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Post by aldarith on May 30, 2023 14:36:06 GMT
Hey folks! Question for you today. I am looking for new lodgings, and they are likely to be with a longtime friend of mine. We've both had bad past experiences with roomates and got down to talking and pooling our experience to make a "Roomates agreement" together that will ensure our needs are mutually met. My friend and I have different views about "dangerous objects". They are not mutually exclusive or particularly prohibitive by my metrics. One of my pal's stipulations in the agreement is "No weapons in the living-room, or at least a storage method must be devised that I feel safe with". Now, this is workable - I could simply keep all the fun shiney-pointeys in my bedroom, but this becomes a problem as things expand and become fruitful. I'd like advice on devising something that will suit both our needs and to be able to either expand into the living room or just start there in a manner that feels acceptable from the beginning. Concerns raised by the prospective: - Illegal entry, doesn't want prospective weapons on offer to the entrant - Irresponsible friends / guests - should be kept from just taking it down without consideration - General accidents - doesn't want things to be able to fall I know that last one is a bit abstract and hard to account for - the case given was "What if one gets bumped off and falls on the dog or a foot". So with that, here's my current "storage": I personally find it kind of rickety anyways. I'd love to see pictures of any setup that you feel "might" meet the listed requirements so that I can take them to the roomie and discuss.
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Post by pellius on May 30, 2023 17:34:04 GMT
Based on what you have written, I suspect there is nothing you can do to make your prospective roommate “feel secure enough that no catastrophic/intrusive "worst-case" thoughts have to occur.”
His or her future thoughts are beyond your control and likely beyond his or her predictive power.
Were it me, I would ask your prospective roommate what, if any, situation would be satisfactory. If none is forthcoming, choose a different roommate or commit to keeping objectionable items out of the common areas.
jmtc
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tera
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Post by tera on May 30, 2023 18:49:38 GMT
Simplest away to meet the early part of the agreement is to store them in your bedroom, and keep your bedroom locked with an aftermarket lock (if allowed by landlord/situation). Cheapest and easiest solution.
I do not like the mention of "intrusive thoughts" regarding anything sharp, though. Feels like a red flag. He can do fatal damage with a kitchen knife if he wants and if he feels he needs anything that could cause harm to be kept out of his sight he probably needs a specialized living facility. That is, in-patient psychiatric care with suicide watch.
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Post by mrstabby on May 30, 2023 18:59:48 GMT
You could buy a lockable display case, but this won't be cheap for the size you would need. You could buy up some acrylic panels and build your own, but also not really a cheap solution. It will protect the swords from being easily accessible though.
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Post by aldarith on May 30, 2023 20:34:06 GMT
Based on what you have written, I suspect there is nothing you can do to make your prospective roommate “feel secure enough that no catastrophic/intrusive "worst-case" thoughts have to occur.” His or her future thoughts are beyond your control and likely beyond his or her predictive power. Were it me, I would ask your prospective roommate what, if any, situation would be satisfactory. If none is forthcoming, choose a different roommate or commit to keeping objectionable items out of the common areas. jmtc Yep, I am keenly awate that the eye of the beholder is beyond my ken & control but I believe the points that come forward in the thread will be good food for their thought as much as mine The more I can take to him and discuss, the closer we are to a resolution! Simplest away to meet the early part of the agreement is to store them in your bedroom, and keep your bedroom locked with an aftermarket lock (if allowed by landlord/situation). Cheapest and easiest solution. I do not like the mention of "intrusive thoughts" regarding anything sharp, though. Feels like a red flag. He can do fatal damage with a kitchen knife if he wants and if he feels he needs anything that could cause harm to be kept out of his sight he probably needs a specialized living facility. That is, in-patient psychiatric care with suicide watch. It's not as bad as you read it, it's just a case of putting them high enough or secure enough that they are beyond "knocking down" IMO. I am completely unconcerned that my roomate is going to stab me, he has just said he doesn't want to be concerned about things getting knocked off the wall by a rowdy guest and landing somewhere "sensitive". I'll amend the initial post to reflect. You could buy a lockable display case, but this won't be cheap for the size you would need. You could buy up some acrylic panels and build your own, but also not really a cheap solution. It will protect the swords from being easily accessible though. A display case is an option but I think this comes back to the issue of confinement - a case is only so big and will eventually be outgrown. I'd rather find a racking solution that is like... Call semi-childproof. That's the bar. With enough determination, anyone can do anything - I am looking to handle his common-sense concerns.
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Post by mrstabby on May 30, 2023 21:03:39 GMT
You could use steel cable, loop it around the hilt and the tip, then lock it tightly to the holders on the wall. You probably should put in some eye screws, where you put the cable through on the underside of rhe holders or in the wall. If all is tight enough, you shouldn't be able to remove the sword without unlocking.
Some people use this to secure guns to the stand or locker a bit, but guns do have a trigger guard where you can pull the cable through, much easier to implement.
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Post by exeter on May 30, 2023 22:54:38 GMT
Would a lockable gun cabinet be a possibility? They can be had for $200 to $300.
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Post by aldarith on May 31, 2023 2:54:21 GMT
That reminds me, maybe a locking rack would be useful. One could put the sword in with the crossguard where the bar comes up and nobody is getting it out in a hurry. A simplified version of this sans drawer would probably do the trick and a hidden bolt could keep the arm in place fairly readily. Still open to ideas and suggestions though! Who knows whats out there.
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Post by mrstabby on May 31, 2023 6:40:20 GMT
You would for sure need to build that yourself, something like a pillory you can open, close and lock. Make it to fit every sword on a specific place because I bet the gun racks holes would be too big to hold a sword. Also I think the drawer is part of the locking mechanism, open it to be able to open the rod.
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Post by aldarith on May 31, 2023 13:10:36 GMT
Yes, in this particular instance it would be custom.
The drawer is part of the mechanism, but I don't need this to lock so much as 'retain'. I think if I hinged the rod and put an inconspicuous latch on it, it would be more than enough.
I like racks, racks are more scalable than cabinets.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on May 31, 2023 14:00:11 GMT
It sounds like your prospective roomy is a risky proposition, but not an insoluble problem. The most secure condition for storage that I can think of is a gun cabinet. Not only will it make your swords safe from fingers and theft, but the environment and a desiccant. Bolt it down for maximum security. Or find a different roomy. If you prefer racks so be it, but a cabinet is more secure.
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Post by mrstabby on May 31, 2023 14:05:07 GMT
If you don't want to build something or need a quick fix, there are cable locks like in the picture, if you put an eye bolt where I have my finger and put both the cables through, as soon as you lock it up, you won't be able to remove the sword without breaking the rack. You need to look for the ones that don't let you adjust the cable when locked (some do), cost 10-20$ a piece.
You should buy a display case for the knives though, for shorter blades it will probably be very hard to make a rack that can hold them safely.
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Post by aldarith on May 31, 2023 15:51:35 GMT
It sounds like your prospective roomy is a risky proposition, but not an insoluble problem. The most secure condition for storage that I can think of is a gun cabinet. Not only will it make your swords safe from fingers and theft, but the environment and a desiccant. Bolt it down for maximum security. Or find a different roomy. If you prefer racks so be it, but a cabinet is more secure. It's probably the way I've worded things. He's not dangerous, he's anti-weapons and anti-violence and his concerns come from a lack of interaction with these objects. I think those are concerns that take time and observation to answer. It's about making him feel 'safe' - I believe that with time this will be less of an issue as things become normal and safe handling is observed. I feel that good faith and understanding dictates a fair starting point, though. If you don't want to build something or need a quick fix, there are cable locks like in the picture, if you put an eye bolt where I have my finger and put both the cables through, as soon as you lock it up, you won't be able to remove the sword without breaking the rack. You need to look for the ones that don't let you adjust the cable when locked (some do), cost 10-20$ a piece. You should buy a display case for the knives though, for shorter blades it will probably be very hard to make a rack that can hold them safely.
That sounds like a damned good interim solution. What's an Eye-bolt? The thing about cable locks is that they are super adaptable and as an owner of firearms you can never really have "too many" of them.
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Post by mrstabby on May 31, 2023 16:11:16 GMT
That sounds like a damned good interim solution. What's an Eye-bolt? I mean the screw version, have only seen it called eye bolt in english.
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on May 31, 2023 19:36:32 GMT
Crazy Glue.
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Post by madirish on Jun 7, 2023 22:45:11 GMT
The good thing is that you've pretty much stated that it isn't an immediate issue....your collection CAN be limited to your room for now. You can work out a specific solution later for public spaces as long as you agree, in principle. to a couple of loose concepts like a locked cabinet, the guillotine type rack solution, or using chains and eye bolts....please consider how much wall damage you will be doing in this (I assume) rented space that you will have to fix or forfeit a security deposit over when you move out.
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Post by aldarith on Jun 8, 2023 1:13:51 GMT
It will be rented but security deposits are illegal here The operative plan is to get them into the living room, and you are correct - I'll begin with them in the bedroom and perhaps initiate him into the fold with some good movies follwed by letting him win a couple bouts with a blunt I jest, I do think he will come round. My first move is going to be a magnetic knife rack in the kitchen. I believe that will do all the adjusting that needs doing
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Post by madirish on Jun 8, 2023 13:20:21 GMT
Ahh, didn't know where you were from. Good luck with the new roomie!
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Post by aldarith on Jun 8, 2023 13:31:07 GMT
Ahh, didn't know where you were from. Good luck with the new roomie! Canada! Thanks kindly - he's a good fellow really, just not familiar with our "craft" yet. Amusingly he did express interest yesterday when I mentioned the local HEMA school....
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tera
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Post by tera on Jun 9, 2023 16:13:10 GMT
Amusingly he did express interest yesterday when I mentioned the local HEMA school.... He's interested in HEMA you say? DO IT... A great way to stay fit, meet nice people, and preserve historical traditions of many cultures. (At least that's what I'd tell him).
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