Best Spyderco MDC or self defense folder?

[Michael Bolton]

What are people's favorite self defense folder from Spyderco? The Chinook? The Yojimbo? I'm in the market but can't make up my mind...I like how both have a modified guard and how the Yojimbo has the grooves running up the back for better handling...any thoughts or suggestions?

[MAT888]

Being evil for a moment i think the yoji will give better penetration as the chinook. Surch for Dr. Snubnose legendary cutting tests....

[Billy]

Just get one of each and make up your own mind!

I LOVE my Chinook III and it fits my hand probably better than any other model I have. I have -0- experience with MBC or any kind of knife fighting arts, but the Chinook would seem to be a devastingly effective blade in the right hands both as a cutting weapon and an impact weapon. That said, it's a tad large for discreet carry.

I also LOVE my Yojimbo (have it in my FRP right now :D ) and with the modified Wharnie blade, tapered handle with indexing divots, pronounced punyo and finger grooves, it too would be a very precise, very effective SD knife as well. It's a bit smaller and lighter and also makes a slightly better EDC IMO due to the blade shape.

I'm sure there are many here (Doc Snubnose, KaliGman and Michael Cook spring to mind :) ) who can give much better evaluations on both knives for SD, so just take my rookie opinions as just that. I stand by my original statement though. :D But if you choose just one, whichever that may be, you will not be disappointed.

[Michael Bolton]

Haha, thanks a lot! I really love the design of both of them, maybe I will take your suggestion and get both!

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: Knife selection is much less important than skill with a knife. Neither the chinook or the yojimbo have a dedicated trainer. The yojimbo almost had a dedicated trainer but for some poor reason it was never released. That said I don't think a dedicated trainer is end all be all important as long as you are training regularly.

The chinook is very strong and mighty and really feels like a fighter. The curved blade would be especially effective in palisut motions when holding the knife in pakal edge out.

The Yojimbo feature for feature is probably the perfect knife for edged defense, it's light and easily carried, cuts deep and fell, spin indexes really well, (if ya do that sorta thing under combative stress) is very stable and secure in the hand and doesn't look like a ninjafied killing machine so NKP's won't freak when they see it. Also, Janich made it and he's awesome. :spyder:

[Jarhead90]

I like my non waved Endura.

[markg]

:spyder: Knife selection is much less important than skill with a knife. Neither the chinook or the yojimbo have a dedicated trainer. The yojimbo almost had a dedicated trainer but for some poor reason it was never released. That said I don't think a dedicated trainer is end all be all important as long as you are training regularly.

The chinook is very strong and mighty and really feels like a fighter. The curved blade would be especially effective in palisut motions when holding the knife in pakal edge out.

The Yojimbo feature for feature is probably the perfect knife for edged defense, it's light and easily carried, cuts deep and fell, spin indexes really well, (if ya do that sorta thing under combative stress) is very stable and secure in the hand and doesn't look like a ninjafied killing machine so NKP's won't freak when they see it. Also, Janich made it and he's awesome. :spyder:

To add to what Mike said...

You also need to consider the personal side of ergonomics. I broke my hand back in 2004. Since then, my ability to grasp as tightly with my pinky (and range of motion) are a bit compromised. That said, knives like the Yojimbo (and I love it for all the same reasons Mike does) sadly does not work as well for me. The pinky actually locks the grip, and that is an important consideration with knives and swords. However tapered grips, like that of the Yojimbo, seem to feel less secure in my hand since the injury. The Chinook, on the other hand (and knives similar to it, like the Emerson CQC-13 or 12) work great.

Considering most people are stabbed with things like screwdrivers, I think we tend to way over think fighting knives. :)

[bladese97]

:spyder: :spyder: :cool: :spyder: :spyder: I too, have no experience with MBC, but I do have the honor of owning these fine blades mentioned here :D I would sugjest, by thinking discrete carry, the P'kal, or E, D4/Wave; I have heard they are very effective, and they carry discrete enough for me :) Hope this helps

[cdf]

At the risk of getting flamed , I would say the Military , and the waved delicas and enduras should be added to the list . The endura/delica are impecable , the millie has great ergos . The DoDo would rate consideration , as would the Pical .

Chris

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: Nuthin' wrong with the millie, except that it cant be carrie tip up, of course! :spyder:

[markg]

I would also add, between the two knives you mention there is something else to consider... Carry issues.

The Chinook (especially if you have it tip down like from the factory) rides pretty high in the pocket. This seems to be an issue with any folding "bowie" style knife. Now, truth be told, from a purely tactical standpoint, riding high is a good thing. Easy to get to the knife, however it does make concealment an issue. The Yojimbo has a large and sort of offbeat clip, however the butt end of the knife is very "un-knife" looking. It sort of looks like a pen.

Outside of these two knives... You would be surprised at how many "knife savvy" MBC sorts of folks carry Delicas...

[Michael Cook]

You would be surprised at how many "knife savvy" MBC sorts of folks carry Delicas...

:spyder: Mr. Janich himself has been known to carry a d3 offside. :) :spyder:

[swingshot]

It's like comparing Chalk and Cheese.

Yojimbo feels like a very specialised knife - slender handles, somewhat NKP friendly appearance if you buy the blue one. Clip sticks out like a sore thumb... but that can be bead blasted.

The Compression lock isn't for everyone however.


The Chinook is just plain heavy duty. Lots of handle to choke up on, definitely NOT NKP friendly. Blade Profile/Size is somewhat intimidating. It's also just plain heavy. That extra weight may become bothersome during the course of every day carrry.

I'm leaning towards suggesting the Yojimbo. Even if you decide you prefer the Chinook 3, it will still be readily available until at least the end of the year.


If you're willing to look at discontinued MBC items, the Lil'Temperance is a sort of 'mid-point' between the two - siimilar length, compression lock, more stout handles, again there's a rather shiny clip which could be beadblasted.

The ATR has a slender profile (not quite as slender as the Yojimbo, but a blade length somewhere between the Chinook and Yojimbo. Not particularly sheepie friendly though.

[Dr. Snubnose]

I agree with Michael....training is more important than knife selection..that being said my Spyderco Choices for SD not in any particular order would be...

Yojimbo*
Ronin*
Chinook I and II* only (PE Only)
Adventura*
Spyderhawk*
Civilian or Matriach (for limited use) PE only
Pikal (for limited use) Training a must for effectiveness
Karambit- Training a must for effectiveness
Street Beat
DayHiker*

Star items would be my first choices.....Doc :D

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: I'm surprised nobody's chimed in to support the gunting, a very nice knife by all accounts. :spyder:

[foxquads]

...I thought the Civillian was specifically designed for self defense? ....Not trying to start an argument as I'm new to Spydies too, but I want to carry my Civvie but don't want to 'scratch it' (!)...LOL!
...I DO carry the Millie most of the time though...
I'm also watching this thread and learning too!!!
GREAT INFO!!!!
GREAT PEOPLE!!
:)

[Dr. Snubnose]

...I thought the Civillian was specifically designed for self defense? ....Not trying to start an argument as I'm new to Spydies too, but I want to carry my Civvie but don't want to 'scratch it' (!)...LOL!
...I DO carry the Millie most of the time though...
I'm also watching this thread and learning too!!!
GREAT INFO!!!!
GREAT PEOPLE!!
:)

Yep designed for SD...but very hard to use the point for thrusting....so It's a good knife for those who like to slash....but If you ask the Cook County Coroner
he'll tell you those admitted to the morgue from fatal knife wounds are always those who have been stabbed....not slashed....FWIW....Doc :D

[robin]

Have been reading this forum for while without posting but I'd like to try to give my own opinion on this argoument also because the thoughts I had about in past. Let me state that I am not shure at all I could anyway grab a knife and hit someone, also if I would be myself in danger of life. But I could not say the same in case of danger for my family and dougters. Never say never. That said I have always considered the best self defense knife the shorter and most concealable I could carry on me, with a decent grab an a blade between 2 and 3 inches maximum. In my, absolutely unprooven opinion, a street knife fight would not be a sort of ancient knites duel, but a pure act of felony. Winner will be the one who will shaut the more, eventually cry the more, avoid beein cutting for longer. All at least untill he will be able to extract the knife that had taken concealed since the moment ad hit neatly and terribly fast. Beeing a martialist from more than 35 years I feel confident I can quicly hit the point where I aim, but I am also aware that, in any real fight, the fato will play the primary roule.
Ps in my country where for about 18 centuryes people where gladly killing each others with knifes and daggers, there are still traditional regional knifes fighting schools. Most of them have their secret's teaching metods. But is a comon statement that a deadlly opponent is not the more athletic or trained, but the one whoo's blood is cold enaught that he can whait and shot the right hit at the very best moment. My ieda anyay

[Michael Cook]

Yep designed for SD...but very hard to use the point for thrusting....so It's a good knife for those who like to slash....but If you ask the Cook County Coroner
he'll tell you those admitted to the morgue from fatal knife wounds are always those who have been stabbed....not slashed....FWIW....Doc :D

:spyder: Doc raises a very good point, stabs are much more likely to be lethal than slashes. Self defense is about stopping a threat, not killing the attacker.
If your defense tactics target thrusts to lethal areas it's still with the intention of stopping, not killing. How one verbally articulates your intentions in court can mean the difference between acquittal and a manslaughter conviction after the fact. It's little comfort to feel righteous behind bars. :spyder:

[j3jymann]

In my, absolutely unprooven opinion, a street knife fight would not be a sort of ancient knites duel, but a pure act of felony. Winner will be the one who will shaut the more, eventually cry the more, avoid beein cutting for longer.

Very good point robin, while I think martial arts and MBC is awesome but I also think it is rather ritualized and is more an art form than an actual way to defend yourself.

It will probably piss some people off and I'm sure a lot of people are going to disagree with me but, here's my opinion.

Want to learn "moves" to protect yourself in a "knife fight", confidence, and how to keep a straight mind while in a knife fight? (all very important things) Go for MBC

Want to be able to defend yourself on the street from a real person who is really attacking you?
Go to prison

If you disagree with me, that's fine, I'm sure any person that has trained in martial arts or martial blade craft will, you're entitled to your own opinion. Think about this before you cuss me out though, have you ever been in a situation (not trained for one with a partner but in a real situation) where you have had to defend yourself with a knife or from a person with a knife that wanted to/was willing to take your life from you? And if you have, did it really end up like you trained for? If your answer to both of these questions is yes, feel free to cuss me out