Why the Knife

[BAL]

Here is a link to an interesting short article by Chris Fry about knife carry for personal defense. It's from PDN, so I thought that I would post a link to it.

http://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/a ... news052512

We all carry knives for different reasons, one of which can be personal protection. Even if you don't get professional training, it's a good idea to think about protecting yourself and your family with your knife or whatever you can. You can visualize situations that could happen and think about how you would react. You can practice drawing your knife, manipulating it into position to defend yourself and how you would use it. Michael Janich has some great training video's at the MBC website that can be a start to protecting yourself and your family.


You never know when something bad can happen and being prepared
is always your best defense.

[Blerv]

Thanks for sharing :) . It's a good article and agreed on most points.

The main argument would be the case of legality. If this was written on surviving in a post-apocalyptic society (ie without lawyers) it would be flawless. Concealment, shivs, etc are very iffy topics if you ever plan on being in court.

The blade is a great way to defend yourself but the aftermath is tough to paint in a rational way. Again, based only on speculative opinion.

[BAL]

Yea, you never know how a jury is going to perceive a situation. I have a hard time
understanding people sometimes, speaking mainly of the anti-gun / anti-knife types.
I understand regulations on types of guns and lengths of blades, but the right of
anyoneto protect themselves needs to be preserved.

Appearance is a factor in a self defense situation with a jury as well. The physical
appearance of the person and the appearance of the weapon that was used for
protection. A younger long haired male with tattoos carrying an 8" fixed blade
gives a different perception than the manacured business looking man with
a smaller folder.

We need to think about a bad situation and using deadly force long before it
ever happens. Planning is paramount and in many cases, there is a fine line
between knowing when you are in your legal rights to ued deadly force to
protect yourself.

[sgt Merrey]

Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six ,you best weapon is the one closest at hand.always ready should be your watch word.

[BAL]

Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six ,you best weapon is the one closest at hand.always ready should be your watch word.

No doubt, I pretty much live by the 12/6 rule, and always try to be prepared. I don't live
a "there all out ot get me life", but I keep my eyes and ears on point where navigating thru
the public.

You see things on the news, hear it on the radio and read it, but never think that it could
be you. Then one day at a QT, someone pulls a gun at the cash register and starts swinging
it around and you are standing there in line thinking, wow, i never thought that this would
happen to me. I always think that it could happen to me and what would I do.

[Wildernest Survivor]

Thanks for the link, BAL.
Great article, even though he states points that directly contradict my state's laws. I live in a state that is particularly ruthless as it concerns "weapons", so basically no knife can be carried for self defense. Strike that - carried at all. The patchwork of local and state laws also make any good faith attempt at carrying a pocket knife fraught with danger. For example, you know those spiked bracelets that heavy metal fans like to wear - those are illegal under the same law that bans autos, dirks, "boot knives" and daggers, stilettos, Bali-songs, various Japanese weapons from the Feudal States Era, and any type of "assisted blades - mechanical or otherwise". I feel so much safer knowing that Judas Priest or Iron Maiden can't threaten me with bodily harm with their belt or bracelet at their concert. Sad, sad, sad...

[BAL]

No, but you still have to watch out for Axl Rose.