Recommendation? Canadian looking for his First quality knife for EDC/Self-Defense...

[SunnyHours]

Hi all,

I'm looking for my first good knife. Not looking for anything special though I do have a thing for the Japanese Style/Katana but the Traditional Tanto wouldn't be a very good EDC Knife I feel...

I've had my share of Cheap Steel, so I'm looking for a step up, but keep in mind that this will be the first knife I'll sharpen myself, so if I make a mistake I don't want to hate myself for messing up my 200$ knife...

Also, even though I prefer a Plain Edge that's well sharpened, I want to learn how to sharpen Serrations so either SpyderEdge/Full Serrated or CombinationEdge/Partially Serrated for that reason...

I quite like the following companies' designs: (No special order, favorites=*
Spyderco*
Benchmade*
Bark River
Boker* (Boker Plus, especially their Kwaiken)
CRKT (their steel sucks though)
Kershaw (again, not so great steel)
Kizer Knives*
MCusta* (Really like their 114D*/161D*/42C**/53DR/181(D)*/37C**/34D* Models, anything wrong with the brand?)
WE Knives*
Zero Tolerance* (Almost Forgot Them...)

Any tips on how to choose the best knife for yourself would be gladly appreciated.

Aside from liking MCusta's collection a lot, is there anything I should know and follow, or even, things not to do?

It's a knife for general things, nothing considered hard use for sure. And I said Self-Defense, but that's really in last resort type situation...I'm not gonna roam the city at night trying to get into Knife Fights...this isn't "Stab Club"...
Thanks again!

 

[PuddleMonkey]

The Spyderco fanboys will be along shortly, but before they get here I'd like to say I've had good success with the couple WE Knives I've had. They're a good value for the money, regardless of origin.

 

[RBid]

As realistic as it gets. Also popular in Canada.

 

[Dangerously]

I can’t help you with your knife recommendation, but I can advise you with one thing. I’m not a lawyer, but I have some experience with the laws.

You aren’t allowed to carry a knife in Canada for the purpose of self defense. That purpose makes it a prohibited weapon, and therefore an offence to possess. It doesn’t matter what the knife is, a Spyderco dragonfly, or a Terävä Skrama.

If you ever have an interaction with police, your knife is a tool only, never for just-in-case self defense. Get your knife, dragonfly or skrama, and carry it, but remember it is only ever a tool. And don’t let anyone find an internet post where you discuss using it as a prohibited weapon. That can be evidence.

 

[SunnyHours]

I can’t help you with your knife recommendation, but I can advise you with one thing. I’m not a lawyer, but I have some experience with the laws.

You aren’t allowed to carry a knife in Canada for the purpose of self defense. That purpose makes it a prohibited weapon, and therefore an offence to possess. It doesn’t matter what the knife is, a Spyderco dragonfly, or a Terävä Skrama.

If you ever have an interaction with police, your knife is a tool only, never for just-in-case self defense. Get your knife, dragonfly or skrama, and carry it, but remember it is only ever a tool. And don’t let anyone find an internet post where you discuss using it as a prohibited weapon. That can be evidence.

Thanks for making sure I don't get into any unnecessary trouble.
I was already aware though, and I've added a little Addendum to kind of forego the whole "legality debacle" out of the discussion. In other words, IT REALLY IS just a tool...Until someone decides to attack me...(Please lets not get into the whole "Reasonable Force" bullsh*t because it'll never end LOL how can a law be so Vague? But still enforced...).
And I'm not sure if I need to mention it but to a Law Enforcement Officer/Agency, it is Just a Tool and "using it for Self-Defense Never croszed my mind! Do people really do that?" LOL

Anyways, let's get back to the topic at hand...

 

[Stang Bladeworks]

I can’t help you with your knife recommendation, but I can advise you with one thing. I’m not a lawyer, but I have some experience with the laws.

You aren’t allowed to carry a knife in Canada for the purpose of self defense. That purpose makes it a prohibited weapon, and therefore an offence to possess. It doesn’t matter what the knife is, a Spyderco dragonfly, or a Terävä Skrama.

If you ever have an interaction with police, your knife is a tool only, never for just-in-case self defense. Get your knife, dragonfly or skrama, and carry it, but remember it is only ever a tool. And don’t let anyone find an internet post where you discuss using it as a prohibited weapon. That can be evidence.

Good advice. I would remove any mention of self defence and move on. As it sits right now i dont think this would look very good in court. I dont want to be that guy but i would refrain from adding that kind of stuff in your posts. Especially in canada.
Now back on topic. I am a spyderco fanboy and i would recommend an frn model in vg10. Its easy to sharpen if your just learning. Im not sure they have any that are serrated though. To be honest sharpening serrations well is not easy. I would get a combo edge if you must have them. As far as i know you wont get any serrations from the chinese manufacturers like we. You can get a pm2 serrated but its more expensive and the s30v is harder to sharpen than vg10. It is an awesome knife though if its in your budget.

 

[SunnyHours]

As realistic as it gets. Also popular in Canada.

Where do you get all this imagination from? I guess the next thing you mention is a joke about a Moose, "eh"?

Seriously though, don't laugh or bash a well sharpened Ice Skating Shoes...How do you think I got rid of the last American who made a "Canadian" Joke LOL

At first I was gonna say something like "How do you think I caught my First Moose?" but I thought this version was funnier hehe
Hope you guys don't take it the wrong way, just having fun with it all...

 

[RBid]

S SunnyHours well played, sir!

 

[Bob6794]

Pepper spray if your allowed to. I bought several for my wife and sister in laws. I bought a trainer version mimicing the normal spray and while it produced a larger area of effect with some slight wind it could blow back in your face, so the gel may be the preferred way to go. I want to say I bought a bunch of Sabre Red, but always do your own research and pick out what you think is best.

Adding 10-12ft of range and the option to not escalate it into lethal force would be my route if you want something for self defense. Most times a threat isnt a major one that justifies lethal force so there is no need to escalate it. So stacking cards in your favor for those situations would be wise in my opinion.

As for lethal force, that's all up to you. Moral wise I won't make a knife recommendation for that. Though the situation is unlikely to ever occur so just EDC whatever knife you think would best serve you as a tool as it will most likely only serve that role.

Oh and a bit of advice since I deal with customers who frequently don't like hearing I won't overload their vehicles in my work. Keeping a calm and cool head will go a long way in making sure things don't escalate and defusing the situation.

 

[thebrain]

Josh Mason makes some awesome stuff.

https://www.instagram.com/brightforwar/

 

[gadgetgeek]

What city are you in? Carry for utility may be covered by local bylaw, so make sure you know what those are so that you stay compliant. Keep in mind the officer doesn't have to prove intent in most cases, you have to prove your innocence in court.
What do you plan to do with it? General EDC stuff, or any word related? For EDC anything unlocked is way easier to justify, and there are a lot of good slipjoints with more modern features. For urban carry I'm partial to a SAK or multi-tool due their wider range of uses.
I'd be making sure it can be manipulated with cold hands or gloves, so for me, a lot of liner locks would be out, and back-locks or compression locks would be more ideal. But that depends on the person.
As far as the rest of how I select a knife to carry: Size in hand (I have small hands) size in pocket, and typical style of dress. Visibility in pocket, can be a plus or minus. Blade style and design, I'm more into thinner knives that preform better, I have no need to open car doors the hard way. Materials and weight. After all that it generally narrows down what I'm looking at. Other things are just preferences, I don't like liner or frame locks, but I'm in a minority I think. I'm also not a fan of steel/aluminum/Ti scales, they just don't do it for me .I'm happy with a lighter knife so long as the manufacturer is reputable. I don't need a knife to be hefty to feel that it is a quality piece. My current "fave" is the benchmade bugout. My main EDC use is food prep and first aid.

 

[TTpower]

I'm curious how strict are the knife laws in Canada? Do they have restrictions like size/length of blade or any locking blades?

 

[Dangerously]

I'm curious how strict are the knife laws in Canada? Do they have restrictions like size/length of blade or any locking blades?

I don’t believe so, no. You can’t carry autos, gravity knives, or anything for which your purpose is combat, self defense or otherwise. If you are using it as a tool and it isn’t an auto, you’re usually good to go.

There is discretion on the part of law enforcement. That’s the tricky part. But I’ve always lived in places where the law enforcement guys are reasonable. If you strap on a Battle Mistress and you’re on your way into the woods, no trouble. If you strap it on in a big city to go to the bank, you’re likely getting something from a fine to a charge.

 

[colin.p]

As far as I know, there is no real restrictions on blade length, locking or "concealed carry". I can carry any knife (within reason). The problem is "intent". The laws are intentionally vague in order to side with the prosecution. If you are arrested for any reason and are carrying a knife, then they will add onto the original charge, carrying a prohibited weapon.

We aren't at the level of the UK, but we are getting there.

Ah yes, forgot about autos, see above.

 

[marchone]

For your intended purposes you may want to decide how large, or small, you need your EDC folder to be. At your price point these two pop into mind immediately.

Northern Arms Skaha II 3.3" blade/CPM S35VN steel
Real Steel Megalodon Ti 3.8" blade/M390 steel

The Skaha is made in Canada and very well regarded. It is a liner lock with a semi-hollow blade grind.
The Chinese-made Megalodon is considered great value and quality for its price. It is a frame lock with a full flat grind.
Both will be excellent slicers. Both have great steel for edge retention and ease of sharpening, and are widely celebrated for their smooth actions.

Boker has been getting trashed in these pages. You may want to consider a slipjoint from Manly. Any of the others you mentioned have good to great quality offerings.

 

[SharpieB]

I'm curious how strict are the knife laws in Canada? Do they have restrictions like size/length of blade or any locking blades?

Not strict at all except for switchblades and balisongs.I can have a 24” machete on my belt in downtown Toronto IF I have a good reason (I.e. work).

S SunnyHours LBDA/Sublime fan?

In any case, the Spyderco Matriarch is my favourite “self defence” knife but I would be careful having it on me in a situation where a cop may see it. It itnt crazy expensive, but completely badass. I leave it in my cottage as there are bears, coyotes, etc. I wouldn’t carry it in the city.

 

[GIRLYmann]

Just pick whatever you want for a knife edc.
Obviously its good to plan on something which cuts and hold an edge well and doesn't lend you in hot water.
Someone once said that "the pen is mighter than the sword".
Its an entirely pc option...
Which doubles up for urgently pressing matters
when one is suddenly faced with little choice but to make a point well understood.

 

[Lapedog]

Hi all,

I'm looking for my first good knife. Not looking for anything special though I do have a thing for the Japanese Style/Katana but the Traditional Tanto wouldn't be a very good EDC Knife I feel...

I've had my share of Cheap Steel, so I'm looking for a step up, but keep in mind that this will be the first knife I'll sharpen myself, so if I make a mistake I don't want to hate myself for messing up my 200$ knife...

Also, even though I prefer a Plain Edge that's well sharpened, I want to learn how to sharpen Serrations so either SpyderEdge/Full Serrated or CombinationEdge/Partially Serrated for that reason...

I quite like the following companies' designs: (No special order, favorites=*
Spyderco*
Benchmade*
Bark River
Boker* (Boker Plus, especially their Kwaiken)
CRKT (their steel sucks though)
Kershaw (again, not so great steel)
Kizer Knives*
MCusta* (Really like their 114D*/161D*/42C**/53DR/181(D)*/37C**/34D* Models, anything wrong with the brand?)
WE Knives*
Zero Tolerance* (Almost Forgot Them...)

Any tips on how to choose the best knife for yourself would be gladly appreciated.

Aside from liking MCusta's collection a lot, is there anything I should know and follow, or even, things not to do?

It's a knife for general things, nothing considered hard use for sure. And I said Self-Defense, but that's really in last resort type situation...I'm not gonna roam the city at night trying to get into Knife Fights...this isn't "Stab Club"...
Thanks again!

Simply put; a folding knife must have a wave feature if it is going to be used in the self defense role. So you need a knife that is good at edc tasks and comfortable enough to use every day. You also gotta practice waving that knife until it becomes second nature and I recommend reverse waving as it is more secure a draw grip.

That said here are some great self defense/utility folding knives.

Spyderco waved endura and waved delica
Emerson knives, particularly the cqc7
Southern Grind Bad Monkey, just make sure you get the waved version.
Cold Steel knives which have the thumb plate wave such as the ak47.

You can also buy add on waves for some Spyderco knives from Wise Men company which exspand your spydero sd/utilith folder options. Just google Wise Men knives. Or googlr Cold Steel snaggletooth for some wave mods for non thumb plate having cold steels.

Here is a video that explains waving and reverse waving.

Now I saw you mention Bark River as a brand you were considering. I take it this means you might be considering a small fixed blade as your edc/self defense knife.

Imho one of the best little fixed blades for this is the Spyderco Street Beat. For something even smaller that is still great in self defense check out the Brous Silent Soldier Ranger Neck knife. You can wear it on your belt, not only your neck.

 

[jceckrosh]

I always say this, but the only person you can defend yourself from using a knife is someone using an inferior weapon with inferior reach. So, fists? If a guy walks up and punches me in the face I can't just stab or slash him. You are now in trouble for using the knife. If someone has a bat, crowbar, hatchet, pipe, gun, etc. - a knife is a really bad choice and the better choice is to run or just do what they ask.

When people bring up the "self defense with a knife" scenario, what exactly are they picturing as this very bad case scenario?

 

[Rob72]

I always say this, but the only person you can defend yourself from using a knife is someone using an inferior weapon with inferior reach. So, fists? If a guy walks up and punches me in the face I can't just stab or slash him. You are now in trouble for using the knife. If someone has a bat, crowbar, hatchet, pipe, gun, etc. - a knife is a really bad choice and the better choice is to run or just do what they ask.

When people bring up the "self defense with a knife" scenario, what exactly are they picturing as this very bad case scenario?

With the recognition that this depends very much upon your location, that is only partially true.

Disparity of force, provided you are able to verbalize it, is ample justification. I'm a 46 y/o diabetic. If a 20 something male sucker-punches me, and begins a hugs-n-tickles session, I am more than justified in probing his inward parts to determine the condition of his heart. Semi-metaphorically. A mid-line carry 2.5-3" fixed blade serves this role amply, and something like a Perrin Street Beat, Neck Bowie, or one of the scads of similar sized blades will do. I carry spray, a firearm, and roughly 330* of visual observational coverage walking in a straight line, as well.

Main concerns: 1) it should have some sort of guard/ramp/jimping, to keep your hand on the safe-end, 2) it should be carried in an easily accessible position, 3) in as much as possible, it should fall within local legal criteria. Mentioning the Kwaiken, and similar style blades, you may as well go ahead and filet your fingers now, and get it over with. I've rarely seen a stabbing where the stabber did not suffer hand cuts, while using a steak knife, paring knife, or similar. The Perrin designs use a deep choil/finger notch, in place of a guard.

A folder may more easily pass in utilitarian role, and in that case, I would choose a mid-priced design, meeting the above criteria, of which you can afford at least 2 copies.