Recs for Self Defense while running/biking?

[OhBuoyancy]

Good morning everyone! I'm new to the knife world but have already gotten quite obsessed. I currently EDC a Civivi Ortis but I NEED a Spyderco (I'm sure you understand).
I often run or bike alone in fairly secluded areas and for some reason my family worries about my safety, something to do with me being a woman probably. Personally, I worry more about wildlife than interaction with other humans. I usually carry pepper spray but that doesn't satisfy this and this sounds like a good excuse to buy a knife.
I'm thinking something in the salt series because it will get wet in my pocket from sweat and I live in a humid area. Small and lightweight are of course important as well. I'd also like it to be scary looking :D Oh, and we have that 3" blade law here, though my Civivi is bigger than that. I like the Dragonfly for looks and size but it's not very scary looking.

There is a gun and knife show coming here next weekend. I've never been to one so I'm wondering if it would be worth waiting for to pick up a knife there (or just check them out in person before buying elsewhere), or should I just go ahead an order online. I'm aware of the seconds sale so if I'm able to grab something from that I will, terrible luck with the site yesterday.

[Michael Janich]

Hey, OhBuoyancy:

For something corrosion resistant and intimidating with a sub-3-inch blade, the Tasman Salt would be best. A Tasman Salt and some training in knife tactics would be even better.

Stay safe,

Mike

[VooDooChild]

There is also the wharncliffe salt, which according to spydercos website has a 2.9 inch blade length. This gets my vote.

There is also a dragonfly wharncliffe which is awesome but its not a salt.

I agree with you about beeing concerned about animals.

I dont know how your local gun and knife show is... but mine is pretty terrible when it comes to knives. Usually nothing but cheap knives for the vendors to make a few extra bucks. You might have to order your knife online.

[ladybug93]

i came to recommend a pacific salt. i carry one in my waistband at all times, including while running and in the ocean. it's definitely longer than 3" though, so maybe just the salt. it's a wonderful knife for edc as well. and make sure you get the serrated version if you are getting an h1 salt.

mr. janich makes a great recommendation above as well. honestly, he's the man and would know better than the rest of us here. i carry the pac salt se because it's good for everything, including self defense if i ever needed to use it in that way. the tasman is a little more specialized, although it still works for many edc tasks. and, of course, training is always something worth investing in.

personally, i would not get a dragonfly. it is small and very lightweight, but it may be smaller than you want for this application. also, if you plan on putting it in your pocket or waistband while running, it will be less secure than a larger knife. i've had mine pop out of my pocket more than once. my pac salt, on the other hand, never moves in my waistband unless i want it to and is still surprisingly light and comfortable for it's size.

[Wartstein]

Good morning everyone!...

Welcome to the forum! :)

I run a lot and almost always carry a knife, most times iwb. Often it is the Chaparral FRN for its slimness and ease of carry (but be aware: If you rust knives easily the XHP steel is not the best choice), but also Manix 2 LW, Pac Salt or Endela SE (the latter three having over 3" blades though).

/ As for the self defense part: I really don´t know a lot about SD with knives, but I figure if you are not trained really well, maybe for that purpose something like a pepper spray and then run faster would be the better choice?! Both against animals and humans?!

[DSH007]

Welcome to the forum!

Sounds like you're on the right track in your thinking.. any Salt knife is going to be great for corrosion resistance and will generally be lighter-weight/easier to carry for running/biking, etc. If you're truly going for "scary" though.. check out the Yojimbo 2. Purpose-built for self defense, great ergos, and about as intimidating a blade as there is, though a little bit heavier than a Salt. I bet you anything Batman carries a Yo 2

I'd use the gun/knife show as an opportunity to get a feel for some of the knives without buying. Or go with an idea of what the prices are, so you can get a feel for how much they're trying to rip you off haha.. a couple bucks extra may be fair to be able to buy in person, but in my experience, prices tend to be pretty jacked up at the shows and you'll likely be getting a much better deal (MAP pricing) online. The Spyderco dealer locator is a great resource for finding authorized retailers.. I'd avoid amazon and the like..

Good luck with it! Let us know how you make out! :)

[OhBuoyancy]

I like the looks of the Tasman!
I do really like the Chaparral but I know it would get wet while running or biking and I wouldn't be able to dry it for a while. Maybe for another EDC option though.

[JRinFL]

Hey, OhBuoyancy:

For something corrosion resistant and intimidating with a sub-3-inch blade, the Tasman Salt would be best. A Tasman Salt and some training in knife tactics would be even better.

Stay safe,

Mike

OhBuoyancy, listen to Mike. He is an actual subject matter expert on self defense.

[JRinFL]

Duplicate removed.

[Sumdumguy]

Honestly, my personal choice for "defense" would be a Swick or Street Beat, if it's possible.

I don't want intimidation factor though. I am drawing a knife with the element of surprise, or not at all. If I bring a knife into play, the aggressor will be unaware of that fact until its too late.

Really though, run(bike) away.

[araneae]

A Salt 1 or Dragonfly salt might fit. The Dragonfly hawkbill is small, but aggressive looking and it happens to be a great work knife.

I'd still carry that pepper spray, without proper training, a knife should be absolute last ditch in self defense scenarios.

[jpm2]

For running, swimming, or any activity that increases the chance of working a clipped knife loose from thin/loose clothing, I choose lightweight, grippy frn and a solid clip, like delica or native.

[Accutron]

I would be incredibly cautious about buying a Spyderco at a gun show. Around here, the gun shows are absolutely loaded with counterfeits.

[James Y]

I don't want intimidation factor though. I am drawing a knife with the element of surprise, or not at all. If I bring a knife into play, the aggressor will be unaware of that fact until its too late.

Really though, run(bike) away.

I agree that you shouldn’t count on intimidation factor. If you do that, you’ve just eliminated your greatest weapon: surprise. Also, many aggressors, especially if they are hardened criminals, will not be intimidated if you flash your knife at them, and will call your bluff if you’re not ready, willing and able to use it. Or if they’re armed, they’ll just shoot. Any time a weapon is pulled, things have just escalated.

In the vast majority of cases I’m aware of that have involved the effective use of knives in SD, the attacker(s) never even saw the knife.

Jim

[BLUETYPEII]

Hi OhBuoyancy, The only reason I wanted to mention this is because you say you are new to the knife world. You may or may not be aware that Mr. Michael Janich is an expert in the the art of self defense with a knife. I highly suggest you take his recommendation.

I agree that the Tasman would be an awesome choice for a dedicated self-defense folder, especially in the 3 inch or less size range. You may even want to go with a serrated edge for superior cutting power. One of the great advantages to having a Salt knife as a dedicated self defense knife is that corrosion will not affect the sharpness of the edge; so theoretically you’ll never have to sharpen it unless you need to use it for self-defense.

Here’s a pic of my Tasman with a S&W .38 Airweight (which is also a great self defense tool) for size reference.

Here is a link to a reputable knife dealer that has a discontinued, yellow plane edge version of the Tasman in stock for a good price.

https://knifeworks.com/spyderco-c106pyl ... continued/

[TomAiello]

Hey, OhBuoyancy:

For something corrosion resistant and intimidating with a sub-3-inch blade, the Tasman Salt would be best. A Tasman Salt and some training in knife tactics would be even better.

Stay safe,

Mike

OhBuoyancy, listen to Mike. He is an actual subject matter expert on self defense.

The Tasman Salt is actually a great knife for a lot of uses--basically anything involving pull cutting. We have them in all our emergency kits at work (not for self defense use, obviously). For a knife you need to forget about for weeks, months or years (especially in potentially rust prone places) and that must be in good condition when you need to use it, serrated H-1 is hard to beat.

[Marko]

I am an avid runner and cyclist. I’m also a hardcore Spyderco enthusiast. I have rotated through a variety of LW knives (folders and fixed) carried mostly IWB during my trail runs and training rides. The Tasman Salt is one of the best options but I recently replaced it with a Pac Salt in LC200N. If the Pac Salt works out, it may become the only knife I carry anymore...

[Sumdumguy]

I don't want intimidation factor though. I am drawing a knife with the element of surprise, or not at all. If I bring a knife into play, the aggressor will be unaware of that fact until its too late.

Really though, run(bike) away.

I agree that you shouldn’t count on intimidation factor. If you do that, you’ve just eliminated your greatest weapon: surprise. Also, many aggressors, especially if they are hardened criminals, will not be intimidated if you flash your knife at them, and will call your bluff if you’re not ready, willing and able to use it. Or if they’re armed, they’ll just shoot. Any time a weapon is pulled, things have just escalated.

In the vast majority of cases I’m aware of that have involved the effective use of knives in SD, the attacker(s) never even saw the knife.

Jim

As you can see, surprises are my thing. :D

[vivi]

I am an avid runner and cyclist. I’m also a hardcore Spyderco enthusiast. I have rotated through a variety of LW knives (folders and fixed) carried mostly IWB during my trail runs and training rides. The Tasman Salt is one of the best options but I recently replaced it with a Pac Salt in LC200N. If the Pac Salt works out, it may become the only knife I carry anymore...

I'll second this.

I don't carry for self defense but I do trail run and cycle often, and my favorite knife to bring along is a Pacific Salt 2 in LC200N. Only 2.5oz and plenty of blade.

[Danke]

Surprised no one has mentioned the ARK yet.