Kubotan is a genericized trademark for a self-defense keychain weapon developed by Sōke Takayuki Kubota in the late 1960s. It is typically no more than 5.5 inches (14 centimeters) long and about half an inch (1.25 centimeters) in diameter, slightly thicker or the same size as a marker pen. The material is usually a hard high-impact plastic such as Lexan. The body of the Kubotan is lined with six round grooves with a screw eye or swivel and split ring attachment at one end for keys. History The Kubotan keychain was originally based on a small bamboo weapon called a "hashi stick", an invention by Kubota's father, Denjiro. Its popularity grew from 1969 to the 1970s when Kubota, at the request of California State Senator Edward M. Davis then former Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, created the weapon and began training female officers in its application. It is often touted as extremely effective in breaking the will of unruly suspects with painful locks and pressure point strikes. Because of this, the Kubotan is also sometimes dubbed the 'instrument of attitude adjustment'. Concept Applied as a weapon, some of its uses can be similar to that of the yawara stick or koppo stick. The principal targets in self-defence include bony, fleshy, and sensitive parts such as knuckles, forearms, bridge of the nose, shins, stomach, solar plexus, spine, temple, ribs, groin, neck, and eyes. It is 5-6 inches long and easily concealable in the hand. The Kubotan is usually held in either an icepick grip (for hammer fist strikes) or a forward grip (for stabbing, pressure point attacks, and seizing). Common uses include hardening the fist (fist load) for punching, attacking vulnerable parts of an assailant's body, and gaining leverage on an assailant's wrist, fingers, and joints. With keys attached, it can function as a flailing weapon. As a pressure point weapon, it can attack any point a finger can, but with greater penetration because of the smaller surface area at the ends. For example, a law enforcement officer may wrap their arm around a suspect's neck while simultaneously digging the end of the Kubotan into the small of the attacker's back. The officer may also reach around the suspect's neck and underarm from behind and cause pain by stabbing the end of the Kubotan into the top of the pectoral muscle. In other locking and compliance applications, the body