A simple 6-inch flashlight is an extremely potent self-defense weapon if wielded properly and is among the few useful items one may carry that has yet to be legislated into liability. Guns are strictly controlled in some areas; knives are subject to as many if not more laws, some of them so vague that they defy interpretation. Collapsible batons, billy clubs, mace and pepper sprays are often illegal, but few, if any, regulations concern the possession of the common pocket torch. About now you’re probably thinking that you’re in deep trouble if the only weapon you’ve got is a battery-powered flashlight, but anyone who knows how to use a palm stick knows just how effective even a short length of rigid material can be. Thrust into the body’s soft targets, joints and other vital areas, it can debilitate and even kill an attacker.