Have you ever used a knife in a real self-defense situation against another person?

[dougo83]

I noticed that in Iraq too. I think those people are so used to having guns brandished (threateningly) that they have desensitized a bit. When a guy pulls a knife he likely means business.

Could it be that, much like me, they would rather be shot and get it over with than stabbed and either bleed out or suffer multiple wounds?

[zignal_zero]

JORSKI3000-

wow, glad to hear everything went well. no one, not even the BG's, were injured. what a success

pretty cool you spotted the jack before they made contact. i think things could've gone different if you weren't smart/quick enough to get that first shove in there. good job, man

[jorski3000]

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the way it ended. I've been thinking how the situation could have been avoided alltogether, but like I said, I had to be there, and they were very ballsy, I think they were used to people (especially white Westerners) just bending over and giving up without putting up a fight. I'm not the first person I would pick as a target, especially with bare hands and only two of them.

But like I said, I did change my pattern, and after that incident I would take a friend to watch my six whenever my business compelled me to go to the city centre. A friend who was packing - I didn't and still don't have a license. My enployer was against that, as gunslinging could have damaged "relations with the community." I gave up that career, eventually...

The waved folder clipped to back pocket worked fine. But nevertheless I've changed my method of carrying my primary SD blade to right jacket pocket, and I favour fixed blades. No fumbling, just keep hand in pocket until/if the need arises. Then just yank and shank.

Thank God there's been no need for that.

[zignal_zero]

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the way it ended. I've been thinking how the situation could have been avoided alltogether, but like I said, I had to be there, and they were very ballsy, I think they were used to people (especially white Westerners) just bending over and giving up without putting up a fight. I'm not the first person I would pick as a target, especially with bare hands and only two of them.

But like I said, I did change my pattern, and after that incident I would take a friend to watch my six whenever my business compelled me to go to the city centre. A friend who was packing - I didn't and still don't have a license. My enployer was against that, as gunslinging could have damaged "relations with the community." I gave up that career, eventually...

The waved folder clipped to back pocket worked fine. But nevertheless I've changed my method of carrying my primary SD blade to right jacket pocket, and I favour fixed blades. No fumbling, just keep hand in pocket until/if the need arises. Then just yank and shank.

Thank God there's been no need for that.

if it's not getting too personal, can you tell us what country you were in?

[jorski3000]

This happened in Kenya. Street crime can be very violent, so I was lucky. Well, planning ahead, prepared AND lucky.

I spent time in South Africa as well, but that was the good part - Western Cape - no trouble at all.

[dougo83]

This happened in Kenya. Street crime can be very violent, so I was lucky. Well, planning ahead, prepared AND lucky.

I spent time in South Africa as well, but that was the good part - Western Cape - no trouble at all.

Kenya is a spooky place sometimes. Got stuck in Karatina(?) after the sun went down. Not the ideal situation for a handufl of white Americans on a medical mission and known for having a bunch of medical equipment somewhere nearby. I was carrying a panga I had just picked up and had to put my hand on it to emphasize to a group of local folk that we were not going to give them money. They followed us to our hotel and one of the security guards there decided to further explain that we were not to be bothered by way of his baton.

[jorski3000]

Kenya is a spooky place sometimes. Got stuck in Karatina(?) after the sun went down. Not the ideal situation for a handufl of white Americans on a medical mission and known for having a bunch of medical equipment somewhere nearby. I was carrying a panga I had just picked up and had to put my hand on it to emphasize to a group of local folk that we were not going to give them money. They followed us to our hotel and one of the security guards there decided to further explain that we were not to be bothered by way of his baton.

It's funny in a really annoying and nerve-racking way how the locals in most African countries think all westerners have money spewing out of our asses, and they make it their business to hound uss wherever we go. A kid walks up to you, smiles and says MONEY! A traffic cop can stop you, make some conversation and then ask for a small donation for his large family. A guy with a shovel actually dug a hole in the street, waited for a white guy in his 4WD to come by, then stops the car, fills the hole he just dug, and asks for a donation for "fixing the road" for mzungu... People just hover around your car or your person when you go buy groceries and stuff, like you're a miracle fountain of money. Try explaining to them that you're just a regular guy with regular pay and regular worries. They just point at your car, watch, shoes, laugh and keep on thinking you're Donald Trump.

And some of them won't ask politely.

[James Y]

Sorry for getting too off-topic, but I always thought of the African continent as part of the "West". Some parts of western Africa are further west than mainland western Europe.
Jim

[Warp]

Sorry for getting too off-topic, but I always thought of the African continent as part of the "West". Some parts of western Africa are further west than mainland western Europe.
Jim

Confusion arrises when people interpret cultural terms, such as the poster above you using the term "westerners", as somehow referring to location using strict geographic locations.

IOW you can't simply draw a line on the Earth, like a line of longitude, and use that to determine who is and is not a "westerner"

[JTR357]

I'm sure it's been said,but if I did,I sure wouldn't be discussing it on a public forum.

[Charlie Mike]

I've almost had to many times in the service of the emperor, George W. Bush. Usually just producing the knife is deterrant enough when it comes to the Haji.

[jorski3000]

The term used by the locals in East Africa is mzungu. It translates roughly as "European", meaning a white person.

Asians, Arabs, Chinese and Indians are not mzungu. So the title is both racial and cultural. Hence my term "White Westerner". It's not to be taken in any political sense, although the locals may have had a different term for mzungus from Sov Bloc.

[vjb.knife]

I have never used a knife against someone but while I was in college I worked as a bouncer in a large beer joint and a guy pulled a knife on another customer. I was close by and I blindsided him with a metal frame chair and then kicked the shit out of him. Later, we had him arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.

[jorski3000]

I was close by and I blindsided him with a metal frame chair and then kicked the shit out of him.

Mmmm... A douchebag gets his come-uppance. Happy ends always make me feel fuzzy and warm inside. Thx for sharing!

[4W4K3]

I used a knife to kill a snake that was heading to the front door once. Not sure if it was poisonous, but I didn't want it in my house regardless. It was of a decent size too, and I have cats so I didn't take any chances and just slashed it a few times. Ended up breaking the tip off my knife as when I slashed the knife bit the concrete a little. But it was a good kill, right through the snake.

[Warp]

I used a knife to kill a snake that was heading to the front door once. Not sure if it was poisonous, but I didn't want it in my house regardless. It was of a decent size too, and I have cats so I didn't take any chances and just slashed it a few times. Ended up breaking the tip off my knife as when I slashed the knife bit the concrete a little. But it was a good kill, right through the snake.

Unless you, or your cats, planned on eating the snake that won't matter.

[rkwallace]

Or being ridiculed, a lot of people are of the belief that if you don't carry a gun then you just shouldn't try to defend yourself. To even think of pulling your edc in a random life or death situation makes you somehow unintelligent.

Except when you live in Virginia and have to travel into Washington D.C.

[Bai Lang]

Great story about the dad that defended a girl from the pit bull far up on this thread- he is a brave man- that took guts! dogs tear up a lot of kids. and hard to believe- but I think they kill about 15-20 people every year in the US.

[cotdt]

Not on a human but I've used knives to fend off attacking animals in the wild.

[cotdt]

Great story about the dad that defended a girl from the pit bull far up on this thread- he is a brave man- that took guts! dogs tear up a lot of kids. and hard to believe- but I think they kill about 15-20 people every year in the US.

It was a nice story but I disagree about pit bulls aggressively attacking people. Pit bulls are the warmest, friendliest animals in the world. They are mistakenly portrayed as some ruthless vicious animal when a simple kick from a human is enough to kill them.