Hey knife guys

knucklehead G · #1 09-30-2011, 07:45 PM

I need something defensive for my wife. We're in a state with almost no knife laws, but she is a college student with a backpack or purse most of the time and I doubt she'd be okay with an eighteen inch machete hanging out of there.

We work opposite schedules, and a recently a bunch of guys tried to start trouble with her outside a gas station at night, boxing her in with who knows what intents. Some police were pulling in and they all took off, but it unnerved her a good deal.

She's comfortable with knives and guns but refuses to carry the latter, so she picked up this flimsy folder from WalMart's camping section but it won't hold an edge and feels like a toy.

I was looking at the KA-BAR BOGA for size and design rather than because its cheap, but I've found a lot of reviews of people not being able to keep it sharp.

Fixed or folder isn't too big of a deal if its easily concealed, though max blade length is 4" for us. That's not the law here in Arizona but out of the three states we frequent, 4" is the most restrictive, so lets shoot for that.

We don't have the money for a Taser right now, and I think if it was something bigger like a stun gun she wouldn't bother carrying it.

What would you give your wife?

fhm555 · #2 09-30-2011, 08:20 PM

Arizona Custom Knives- Silent Soldier by Brous Blades

excellent example of one that would get someone up off you pretty quick, or bleed them out just about as quick.

Kinda like a revolver, draw and cut. Without training, a folder in a stress situation is just a whole bunch of stuff that can go wrong. Stick to a fixed blade and don't worry too much about it holding an edge. It's not like she's going to be dressing or boning a lot of game so hone it to shaving sharp and it will be good to go for a long time.

Muaguana · #3 09-30-2011, 08:32 PM

What's the price range? Because the first thing I think of when someone says "recommend me a knife" is Cold Steel.

Cold Steel Knives : The Ultimate Knife and Blade Company

They have folders, fixed-blade knives (including neck and boot knives like the BOGA,) as well as other self-defense weapons. And their knives are of excellent quality; I've owned a 5" Vaquero folder for over five years and it's held up to plenty of abuse, and despite never sharpening it, it still cuts like a dream. CS is also known for the strength of their folders' locking mechanisms, which is important if you require reliability in a folding knife.

Only thing about knives is, you still need to know how to use them in a self defense situation for them to be effective. Unless your wife has some training, I don't think one knife would be enough to defend against multiple aggressors (Edit: fhm555 beat me to it). Have you thought about getting a compact can of pepper spray (I like to carry 15g of it, myself), instead of or in addition to the knife?

handofseven · #4 09-30-2011, 08:42 PM

+1 to training and to mace/pepper spray.

Carrying a weapon provides an opportunity for an aggressor to use it against you. If she is up against thugs with guns or knives, carrying one herself is not likely to do her any good. At the very least she should be carrying something non life threatening. A good self defense class would be a good place to start.

Pilgrim · #5 09-30-2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handofseven

+1 to training and to mace/pepper spray.

Carrying a weapon provides an opportunity for an aggressor to use it against you. If she is up against thugs with guns or knives, carrying one herself is not likely to do her any good. At the very least she should be carrying something non life threatening. A good self defense class would be a good place to start.

I have to agree. A combination of situational awareness and pepper spray is about all I can recommend. Best way to stay out of trouble is not to get into places where you are vulnerable. Not always possible, but awareness is helpful.

knucklehead G · #6 09-30-2011, 08:55 PM

I think its more a peace of mind thing, but yeah I intend to get her some pepper spray as well.

burk48237 · #7 09-30-2011, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handofseven

+1 to training and to mace/pepper spray.

Carrying a weapon provides an opportunity for an aggressor to use it against you. If she is up against thugs with guns or knives, carrying one herself is not likely to do her any good. At the very least she should be carrying something non life threatening. A good self defense class would be a good place to start.

True, Defensive knife training is much more involved and intensive than defensive pistol training. I would not recommend carrying a knife for anything more than backup for a firearm or pepper spray. Second, you said your wife was college student, while your state may not have any rules on knife carry it is quite likely that the college does, and many schools have a zero tolerance policy toward any kind of a knife.

iamlowsound · #8 09-30-2011, 09:12 PM

Bear spray

lowsound

bongomania · #9 09-30-2011, 09:36 PM

She could in fact get expelled from school for carrying a knife. Just a thought. I'm sure lots of students carry one thing or another, but it's only because they aren't caught with it.

I like knives, and certainly they do give a feeling of being "ready for action", but when the #### hits the fan they are usually more of a liability than anything, unless the user is well trained. I used to carry regularly, until one time I was mugged at gunpoint, and realized (in time) that my little dagger was not going to get me out of that situation. Maybe if I was Tony Jaa or something it would have gone differently, but I'm not.

I'm thinking maybe the best investment would be hand-to-hand self defense classes--because then she'd stand a chance with or without a knife.

bassbrad · #10 09-30-2011, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knucklehead G

What would you give your wife?

Not a knife, it takes a lot of skill and determination to make a knife a useful weapon, especially as a deterrent.
Pepper Spray or a TaZer are better choices but it still has got to be backed with preparedness.
I had my wife take an awareness and martial arts training course, before I taught her to shoot.

**bassman314** · #11 09-30-2011, 11:24 PM

I carry a smallish Gerber for CC. it's a 2.75" blade. You can open it with one finger.

Plus, it's a handy tool to keep close. I have an office job, and I still end using it most days, even if it's just to help with lunch!

Gerber Torch Drop Point Knife at REI.com

Alternately, here's a nice little trick that is as effective as pepper spray, assuming an assailant isn't deaf. At this price-point, it's possible to set it off, drop, and run:

ThinkGeek :: Micro Sonic Grenade

Another option, which does require some training, is a kubaton

It's small, but can be used in a variety of ways.

T-Bird · #12 09-30-2011, 11:30 PM

Hi.

I realize that this sounds like a broken record (the round, black thingie with a groove in it

), but if You like your get stabbed and/or killed, go ahead and get her a knife. Unless she's willing and able to se it to its fullest potential of course.

Huge + for pepper spray or a personal alarm-thingie they sell. The alarm is safer, it's my understanding (the laws vary of course) that no matter how much these lowlifes You want to protect your wife from deserve to die, if that happens, she's pretty much screwed.

Regards
Sam

FrankenIbanez70 · #13 09-30-2011, 11:44 PM

I actually just bought a new knife, A Gerber Paraframe 2, $20 folding knife and its the sturdiest knife I've ever owned. tested it by cutting a couple beer cans apart. still razor sharp.

But, as others have said, and especially if she has a backpack, Cabela's: UDAP #18 CP Super Magnum Bear Spray with Chest Holster

knucklehead G · #14 10-01-2011, 01:22 AM

When the internet agrees on something, that's worth listening to. I'm talking to her about the bear spray tomorrow. The run range we go to has pepper spray thingies built into batons, so it'll give her something physical to swing around if she feels like it, but hopefully she'll push the button and run.

TB, thank you for your help and consideration.

skychief · #15 10-01-2011, 01:46 AM

Get her a Glock 19. Tremendous stopping power. Better than Bear spray....trust me.

aww dang it.. i didnt read the OP.... Has to be a blade or other non-lethal defense...... i got nuthin....

carlos840 · #16 10-01-2011, 03:24 AM

It might have been said but i think carrying a knife is a horrible idea!
Its the best way to get stabbed you could find!

Unless she is a pretty big woman and has some serious training DONT let her carry a knife!

I would get some mace and some sort of martial art training! ( i do thai boxing and Brazialian Jiu Jitsu 4 times a week and i think its really worth doing! stay away from all the "super deadly chinese master Kung fu and the Mc Dojo's!)

shackled · #17 10-01-2011, 04:07 AM

Spyderco has some great Japanese defensive weapons.
They also carry blunt training blades for the classes she should be taking...

lowfreq33 · #18 10-01-2011, 06:32 AM

Not a knife. Knives require more training than any other means of self defense to be used effectively. She'll more than likely get it taken away from her and used against her if it's truly a dangerous situation.

I've seen taser/stun gun combos that are barely bigger than a 4" blade pocket knife. They even come in pink. You should look into those.

fhm555 · #19 10-01-2011, 07:34 AM

The ONLY advantage to a blade in the hands of an untrained individual is it's simplicity, it don't take a lot of training to draw a knife and cut, and a good gash flowing copious amounts of blood tends to get the attention of even the hardest of hardcore thugs.

That said, it takes a lot of training to take a knife and close on someone with the intent to do them in, and actually succeed.

OTOH, if someone has you by the neck from behind and you have a wicked sharp little blade hanging around your neck you can get to, your potential mugger is going to seriously rethink their intentions when you open their forearm from wrist to elbow. The ensuing pause as they examine their wound should be enough to get out of hands reach and gone like dark at sunrise, or if possessed of the training, step in and open their throat.

All that squat and circle while tossing a knife from one hand to the other is pure hollywood and will only serve to get you bled like a stuck pig if you try it with a trained fighter.

IME, all the CQB training in the world won't do you any good if you fail to realize there's a threat until that threat has you by the short hairs. Situational awareness is the single most important bit of training one can have when looking to head off disaster on the street.

Knowing trouble is coming in time to completely avoid it is the best plan by far, but it's never a bad idea to have a backup plan.

Wifey carries a little DA colt detective special with a bobbed hammer spur and the front sight blade removed...4 rounds in a 5 round cylinder, loaded with hand cast reverse wad cutters with just enough of a charge behind it to splatter on impact. If the excrement hits the fan she only needs draw, point, and pull the trigger until it stops going bang. She carries it in a Galco purse with a dedicated holster pocket and practices drawing and shooting it at least twice a month. None of this isometric grip at eye level stuff, just the good old method perfected by NYPD plainclothes so many years ago. Draw, clamp with both hands at belly level and pop pop pop pop. She can put 4 rounds in a 2" group at 10 yards faster than I can type this sentence. Not hair splitting accuracy by any means, but plenty good enough to give some wannabe bad guy serious pause for thought.

She also has a backup to her backup. An Anza 6" fixed blade fighter that stays shaving sharp. She named it Freddie, and given the choice, I'd prefer she shot me.

bassrique · #20 10-01-2011, 01:25 PM

Good info already posted, so I'll just add what I EDC:

Light, durable and if you break or loose it, it's no biggie as the thing can be replaced for $30-$35.

Or, if you want to get a little fancy, this would work:

The build and steel is better, but it should be for $40 more.