EDC and Self Defence?

First I will say I have been trained and have trained people in knife fighting. A karambit is a special knife for a certain style of fighting. I think a 15 is a better all around knife. I always carry at least two knives.
And in the few REAL fights I have been in, I never had time to get my knives out. I defended myself with empty hands and took the knife away from my attacker. And yes I did get cut, but not as bad as I would have if I tried to get my own knife out. Real fights aren't like the movies! This goes with gun fights also. The only "gun fight" I was ever in, I got shot first. The only difference was I was wearing a vest and he wasn't.
So, continue your training with this in mind. Carry a knife, they are usefull in everyday life. And unless your in the Military or a LEO; if you can run away from a fight, do it! Nobody wins a fight, but you can loose very bad!
 
13ones said:
Hey guys. I've heard that Emerson's karambit has a 'weak blade point'. Is that suggesting other companys' karambit versions have a stronger point or is it just the design of the blade that makes the point weak? (Assuming this is true) The karambit doesn't have a strong spine to support the point so there could be truth to that claim.

Thanks again for all the help and advice
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im no expert in karambits. but maybe its better for piercing? or it could be that the blade tip on the karambit is thinner compared to other emerson models?
thick blade tips is one of the many reasons why ive gone from sydercos to emersons. im fairly rough with my tools, and emersons simple construction, common screw types. beefy blade tips, pivots, and stop pin has made them my prefer carried choice.

and in terms of SD, i think just about any emerson model excels at it. of course, its not about the tool, but the wielder.
 
Just an update here. I ordered the Fox karambit with the Emerson wave feature today [deal spotting removed by moderator] I decided to go with the full sized karambit rather than the resized version. When it arrives I will be posting my thoughts of the three pocket knives of mine on a separate thread.
 
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drillsgt71 said:
First I will say I have been trained and have trained people in knife fighting. A karambit is a special knife for a certain style of fighting. I think a 15 is a better all around knife. I always carry at least two knives.
And in the few REAL fights I have been in, I never had time to get my knives out. I defended myself with empty hands and took the knife away from my attacker. And yes I did get cut, but not as bad as I would have if I tried to get my own knife out. Real fights aren't like the movies! This goes with gun fights also. The only "gun fight" I was ever in, I got shot first. The only difference was I was wearing a vest and he wasn't.
So, continue your training with this in mind. Carry a knife, they are usefull in everyday life. And unless your in the Military or a LEO; if you can run away from a fight, do it! Nobody wins a fight, but you can loose very bad!
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So are you suggesting the mini CQC-15 or the regular larger version?
 
ive got a regular CQC-15 and my dad (drilsgt71 up there) is right its a perfect everyday use knife ive been lucky and so far in two deployments and a cross country road trip from Alaska to North Carolina ive never had to try to use it on anyone. but every time ive needed a knife it did the job and asked for more its my favorite knife.
 
13ones said:
Just an update here. I ordered the Fox karambit with the Emerson wave feature today [deal spotting removed by moderator] I decided to go with the full sized karambit rather than the resized version. When it arrives I will be posting my thoughts of the three pocket knives of mine on a separate thread.

Last edited by Blues; Yesterday at 10:10 AM. Reason: rules violations
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I'm fairly sure that was the only retailer's website to buy this knife from. The Fox Knives website doesn't even have prices listed. It was certainly a good deal I spotted, however it's also the only place to spot the knife itself. Do warnings get erased after a certain period of time?

Anyway, thanks everyone for the genuine help you've provided and to Blues for that silent edit.
 
It's December 28 and the karambit I ordered arrived today. I posted some of my initial thoughts on a separate thread, but will hopefully find some time to write up a more formal review of my new knives.


Thanks
 
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13ones said:
The karambit I ordered arrived today. I posted some of my initial thoughts on a separate thread, but will hopefully find some time to write up a more formal review of my new knives.


Thanks
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Link plz?
 
13ones said:
This is the link to my other identical thread to this one: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/900891-EDC-and-Self-Defence
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Your PraTac thread had a lot of good advice in it. Have you scored your knives yet? If so, what did you get? I've had the privilege of training kali/arnis/escrima/eskrima from some really good teachers over the years. I wish it was easier to carry an 18" to 24" rattan stick. I'd much rather have one of them in my hand than any other weapon short of a firearm.

Trainin in stick fighting is training in stick& blade fightining as you only have to be aware to keep your live edge "in play."

I do keep a couple of sticks on the back seat of my car and the wife's too.

Try and order some of the Dog Brothers training dvd's as well as Danny Inosanto he's darn good too and you can get a lot of classical technique and in the proper level from beginner on up. Good luck! :D

[video=youtube;K0Zuj5jdY-k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0Zuj5jdY-k[/video]
 
cziv said:
Your PraTac thread had a lot of good advice in it. Have you scored your knives yet? If so, what did you get? I've had the privilege of training kali/arnis/escrima/eskrima from some really good teachers over the years. I wish it was easier to carry an 18" to 24" rattan stick. I'd much rather have one of them in my hand than any other weapon short of a firearm.

Trainin in stick fighting is training in stick& blade fightining as you only have to be aware to keep your live edge "in play."

I do keep a couple of sticks on the back seat of my car and the wife's too.

Try and order some of the Dog Brothers training dvd's as well as Danny Inosanto he's darn good too and you can get a lot of classical technique and in the proper level from beginner on up. Good luck! :D

[video=youtube;K0Zuj5jdY-k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0Zuj5jdY-k[/video]
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Hi there. I have received three knives so far. The first to arrive was a hawkbill/sheepsfoot Klein knife for work. The second was a Spyderco Endura with the Emerson wave feature and the third was a Fox karambit with the Emerson wave feature. I will probably order a resized version of the karambit as the handle is a bit much for my hands with use of the finger ring. I have also trained in the Filipino stick fighting system called Sikaran Arnis and agree that carrying a stick would be a better option than a strictly 'lethal' knife for self defense. I'd still carry a knife for the daily cutting tasks that seem to be omnipresent.

If you have any questions about any of the knives I've purchased, feel free to ask and I will answer to the best of my ability and experience. I'm a big fan of the Emerson wave feature even for everyday tasks as it's almost like carrying a full sized fixed blade compact enough to fit neatly in my pocket. Hopefully the resized karambit I will be ordering arrives in good time as the first one.
 
13ones said:
Hi everyone, I'm new to these forums. Recently, I've been learning knife combat in martial arts and would like to buy an Emerson knife for self defence and one for everyday practical use. The two knives that stand out to me (for self defence) are the combat karambit and the cqc 15.

Here are some questions I have:
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13ones said:
Should I carry two dedicated knives; one for self defence and one for work?

One. One only. Carry another knife if you want to but carry your knife that you will use everyday as you will have it and understand its control when the time comes to defend yourself.

Should I opt for a knife containing a plain/straight edge blade and a fully serrated blade or one blade with both functions?

If you need the serrations (tough material to cut , cord or strap) then get a partially serrated blade if you must.

Is black finish or satin/stone wash a better option?

This depends on your likes and dislikes...stone wash is easy to redo on your own...

Is the combat karambit more managable than the super karambit without massive hands?

The Kerambit is a bit of a fad (read "specialized") as far as knives go. If you like it...then carry it. It is not an EDC Utility blade.

Can the karambit be used as a 'utility' knife or should it be dedicated for self defence?

Read the above again

The karambit isn't a stabbing weapon (which seems more common than slashes in fights). Is this a problem?

I normally wouldn't advocate anything specific for knife fighting. Stabbing is NOT more common....slashing is. And for good reason. P)ut a sharp knife even such as a steak knife in the hands of a wildly swinging person and see what happens to the opponent. It is not pretty even if he is skilled in knife fighting.

Can the cqc 15 function as a decent 'utility' knife?

Yes.

Should I attach a lanyard to either knife or will it get in the way with switch grips?

It can if you go crazy when getting one. I make my own so I make them the way I need to. I consider it as a means to keep hold of my knife if my hands slips down the handle. Nothing more...so they are short.

Are there other knives that come more highly recommended?

Recommended for what? EDC or CQB? A spiderco delica or endura are much cheaper and well made...(shrug) depends on your budget...

Why are Emerson knives cheaper to buy through other websites than on the official Emerson site?

Well duh...we are all in it for money. The dealers get the knife at dealer pricing because they are made to buy minimum dollar amounts or some other requirement. They don't need a brick and mortar location to sell the knives particularly so they can sell for less profit.

Which website is highly recommended and safe?

There are dozens as well as gear suppliers that carry knives. Blueridge, Arizona Custom Knives, are a couple... Good luck...



Thanks for the help!
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(shrug)
 
I would just like to note that the only thing I find concerning is the grammatical errors in the warranty written on the box it came in. While I realize Fox is an Italian knife company and the entire manufacturing and packaging process takes place in Italy (as far as I can tell), it's just a little unnerving to see such errors in the English warranty.

All in all the Fox karambit appears to be a very well built and designed knife (with slightly bigger hands). Hopefully the half inch smaller handle of the resized version will fit more comfortably in my hands. I'm disappointed that I will be forfeiting about an inch of blade and will be paying almost the exact same price as the larger version too. The Emerson versions have the best of both - longer blades with shorter handles. The only disadvantages I can see are the finger ring at the end not being one solid, smooth piece and the expensive price tag attached.

I will keep these two threads updated as necessary.
 
Mountain Wildman said:
I carry one knife, I have carried it for almost 3 years and I am happy with it.
Big enough for self defense and small enough to carry everyday.
I feel naked without it!!!

Emerson Super Commander

DSCN0191.jpg
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What angle do you sharpen your SC..?
 
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