Spyderco Forums

For the MBC/martial arts experts here:

Are the UKPK (or T-mag or any non-locking folder) or upcoming Urban effective SD options?

oh boy... :rolleyes:

there might be a lot of argument in this thread... two things to remember.

1. any object can be used for SD with great success

2. training is key.

The T-Mag... never...

People have used "slip-joints" for many years in this role, however they are far from ideal.

The best thing to do is to take some lessons and you learn what you want and dont want in a knife

In that situation, I would not trust a non-locking blade. However, I have not trained in a martial art, so technically I would not want to use any knife. Training is always the first option. Choosing a knife (if at all) should come after you learn what works best.

Well, it is probably better than a sharp stick of the same length. Definitely a step up from your fingernails.

If you are stuck in a jurisdiction where you can't carry a locking folder, they are great options. Otherwise, something with a strong lock is to be preferred.

Hi Micheal,

No expert's judgement, just an observation:

As long as you have a finger in the blade's choil, there's no way for the blade to cut your hand. So it's above the normal SAK / slip joint level.

But I'm not certain whether you'd place e.g. your little finger in the choil next the blade or just grip higher. And in the 2nd case, the UKPK degenerates to just choil-less standard slip-joint safety level.

cu
Peter

For me.... No lock = not good for SD/ MBC unfortunately. THough the choil would be a good start to avoid things getting out of hand. I would not trust it enough to bet my life on it.

As mentioned above, training is the key. Effective training of any SD art is more invaluable than just knife SD in itself.

So in summary and a quick answer to the OP question = No. A slightly longer answer..... you could use it for SD if you had to.

If the blade doesn't lock...don't even think about using it for SD....I'll even go one further....Check your favorite Liner Lock Knife...if the liner lock is higher than the liner any twisting of the knife in the hand could disengage the lock and opps there goes your fingers.....If it does... take a file and do a mod by filing it down till its under the liner....then dig down into the liner and use your fingernail to depress the lock...trusting a finger choil specially in a SD situation is pure lunacy....Doc :D

If I would have only a non-locking folder for SD, choil-less or not, I would utilise it closed - to bash things with knife-reinforced hammer fist.

Would i choose one for SD? No. Could I use one if i had to? Yes. There are ways to use a "slippie" effectively. In general, I consider such uses as "highly trained user" territory, due to the injury that this type of knife can inflict on the user if he or she is unwary. As Doc pointed out, though, many people are overconfident in regard to the lock on a folder--it is designed to fold, so you need to be aware of the actual strength of the lock and attempt to use it mostly with force applied away from your fingers and opposite to the way you would close the knife. A "slippie" is similar to a .25 auto. Like I used to tell people who asked about the .25 auto--"It is an expert's gun to be used as a last ditch effort--and across very narrow ditches." (I borrowed that line from a gun savvy guy a long time ago) :D

:spyder: I like palisut motions a lot in my knife play. if palisut is done poorly a slipjoint would close and the technique would be in effective even if a choil kept my fingers safe. :spyder:

If a Slippie is your only option , the UKPK beats other slippies , and could be pressed into service . Ditto for the Urban and T Mag . T mag has the annoying habit of picking up coins and crap in the pocket , therefore front pocket carry is out . When I carry it , it rides in the shirt pocket .

Slippies have been used extensively by criminals for years , but the range of tactics , while effective , are limited .

Chris

where does Mr. Bolton come up with such brilliant questions?
I see you're selling a blue Yojimbo over on bladeforums...which I thought was your favorite SD folder.
why don't you ask such silly questions on Practical Tactical overthere instead :confused:
or perhaps you should get a Queen Slippie and practice punyo shots with it instead
(btw: no offense to Queen (S&M) lovers out there....I do have a Queen Abalone slippie which i think highly of)

I think it is like some others said: if it is your last or only option, well then you will have to use it.

I handled them, the urban’s that is, shortly at the Amsterdam Mini-Meet. They felt very good and especially the fingerchoil made them feel saver then other slipjoints.

However, I would prefer a lockback of course.

I have a few years of martial arts training under my belt and would have to say, in all honesty, that my skill level in that context is novice at best. Just good information to have in mind if I ever find myself in a bad situtation. I have lived in a few cities for school and work, and have on one occassion been surrounded by a small group of kids armed with rocks in an urban context. I will always rely on my running skills before anything and thankfully was significantly faster than any of those guys in that situtation. You always hear about some horror story about some innocent person being victimized..in any event, it's just a hypothetical question, a natural off-shoot of any knife discussion I suppose, especially for those people that have been physically threatened in the past. I have never been in an actual physical confrontation and don't plan on it.

If you are not cornered, run away! :rolleyes:

Michael Bolton wrote: on one occassion been surrounded by a small group of kids armed with rocks in an urban context.

Why didn't you just start singing "How can we be lovers if we can't be friends" to 'em, or at least threaten to call Kenny G over so he could hit 'em with his sax? :p :D

Sundown wrote:Why didn't you just start singing "How can we be lovers if we can't be friends" to 'em, or at least threaten to call Kenny G over so he could hit 'em with his sax? :p :D

I actually tried that and that only got them even more riled up!

Michael Bolton wrote:I actually tried that and that only got them even more riled up!

LOL :D Must have been a group of haters. Speaking of MB, are you a fan, like I am, of his earlier stuff, like Blackjack?