What’s a good knife?

Oni_Kadaki

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^^^^ Detract from your nuttiness? Not at all! :D

BTW my brother may be a little out of control regarding his collecting, but he is also a competitive shooter (and really good for his advanced age, I hear)

My first competition was in the military, and I placed fifth out of one hundred shooters on my base, which, at the time, was a special operations base. I felt pretty damn good about myself. My second competition was a civilian match, and I proceeded to get my *** handed to me by a bunch of guys twice my age. Ask anyone who has shot a USPSA match, those older guys with the sweet race guns are not to be underestimated!
 

geezer

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Not at all. They're legal in at least half the US. And that number is growing, as people realize how stupid it is to make them illegal.

You don't think switchblades should be illegal? What? Didn't you ever see West Side Story?

Let a kid get his hand on a switchblade, and next thing you know he'll be greasin' back his hair, dancin' around in the street, snapping his fingers and listenin' to rock and roll!

8216west-side-story8217-was-originally-about-jews-and-catholicss-featured-photo.jpg
 

geezer

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Or maybe that's an old photo of early FMA training in the US, somewhere in NYC in the 1950s? ;)
 

jks9199

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Do I know how to use a knife? That’s kind of a dumb question. Do it have extensive training with a knife....no. However, it doesn’t take a genius to stick the pointy end in an attacker. I have had too many injuries to continue martial art training. Those days of me being able to protect myself are over. I’m either going to steel or lead. The blade has to me no more than 5.5 inches
Without appropriate training and preparation, neither will do you any good. I speak as a martial artist of over 3 decades, a police officer of 20 years, with current instructor certifications in defensive tactics, general instructor, Taser (professional & civilian) and a recently lapsed firearms instructor certification. There's a lot more to using a knife effectively for self defense than "the pointy end goes in the other guy." There's a lot in using a firearm for self defense, too. To begin with -- you better be able to justify using lethal force with either one, unless you want to get special classes in Bubba Ray's Gray Bar Dancing School. If you can't train with the weapons, you won't be able to use them effectively.
 

jks9199

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To be fair, if you can carry a pistol, a pistol knife combo cant go wrong. Just make sure you keep the knife sharp etc and try and keep it on you specfically for fighting purposes. could always carry a more utility knife on you for day to day cutting. Specfics are always down to your situation.


Oh and i see the "do we cut or stab" as natural fighters argument coming up here.
I would discourage carrying a knife solely as a weapon today, in the US. With some specific local exceptions. You're much better off presenting a "I used this knife that I happen to carry regularly for all the things you use a knife for to protect myself" defense. It might even keep you on the right side of concealed weapon laws, depending on specific wording and case law.
 

drop bear

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Anyway. Pointy blade, easy to carry, a handle that won't slip and a decent lock. And you should be ok .

I would suggest something from cold steel in a triad lock. Which you can go from budget to super expensive if you want.

But if all you need to do is shank people then budget will work fine. As it is generally edge retention, fit and finish and sometimes materials that makes expensive knives worth the money.

And you don't really need that. Because you are technically only going to be using it for a few seconds.


This is the budget version of a knife I own. It scrimps on steel and handle material. Which means if you were actually using it it is slightly more uncomfortable over time and you have to sharpen it a bit more often. None of which matters.

Otherwise you do get a honking big knife with a big handle you won't drop.
 
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Monkey Turned Wolf

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Theoretically any knife should be fine for self-defense. Practically, there are questions to ask.

1: Is the knife somewhere you have easy access to? If it's in your pocket, underneath your wallet, you might do better defending yourself than rummaging through your pocket and trying to flip it open and getting clocked before you get it out.

2: Do you know how to hold on to it? For most people this shouldn't be an issue, but for anyone who's had training in knife defense or wrist locks, if you pull a knife against them and don't know how to hold onto it you just put yourself in a bad position.

3: Do you know how to use a knife better than others? If you pull a knife on someone, they are much more likely to pull a knife on you, or to use the knife they're threatening (but weren't intending to use) on you, so now it's a knife on knife fight which hopefully you are trained to handle.

4: Mentally are you prepared to cut with a knife? Any weapon you pull out you should be prepared to use. If you aren't and the other guy notices, it becomes a liability, not a weapon.

5: Do you know the legal ramifications of stabbing/slicing with a knife in your area? This is at the same time the most and least important question. The most because you may prevent yourself from getting mugged, but end up spending years in prison if you don't understand your knife laws. The least because if he is planning to kill you, then jail is always a preferable alternative to death. But that's only if that's what he's actually planning on doing.

6: Not a question but a reminder generally covered in the others. Before you pull out the knife, the incident can likely be handled by giving whomever your money/wallet/whatever it is that they're asking for. When you pull out a knife, you are betting your (and their) life on the result. So be sure that's something that you're okay with before pulling out your knife.
 

CB Jones

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And you don't really need that. Because you are technically only going to be using it for a few seconds.

I don't buy with expensive knives and sunglasses.....guaranteed to lose or break them.

Now I buy cheap and when they break or wear out just replace them.
 
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I would discourage carrying a knife solely as a weapon today, in the US. With some specific local exceptions. You're much better off presenting a "I used this knife that I happen to carry regularly for all the things you use a knife for to protect myself" defense. It might even keep you on the right side of concealed weapon laws, depending on specific wording and case law.

Its a mixed bag. But pragmatically speaking, keeping your fighting knife reserved for emergencies makes sense an carrying a utility knife that you beat up daily so you dont dull your emergency knife does also.

You could go down the route of animal defence. Say "i carrying this object predominately for defence against animals" and then if someone attacks you its kind of all bets are off if you are lawfully allowed to use the force level you use. The legal **** is just a mess to be honest, some of it is just nonsense. Its kind of basically, treading around getting over scrutinized in court and trying not to get a charge brought against you or details looked at further in case they charge you.
 

drop bear

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Its a mixed bag. But pragmatically speaking, keeping your fighting knife reserved for emergencies makes sense an carrying a utility knife that you beat up daily so you dont dull your emergency knife does also.

You could go down the route of animal defence. Say "i carrying this object predominately for defence against animals" and then if someone attacks you its kind of all bets are off if you are lawfully allowed to use the force level you use. The legal **** is just a mess to be honest, some of it is just nonsense. Its kind of basically, treading around getting over scrutinized in court and trying not to get a charge brought against you or details looked at further in case they charge you.

You will be better at handling the knife you use than the knife you don't. Bayonet are not sharp. This daily knife has to be pretty beat up not to function in a self defense situation.
 
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You will be better at handling the knife you use than the knife you don't. Bayonet are not sharp. This daily knife has to be pretty beat up not to function in a self defense situation.

As is carry compliance a issue, so is maintence of blades. historically you can find people sharpen their knives/swords to diffrent degrees, some people next to never sharpened their blades, others did it more often to maitain it sharp for a campaign.

Keeping a emergency use knife would basically be "dont use it, so you dont need to sharpen it". And bayonets have the above issue, depends on the soldier and the amount they sharpen it, same with their knives. (spike bayonets arent really in use today and are not relivent to this)
 

punisher73

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I agree with whomever said to check your local/state laws. Talk to an attorney and find out how the police/prosecutor (or DA) view carrying a knife.

For example, I have seen someone brought in for having a little pocket knife (blade under 2 inches) because when asked he told the officer it was for protection. Well, now that is "intent to go armed" and was charged as carrying/conceal weapon (CCW in Michigan). If he had said, he uses it to cut up boxes/twine for work around the house he would have been fine. So, depending on your area even a "legal knife" can get you in legal trouble.

As far as usage. If you have too many physical issues to do things empty handed, I would say that you are out of luck with trying to carry a legal knife and successfully use it for self-defense. It is going to be a VERY narrow set of circumstances (I would probably say never, but there is that ONE thing that could happen) that would allow you to draw and brandish your knife to deter the attacker when the risk of deadly force wasn't present and usually by the time the deadly force circumstance would be presenting itself, you aren't going to have time to draw and use your knife before you are involved in a conflict.
 

drop bear

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As is carry compliance a issue, so is maintence of blades. historically you can find people sharpen their knives/swords to diffrent degrees, some people next to never sharpened their blades, others did it more often to maitain it sharp for a campaign.

Keeping a emergency use knife would basically be "dont use it, so you dont need to sharpen it". And bayonets have the above issue, depends on the soldier and the amount they sharpen it, same with their knives. (spike bayonets arent really in use today and are not relivent to this)

Yeah. But i don't think you need the knife in all that pristine a condition. So if you whip out your work knife it is still going to stab someone.

I don't even think it has to be that good a knife.
 

Dirty Dog

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Yeah. But i don't think you need the knife in all that pristine a condition. So if you whip out your work knife it is still going to stab someone.

I don't even think it has to be that good a knife.

It doesn't really. In my experience, more people are stabbed with a kitchen knife than any high dollar supersteel ninja grade tacticool blade.
 
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Yeah. But i don't think you need the knife in all that pristine a condition. So if you whip out your work knife it is still going to stab someone.

I don't even think it has to be that good a knife.

Never hurts either way. there is a direct payoff to keeping it sharp as it will inflinct more damaage and have more potetional than if you let it dull.

Second, so long as it isnt a **** knife your good. (have seen a video of a kitchen knife break on a plate carrier, as long as that doesnt happen when you stick it in them your good)
 

punisher73

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It doesn't really. In my experience, more people are stabbed with a kitchen knife than any high dollar supersteel ninja grade tacticool blade.

Agree. Here in the US, it is usually a weapon of opportunity and it is a kitchen knife that is grabbed in the home, another common occurrence (at least in our county) is many homeless people carry a kitchen knife around with their belongings for self-defense.
 

Dirty Dog

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Agree. Here in the US, it is usually a weapon of opportunity and it is a kitchen knife that is grabbed in the home, another common occurrence (at least in our county) is many homeless people carry a kitchen knife around with their belongings for self-defense.

Another reason the kitchen knife is so commonly used is that a large number of these attacks (if not a majority, it's pretty damn close) are some variety of domestic violence.
 

frank raud

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there is a direct payoff to keeping it sharp as it will inflinct more damaage and have more potetional than if you let it dull.
No. A sharper edge will cut cleanly, a more jagged edge will tear and eviscerate. If you want to do the most damage with a knife, you use it to stab, not slash. Stabbing basically consists of sticking the point of the knife into the target, it doesn't need to be sharp. Anyone who has been stabbed by a flat head screwdriver will agree the tip doesn't need to be sharp to do damage.
 

frank raud

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Its a mixed bag. But pragmatically speaking, keeping your fighting knife reserved for emergencies makes sense an carrying a utility knife that you beat up daily so you dont dull your emergency knife does also.

You could go down the route of animal defence. Say "i carrying this object predominately for defence against animals" and then if someone attacks you its kind of all bets are off if you are lawfully allowed to use the force level you use. The legal **** is just a mess to be honest, some of it is just nonsense. Its kind of basically, treading around getting over scrutinized in court and trying not to get a charge brought against you or details looked at further in case they charge you.
In the UK, can you carry a knife "predominately for defense against animals"?
 
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In the UK, can you carry a knife "predominately for defense against animals"?

As far as i know, you cannot. But i doubt anyones going to cause you issues if you pull out your swiss army and stab a dog attacking you. Less than if you did that to a human anyway. You can use what ever objects at your disposal in self defence if the force is justifiable basically. Non lockable folders up to 3 inches can be carried without a defence needed. And if you have a defence for when you need one for a object, you carrying it is not under dispute. (this is obviously in public, if you are in your own house or garden you can keep what ever you want on you for what ever reason pretty much)

No. A sharper edge will cut cleanly, a more jagged edge will tear and eviscerate. If you want to do the most damage with a knife, you use it to stab, not slash. Stabbing basically consists of sticking the point of the knife into the target, it doesn't need to be sharp. Anyone who has been stabbed by a flat head screwdriver will agree the tip doesn't need to be sharp to do damage.

If its got a edge to it, you have to maintain said edge, it will ultimately aid you in causing damage. If its a needle design, you dont need to granted, you may need to now and then rehone the point. But unless you have a needle design most have a edge, and thus if you ever need to cut with it you can if you maintain it. It can also be the diffrence between cutting a vein or something or not when you plunge it into someone. We can probbly agree to disagree on this point, as it seems like a prefrence thing.


Addendum: i did not reccomend or disaude somone from carrying a knife in my posts here, i just relayed a seemingly good practice to have and how some places let you carry some objects for animal defence and might not for humans. (but may let you use said objects on humans in their self defence law bemusingly enough)
 
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