Michigan law basically says that you can’t carry a dangerous weapon. Period. Tell a police officer that your carrying a knife for self-defense, and the situation could get sticky. Knives are just like many other tools in that they can be used as weapons in a pinch. Do not limit yourself to just one tool.
Self Defense Plan:
1. Aviod Conflict:
This is very important. If you don’t engage, you have less chance of getting hurt. When engaged, end it as quickly as possible as the longer it goes, the more at risk you are. Leave your Ego at home.
2. Situational Awarness:
Helps facilitate #1. Be aware of your surroundings when out for those evening walks. Be observant when you are in public. Start reading the Strategies and Tactics section. Think about your vulnerabilities (and how you can reduce them) when you are out and about.
3. Have a plan:
Know what you will do, and how you will react if/when something happens. This also goes back to situational awareness. Deciding how you will deal with a force on force situation during the conflict puts you at a disadvantage. Some people call this “War Gaming”. You’ll find that the solution is often related to #1.
Start thinking about things that you currently carry, and things you could start carrying, that could aid you in escape (even with a gun, you want as little conflict as possible. The longer it lasts, the more danger you are in). This leads to the next list.
Be prepared to use all tools at your disposal. Owning a fishing pole won’t help you catch fish if you don’t know what to do with it. Even if you don’t train in some discipline, you can still train. Open and close your knife while watching TV will train the muscle memory.
Tools:
Brain
OC/Pepper Spray
Flashlight
Knife (or two)
Blunt Trauma Tools
These are items you should carry every day (especially the brain
). People will eventually come along and say to start training in some form of SD, and they are right. Unfortunately, many people don’t/won’t follow that advice. I’m not saying it’s right, just saying how it is. Just because you don’t train to be a cage fighter doesn’t mean you can’t take other measures however, it does decrease your chances.
Brain:
See “Self Defense Plan”.
OC/Pepper Spray:
It’s such a crime that much of society frowns upon the idea of “Self-Defense”. Any limits on tools of SD are repugnant, and just plain immoral. Criminals ignore such limits, and they only endanger the victims, giving the criminals who ignore them a better chance. Sickening.
Michigan has a limit on the potency of the type of spray you can use. I guess it’s better than nothing. I’m told that you can get better stuff in other states, but I wouldn’t know about such things.
Flashlight:
You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but you can. The Surefire 6P LED is going to cost a substantional amount of money. It is worth it but, you must decide if you can afford it. There are inexpensive lights out there (I currently carry a Rayovac 3-watt Sportsman Extreme 2xAA) that are plenty bright, and will work. Is the Surefire a better light? Absolument. Do you need the Surefire over one of the cheaper (yes they are cheaper) lights? Only you can decide. I have a couple Surefire’s, and I prefer my ROV for EDC. Another inexpensive light you might consider is the ROV Sportsman Extreme 4-watt 3xC cell light that you can buy at Meijers for $25 (The 2xAA 3-watt can be had for the same price at WalMart). While the 3xC cell light isn’t EDC size, it is a good light for walking around the neighborhood at night, or when you know you will need a light. You want a minimum of 60 lumens. The 2xAA has about 56-60 lumens (there is what appears to be a better version available on line), and the 3xC cell puts out about twice that much. At any rate, get over to candlepowerforums.com and do some research. They are a very helpful bunch, and will be able to help you with some options that may suit you in a flashlight.
Blunt Trauma Tools:
There are lost of stuff you can use. There are items that are built to specifically address force on force (Comtec Stinger comes to mind), and there are also every day items. You could use car keys (although I’d rather have something better) like the long ones Ford uses. There are also things like the Parker ballpoint, Stainless Steel Jotter that can be used in a pinch. Your flashlight can also be a devastating weapon if needed. There is even a thread in the Non-Firearms Forum section of THR.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=307522
More research.
A Good Folding Knife:
Check local laws as some areas (especially around Detroit) have severe restrictions on pocket knives.
Anything Emerson with the wave is going to be good. Spyderco Waved Endura/Delica (many believe the Wave on the Spyderco’s works better than the Wave on the Emersons) is a more economical choice without sacrificing quality, or dependability. There are lots of good quality knives out there that will work, but don’t skimp. You’re betting your life on this tool. How much is your life worth? That doesn’t mean you have to spend hundreds of dollars. Benchmade and Spyderco have good, lower priced lines, and CRKT often has discontinued models that can be found on ebay for cheap. Stay away from lines like Smith & Wesson, or Colt. While many people like these knives, you can do better for the money with Spyderco’s byrd line, and Benchmade’s Red line. Go to bladeforums.com, and knifeforums.com. Tell them what your requirements are for a knife, what the local laws are, and ask for advice. Enthusiasts are usually helpful. There are also many people on these forums that are practitioners of SD both with and without the blade who can provide you with insight. I strongly recommend you do this before buying a knife. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to ask about a specific knife before buying it. Otherwise you might waste your money on something that won’t be sufficient.
Find a knife which suites you best, and be prepared with a backup. If you can’t afford two of the same, then get some other knife as a second. You want it to be as sharp as possible, and carrying around a knife that isn’t razor sharp will decrease your odds when your life depends on it.
No offense intended but it sounds like you haven’t considered carrying a good quality before now. That means that you probably haven’t become accustomed to using that knife (drawing it from your pocket, opening it and then transferring to the proper grip, as well as actually cutting things with it). You need to make such things second nature because in a SD situation, you won’t have time to think about them, and the fine motor skills will fail you. Using the knife every day (from opening boxes, to opening envelopes) will train your muscle memory, as well as make the knife become the “tool” that you carry for utilitarian purposes. Besides, once you start carrying a knife, you will probably find yourself using it more often.
This leads to reasons why I recommend a backup. Using a knife every day will make it dull. Having a backup will allow you to start the day with a sharp knife (remember: razor sharp) if you don’t have time to sharpen the knife every day. Maintaining the edge is important, as it’s easier to take a slightly dull knife and make it sharp, then it is to take a duller knife and sharpen it. Read this thread:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=8341
Joe Talmadge is widely recognized in the industry as a knife sharpening guru. Another reason to have a backup is that you’ll eventually find yourself knifeless. A PO could confiscate it, you could loose it, or leave it at the GF’s. It happens, and you don’t want to be caught without it. You’ll eventually find yourself checking to make sure it’s on you, and if you leave home without it you’ll feel like you didn’t dress completely for the day. Bottom-line is that it doesn’t hurt to have a second one at home in case the first one ends up gone.
I put these things in what I consider order of importance. While the knife is last, that doesn’t mean that you resort to it last. If your life is threatened, and you’ve no avenue of escape, it doesn’t make sense to leave your best means of extricating yourself from that situation in your pocket. Furthermore, waiting until your life is in eminent danger will probably mean you may well not be able to utilize it. Again, this gets back to situational awareness.
This is just my viewpoint. Take it for what it’s worth as free advice on the internet. I’m sure there will be some who will add, agree, or disagree with some of what I’ve said. Ultimately, it is your life, and the life of your loved one/s, and you must decide what’s best.
