Spears, slingshots and fire extinguishers: the debate over homemade self-defense weapons

From the spear to pepper spray: which homemade weapon is actually effective and legal

The sentencing of a 24-year-old man to one year in prison for carrying a modified 40-centimeter slingshot in Pamplona, Spain, has peine the debate over which self-defense weapons can be kept at home without crossing the line into prohibited territory. Between the handmade spear, the slingshot with ball bearings and the fire extinguisher, the options are varied, but not all are equally effective or legal.

The spear: the oldest weapon against the machete

Advocates of the homemade spear argue that historically it has always beaten the sword, and that against a machete attack — a weapon common in assaults — it allows you to keep your distance and strike with the advantage. They cite video examples of fights where a spear sweeps aside three opponents armed with swords. However, critics point out that in an urban apartment it is impossible to maneuver with a long pole, and that if it is made from flimsy materials, such as a mop handle, it breaks on the first hit. Moreover, any modification (barbed wire, added tips) turns it into a prohibited weapon, which carries incivil liability.

The modified slingshot: firepower at AliExpress prices

A slingshot with special bands and ball-bearing ammunition can reach, according to some estimates, between a third and half the velocity of a 9 mm bullet. For 4 euros you can get 600 ball bearings on AliExpress, making it a cheap and theoretically lethal weapon. But the courts have already acted: the young man from Pamplona was convicted precisely for carrying a large modified model. The police consider its dangerousness justifies the ban, and the courts back them up. In a real struggle, moreover, using it requires precision and can fail.

The legal and effective options: spray, fire extinguisher and farm tools

Against homemade inventions, several analyses point out that pepper spray is effective, portable and legal. So is the fire extinguisher, which besides putting out a fire can be used to disorient an attacker and strike without leaving incivil evidence. Farm tools (axes, pruning hooks) can be justified as work implements if kept on rural property, but in an apartment they are hard to defend before a judge. A baseball bat or a garden machete (the Leroy Merlin type) are considered equally acceptable, as long as they are not modified.

Paranoia and police surveillance

The debate reveals a deep distrust of law enforcement and the judicial system. Some participants claim the police trinc these threads and mock the proposals, while others believe the best defense is not to draw attention: dress poor, avoid going out at night and trust in good luck. The real question is not which weapon to buy, but how to survive a system that, according to this line of thinking, protects the incivil more than the victim.

The dilemma remains open: between the lethal effectiveness of a homemade spear and the legal safety of a spray, everyone chooses their own risk. But a year in prison over a slingshot should give anyone pause.