Need knife suggestion

[mountaindrew]

Get a good folder with the "carson flipper" tab. It is a small tab on the blade that protrudes form the back of the handle when closed and becomes a finger gaurd when opened. I suggest the Gerber evo. I carry one of these type knives every day, and find tons of uses for it besides self defense. I open it probably 5 times a day for a need and more just because. I open it enough that I have no doubt I could do it in my sleep Or under ant stress. It is fast (easily as fast as an auto or assisted opener and much safer than an assisted opener. The blade is sufficient for self defense, and it is lightweight and alot easier to conceal than a straight blade. If you are going to break the rules, be smart and don't make it easier for them to catch you by hauling around some big combat fighting fixed blade. Just carry a "normal" pocket knife like everyone else, that also happens to be lightning fast and suitable for self defense.

 

[conw]

I echo the last poster's suggestion about the tab. Therefore no question about "auto opening" etc. I like the Kershaw Junkyard Dog 2. It's big and tough enough to use as a hammer or kubotan when closed, and has the tab the last post mentioned.

Another option is a large swiss army knife with thumb hole in primary blade. More PC but still effective.

BTW, I don't understand why people say "knives are ineffective for self-defense." I usually hear people say "Don't rely on a knife for primary SD item if you are untrained," which is good sense, but when did a knife become downright ineffective?

Sure, it isn't going to stop someone in their tracks, but neither is a kubotan, .45, 9mm, or any other concealable weapon 100% of the time. If you get in close and dirty and you have to have an advantage, nothing is wrong with a knife.

 

[sm]

BTW, I don't understand why people say "knives are ineffective for self-defense."

JShirley has addressed this already in this thread and in other threads more than once.
He expresses the reasons a whole lot better than I ever could.

He has training, and he has been there and done that!
He himself is not going to rely on a knife, or any physical thing, including a gun, even a long gun like a rifle or shotgun to keep him safe.

There is Problem 2, that being if you survive, the legal and civil actions one has to go through.
These cost more than just money.
They cost families, kids, college education, jobs, being hired again, how viewed in society.

Even if one does everything perfect, this all costs money,and so much more.

You bring a knife to school and the Jury of your peers sees that knife the Politician , MSM, and News has profiled as being evil, and these "Peers" are not going to think exactly as you do.

Judge will state and clarify everything to a jury, and the jury , being human, are watching you during this trial. Every time you write something down, lean over to speak to attorney, scratch your nose, uncross legs...everything about you is being "read" and you are being "profiled" whether you like it or not, that is the reality.

John uses a 20 oz bottle of soda, or water and defends himself enough to get free and hauls butt out a door to safety.

Well he hit a person, and college says there has to be a review.
"I was in fear of my life" - John states.

What a prudent person would do in a situation. Most would try to get the hell away.
So the review folks , they have to do this review, can see a 20 oz water bottle was used, perfectly legal to have on campus, and John was being prudent in actions, and he was in fear , so he hits with a bottle an runs...

Any Civil lawsuits from the person he hit, or family - well it gets filed and maybe, just maybe, the Judge looks at this, his docket with more serious crimes to deal with and

"Are you nuts! John was in fear and used a friggin 20 oz bottle of water then ran off...get this damn thing of my desk and get out of my chambers!"



No disrespect.

Some folks would be wise to sit on a real trial in a courtroom than reading Internet Gun and Knife forums, and reading Gun and Knife catalogs.

 

[Skofnung]

Never bring a knife to a gun fight.

Always bring a knife to a gun fight. Always bring a knife everywhere (except where prohibited by law.) Just make sure you have a gun as a primary weapon. A knife is too useful a tool to be left at home.

That said, there are better (and already mentioned) options than a knife in your situation.

 

[Exmasonite]

I'm a small person with a terribly short reach

This was your argument for not using an impact weapon. I would contend it further reinforces that a knife isn't a great SD weapon, especially in this situation.

2 thoughts/ideas:

1) Metallic flashlight +/- strike bezel (like surefire E2D). You've got impact and blinding/incapacitating in the arsenal then. besides, aside from SD, a flashlight is a great tool to have.

2) Pepper spray/foam/gel. Helps make up for the quote (short reach) by giving you some range. Not sure about the legality where you're at but i think you'd get in less trouble for carrying OC spray than carrying a blade (IANAL). Also gives you the advantage of potentially engaging multiple opponents.


Now, i would say that combining all 3 (light, pepper product, and knife) is probably the best option. Just keep the knife as the "all out last resort" weapon.

Lead with the nalgene water bottle (heck, practice throwing that lexan torpedo), then onto light/pepper spray and save the knife for when you're really in deep.

As far as knives go, i'm a huge fan of benchmade and CRKT. Careful w/ the "Sting" as it is considered a dagger and may incur even greater legal troubles.

Lastly, if $ isn't an issue, Emerson sure makes some nice knives! A few come in sub 3" variety, too.

 

[Mastiff4570]

wll i too am a college student and i do constantly carry a knife and am a knife collector it is not important to have a fixed blade and it is not important to have soemthing high qualityfor your purpose i think i carry mostly gerbers and a buck spring assist i thing the buck would get me in alittle more trouble if it came to litigation now i do have to say i go to a rural school in PA so most kids walk around here with buck knives and multi tools on there belts and other knives wihtt he pocket clip hanging out even though our rules say no knives they school has decided to ignore it most of the time but i suggest getting a knice little gerber with a thumb stud and carrying it you can def get it open fast enough and it inexpensive and mine has been sun over by a quad and stepped on by a few horses and thrown through ahay bailer and still works damn well

 

[Sapper771]

Join the local Police Department, then you can carry a Pistol anywhere in the country... LOL

 

[RancidSumo]

Or, join the "golf club" or the "baseball team", and carry your equipment bag to class, since "practice" is "right after" class.

Yeah, since carrying a golf bag or baseball bat is a very practical.

 

[Exmasonite]

probably more practical than depending on a <3" knife!

 

[RancidSumo]

not much

 

[hit or miss]

Bike chain with a padlock! Lots of discreet items can be weapons when the need is near. Glad you posted the question, lots of good input.

 

[QuakKillz]

Glad you posted the question, lots of good input.

I do personally like the "water bottle" idea....never thought about it until recently....

 

[conw]

sm,

I agree with you (see the last part of my previous post) but I still don't think any of those things make the knife "ineffective." Less than optimal, yeah. But not downright "ineffective."

 

[hignhappy00]

Here's one I find...
Pathfinder Tactical Knife
A decent deal for it is only $37.

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

I agree. A knife is not an optimal weapon, but it is effective, as a weapon (well, some are, I'm not gonna argue that a Case Peanut is good for killing things besides catfish, which can be a chore) but still, knife, razor, sciccors, can be used to cut and stab and hit. I usually carry two knives, a slipjoint and a locking folder, clipped. Would I use the locker for SD? I don't know, but I like having the option.
A whole lot of things can serve you for SD tools in school. Backpacks, computer bags, and textbooks, to name a few. I should know- I'm a ninth grader

 

[alaskanativeson]

MINDSET above all else. That comes before the tools at hand or the size of the combatants. If someone is afraid I suggest a personal defense class. Kenpo and Tae Kwon Do are my suggestions there.

As for the tool to choose, I wouldn't carry a fixed blade for defense in normal every day use. The sheaths aren't right for the ergonomics of carry and concealment. The handle of a good quality pocket knife keeps the blade safe until it's needed. I guarantee my Spyderco is going to be out of my pocket and ready faster than most people pulling out a concealed sheath knife. I chose this knife because of how comfortable I am with its lightning fast handling for me. It's a custom Wayne Goddard and I love the feel of it.

A knife wouldn't even be my first non-firearm choice though. With a knife I can kill you but that doesn't always mean it'll happen quickly and without a fight from you. With a small baton I can put you down before you realize what happened. In Martial Arts you refer to it as a kubotan. I call it a Streamlight LED flashlight or these days an even safer carry weapon, a Cold Steel Sharkie pen. It can sit unobtrusively in my back pocket (even going through airport security) and is a normal every day item to have. It's also devastating in its use for trained hands.

If you're really worried, I would HIGHLY recommend classes. Your best weapon is your mind. If it's not sharp, the best knife in the world may not help. Let someone who thinks about these things for a living help you sharpen your mind. (Sorry, did that sound too much like a fortune cookie?)

 

[Patrick_Henry]

If carrying a knife at your school is against the rules, I wouldn't. If your willing to get thrown out of school for carrying a knife, you might as well transfer to a school that will let you have one now, shucks maybe just transfer somewhere in Utah...

That said some decent alternatives are:
Large master lock tied to the end of a bandanna or some such thing. Esp. since you say you have more limited reach.

+1 on carrying a cane. I've never carried one but have done a good bit with sticks and they do work very well. And again it is going to boost your reach significantly. If you don't want to look silly with a cane even a well made umbrella might suffice in this area, esp if you helped it a little bit...

You might also think about putting a 4D maglite in your back pack. Its a bit heavy, but I wouldn't want someone to hit me in the head with one.

The truth is where there are restrictions there are always plenty of ways to arm yourself if you really want to. Many of the oriental "weapons" that are taught in martial arts originate from farming implements and the like. When the weapons were banned new ideas originated. The biggest thing to remember though is that if your fighting someone who has a gun and you don't have one the only way your gonna win is to take him completely off guard. Mindset and training are gonna matter way more in that situation than having a knife as opposed to a heavy flashlight or even nothing.

 

[JShirley]

Hell, a heavy book, well applied, can do a number on an attacker.

Read a book!!!!!!