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OT - So I did something stupid...

Levi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
188
Location
Tacoma
I've been carrying pepper spray with me for quite some time. I've never used it before and wasn't sure what to expect if I did. I'm just not the kind of guy to leave well enough alone. That and boredom of having been a few months on a ship set in.

Two days ago I decided I needed to try out shooting some to get an idea of what I'm doing. I decided that spraying it into the shower from the head (bathroom) door would be my best choice. (It made sense to me before I did this but now the logic completely evades me.) It's 9' from the door to the wall it hit.

Here's the results. My head and state room immediately became uninhabitable. It took several hours of ventilating before It could go back in. There is now a large(1'x1') orange stain on the shower wall that I've scrubbed aggressively several times. Now every time I take a shower my nose burns and runs. Also, the 2oz bottle emptied in a fraction of a second.

My Recommendations:

1. This is for outdoor use only. The area I used this was fairly sizable and still not enough space to be safe from blow back.

2. It's a one shot weapon. The one I had didn't spray like hairnet, it came out fast and furious and was done so fast I'd really have to practice to get multiple uses out if it.

3. If you're going to use it, understand you'll get sprayed too. You may not get it as badly as the poor guy who's face you just painted orange but I doubt you can use pepper spray without some residual getting on you.

4. This stuff hurts. If you're going to use it you'd better damn well be prepared for the sprayee to be upset with you.

5. It's close range. I doubt it would be effective beyond 15'. Use your head and don't waste your shot.

I know some of you are reading this and shaking your heads. I just hope that my pain serves to prevent another's.
 
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decklin

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
758
Location
Pacific, WA
Levi, I'm sorry but this is one of the funniest things I've read on here!
It's true that if you use it you can expect to be contaminated as well. In the future try warm milk or warm water to decontaminate yourself. Milk dilutes the Capsacin (spelling?) and because it is warm it will keep your pores open and flush them out. If you use cold water or milk your pores will snap shut and the effects will last longer.
Also, the fairer skinned you are the worse the reaction. If you wear contacts you need to remove them immediately upon contamination. I once ended up in the ER because someone assaulted me with OC. I removed one contact but the other bonded with my eye and had to be cut off.
Try washing the wall with warm milk. At the very least it should help dilute the stain and lessen it's effects.
Good luck!
 

oldkim

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
375
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
Well I have always said one needs to practice.

Failure to practice - you fail to understand the limitations of yourself and the equipment you are wanting to deploy.

As a show of the other extreme.

A gal within the last year attempted to use her pepper spray but was not familiar enough and was not able to release the safety in time. She ended up being assaulted and having her own pepper spray used on her.
 

Sorcice

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2011
Messages
381
Location
Madison, WI
Thanks for the play by play. I'm sure that was horrible. As OC spray goes you want at least a 6oz for repeated attacks in case you miss(a 9-12oz is better but whatever you can manage is better than nothing). Oil based over water and foam being it will stick much better and always test your OC spray outside even if it's half a second to insure it works. There are duds as with any other product.
 

Levi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
188
Location
Tacoma
Levi, I'm sorry but this is one of the funniest things I've read on here!

As I'm getting my port hole open to ventilate with my eyes burning and my nose running I'm thinking to myself "this is going to make one hell of a bar room story." While I'm ashamed of my faulty mental process in choice of location, the incident deserves to be enjoyed as well as used as an object lesson.
 

MSG Laigaie

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
3,239
Location
Philipsburg, Montana
I remember sending people thru the CS gas chamber for the Army. Always a great deal of fun. The compound reacted to water and wet things would burn more. Sounds like your gas may be water activated.

I am so sorry, but I am having a lot of trouble feeling bad about this. It is like the saying... "It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt, then it's hilarious". I have been gassed so many times over the years. Always fun.
 

skiingislife725

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2009
Messages
400
Location
Lake Stevens, WA
I decided that spraying it into the shower from the head (bathroom) door would be my best choice. (It made sense to me before I did this but now the logic completely evades me.) It's 9' from the door to the wall it hit.

lol Don't feel so bad, it's not like you NDed your gun or something. I did exactly what you did...well, not emptied my entire little can of OC but a quick burst into the bathtub wall. There was a bit of blowback. lol I probably drank a half gallon of milk. It's good to know the feeling so it isn't completely foreign. Just OC spray, ain't gonna kill ya.
 

jbone

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
2,230
Location
WA
state rm, port hole, you sure have it rough:D
 
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Levi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
188
Location
Tacoma
state rm, port hole, you sure have it rought:D

Former Navy? So am I.

While some things are certainly better on a commercial ship, there's a reason the extra effort is made to provide comfortable living arrangements. I work harder and get no liberty time when under articles. (Articles are what you sign for the duration of a job on a ship.) Also, a commercial ship is like a shark, it has to keep moving. 6 month articles is 6 months of 12 hour days and 7 day work weeks. That's something I never saw in the Navy

I was recently on a ship that had a split crew of civilians and military. Each eyed the other with considerable jealousy. Watching the Navy guys go play for a week in port while we had to work did give me a twinge.
 

amzbrady

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
3,521
Location
Marysville, Washington, USA
We're not laughing at you, we are laughing with you...:p
Sounds like the start of a Bill Engvall bit... Too bad they didnt put a notice on the bottle "Do not use in small enclosed area's" - Here's your sign.
 

Metalhead47

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Messages
2,800
Location
South Whidbey, Washington, USA
You're_Doing_It_Wrong.jpg


Didn't you read that other thread about the guy in Starbucks??? He peppered some obnoxious old lady for a long time ("until the police arrived" is generally a long time) and didn't bother himself or anyone else in a crowded store. So clearly, you're doing it wrong.


;):p
 

Levi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
188
Location
Tacoma
classic.
what is next? test the ole taser.........

Nope, I did zap myself with a mega-ohm meter though. It puts out 1kV via a hand crank. (Again, a few months at sea, available meter, incurable curiosity...) I don't have any desire to try out the 100kV that a TASER is supposed to do.
 

twoskinsonemanns

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2012
Messages
2,326
Location
WV
Nope, I did zap myself with a mega-ohm meter though. It puts out 1kV via a hand crank. (Again, a few months at sea, available meter, incurable curiosity...) I don't have any desire to try out the 100kV that a TASER is supposed to do.

BTDD!

Actually I didn't do it myself my buddy zapped me.
Reminded me of the time I got nailed by a spark plug wire that was a little frayed.
 
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