# Nunchaku - The final answer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2016, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266 "2016-07-30T10:37:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/61 "2016-07-31T15:57:50Z")
I’m frankly surprised that guns haven’t been dragged into this discussion. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/62 "2016-07-31T16:40:25Z")
They have been, starting at Post #4 and continuing thereafter. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/63 "2016-08-01T13:22:04Z")
Something to keep in mind is that the nunchaku was supposedly developed because the Japanese conquered Okinawa and forbade the natives to have real weapons. So the peasants developed the nunchaku (which is like a rice flail) and the ton-fa (plow handles, IIRC) and the kama (an agricultural sickle) because that was all they had available. And Okinawa stayed conquered up until WWII. The supposedly supreme weapon of the nunchaku did not help, when pitted against Japanese spears and swords and naginata and so forth. They’re flashy, they’re fun to play with. Then you try the Bruce Lee thing of whipping it around and catching it under your armpit, and whack yourself on the funny bone with the darn thing. Whereupon you learn how to say “holy shit that hurts” in Okinawan. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/64 "2016-08-01T16:27:03Z")
> [@ChickenLegs](#): > > Which would have a better chance a nunchaku expert, a lion or a tiger? Is the nunchaku expert on a treadmill? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/65 "2016-08-01T16:29:26Z")
> [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > Re: the nunchaku the final answer is it is, with the right amount of training, a very effective, conceilable SD weapon. So is a hand grenade. ---
**Author:** ![Hill\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@Hill\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hill_Billy)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/66 "2016-08-01T22:01:02Z")
#1. I am far from an nunchaku expert, just a humble student. When you consider their concealability, reach, power & # of uses few, if any, simple cheap weapons come close to matching the nunchaku. Nunchaku’s biggest fault is the majority of people simply won’t take the time & effort to become proficient enough to use them in a real fight. When the usual knife or unnarmed thug who attacks an even moderately nunchaku skilled person the attacker always end up in the ER. #2. As I said before, the reason why nunchakus are illegal it’s because they are deadly. Same as billy clubs, knives, baseball bats. If Bruce Lee has opened his own chain of nunchaku stores in 1971 even without a pending patent he’d have made millions. Unfortunately his movies were far removed from reality & the nunchaku is not a sparring type weapon, it’s an offensive one. You don’t hit the guy once & see he stops. You launch a series of well aimed strikes. A broken hand, arm or knockout is definitely possible FOR A SKILLED STUDENT. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/67 "2016-08-01T22:06:47Z")
> [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > #2. As I said before, the reason why nunchakus are illegal it’s because they are deadly. Same as billy clubs, knives, baseball bats. Baseball bats are illegal? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/68 "2016-08-01T22:32:58Z")
Ok, ok, we totally agree with you! What do you want, our lunch money? Because otherwise you’ve wasted a whole lot of time that could have been more productively used. You could have cleaned out your belly button lint, for example. Then made little figurines out of it and posted them on Instagram. Because people would care a lot more about those than they do about your misbegotten opinion about a stupid weapon used by wannabes, chop-socky aficionados and 200 year old Okinawans. Checklist: 1. Forum rules - check 2. Insulted the opinion, not the poster - check 3. Final bon mot to send the readers away with a chuckle - …Damn it, I **had** something for this! ---
**Author:** ![Hill\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@Hill\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hill_Billy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/69 "2016-08-02T01:04:19Z")
So your saying you could defeat a skilled nunchaku user with your hands, knife or baseball bat? You might wanna reconsider that fantasy. Two or three quick strikes & a joint lock later you’d be in the ER. True 80%+ of idiots who go around spinning chucks have never used them against a person…But 20% of the time the 60yr old man welding the sticks has been training with them for years & the aggressor ends up dead or in surgery. Happens all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/70 "2016-08-02T01:12:13Z")
> [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > So your saying you could defeat a skilled nunchaku user with your hands, knife or baseball bat? You might wanna reconsider that fantasy. Two or three quick strikes & a joint lock later you’d be in the ER. True 80%+ of idiots who go around spinning chucks have never used them against a person…But 20% of the time the 60yr old man welding the sticks has been training with them for years & the aggressor ends up dead or in surgery. Happens all the time. So far in this thread it has only happened in your posts. Would you mind backing up the boasting with a few cites? ---
**Author:** ![Chihuahua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/71 "2016-08-02T01:31:44Z")
> [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > But 20% of the time the 60yr old man welding the sticks has been training with them for years & the aggressor ends up dead or in surgery. Happens all the time. Cite please. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/72 "2016-08-02T01:43:31Z")
> [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > So your saying you could defeat a skilled nunchaku user with your hands, knife or baseball bat I bet I could beat him with a phone. Call 911 and report a lunatic swing nunchucks around. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/73 "2016-08-02T01:58:23Z")
> [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > So your saying you could defeat a skilled nunchaku user with your hands, knife or baseball bat? You might wanna reconsider that fantasy. Two or three quick strikes & a joint lock later you’d be in the ER. True 80%+ of idiots who go around spinning chucks have never used them against a person…But 20% of the time the 60yr old man welding the sticks has been training with them for years & the aggressor ends up dead or in surgery. Happens all the time. You have a real problem with reading comprehension, don’t you? I’m willing to bet you’ve taken more than a few nunchuk blows to the head. The thing about nunchuks is…NOBODY GIVES A SHIT!!! ---
**Author:** ![Hill\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@Hill\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hill_Billy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/74 "2016-08-02T02:16:30Z")
In all honesty the nunchaku is NOT my favorite weapon. The sjambok’s reach & speed give it a huge advantage over the nunchaku. Only problem is it’s impossible to carry it concealed, although since its legal everywhere that isn’t a big hurdle. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/75 "2016-08-02T02:43:52Z")
> [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > In all honesty the nunchaku is NOT my favorite weapon. The sjambok’s reach & speed give it a huge advantage over the nunchaku. Only problem is it’s impossible to carry it concealed, although since its legal everywhere that isn’t a big hurdle. In all honesty, do you have _any_ facts to back up your bragging about those who wield the nunchaku? ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/76 "2016-08-02T04:17:46Z")
You know I’m starting to think some of you actually doubt the power of Nunchaku. Studies show that 60% of the time Nunchaku work every time! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/77 "2016-08-02T04:42:04Z")
I attached two sjamboks together end-to-end to make a _sjambok-chuck_. Once I learn how to use it without injuring myself, I will construct another and dual-wield them for REAL ULTIMATE POWER. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/78 "2016-08-02T12:57:27Z")
> [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > So your saying you could defeat a skilled nunchaku user with your hands, knife or baseball bat? You might wanna reconsider that fantasy. Two or three quick strikes & a joint lock later you’d be in the ER. True 80%+ of idiots who go around spinning chucks have never used them against a person…But 20% of the time the 60yr old man welding the sticks has been training with them for years & the aggressor ends up dead or in surgery. Happens all the time. > [@Hill\_Billy](#): > > In all honesty the nunchaku is NOT my favorite weapon. The sjambok’s reach & speed give it a huge advantage over the nunchaku. Only problem is it’s impossible to carry it concealed, although since its legal everywhere that isn’t a big hurdle. What do you do when you’re not out fighting crime? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/79 "2016-08-02T14:17:33Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I attached two sjamboks together end-to-end to make a _sjambok-chuck_. Once I learn how to use it without injuring myself, I will construct another and dual-wield them for REAL ULTIMATE POWER. I did the same thing with two flying guillotines…_really_ bad idea, in hindsight. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266/80 "2016-08-02T15:44:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I got it. You’re a fan. No, that’s tessenjutsu. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nunchaku-the-final-answer/761266.md?page=5)