Choosing a Self Defense Knife

[SFC JeffJ]

There are some lockbacks out there designed for one handed opening. I like then and have a couple. It's much stronger than the Walker Liner Lock. I don't have any of the Benchmade Axis Lock knives, so I can't compare it to them. The downside is it still takes two hands to close.

 

[Shinkengata]

I'm bumping this thread because some new knives have come on the scene and wondering if anyone has changed their preferences?

Also wondering if that article was ever released, Shinengata?

Sorry for the late response. I've been absent from quite a few forums as of late. I'm not aware of any new knives that would necessarily be considered revolutionary. The Spyderco Pikal, if you haven't heard of it, is a very interesting new design, and im not sure where it is at this point in development. The last i checked, it was still in R&D, so it may be already released.

I'm not aware that my article was released. Mr. Elmore did not inform me of such, so i am inclined to think that it was not. It seems to be doing well here on this forum and a couple of others, and that's fine with me. I wrote it to inform and educate those who needed a primer on self-defense knives, and it appears to be doing that.

Take Care,

-Eric

 

[KenpoTex]

Sorry for the late response. I've been absent from quite a few forums as of late. I'm not aware of any new knives that would necessarily be considered revolutionary. The Spyderco Pikal, if you haven't heard of it, is a very interesting new design, and im not sure where it is at this point in development. The last i checked, it was still in R&D, so it may be already released.

-Eric

It's finished. According to the designer, it should hit the market sometime this summer. I'll definately be getting one...it's a sweet knife.

 

[Phil Elmore]

I could swear I sent you the link to the issue in which it appeared. I did indeed publish it. Check the table of contents pages at The Martialist -- I think it was the 2005 Mega Issue, but don't hold me to that.

 

[Shinkengata]

Excellent. Much appreciated, Phil. I do not recall receiving a link, but the old email address i believe i used to correspond with you was the one that got hacked, so i can no longer access it. My current email address is [email protected]

Take care,

Eric

 

[Flamebearer]

Shinkengata, thanks much for posting that article! This thread has basically answered the question that I was going to ask. I'd place myself squarely in your target audience - although I regret my lack of formal knife training. I think, if a situation arose, I'd probably be using a knife to add more instant lethality to empty hand techniques, which I've studied for a while. Normally I'm unarmed, but due to a change of residence I'll be doing extensive late-night commuting alone in an urban environment. Fun fun fun ...
Thanks again,
-Flamebearer

 

[fightingpower]

Carrying a knife for 'self defense' as you call it, is a BAD idea!!!

 

[lklawson]

Carrying a knife for 'self defense' as you call it, is a BAD idea!!!

Well, this resurrects an old thread, but OK.

Why do you think carrying a knife for purposes of self defense is a bad idea?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[arnisador]

Carrying a knife for 'self defense' as you call it, is a BAD idea!!!

As opposed to...?

 

[fightingpower]

Its another knife on the street. Thats the end of the argument for me. Sorry if this is contraversial but thats the way I feel!

Too many kids getting stabbed and I don;t think the answer is arming those kids to stab other kids who will then buy knives to stab more kids because they are scared of getting stabbed, etc etcd etc feel free to change my mind I am not trying to start a row!

 

[lklawson]

Its another knife on the street. Thats the end of the argument for me. Sorry if this is contraversial but thats the way I feel!

Too many kids getting stabbed and I don;t think the answer is arming those kids to stab other kids who will then buy knives to stab more kids because they are scared of getting stabbed, etc etcd etc feel free to change my mind I am not trying to start a row!

I appreciate your candid answer.

You're right, in that I doubt you'll find a lot of people on these forums who agree with your reasoning. I certainly do not.

As for changing your mind, here's the counter-argument.

No one is suggesting carrying a knife, or indeed any weapon, by people who are not emotionally capable of it. We're not talking "kids" or West-Side Story here. We're talking about reasonable adults. They're not interested in having gang wars or drug deals or the like. All they want is effective Self Defense. The purpose of weapons is as a Force Multiplier. The Reader's Digest version is that it allows someone with less martial training, less physical capability, or some other Disparity of Force to "even it out." This is the prototypical 90 lb. weakling vs. the line-backer, the grandma vs. the burglar, the single man against a gang of thugs, or one person vs. someone else who is armed or who is highly trained.

When you have a Cage Match or a Judo comp., for instance, you have reasonable assurance that the two combatants are going to remain ONLY two combatants, that the two of them have roughly equivalent training, roughly equivalent skills, and roughly equivalent physique. In a Self Defense setting you have none of those assurances. If you even have the luxury of knowing there's an agressor facing you (sometimes you may not know until you've already been attacked) you don't know if he's alone, if he has a weapon or what kind it may be, if he's a black belt in GJJ, Judo, Silat, and is a Golden Gloves champ. You may not know just by looking at him how strong, conditioned, or resiliant to damage he is. In short, you probably won't know how much of a threat your opponent is until well after it matters, if ever.

To further stir the pot, the argument is often made that effective Self Defense using a weapon (such as a knife) requires far less training. This seems self-evident in a way. If it were not so, then you would not be concerned with kids carrying knives at all. You'd shrug your shoulders and go, "well, it's no more dangerous than their fists." But it is. Some folks argue that with proper training a person needing Self Defense could do just as well unarmed. History seems to disagree, since armies and body guards since the dawn of time have been armed, however, that aside, the concept of "proper unarmed training" needs to be put in perspective. What it means is a LOT of training. One Silat practicioner I know says that if the other guy has a knife, take 5 to 10 years off of your training. And that's if the other guy doesn't know really how to use it. Further, it's not just training, but CONSTANT training. Can't let the skills get even a little bit rusty. Now, the fact is that Joe Sixpack probably doesn't have the time to invest, and likely doesn't have a good reason to when simply adding a weapon with (comparative speaking) minimal training will set him at a parity with the attacker. Why should he, he reasons, have to invest years upon years, thousands upon thousands of hours, and large amounts of his personal income getting "training" just because someone else thinks that knives can hurt someone? He has a job, a family, a life, and other hobbies to pursue besides getting colored belts to wrap 'round white pajamas.

Another argument often made against using weapons for Self Defense is that the person could have avoided the problem by simply using better situational awareness or by avoiding bad areas. The typical "story" is often related of a student who asks his master, "How can I be sure to never lose a Bar Fight?" "Stay out of bars," the master replies. Sounds good on the surface but, to be honest, it's trite. You cannot be assured that you will never be attacked. You can sometimes adjust the odds down by situational awareness and doing your best to avoid dangerous areas but that doesn't mean you won't accidentally wind up in a bad area of town, won't be forced to go there for some other reason (like picking up a drunk friend), or that dangerous folks won't come search you out (such as a Home Hnvader).

In short, a weapon is an "Insurance Policy" that many folks believe is reasonable.

There's a lot more to it, but I think this is a good start.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[wushuguy]

Perhaps if more responsible people carry, then those irresponsibe troublemakers would think twice about pulling out their knives because of the threat that they are also likely to get cut in a confrontation.

Carrying a knife doesn't mean one will use it in a self-defense situation anyway. For example, if one is surprised he might not get to pull out the knife, and if it's a folder, he might only get the chance to use it as a blunt object rather than opening up the blade.

Being equally or better armed than the threat may also in itself be a deterrent. Anyway, just carrying a knife doesn't mean one is a trouble maker stabbing or cutting people as many imagine.

 

[BLACK LION]

The problem is responsible people do not take on the responsibility.
There are few that do.
I have carried a knife tool since I was 8 years old and my father before me and his before him... The first thing he told me was it is not a toy and it is not a weapon... it is a tool.
I have yet to stab someone and pray I never have to.

What happened to our nation of riflemman... a nation in which the 10 year old son is left with the rifle to protect the family with while pa goes to town for supplies.
People in a responsible position are too busy worried about crap that makes no sens or is completely irrelevant adn on top of that they vote for politicians and council member and what not who are equally concerned with irrelevant issues and to stupid or to scared to explore the real ones...

Discipline, instruction and accountability are going down the crapper....Parents are too afraid to even spank thier own children out of fear of complaint or reprocussion... When I was growing up my principal could spank me as well as everyone in the neighborhood if they caught me messing up.... gone are the days where society protects and looks out for one another....

just give em a game boy a cell phone and an i-pod and call it a life....

 

[wushuguy]

Yeah, sadly enough that's true. People are more and more selfish, and are less responsible as a society. Although our technology increases, things like sense, humanity, etc. are as you say "going down the crapper."

As martial artists, I believe we are generally more peaceful (although others may not perceive us as such), and also from our training we understand more the responsibility and seriousness of such things.

If one is really worried about how people would look at you if you are carrying a knife, then don't do it. If you feel you need it, get one that doesn't scream "killer wicked sharp with a skull crusher end" but carry one that looks less threatening, like a multi tool or a swiss army knife, etc.

In our lives, hopefully we don't get into many conflicts, so probably the most danger the knife in our pocket poses is the danger to our own fingers.

 

[lklawson]

If one is really worried about how people would look at you if you are carrying a knife, then don't do it. If you feel you need it, get one that doesn't scream "killer wicked sharp with a skull crusher end"

Reasonable advice. However, the counter-case is made that it doesn't matter if your knife is marketed as "death-squad commando gear" or as "Marry Poppins' Trimming Tool." A Prosecutor with his salt will still present it as a deadly weapon.

but carry one that looks less threatening, like a multi tool or a swiss army knife, etc.

I disagree. Get one which is serviceable for your intended application. If your application is Self Defense, then understand that Swiss Army Knives and Multi-Tools are notoriously difficult to deploy the blade quickly. It has gotten to a point that at least one Multi-Tool type device has been redesigned to enhance deployment of the blade.

My personal advice is that if you conclude that you need a knife as a tool for Self Defense, then get a serviceable, well designed, fit for the application knife from a reputable manufacturer. If it makes you feel better, get one that doesn't "look" as much like a ninja-death-machine and doesn't have a "made for serial killers" name. But, ultimately, if you deploy a knife for Self Defense, you're deploying a DEADLY WEAPON, regardless of what it's named or what it looks like and you'd darn well better be justified in deploying a deadly weapon. I refer the gentle reader, again, to the Four Pillars of Justifiable Deadly Force.

 

[fightingpower]

We're talking about reasonable adults.


Reasonable adults.......do not carry knives!

 

[elder999]

We're talking about reasonable adults.


Reasonable adults.......do not carry knives!

Well, I'm a usually reasonable adult........and I carry a knife.

I have since I was eight. As a seventh generation sailor, a knife is an absolute necessity, and, while I'm pretty far from the ocean most of the time, I still carry a knife. In the course of a day I might use it to open packages, cut ropes or other things, even slice fruit-all things that all of the knives in the OP could be used for. While I haven't needed one for self-defense in a very long time, I have been trained to use one. The one time I could have used one, but was without one (because I was in NYC, and it "could lead to trouble") I wound up making do with a pen. Since then, I've rarely been without one, and that was almost 30 years ago........

 

[jks9199]

We're talking about reasonable adults.


Reasonable adults.......do not carry knives!

I believe I'm generally considered a reasonable person. And a gentleman.

I tend to carry at least one knife. Often 2; one general use folding knife, and one multi-tool.

I know quite a few other folk, men and women, who are reasonable and who carry knives.

 

[Blindside]

We're talking about reasonable adults.


Reasonable adults.......do not carry knives!

Maybe not in your suburb. About 25% of the male population of the town I lived in for the past 10 years carried a knife. During hunting season the very common folding knife was supplanted by very common sheath knives.

Sorry disregard, I just realized I carry both a knife and a multi-tool, I must not be reasonable.

 

[KenpoTex]

We're talking about reasonable adults.


Reasonable adults.......do not carry knives!

Reasonable adults do not demonize inanimate objects that have many practical uses, only one of which is inflicting damage to another human.