Good self-defense knife?

I carry 2 butterfly knives

One next to each wallet (I carry 2 wallets , 'cause I have so much cr*p)...But as far as a weapon goes, I would consider them only for the "shock and awe" effect...I can draw and open both in about 1 second, one w/ each hand (takes LOTS of practice)...Because, if I'm close enough to use a knife I'm close enough to kick his a$$ (Studied martial arts for years), without the legal ramifications of using a weapon...

(Auto opening knives are illegal here, which is why I go with the butterflies)
 
I have two Kershaws. My usual is 1550ST Blackout assist-open, and I have a smaller non-assist (1450 I think). I really only use the 1450 when I absolutely can't carry my .38 snbbie (read: conceal) and slip in inside my waistband with a suit jacket.
 
defense knives

There are several good reasons to carry a knife:

1) there are many places you can't take guns
2) if you have a smaller one, it's not considered a concealed weapon
3) for many years I was too young to get a concealed weapons permit
4) knives are cheap; guns are not
5) knives are small and light, guns are comparatively big and heavy
6) many people flip out if they find out you have/carry a gun. knives, not so much.

examples/explanations to the above:

1) I go to school at a private university in Cambridge, MA. No firearms whatsoever are allowed on campus, and to even have one in boston proper, you must belong to a gun club (about $300 a year). In high school, I was an Explorer (ride along and train with the SO). We couldn't carry on duty, but we could have knives.
3) Young people get mugged too, and it was common knowledge in my school that I carried a knife (blade just short enough to fly under the 'no weapons' rule). I have no doubt that this deterred more than one confrontation.
4) Being a college student, cash is short. I've got guns anyway, but for those many for whom guns are unaffordable, there are many decent knives available for 15 bucks, and about a jillion and a quarter for less than 50.
6) going to scool here, I've come to take it for granted that uneducated people (no matter that they're going to a top-tier college) are stupid about guns. They're utterly convinced that this is a realistic scenario: they walk into a room and see a gun laying next to a round of ammo. The gun (it's a glock because that's the only kind they've ever seen live) will immediately assemble itself (if needed), hobble over to the round, load it into the clip, insert the clip, rack its own slide, and shoot them in the face 4 times.
Point is, since they don't know about guns, they're freaked out to the point of paranoia about them. Should I carry here, word would likely spread with the first person who found out (and living with various people over time, it's inevitable that someone would). So it's a simpler deal to carry a knife. My anecdotal 2 qirsh.
 
well i think that this is a very intresting subject... dfaugh i agree with you totally i love balisongs and am currenthing thinking about buying a Spyderco Spyderfly for a new one *my old one i snaped the pins about 6 times total i think and then broke the handle clean off*. but i would take a Gerber, Spyderco, Kershaw, Benchmade tac folder over one for defense.. as it is easyer to open then a balisong and if your in a struggle and need to get that blade open someone holding your wrist isent going to prevent that...

the other thing to consider fellas is that a gun wont stop a person in their tracks.. granted if it was a range thing i would deffently prefer a firearm... but most mugings occur in very clouse range.. and the fact that yes they might shoot you *lets say they have a gun and you have a knife* but the likelyhood of it being fatal is slim... and even if that happens you can pull out your knife and gut the guy before you will pass out.. hes dead your not...

my friend who was a SWAT officer at one point told me this little rule *and i have also seen it on some websites* and thats if an oponint is within 25 yards of you with a knife in hand.. and you are standing with your side arm drawn. he can kill you.. how? well the human body can take upwords of 15 rounds of small caliber *like 9mm* to the chest before stoping someone whos truely motivated to kill you... also things like drugs can play into this...

i have stood by using a *gerber for the longest time* Tac Folder as a Utillity/self defense knife.. at one point *was using public transpertation in downtown hollywood and los angeles* i would carry a boot knife *ilegal* Balisong *ilegal*, Gerber, a Multitool, and a Victornox Swiss army. the Vic and Multitool where for tools the rest for defense if it came down to it..


theres my take...

Jess
 
Camillus Heat

C2345B.jpg


$38.95
 
Ok,,,,,,, thanks for helping me understand it a little...

I agree and know first hand how fast a knife from 25 yards can become a deadly weapon. Many training programs train for such events and it's an eye opener to those who never thought of a knife as a big threat. If the BG with the knife is half way trained with it he is twice the threat. The argument if my firearm fails and BG is beating the holy grail out of me with a tire iron, what next? I would then pull backup firearm and use it quickly. If that one failed too it would be over. I don't know but we could come up with What If's until we run out of air. I find my small carry knife a tool for many items but it would be at best #3 tool to use to stop an attack. I think if the first two tools fail I will either be dead or not able to use any further tools to protect myself. This is just my take and I don't intend to change any minds as nobody can change mine to using it as back up to my first firearm. Might be a shade tree chance but real low.... again just me.... Great info and I take all responding with respect... :D
 
I agree and know first hand how fast a knife from 25 yards can become a deadly weapon.
Click to expand...
Dont you boys mean "25 feet"? If you cant draw and fire on someone at 25 yards, your either REALLY bad or your opponent is the FLASH. :)
 
Sir are you kidding.....?

25' and the BG is zipped up on some good cain and coming at you full speed...... sorry I don't know that many quick draws......... maybe a few but that 25' thing is a blink against above.... I will stick my neck out and guess 1 out of 10 average Joe's, as I consider myself, would stop this puke before things got ugly......and you can bet I am not standing still for him to greet me either. Until you have faced a knife and a BG who wants your liver please don't tell me how slow and bad I am......please don't take this wrong but your post has me thinking real hard here. :D

I just checked the Michigan Legislature web site and it explains something real clear I thought I would share. "Unless licensed to carry a concealed firearm a person may not carry a concealed weapon for SELF DEFENSE. It is cut and dry in the Lansing legal works. It also states any knife over 3" blade is not legal to carry. This whole thing gets into the legal yama jama and I am not in anyway going there. I would admit I would rather be tried in court than carried to an early grave....just my take. (Each state has different laws so I am just giving advice on Michigan's wording)

Yes, 25 yards and less make me nervous.....and closer gets me damn worried... I'm not too proud to run for distance if situation allows.....
ok.....enough on knives I am getting a pain in my side........ ;)
 
tactical knife

Go for a knife from a good brand that is a folding lock knife with a 5 inch blade and good strong bolsters and a non slip handle. It must have a device that assists in the opening of the blade and when you handle it feel like it is a part of you.

If you ever need to use it you will wind up being interviewed by cops and possibly charged and tried. A word from the wise. Avoid anything that is black and tactical- if you wind up having to use it you are better off from a defence point of view having fought with something that happened to be on hand that was applied to the task than something that is 'tactical' and 'premeditated'.
 
Hi Lawyer Daggit. Most states in the U.S. have fairly straightforward criteria as to whether a pocket knife is legal or not. The two main issues are how the blade gets opened and how long the blade is. Fully automatic mechanisms (aka switchblades) are outlawed most places. The length of blade allowed varies by the state. In Tennessee it's 4 inches. They don't care here if the knife is black, blue, tactical or Swiss Army, as long as the blade is 4 inches or less. I believe the same articulation would be necessary for using a (legal) knife for self defense that would be necessary for using a (legal) CCW firearm. No more, no less.

U.F.O.
 
Ufo

I agree with you in respect to legality- the issue I was addressing was perception by jurors and your DA's office. If someone claims to be attacked and they use something that is improvised - a screw driver, a fruit knife etc that is one thing, but a lot of DA's have on my understanding ( I live and practice in Australia not US) policies against people carrying knives for self defence-if you are carrying an ugly black tactical knife that is obviously what it is for, if you happended to have your faithful folding knife with you that gets used for everything from opening boxes to peeling fruit, its use is likely to be looked at differently.
 
Maybe in Australia LD, but I don't think that's the case here. This Kershaw is my "whittling knife". That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)

U.F.O.
 
Hey Rojoe67, Michigan State compiled laws, sewction 750.226, say that you cannot carry a knife which is classified as a deadly weapon (>3") for an unlawful purpose.

Link
 
In NSW (Australia's biggest state) we have laws prohibiting one from carrying knives unless you have a very good reason- self defence is expressly excluded as a good reason.

There have been problems- particularly at night spots in Sydney of people having a few to drink, becoming beligerent and knifing someone.

I usually have a knife about my person for opening my mail and cartons of boxes and peeling fruit- what else?

Fortunately in a lot of country areas the Police apply a level of common sense to the enforcement of the laws (unless they want to nail someone).
 
Most any knife will do if you will, self defense wise.

Don't forget they are among the most useful of tools.

Keep those in mind and while some might think you decided "wrong" most will acknowlegde that whatever your decision you'll have decided "right."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top