I need a knife recomendation (for defence)

[casey44mag]

I carry a Ruger sp-101 but I want a fixwd blade knife for carry when i cant carry a gun or for a back up weapon. Im looking at the Becker combat bowie and Ka-bar fighting knives and glock, SOG knives, and Case bowie.

This is what i want: I want to make a rig for my calf so the knife can be pulled straight down, (ive done it before witha small machete and it works very well) I would like a Kydex style sheath so i can re insert the knife in the shealth with no hasle. i want a blade larger than 7" but no larger than 12"ish. and NO SERATIONS (i dont like them) i want the sheath to be easy to get the knife out like a retention or easy snap.

I havent bought large knife in a long time and there are so many new makers what are your recomendations?

 

[mg.mikael]

The first question you need to answer is "what kind of defensive purposes is this knife for?"
Is it for camping, around the house, going to the city, work, etc.

Plus not knowing your location other then Michigan doesn't help since there's limits to blade lengths depending on where you live. Not to mention lots of places don't look kindly at folks carrying a large fixed blade knife, especially in more urban/suburban areas.

 

[Jason_G]

I think you may be asking for trouble. You better check your knife laws before continuing with your plan.

Jason

 

[hmphargh]

In Michigan, you're almost certainly asking to be arrested if you carry a knife of that size while doing anything but sitting in, or walking to a hunting blind.

 

[casey44mag]

Well as i reveiwed michigan state laws I'm a walking felon case! my pocket\clip knife is 4", 1" over the legal limit and i bought it from Wal Mart! so I'm illegal right now as i type this and my machette and ka-bar hunting knife are both illegal too! I keep a 7" kershaw fixed in my truck for the last 8 years and have been searched twice by state troopers and all i got was compliments on it. as regarding my OP i still need advise.
Oh p.s. Walmart has 18" coleman matchettes on sale for 6.99$ i better call the police

 

[hmphargh]

Unfortunately, in Michigan, it is all about possession, intent, and the officer's opinion. Owning them isn't illegal, having them in your truck is probably more understandable, walking around with a fixed blade of that length strapped to yourself seems more than a little suspicious. I would certainly question your intent if I saw you on the street, and I would be surprised if a peace officer did not do the same.

As far as what you should buy, I'd say you should put in your order for a Randall, wait the 56 month backlog, and strap on your new knife 4.5 years from now.

 

[hso]

Casey,

It will difficult for folks to take an idea like putting a 7"+ knife on a leg sheath for every day carry seriously. Calf carry is usually left for compact blades.

Also, concealed carry of a large fixed blade will almost certainly put you at odds with the law in your state.

 

[mole]

I too question your plan, but as far as recommending a knife...how about a ka bar zombie killer war sword? Blade Length: 9-3/4" Overall Length: 15-1/8" I wonder how it would perform.

 

[M-Cameron]

along with everyone elses concerns........a knife is honestly a poor choice for a defensive weapon.

you do know what they say about knife fighting...."it sends one to the hospital, another to the morgue"

if you cant carry a gun......Mace, a stout cane, or a strong umbrella would be FAR better options for SD.

 

[glistam]

When your primary deadly-force item is a handgun, I can see little need for such a large knife, and even less use for a calf rig. In law enforcement the only time I have ever heard knives being used as weapons is as back-ups when the suspect makes a grab for a holstered sidearm. In the anecdotes where the use of the knife was successful, it was carried in a manner accessible to the off-hand while the officer was standing up (not standing on one leg reaching up their trouser leg), and the knife was 3 inches long or less (which makes it more maneuverable in a grapple), Ka-bar TDI being one model.

That's pretty limited use if you ask me, especially since officers carry their gun in plain sight, and you as a civie would have it concealed. You should consider more utilitarian knives for general use, and focus your search on intermediate levels of force options. No all defense situations can be legally resolved with a gun or a knife. Never underestimate pepper spray for one.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Oh p.s. Walmart has 18" coleman matchettes on sale for 6.99$ i better call the police

People sell swords and class 3 long guns all day, every day. Doesn't mean you can carry one on your person lawfully.

But, you should carry what you want. Get yourself the zombie hacker of your choice. After you amble around with it for a while, you'll probably follow the tracks of guys who have a couple of decades on you and go with a good folder and more software in your head.

We're all constantly sorting and reevaluating our choices, software, and hardware. You're just like the rest of us.

 

[Jason_G]

Y'all remember this?



Jason

 

[Walking Dead]

Benchmade I'm pretty sure cheaper than dirt has them on sale still.

 

[lemaymiami]

The idea of carrying that large blade, concealed and "available", will get really old if you actually do it.... It might be great fun to think about but the day to day will teach you lots of reasons to give that sort of stuff a pass.

In my years as a cop, I gave more than one guy the benefit of the doubt in a weapons situation. Anyone I found armed to the teeth probably didn't like the way things worked out.... Everyone has to make their own choices about weapons, and they have to live with the results for better or worse.

 

[hso]

Smaller knife in a different carry position.

 

[casey44mag]

ok I give

Ok i did a little re-evaluating i geuss and should have really made a better original title with more info. I really dont carry for defense against people I live in a small town and the worst people do around here is drink and drive.
Im an avid outdoorsman and hiker, And i admit a calf rig was a bit extreme.
I have in the past had to defend myself against a dog on two different occasions (yes a dog you read it correctly there was a problem with a pitbull puppy farm a while back and some preffer to be wild). I geuss if I had a bowie or machette id feel safer? as in if I needed shelter or collect food what im ideally looking for is the perfect utility\defense knife and since i clarified that it will be a woods knive than anything else I personally dont think the langth of the blade will be an issue for say a game warden. And i dont beleive in a zombie hacker or zombies so please dont bring up that crap. And like I said in my op i havent bought a large fixed blade knife in a loooooong time so i dont know who makes a decent blade.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Price Range?

What are you looking to spend?

What sort of abuse are you expecting to subject this new tool to?

There's a wide range of really competent outdoor knives available.

ESEE makes some really fine stuff. Buck has recently added the "Hoodlum" to its line.

If you're looking to drop $200 or $300 on a hard-use knife, there are some outstanding pieces out there.

If your price cap is more like $150, then we look elsewhere.

What can you tell us?

 

[dayhiker]

as in if I needed shelter or collect food what im ideally looking for is the perfect utility\defense knife and since i clarified that it will be a woods knive than anything else I personally dont think the langth of the blade will be an issue for say a game warden.

Since you still want a blade longer than 7", and you have been looking at the BK9, I'd say go with it. The BK9 will do what you want at a decent price point.

So, if after a few months you get tired of lugging a 9" blade around you won't be out of a lot of cash.Plus you will still have a great car camping knife.

Personally I prefer a 4" fixed for EDC and woods duty. I'll add a small hatchet during the colder months for more efficient wood processing. It weighs a couple ounces more than a BK9, is more compact, and a much better chopper.

 

[M-Cameron]

And i dont beleive in a zombie hacker or zombies so please dont bring up that crap

i actually think that comment about the zombie sword was a legitimate suggestion.....

kabar recently released a line of knives called "zombie killer"......apparently the zombie part is just a joke as there are all previous knife designs kabar has brought "back to life"...

here is the knife suggested:
http://www.lapolicegear.com/kabar-zk-war-sword.html

 

[hso]

Casey,

That's not just a poor choice in titles, you've changed the description of your needs altogether and that changes everything, including how people respond to you. It's not very appropriate to be tossing stones at other members because of you framed your question. As a young man/husband/father it's important to be clear and consistent in what you communicate and it is equally important to acknowledge an error and move on with what is needed.

In the Michigan woods the combo Dayhiker has shown you should give you the idea of what you need. A small axe is important in deep woods, but if you're not out in show season the weight can be discarded if you learn to baton a 4"-5" fixed blade to make improvised shelter and split light firewood. If you plan on being out minimalist camping in Michigan late Fall and Winter I'd keep the hatchet or even opt for a light pac ax. You can "get food" with a pocket knife and don't need anything bigger. What's more important than what you're carrying in your pocket or on your belt is what knowledge you're carrying in your head. Knowing what the local wild plant food species and how to rig snares and traps for the local small game is more important than anything. A knife is a tool to make tools if you know how to use it properly. Learn the knowledge and develop the skills to make the tools that will let you build shelter, make fire and gather food with the tools your knife let's you make. Any 4-5" blade will make a reasonable dual purpose knife as long as the point is somewhat in line with the grip. As to defense against "wild" dogs, carry a stick. Sharpened if you think it's important enough, shod with a piece of brass or copper pipe if you don't. It provides much more reach and is far more useful than some sharpened steel boat paddle of a knife dragging your plant down mile after mile.

 

[Jason_G]

I carry a Ruger sp-101 but I want a fixwd blade knife for carry when i cant carry a gun or for a back up weapon...

Ok i did a little re-evaluating i geuss and should have really made a better original title with more info. I really dont carry for defense against people I live in a small town and the worst people do around here is drink and drive.
Im an avid outdoorsman and hiker, And i admit a calf rig was a bit extreme.
I have in the past had to defend myself against a dog on two different occasions (yes a dog you read it correctly there was a problem with a pitbull puppy farm a while back and some preffer to be wild). I geuss if I had a bowie or machette id feel safer? as in if I needed shelter or collect food what im ideally looking for is the perfect utility\defense knife and since i clarified that it will be a woods knive than anything else I personally dont think the langth of the blade will be an issue for say a game warden. And i dont beleive in a zombie hacker or zombies so please dont bring up that crap. And like I said in my op i havent bought a large fixed blade knife in a loooooong time so i dont know who makes a decent blade.

I don't think anyone is going to know what advice to give you if you don't know what the purpose of the knife is. I'm not being snarky, but your posts are confusing. If it's the first scenario, and it has to be a knife, you'd be better off with a legal folder. If it's the second scenario, you'd be better off with a gun. If you just want to buy it just because, then all the discussion is moot, just buy what you want.

I don't know, maybe I'm misunderstanding something.

Jason

 

[Carl Levitian]

Hey Casey,

The guys here are giving you great advise, as much as your post is giving them to go on. But I think you're starting out with some assumptions not based on any real experience. If you are carrying a firearm for defensive use, a overly large knife is not only not needed, but can be a PITA. If you are worried about a dog encounter, then a basic hiking stick or walking stick is all you need. As much as the owners would like to believe, pit bulls are not the indestructible animals they are made out to be. A stout length of hornbeam, ash, or oak will take care of anything short of needing a firearm. Since you have a CCW handgun on you, maybe look at some stop gap non lethal tool for use as an intermediate choice. A can of pepper spray, stick/cane, should do.

When I was young, I was gung ho enough to lug around a Randall 14 as my woods knife. Being young and impressionable, I thought it was needed. As I got older, I got real tired of lugging it and other heavy stuff around, not to mention in the 20 years I carried that silly thing, I never used it for anything that I could not have done with a much smaller knife. It got sold off, and I never missed it at all. I ended up carrying a Swedish mora and a folding saw. If I need a survival combo, spend a night out in the woods, I can do better with that combo than with some bowie type knife. I can only offer my experience that came with age as a guide, but the big bowie knife is not the way to go. Dayhiker gave the best advise here. Forget what you read in the knife magazines.

I envy you the ability to CCW a handgun. Here in the Peoples Republik Of Maryland, that is not an option, so I've had to live my life with other choices. My wife and I love the woods, and for the past 40 years I've done well without a handgun. The two times I did weather a pit bull attack on our welsh corgi, a stout hiking staff from hornbeam did well. In one case, the pit bull died from a blow to the head, the second one had to be put down because of damage to the spine from a blow across the back as it was trying to chew on our corgi. So a good stick is not to be overlooked or underestimated. You stated that there are times you can't carry a gun. I only mention the stick as you made mention of a problem with a pit bull farm. If you go someplace you can't CCW, a compact locking folder and a good stick will be perfectly legal, and will protect you very well.

The big bowie sized knife in a calf sheath may have a certain appeal, but I urge you to forgo it, and stick with the practical. Most times the big knives get outgrown and take up residence in a drawer.

Good luck.

Carl.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Personally I prefer a 4" fixed for EDC and woods duty. I'll add a small hatchet during the colder months for more efficient wood processing. It weighs a couple ounces more than a BK9, is more compact, and a much better chopper.

I'm an avid backpacker and backcountry bowhunter, and I have to wholeheartedly agree with this.

I have a similar setup I really find hard to fault.

 

[JShirley]

Okay, I'll be the exception. While I do agree that a 3-4' stick is better dog defense than a knife, I like a large chopping knife in the woods. And I have road-marched enough- usually carrying more than any recreational hiker ever would- to have earned my preferences fairly.

A large Becker wouldn't be a bad choice. I have 4 large Himalayan Imports knives that would all fit the role (though the longest one is on the large size). The Spyderco Schempp Rock is a large but surprisingly lightweight knife you can get for just over $130, shipped. Another excellent choice would be one of my pal Andy's Fiddleback Forge machetes. Those will run you $100, but you'll need to buy or make a sheath.

John

 

[Backwoodsmike]

I don't get why people get so upset about big knives. I do concert security and honestly don't care about the guy walking around with a pig sticker down to his leg; it's the guy with the switchblade, butterfly knife, bootknife, punch knife, and all the other deadly but little items. People who carry big knives usually do it because they think they look cool.

Any one who has ever used a knife knows that it's hard to use a big knife unless you're a really big guy and have arm length. Big knives are hard to draw and use. I saw a fight once where a guy with a bowie couldn't even get it out before the other guy broke a beer bottle across his face. I think people who post about big knives here just want more information about a knife but people here jump on them so they change what they want the knife for.