Concealed Carry Knife

[pbville]

Originally Posted by Weer'd Beard

Being "unsuitable Persons" by our Chief of Police, the wife and I both pack these:
http://www.knivesplus.com/ka-bar-knife-tdi-ka-1480.html

Me too. Have it on right now as a matter of fact. Whats the "unsuitable person" bit?

[LACamper]

Most of the time I carry a 1 3/4" Spyderco. If I can't CCW then I swap to a 3 3/4" spyderco.

[elsullo]

I probably should not post a commercial link here, so run a search including the words "Bladeplay" and ".com". I highly recommend their integrity and quality.

"Dual-Action" knives look and open like ordinary folding knives, but have hidden opening mechanisms which can also open them smartly like a switchblade. The "Original Hunter" is the best bang for the buck possible! Illegal in many areas, yet few coppers would recognize them.

"Assisted-Opening" knives are LEGAL almost everywhere (USA), and even sold in chain stores. These require an initial manual effort to begin opening, then they snap open just like a good switchblade. Try the "Excalibur." Who needs an illegal auto-knife when these legal assisted-opening knives work so well?

Folks, knife-fighting and knife defence is a SKILL which can be learned. You would be amazed how your skill and confidence can advance with even a little training. Most martial arts schools can offer some of this; best bet is to ask around shooting ranges for a firearms trainer who also offers knife and hand-to-hand combat training. ONE day of class can give you enormous advantage! You will not look like Steven Sagal, but you should be able to make a badguy remember that he needed to be somewhere else. Backing AWAY is always your best first step, and avoid any trainer who does not emphasize that. But actually having your hand around something real in your pocket, with the training to use it and the attitude that gives you, can avoid a lot of conflicts.............................elsullo

[umloth]

Originally Posted by pbville

Whats the "unsuitable person" bit?

Weer'd lives in the People's Republik of Massachusetts and therefore has almost no chance to get a concealed carry permit. My guess is that "unsuitable person" is the legal term for "we're not giving you a permit."

[LACamper]

Never bring a knife to a gunfight. Keltec .380 beats a knife any day! On the same vein, always bring a knife to a fist fight.
There are no rules...other than always winning.

[Bikewer]

I've been carrying a Cold Steel Recon 1 for several years now:

http://www.militaria.pl/upload/wysiw...econ1_LC_w.jpg

On duty, this is carried "weak side" in the pocket of my uniform trousers. I carry it pretty much all the time.
This is a big, sturdy folder, quite big enough to use as an impact weapon closed.

The design of the lock allows for very rapid opening. One has only to relieve pressure on the cross-bar lock and flick the blade open. It's extremely fast and positive.
As fast as just about any "automatic" knife I've seen.

It's undoubtedly true that a fixed-blade would be even better in this application, but I just can't figure out a practical way to carry one. I've looked at the TDI, and it seems like an excellent little blade.
However, on my weak side I have my ASP, my radio, my Taser, and towards the front my cell phone and key holder.
Just nowhere to put one! I've considered a rig that puts it behind my magazine holders right -front; still tossing that around.

[Rangemaster42]

Originally Posted by LACamper

Never bring a knife to a gunfight. Keltec .380 beats a knife any day! On the same vein, always bring a knife to a fist fight.
There are no rules...other than always winning.

When I was kid we lived in a farm 600 miles north of Buenos Aires. One of our neighbours got into an argument with one of his peons and he tried to say the last word by shooting the peon three times in the chest with a .38. The peon drew his knife and stuck him right through the heart. They found both of them dead on the ground.
From what I remember from those times (more than 40 years ago) the gauchos rarely used their knives for stabbing, but preferred to inflict cuts and gashes. They mostly use triangular shaped knives of carbon steel 25 to 40 cm long and they keep them razor-sharp. If I were threatened by somebody armed with a knife the first thing I would do is try to distance myself from the menace as much as possible, while drawing my gun. In my view, you are only safe when you are more than 25 feet away.

[Penguin]

The thing to remember if you find yourself unlucky enough to be facing a guy with a knife: NEVER BACKPEDAL, YOU WILL LOSE. Attempting to buy yourself more time to draw and fire this way is a fatal mistake. A human charging forward full-tilt beats one trotting backwards every time.

It's not hopeless, however. The key is to sidestep the attack. The aforementioned charging human can't exactly turn on a dime, and even if he slashes at you as he goes by, he is robbed of the added effectiveness of his momentum. This should give you enough time to finish drawing your firearm and shoot him until he doesn't need to be shot again.

[umloth]

Originally Posted by Penguin

The thing to remember if you find yourself unlucky enough to be facing a guy with a knife: NEVER BACKPEDAL, YOU WILL LOSE. Attempting to buy yourself more time to draw and fire this way is a fatal mistake. A human charging forward full-tilt beats one trotting backwards every time.

While I don't disagree about a backpedal, I have no qualms with turning in a flat out sprint as I draw. Let me create some room and get armed. I go into a knife fight where he's the only one armed and I'm probably in a lot of trouble.

[mna]

Backpedaling can give you a net distance advantage in some, limited, circumstances. But sideways movement is always recommended anyway, when possible.

I don't think this is specific to situations involving knives - or any particular type of weapon for that matter.

Also generalizable is that if you can grab initiative by closing the distance, that may compensate for a disadvantage in armament. This is risky, though.

[Rangemaster42]

Originally Posted by Penguin

The thing to remember if you find yourself unlucky enough to be facing a guy with a knife: NEVER BACKPEDAL, YOU WILL LOSE. Attempting to buy yourself more time to draw and fire this way is a fatal mistake. A human charging forward full-tilt beats one trotting backwards every time.

It's not hopeless, however. The key is to sidestep the attack. The aforementioned charging human can't exactly turn on a dime, and even if he slashes at you as he goes by, he is robbed of the added effectiveness of his momentum. This should give you enough time to finish drawing your firearm and shoot him until he doesn't need to be shot again.

I totally agree that he will catch up, it just gives you those tenths of a second you need to draw and fire with the strong hand only, while your weak arm is thrusted forward to parry. If you can sidestep though it's much better. In many cases attackers are drunk so their coordination is not so great.

These gauchos I told you about, spend a lot of time "visteando", that is mock fights with green, thin tree branches or with the knives inside the scabbard (I use the word scabbard because they are made of german silver).

Although it may seem a stretch to you, I once saw a guy successfully defend himself using his shoe wielded as a whip.

[Absintheur]

I rotate through a dozen or so, changing because of what I am wearing or simply because i want to change...lol. These are just a few of the ones I carry most.

Cold Steel
Bottom row - Folding Bushman, Pro-Lite Tanto, Large Shinobu
Middle row - Pro=Lite Clip Point, AK-47, Scimitar
Top - 6" Ti-Lite



Other brands I carry in my EDC rotation...a few of them anyways...

Bottom row - Benchmade, AG Russell Folding Spearpoint, Benchmade Phil Boguszewski Spike
Middle row - Syderco Endura, Spyderco Salsa, Custom Karabit (damascus and ivory)
Top - Rat Cutlery Model 1



There are others as well and I always have at least a slipjoint in my pocket in addition to whatever "tactical" I am carrying.