What is the purpose of a knife if you CCW

[turbohardtop]

I was noticing that everyone that CCW has a knife. What is the purpose/theory for carrying the knife? Also, what constitutes a good knife versus a bad one? Thanks.

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

knives are handy for any number of things besides defense. need rope cut? using a gun is difficult.

edit: a good knife vs a bad knife usually has to do with the quality of the steel/ability to hold a good edge

 

[schadenfreude]

I carry a knife to open boxes and also to cut twine in the garden when staking the peonies. Never had to use it for much else....

Oh yeah cleaning fingernails.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

What is the purpose/theory for carrying the knife?

Sometimes I need to cut something. Knives are pretty useful for that.

 

[Carl Levitian]

Well, for one thing, you can't carry a gun everywhere, even if you have a CCW. A lot of government buildings have metal detectors at the door, and very high security. Same thing with alot of museums, art galleries, and private corporate buildings, and schools.

And not every hincky situation calls for the "pull the gun and shoot him" routine that seems to be popular with the Walter Mity posse. Shoot an over agressive pan handler who tries his luck with a strong arm on you, and he's unarmed, and I hope your father, mother, brother, kid sister, or somebody who really loves you is a top shelf lawyer. You're gonna need them. Or you may be in a spot where you don't want 9mm bullets going through some sleeze, and hitting the 12 year old on the way to school thats halfway down the street.

A permit to carry a gun is both a blessing and a curse. It can save your life, or ruin it. Be very carefull and leave yourself other tools to deal with things.

Besides, like was hinted at, darn hard to open a UPS box with a Glock.

 

[Claude Clay]

#2--opening those 'sealed for freshness' snack packages.
annnnd #1--opening the child-proof asprin containers

 

[Maelstrom]

Sometimes I need to cut something. Knives are pretty useful for that.

I've heard that somewhere before.

 

[squinty]

I've always carried some kind of sharp tool - boy socut knife, leatherman, swiss army knife or a little spyderco - since I was 10 years old. It's a tool more than a weapon. But guns jam, or get seized by assailants, or might be hard to reach if someone grabbed or bearhugged you, etc. So what's wrong with a back-up weapon?

Maelstrom: The president is the commander in chief because this is ostensibly a free society where the government enacts the will of the governed. (Ostensibly!) Thus military leadership must always be subordinate to the peoples' representatives/civilian leadership. That actually means Congress, as the President is supposed to merely execute the laws as passed by congress, even in his role as commander in chief since congress (supposedly) and not the president can declare war. As for making tactical decisions and actually leading an Army - it's a poor leader who wouldn't delegate such tasks.

 

[Ghost Tracker]

I carry a knife because (almost) everyone needs one & fewer people are carrying one...so mine becomes a sharp, handy, time-honored tool for my fellow citizen to successfully cut, open & use for generally knifey purposes.

I carry a gun because a policeman is too heavy to pack around.

 

[Big Bill]

I carry a knife for all the reasons stated above and also as a backup close quarter combat weapon.

 

[Texian]

I carry a knife for the same reason I carry keys, it helps me get in to and out of places easier than if i did not carry one.

But I have to say, I am going to try and open a box with a Glock (for one I don't have a Glock and this would be a good excuse to get one and two it sounds like fun).

"Also, what constitutes a good knife versus a bad one? Thanks."

One that works for your needs, for example I have a knife I carry daily that holds an edge and I don't care if I break the tip prying something (good thing since the tip is missing) and Have one that I only use for gutting and cleaning animals. The better the steel the less work it takes to keep it sharp.

 

[Valkman]

I carried a knife everyday long before I could carry a gun, but not for self defense. Just as a tool and a useful one at that.

Good knives - stick to brand names that use good steel and have good heat treat. Spyderco, Buck, Benchmade are a few.

 

[7X57chilmau]

Carry a small knife for a few months. Now try to go a day without one in your pocket. Your question will answer itself.

A good everyday carry knife is small and light enough to be easy, one hand opening is important to me, blade shape and steel suitable for everyday tasks (no need for a sabre ground ka-bar, a flat or hollow grind works best for me).

You'll use it to open packaging, cut tape, pull splinters, and a million things.

Be careful who you lend it to. THey want to pull staples and cut wire.



That's been mine for 3 years now. Little 2-3/8" blade does the job every time, be it opening a blisterpack or skinning a rabbit. It replaced a D. Ralph Paragee (plain edge version) that was carried for 4 years before that.



Prior to that it was a CRKT liner lock folder, and a half dozen others.

I don't carry a gun, the paperwork sucks in Canada. I have carried a pocket knife of some type since I was about 8. It is NOT a concealed weapon, it is a tool, ready for whatever opportunity presents itself today.

J

 

[sixgunner455]

Same purpose it has if you don't CCW: To cut stuff.

 

[vicdotcom]

Ever try to gut a fish with a .45??!?! Those scales get EVERYWHERE! Stick with the knife.

 

[Kind of Blued]

I use mine daily at work, often 10-12 times in a two hour period. I've also gotten very good at using the back side of the blade to pop beer bottles open after work. I second the idea of picking one up, a $20-30 Kershaw or CRKT can be found at Wal-Mart. After a few weeks you'll find yourself wasting time doing things with your fingers like a primate if you leave it at home.

Anyway, that's not really what you were getting at, so here's an example in which a knife would have been a better weapon than a gun:

Today I was on the bus with a big dude in the seat behind me, and like usual I played the "What would you do if..." strategies & tactics game with myself.

I decided if the guy just suddenly started strangling me with no warning, I wasn't sure if I could get a shot on someone directly behind me without being able to see him. Considering that there were a bunch of people behind HIM, I might have hit or killed an innocent bystander. The only thing I would be able to see/feel/reference would be his forearm. Also, "stabbing myself in the back" would effectively make "contact".

Even in that theoretical life-or-death self-defense situation, a knife was the better answer than a gun.

I can now apply this knowledge/foresight to the urinal, being in line, etc, although all of these situations are easily avoidable. God forbid I fail to avoid them, I'd much rather have the cops confiscate my $80 pocket knife than my $600 gun.

 

[bikerdoc]

First of all I think you already know the answer, but just need confirmation, and Im not being a smart a##, or trying to insult you or embarrass you, we are all weapons and tool guys . A knive is a tool, but part of my layered defense, Just like my cane, belt, boots, keys and pen.and of course my gun. you notice I listed gun last. - Think situational awarness, and avoiding trouble.

A good knife is one of good steel, kept sharp, and fits your every day needs. spyderco, in my pocket, ka-bar around my neck.

 

[Doc_Jude]

turbohardtop: you really walked into this one. If Bill Engvall was here, you'd be "getting yur sign"....

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Just in case I need to conduct spontaneous surgery!

As noted above, sometimes I just need to cut something.

 

[notorious]

I use my knife daily. I hope to never have to use my gun anywhere close to that frequency... and if I do use it, only for practice and qualifications.

A knife is a tool first, and a defense weapon second, IMHO. I guess it's the same as never bring a knife to a sword fight as having a handgun when you should have a rifle.

As for carrying a knife when you can't CCW... not too many places that limit CCW will let you carry a knife anyway so you have to be out on both counts.

Besides, a knife looks so cool clipped on your pocket!

 

[crebralfix]

I have tool knives and fighting knives. They are usually the same model; one's just never used since I don't get into knife fights

One use of the knife is during a gun grab (which is a murder in progress). They will tend to let go of the gun if their torso is being perforated or the tendons in their arm have been cut.

 

[bikerdoc]

Massad Ayoub. calls that a gun retention knife.
Fancy words for you picked the wrong old man to screw with.

 

[notorious]

My fighting knives are usually too big to carry anywhere on my body without scaring people.

Cheap clip it knives are the order of the day for tools. Use it, break it, lose it, whatever, got another one.

 

[TAB]

Knifes and guns are both tools... you use a knife alot more then you use a gun. I use mine just about every day.

 

[turbohardtop]

Tab, you must live is some bad neighborhood if you have to use your knife everyday....J/K.