Knife as Primary Defensive Tool

A

AnklePocket

Joined
May 5, 2001
Messages
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What would be your thoughts on a knife (or knives) as a primary defensive tool as opposed to a gun? Carrying a gun in my state of New Jersey isn't an option unless you're a criminal. To keep the comparison as "apples to apples" as possible assume that the person is extremely competent with both.
 
I've always believed the knife is the second-best tool of individual self-defense, after the firearm. But it's important to remember that the gap between the two is quite large.

If you can't carry a gun legally, a knife is certainly far better than nothing. But if the choice is available to you, a handgun and a knife constitute a far better combination.
 
Whether or not a knife is a viable primary defensive weapon will be determined by the range at which your using it. If your opponent has a firearm and is outside arms reach you probably won't have much of a chance if your armed only with a knife. If your opponent is inside arms reach your chances will improve. There are other factors to consider such as how willing your opponent is to shoot and how aggressive your attack is. Unfortunately I am in the same situation that your in, I have to depend on a knife as my only self defense tool. Good luck and keep training.
 
well - ya gotta make do w/what ya got to make do with - a knife or 2 is certainly better than nothing, ya should get some OC spray too, and a 4 or 5 C cell mag lite baton lite too imho.

in the old days before licenses in tx, and before i worked for the tx dept of crim justice i lived in a bad crack/prostitute infested area and me and my wife carried anyway - me a .32 PPK and her a browning baby .25 so we could conceal easily, and a 12 gauge shotgun in the trunk - can ya legally carry a shotgun? i used to carry a remington 870 w/a factory folder on it, and extended mag, in my front passenger seat all the time, perfectly legal here even then pre CHL -

but imho ya should use the knife as a last ditch weapon and use it before the BG knows ya have it.........

good luck


sifu
 
There is a reason that police shoot at dangerous people doing dangerous things within 21 feet. Dan Innosanto and others have proven that a knife-weilding person intent on doing damage can close gaps under 21 feet and come out the last man standing. If you think distances will be involved, do LOTS of training for closing the gap. Paul Vunka's "Killer Instinct Training" is great for this.
 
Distance is the deciding factor, as someone else stated. Alot of people focus on this. In most cases, it is not going to be an issue because people do not rob or rape from across the street. They bump up on you, get in your face...so, as soon as that happens and they are in your Sphere...you know there is a possibility this could be the segue. Act accordingly.

In some cases, the person is just going to tell you they have something. Maybe they have the knife or gun, maybe they don't. They might motion with something in the pocket. In cases like that, don't act like a badass and possibly get shot. Act like a wuss and then hit them in the throat with all you have. Good edge of the hand [axe hand] shot to the throat. Cover up your face beforehand like you're going to cry or something. Your weakness will graft a set of huge balls on a criminal. Make them overconfident, then hit them right in the trachea.

And don't stop hitting them until they hit the ground. If they are still trying to get something out of their pocket or waistband, stomp on that hand so they can't play piano or with weapons for a while...let them know they were there...as we used to say...

We're talking about CQC. Even if I were so blessed as to have a CCW in this outhouse of a State, I would still respond that way. You cannot out-draw a drawn gun. Across the street and "Public Shooter" scenarios are a whole other ball of wax entirely. I think in most "Street Situations," the edged weapon is the equal of a handgun. It's a battlefield, but a different type of battlefield. And some Military thought comes into play but not all of it. Same with Law Enforcement experience. If you're not a Cop, you're not going to have a Dispatcher informing you, "Man with a knife." You're going to find out in the worst way possible, so alot of the advice from Cops is not going to apply either.
 
A simple cane (old man's cane) is a far superior weapon. It has two feet more reach than a knife, it is legal everywhere, and it also makes you look less threatening to a potential opponent.

Using a cane requires training, but so does a knife, gun or any other weapon.

You can get a servicable cane from K-mart for $8, proper training for about $300 and four to six months of effort.
 
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