PR-24 or Tonfa compared to Kali stick

[JSworth]

I was just watching an old episode of the TV show Cops and noticed it was one where the cops were still carrying the old standard pr-24 side handle baton. This got me wondering how that compares to a straight baton or kali stick. I personally have no experience with either a pr-24 or a tonfa so can't really compare. I would imagine that it would at the very least be more complicated to use, but would also imagine that it would have a wider variety of uses due to the handle. Has anyone here used both? What are your thoughts on the differences in power and techniques and how much harder or easier is it to use? Is a pr-24 something that is even useful enough to learn? Or is it more just for show?

[G M]

The optics from Rodney King pretty much doomed the side handle baton. Yes,there were more techniques that could be done with it,but complexity requires training. The trend in law enforcement has been to simplify batons techniques and using expandable batons.

[Crafty_Dog]

The tonfa has a great jab to the belly, but overall when I teach LEO my recommendation is baton/ASP.

[JSworth]

Just as a follow up I started working with a tonfa after I posted this. One thing that I do like, in addition to the nice jab to the belly, is that the energy transfer is different than with an expandable baton. With an expandable baton any energy to put into your strike also transfers right back into your arm. When you swing a tonfa you don't get the same energy transfer to your arm because the baton can swing back. At first I was thinking this may make for a weaker attack but I hooked up a few sensors to my BOB and indeed I was actually delivering more force with the tonfa than a Kali Stick or expandable baton. I can see where it would be much much harder to learn to use effectively though.

[Stickgrappler]

Woof:

As there are a few ways to strike with the Tonfa, may I ask how you are striking?

1) Holding the longer tonfa shaft and using the Short Handle that is perpendicular to the shaft as the point of impact?
2) Holding the longer tonfa shaft and using the opposite end (the grip/handle) as the point of impact?
3) Holding the tonfa by the Short handle that is perpendicular to the shaft and 'spinning' it to strike with the end of the long tonfa shaft?

TIA.

~sg

[JSworth]

Woof:

As there are a few ways to strike with the Tonfa, may I ask how you are striking?

1) Holding the longer tonfa shaft and using the Short Handle that is perpendicular to the shaft as the point of impact?
2) Holding the longer tonfa shaft and using the opposite end (the grip/handle) as the point of impact?
3) Holding the tonfa by the Short handle that is perpendicular to the shaft and 'spinning' it to strike with the end of the long tonfa shaft?

TIA.

~sg

Sorry I thought the way I described it would be decently clear. I am holding the short handle perpendicular to the shaft and spinning it to strike with the long end of the shaft. Any other way of holding it would cause the same amount of force to transfer back as if you were using just a normal expandable baton.