The Pepper Mace^TM Baton or kubotan provides low profile, yet devastatingly effective aerosol pepper spray protection against attack.  Carry your Mace Pepper Baton wherever you go.  When walking to or from your home, car or office, the Pepper Mace Baton conveniently carries your keys and places an effective means of personal safety in your hand.   When activated, a cone shaped cloud of pepper spray solution will be discharged approximately 5 feet from the unit.   Four gram unit contains 6 half second bursts.   Available in five colors: pewter, black, red, blue & purple.   Refills available.   2 million Scovile Heat Units.

The Mace Pepper Baton (Kubotan), Maximum Security In The Palm Of Your Hand 

The Kubotan, Mace Pepper Baton or self defense keychain as it is sometimes called, can give piece of mind at a minimal investment because it gives its handler maximum security right in the palm of their hand. 

Kubotans are carried by thousands of people.  They are used by law enforcement officials, experienced martial artists and regular people alike to subdue would be attackers, quickly and effectively with little or no technical training.  Kubotans are small, usually measuring around 5.5 to six inches and can be made from a variety of materials including aluminum and polycarbonate; most are gnarled for easier gripping during use. 

The kubotan is likely a descendant of the yawara, a slightly larger martial arts weapon that is often used in pairs to subdue an assailant in a similar fashion.  The kubotan is simply a smaller, more user friendly version that serves a dual purpose... 

The kubotan is a keychain, so in the many instances where an attack occurs as the would be victim is approaching their car; they've already got their method of protection in their hand. 

The two most basic and effective ways to use the kubotan in self defense are: 

Striking - the objective here is to hit your assailant hard with the end of the kubotan while it is tightly grasped in the fist, the more boney the area of contact on your attacker's body, the better.  It wouldn't be uncommon for a powerful, well place strike to break the bone of an attacker, immediately ending the threat of further attack.  Though contacting bone is an ideal way of thwarting an attack quickly, a swift hit on virtually any area of the body will do much more damage than that of a hand strike alone. 

The second method of defense would be more akin to pressure point attacking, where the victim would push or dig the end of the kubotan into a vulnerable area of the attacker's body causing tremendous pain, but without the risk of serious injury.  This method of defense isn't quite as complicated as it sounds, you don't need to have a degree in physiology or even know the body's pressure points, you just dig the end of the kubotan into an area of the body with as much force as you can - it can be the ribs, the neck, the back of the hand, the groin - anywhere. 

Other defensive uses have been explored, like swinging the kubotan by the ring to strike an attacker or by grasping the kubotan and swinging the keys to strike at an attackers face, though these methods seem a little more risky to the victim, if the kubotan is dropped the attacker may be able to get a hold of it and use it as his own weapon. 

Over the years the kubotan has undergone a bit of evolution, spawning the "ninja keychain" that has a severe point on one end and two spikes designed to attack the eyes or throat, but the original baton version seems to be the wisest choice.  In a panic situation, the simplest form of defense is usually the best. 

A kubotan also gives the ultimate in reliability.  It will never run out like a can of pepper spray, and you'll always have it at the ready because it's attached to your keys.