing it!
Chuck instructed us to face the theoretical opponent head on with the Keyslinger hanging relaxed in our hands. Using a short tight motion, he instructed us to bring the Keyslinger up directly toward the target and torque through the strike by bending the wrist slightly. He also stated that twisting at the waist would also increase the speed in which the keys were flying. The effect was simple and amazing. Shredded cardboard everywhere.
There were several questions asked about why he hadn’t put the device on the website for sale. He stated emphatically that he didn’t want these out in the general public, and he didn’t want anyone using one that hadn’t been properly trained in how to use it. When he was asked if he ever had to use it himself, he stated that he had not, but that a student had recounted an episode in which the keyslinger helped him to stop a 3 on 1 confrontation almost immediately. The student in question worked security at one of the movie sets in town. He “foolishly left the studio wearing his ‘security’ jacket” and was met by some gang-type thugs outside of the gate. Chuck stopped the story at this point and stated how it was smart to avoid trouble whenever possible and that the individual in question should have just taken off the jacket and left the lot as a civilian – not a security guard. His story continued with his description of the lead thug flanked on either side with a couple others. As he approached the security guard with ill intent in mind, the lead thug caught the full force of a set of keys at the end of a Keyslinger right square against the jaw along the side of his face. The effect was immediate. The thug dropped like a wet rag and was “making noises human beings were never intended to make”. The security guard saw that the other two thugs were momentarily stunned at seeing their buddy in a pile on the ground and took the opportunity to run away. Again, Chuck stopped his story at this point to state that the fight is over when you are no longer in danger, at which point “get the hell out of there” and don’t stick around to see what happens. Depending on who sees what, and how that information is interpreted, you may be seen as the aggressor and have to answer some very unfriendly questions. Just do what needs to be done and get out of there pronto. He finished the story by saying that the security guard in question feels that the other two thugs didn’t move in on him because they may have thought he shot the lead thug. He went down as if he had been shot, and there was plenty of blood. Chuck stated that this was a weapon and should be treated as such.
The class wrapped up a little bit early and I think everyone there was still a little amazed at how well this device works. Chuck stuck around and answered questions and told some stories but most left the room and when on their way.
posted by Bonzai at 8/06/2005 11:09:00 AM
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