What knife do you carry for self defense, if any?

Janfrederik · #1

Do you have a dedicated SD knife? Or would you just use whatever's on you at the time?

Blerv · #2

Anything I had on me if I was legally appropriate to use lethal force.

More realistically I'd clinch, knee, and overhand them. I wouldn't need an OJ sized legal team to get out of a jail sentence. Plus with the exception of someone on mind-altering drugs that approach would be far quicker to take effect.

RanCoWeAla · #3

The same one I would use for everything else the Caly 3.5

Janfrederik · #4

Blerv wrote:Anything I had on me if I was legally appropriate to use lethal force.

More realistically I'd clinch, knee, and overhand them. I wouldn't need an OJ sized legal team to get out of a jail sentence. Plus with the exception of someone on mind-altering drugs that approach would be far quicker to take effect.

What would that likely be?

Blerv · #5

Whatever I was carrying upwards of a Ladybug :) . The Delica/Stretch/Endura is a nice EDC choice with defensive properties.

Janfrederik · #6

Blerv wrote:Whatever I was carrying upwards of a Ladybug :) . The Delica/Stretch/Endura is a nice EDC choice with defensive properties.

I feel like a Ladybug with a lanyard could do some nice whip type cuts, if you hold the lanyard and swing the knife around :p

kennethsime · #7

Carrying the Matriarch makes me feel a bit more secure when I'm walking back to my car after a late shift. The quick deployment and intimidating blade shape are the top reasons. I would hate to really be in the position where I had to try to defend myself with a knife, but if I were the Matriarch would probably be the first thing in my hand.

Janfrederik · #8

kennethsime wrote:

Carrying the Matriarch makes me feel a bit more secure when I'm walking back to my car after a late shift. The quick deployment and intimidating blade shape are the top reasons. I would hate to really be in the position where I had to try to defend myself with a knife, but if I were the Matriarch would probably be the first thing in my hand.

Your pictures are making me want knives I can't afford, and probably don't need :D

kennethsime · #9

Janfrederik wrote:Your pictures are making me want knives I can't afford, and probably don't need :D

Subscribe to the "Show off your latest purchase" thread over in the picture subforum, you'll never be finished pulling out your wallet.

Janfrederik · #10

kennethsime wrote:Subscribe to the "Show off your latest purchase" thread over in the picture subforum, you'll never be finished pulling out your wallet.

Pulling it out and and looking at it longingly, wishing there was money inside :P

The Deacon · #11

Like Blerv, I'd use whatever knife I had on me if it was legally appropriate to do so. Unlike him, given my age and physical condition, neither fisticuffs or running away would be a viable option and using a knife for SD wouldn't be much of one. In reality, given my lifestyle, the chances of me being attacked by a dog, killed or injured by drunk wielding a 3000 pound car, or hit by a stray bullet fired by a careless hunter, are probably somewhere between 100 and 1000 times greater than my chances of being intentionally assaulted by a human being outside my home.

KrisOK · #12

Personally I agree with Paul, the odds of me getting assaulted and needing a knife to defend myself are fairly low. And honestly, a knife would not be my first choice of SD tool anyway. Luckily I live in a state with a VERY strong castle law, so when I'm not at a client's office I'm usually carrying a hand gun. In reality, most street assaults are blitz attacks that wouldn't really give a person much time to deploy a knife effectively. If I was FORCED to use a knife for SD, it would be whatever was in my pocket for the day.

Rwb1500 · #13

Typically this one, although it's not a Spyderco;

I do also carry a knife, mostly to aid in retaining my primary weapon;

Or;

phillipsted · #14

I don't carry for SD. My official answer for police is: "I carry a knife as a tool".

However, if someone attacks me, they had better use surprise or overwhelming force because they are going to get hurt in the process.

TedP

this_is_nascar · #15

Here in the People's Republic of NJ, admitting to carrying a knife for "self defense" will get you at least (1) felony charge. That being said, I've been EDC'ing a Dragonfly-2 to open mail and packages, slice my fruit, etc. Prior to that, I was carrying a Delica-4, but it felt a bit too large for my likings.

Janfrederik · #16

Thank you all for the replies and insight.

Blerv · #17

Yea the defense topic is tough enough without the legal stuff.

While I could feel better in some situations having a tool (overpowered/outnumbered) its in the end "improvised use". Even then you can preemptively push or strike someone far easier than using a tool. Even drawing a Taser or pepperspray is legal; do that with a lethal tool and it becomes brandishing.

When I get older ill get a sturdy cane and a large dog :D .

The Deacon · #18

Blerv wrote:When I get older ill get a sturdy cane and a large dog :D .

Bear is small, but can make more noise than the average car alarm and isn't afraid of any living thing. Haven't gotten to the cane stage yet, but do sometimes carry an Asp when walking him. Mostly because we have a few folks in the neighborhood who think it's ok to let their dogs run loose.

Blerv · #19

The Deacon wrote:Bear is small, but can make more noise than the average car alarm and isn't afraid of any living thing. Haven't gotten to the cane stage yet, but do sometimes carry an Asp when walking him. Mostly because we have a few folks in the neighborhood who think it's ok to let their dogs run loose.

Yea those things sure look effective. Hope you never have to put it to use. :)

I got to play with one of these the other day. Interesting concept and very robust. Might make sense to replace the head with something better resembling a flashlight. That and grind "Gladiator" off the handle, lol.

Cereal_killer · #20

SD with a knife has always been a touchy subject for me, I have a CCP and carry a G29 every day, I keep my AR next to my bed and last July I had to use it when an intruder targeted out home after a drunk/high fireworks show. We have 3 young kids and my wife and I had no problem ending his life (it didnt come to that thankfully but we were on the phone with 911 the whole time and she said she could hear him tryin to gain entry and I wouldn't have any issues had I actually shot/killed him, the 18 officers that showed up were expecting to come to scrape up a dead guy off my pourch they told me)

Anyway I just don't know how I feel about using a knife, a gun sure, a bat/ other object to strike with no problem, I just don't know about using a knife, maybe if I got some training but its just to up-close for comfort for me when I ALWAYA have my side arm. I guess f it came down to it I'd prefer a SE hawkbill model but I'm just not comfy using a knife for SD.