So whilst the pastor was delivering a sermon about city and country mindsets based on a reading in Revelation, my mind wandered afield instead of hanging on every word, and….
Hey, that’s my godson as the acolyte. We don’t actually see him that often these days–they are a split Lutheran/Baptist family, and although the kids are going through the Lutheran confirmation program, they mostly attend the Baptist church. I hope he’s doing well in his moral instruction as our souls are linked in the accounting, or so I think. Maybe that’s only Catholics or something.
At any rate, he needs some direction from the pastor; he looks like he wants to take the candle lighter back to the rectory instead of putting it in the holder so he can snuff the candles after service. And ever since reading a treatise on knife fighting last month, I’ve been giving thought to what things would be handy in the event of a bad guy with a knife. And the candle holder, assuming it’s solid brass, would be handy.
But how would you wield it? It’s maybe 36″ long, so it’s a bit long for a kama:
And it’s a little short for a halberd:
Maybe like a gaffing hook?
Of course, all of these have a point instead of a snuffing bell.
To be honest, I’d probably flip it and grip it by that and for a better grip and just treat it like a stick since my dojo trains stickfighting a lot. It used to teach gun and knife defense, but the best defense against a knife is distance (run away). Or I would use it like a short halberd, poking with the lighting end and trying to grab at the knife hand with the curve.
It’s all academic, though, since I’m never on the altar, and, fortunately, nobody shows up at service brandishing a knife.
But I am thinking about affecting a jaunty walking stick with a heavy handle.