What is minimum for defence?

If it can penetrate the skin, I suppose it could cause serious injury.

That being said, almost any tool could be used for "defence". People kill each other will all sorts of creative items. I'm not sure a knife is the best/most practical. Especially a very small knife. It may just escalate a situation to lethal levels, without providing substantial help.

Non-lethal items such as pepper spray or a kubaton may work better for you. YMMV.

Also, you might want to ask this question in "Practical Tactical".

-- Rob
 
To pierce clothing and then skin, I would say at least 1 inch to do any real damage, a smaller blade will still pierce the skin though.

Forget attacking someones chest in self defence with a very small knife. Not only is there bone protecting the vital organs, but the organs are slightly deeper in the body too.

The face is a good target for a small blade.

You could throw the blade at the guys face and leg it...that could work too!
 
I think anything under 3 inches is insuffient. In a confrontation your adeniline soars so high a small stab wound can be ignored. I carry a 5 inch folder, I hope the huge blade will work as a deterant so as to avoid blood shed.
 
Originally posted by Velitrius
What is the MINIMUM for defense? Knowledge and training.
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You nailed what I wanted to say.
And I'd act alertness.
If you're alert you might not be in the situation in the first place.
Theoretically, a 1" edge could cause a lot of injury if you know where to hit, but when you're in life and death situation your adrenaline may take over.... I'd say at least 3" for blade length if you want to talk about blade length.
 
Originally posted by HotSwat
I think anything under 3 inches is insuffient. In a confrontation your adeniline soars so high a small stab wound can be ignored. I carry a 5 inch folder, I hope the huge blade will work as a deterant so as to avoid blood shed.
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I agree. 3.75 minimum. I carry a 5" folder for the same reason as HotSwat. It could quickly change someone's intentions or quickly disarm a punk with his own knife.

Speed beats size, but both is best. Make sure you can have it open and ready to work in a second or less from your arms being in various positions.
 
I know I'm a little strange, but unless I'm proficient in martial arts (which I'm not), I'd never pull a knife in defense. In my opinion, it can cause more problems that it can resolve. That is why I have a concealed pistol permit and carry this. :)

But this is just me.
 
Ron: even though I don't prefer Glocks, I wish I could carry them in here :(
 
I think anything under 3 inches is insuffient. In a confrontation your adeniline soars so high a small stab wound can be ignored.
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For most circumstances, I disagree with this statement. For untrained people, longer is better. Scarrier looking is good too! But for those with training, the importance of the tool specifications tends to diminish. Sure, sone stab with a small blade may go unnoticed. Too bad one highschool kid damn near died hear a few years ago after getting stabbed once in his chest with, IIRC, a 2"ish blade. He couldn't ignore that stab. Similarly, sone stab in the belly with a 1" folder bay not do a whole lot. But with a 1" blade I'd be holding it in reverse grip and I'd be doign 20+ rapacious stabs to your neck/face. You can't ignore that! And 1" is plenty deadly in the neck area. Especially when it is 1" x 20+ stabs.

Velitrius is right. I won't tell him that in chat ;) But he is absolutely right. It wasn't the knife that made Bowie famous, it was Bowie that made the knife famous. Training is a MINIMUM for self defense.

Now, that said, I'd rather have a longer knife than a shorter knife for self defense, even with equal training with both knives. Longer blades are better for stabs, often they are wider too so you get larger wound channels, etc. But a sub 3" folder can be used in a self-defense situation. It is just that smaller knives aren't as easy to use for the untrained.
 
Knowledge and training can go a couple of ways. Knowledge that you are gonna get cut if you knife it out, and sprint training with Michael Johnson to make good your escape should suit you just as well as the dojo time.
 
Typically, if you are attacked, it occurs at very close range, and the Bad Guy (BG) in ON YOU. If motivated by money, and most attacks are, just give the thug some cash. (Don't carry it in your wallet, just throw some cash and run, easier to replace the $$$ than the credit cards and driver's license). Also the attacker will have his weapon out and ready, long before you. If you are hellbent on fighting for it (I am by no means a pacifist), the BG has laid his hands on you and his weapon is in your face. The fastest weapon you can employ is the best, and bigger is usually slower (especially if a folder) if the BG is pressing himself against you (or on top of you). Policemen in my bad areas where I live (and I know many, policemen, not bad areas) carry push knives ("punch daggers") clipped behind their ties, badges, or belt buckles. They claim if the knife is behind you (in belt, pocket or Waistband, it might as well be at home.) They claim your hands will be in front of you for defense, so your knife should be there also. Many carry the Cold Steel Urban Pal (cheap, effective, and light). Also, a push knife/punch dagger is almost impossible to pry from your grasp (to be used against you). In summary, the knife you have with you at the time is the exact perfect weapon.
 
Vel:

YUP! Nike dash is #1 knife fighting technique! That is the way I teach my training buds too. I love the back cover of Michael Janich's knife fighting book. THere is a pic of him running away from a knife weilding bad guy :) Also, I have Ron Baliki's new JKD book, and there's a great pic of him and his friends running away from a gang of thugs. No point getting all messed up in a fight if you don't have to :)
 
A boxcutter. Those things can do a _lot_ of damage. Not as likely to be lethal as a larger weapon, but a few good slashes will not make anyone's day.
 
Bigger is always better. YA I agree knowledge and training first.
But for me the minimum would be the largest I can legally carry.
 
4 to 5 inches is my ideal length although I think that something the size of a LaGriffe would be the absolute minimum, and preferably used only as backup to a larger primary knife. I don't see the point in carrying anything smaller. Personally, I don't go under 3 inches.
 
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