I wear knives on the daily, due to having to walk regularly past a meth zone. They generally scatter or at least give you enough time to book it. (My areas methheads are not extremely violent, this is not applicable to all areas.)

How many people carry swords? How many people would be stopped by police for carrying a knife or sword.

Learning techniques that use a white cane for self defense makes much more sense.

I took a self-defense class and someone asked the instructor about this. They said if you are going to carry a weapon make sure you actually know how to use it and have been trained in its use. So buying a knife or sword and then carrying it likely won't be of much use unless you know how to use it defensively. Second, they mentioned that using a knife means that you will almost always be cut with it if you use it.

In my training, they taught us to do whatever we could to divert, distract or slow down an attacker so we could get away. The goal wasn't to fight or beat someone but to get away with your life intact.

For example, never let someone take you away from where you are. They aren't doing that for a good reason and they aren't going to let you go.

If you lose a thing, like your money or wallet, but are physically ok more or less, you've "won."

Good luck to you and be well.

Hypothetically, any weapon you carry will improve your chances. However, your level of training in the weapon will be a major factor. Another factor is knowing the limitations of the said weapon.

For example, you mentioned a sword. A long sword is a good offensive weapon, at the right range. However, if a person was to charge into grappling range of you (so essentially they are bear hugging you), the sword would not work well because of it's length (there is a technique called half-swording, but unless you happen to also have an armoured gauntlet on at the same time, that wouldn't work). In a situation like that, a knife would be better.

Also keep in mind that a weapon you carry, can also be taken from you and used against you.

I sometimes conceal carry a pistol in a belly band and I also have a semi-auto 12 gauge shotgun for in-home protection. The shotgun saved me from a bad situation being much worse when a man pushed passed my boyfriend to run in my house.
Just to echo what everyone else has also said here.. be careful bringing a weapon to a dangerous situation as it might backfire on you if you do not know what you are doing. Understand the risks and react accordingly.

There is a part of it that is strategic - avoid trouble (Best Defense: No be there), present yourself confidently, and so forth. Some people have a "robbery wallet" that has a small amount of money but no valid credit cards or id - something that can be easily given out if you are robbed.

The legality of a particular weapon in Brazil notwithstanding, one consideration should always be "how can this be used against me". Training in its use is critical - if you show up in a fight with a weapon that you don't know how to use, you will have just given your attacker a new weapon.

A cane used for mobility (white cane) is a lousy weapon, but better than nothing. It would be useful in two ways - fully extended, use as a "poke" weapon (using it like a billiard stick) to try and hit soft tissue or eyes (not easy). If the cane folds, it would be much more useful folded up as a fist hardener or blunt stab weapon (like a kubotan). "Fist Hardening" can be done with any short stick in your fist - it makes your fist (and thus your punches) harder. Folded up, stabbing it into someones abdomen or face won't do a lot of serious damage but will certainly be very unpleasant. Under no circumstances should you try swinging a white cane for the blind like a club - it its too light and will break easily without doing significant damage.

If you are creative enough, anything is a weapon. Bottles can be smashed and present lots of sharp edges, credit cards have a thin enough edge that they could be used as a blade in a pinch, keys can make good "brass knuckles"... again, head knowledge is one thing, for this to be effective you need to practice, practice, practice. Watching martial arts movies / doing something in your head and actually doing something useful in real life are completely different things.

Obviously, stay away from anything that you have to throw or ranged weapons (one chance to use it effectively). Brazil is knife-happy (and I expect you would know the rules about Arma Branca better than me), but a sword is heavy and impractical at best. I know some people who carry a small heavy hammer (like a 1kg sledge hammers) as a close-range weapon.

I suppose anything’s possible but the amount of training to do this successfully would be extensive. You also have to willing to actually kill your opponent because failing to do so could put you in even more danger and, if firearms are involved, at a much longer range. As much as I love knives, I’ve never trained in the use of them for self defense because of some really convoluted laws about carrying them for the intention of self defense where I live.

A sword?? Haha

I'm in the UK, so we don't have pepper spray or tasers here. I strongly oppose knife crime, regardless of if you're considered a vulnerable person or not.

I've got a couple of items, no lethal, but enough to cause a couple of years.

A pair of knuckle dusters and a torch which is also a telescopic baton. I used to encounter a bit of trouble in my town and for whatever reason, I'm really not one to back down.

I think it's better to have that peace of mind, but without the potential to fatally wound someone.

If we are talking hypothetically. Cane swords are pretty sick. If realistically why not a taser or knife. Depending on your physical state. The human body could be a good weapon via martial arts.

Like a blind ninja hahahahahahaha! :D

Yeah, I don’t know about that, must agree with the consensus here. Sounds pretty interesting but honestly meh I don’t know.

of course it's possible. in many martial arts, one of the tests is to be able to be blindfolded and still fight. so of course you can learn if you want to. wether or not it's legal where you are is a different thing, and not related to blindness or otherwise.

now i want a sword lol. personaly though i have started to concern myself with self defense as a blind 16 year old boy i dont have any weapons to carry on me i would like to carry brass knuckles because i have some training in boxing and know i can throw a good punch just have to hope my stature is intimidating enough im 5 foot 8 260 pounds should really check what im alowed to carry on me thats legal here in california

If I could still see and I attacked a blind person their sword or knife wouldn't scare me as much as knowing they had a black belt in judo, ju-jitsu, or grappling. A sighted attacker could take a sword or knife before the blind person even knew the fight had begun just by quietly walking up and grabbing it from its scabbard or sheath.

It's nice to imagine some blind bladed justice but it's not realistic.

Get a guide dog maybe? Tons of people I meet on the street are terrified of my goldador. Breed doesn’t matter, only size. Someone once confused my last dog, a golden retriever, with a pit bull.
All anecdotal of course so YMMV.

Using a knife for self-defense I see possible. Complicated, with serious drawbacks, but possible. On the other hand, a sword... A resounding no.
In the first place, you don't know if the assailant who attacks you knows how to fight, or if he carries a knife or a pistol. Even worse, you may not realize that instead of being a single guy there are 3, and while you fight with one the others throw you to the ground or stab you in the back. Plus there's a good chance that the other guy is more experienced than you.
Next, you'll need training and practice (and finding the right non-quack instructors) to wield any weapon with any effectiveness. And even more practical to handle it in environments where your life is in danger. Not to mention the tremendous disadvantages that fighting someone who can see perfectly imposes on you.
And by practice I mean years, knowing that if you get into a real fight all that effort may be for nothing and you may end up getting killed.
The use of hearing... I would trust touch more, something like what is done in judo or bjj. What do you think when you refer to using hearing?
And as an extra curiosity: Why, of all things, do you ask about the use of a sword?

Perhaps a combination of m.a. and your cane if you use one.
I never had to actually do selfdefence but i think these options might help best sins you alway's have them.
Good luck.

Of course. I'd avoid any weapon if you're black though.