Knife as a tool vs knife as wepon

[ericvar101]

I was discussing knifes with my nephew the other day who is 14. I cant remember the spacifics of the convesion but basically, the subject came up about having a knife in a self defense situtation. I explained that a knife is a tool for opening packages, cutting food and hunting ect. and told him he was watching to many TV shows. I told him he should never take out a knife with thoughts of using it as a wepon and he should run if ever treatened to where he felt in danger.

This got me wondering how many people really ever found them selves in a self defense situation where they actaully pulled a knife or had to use it as a wepon. I dont think very many, I personally have not, but figured I would ask on BF if anyone actually had a story to share.

[Reeek]

It would be the last resort to save my life or someone elses life and that would be if I happened to be unarmed or disarmed at the time, God forbid.

The only thing that happens in a knife fight is that both parties will get cut, stabbed or both. Unless you're the likes of Michael Janich or Chuck Norris or course.

I have never carried a knife with even a remote intent to use it as a weapon. And as far as weapons go, anyone with an imagination can probably scan their surroundings for a second or two and find several "things" that could be used as a weapon within reach in many cases.

The only people or entities who gain anything from the notion of a knife as a weapon are the same people or entities who want to control or outlaw knives to some degree or even completely.

[Voodoosix]

ive only been attacked once, i was in a proverbial dark alley when i shouldnt have been...

anyways, i did have a knife on me but it all happened so fast that it didnt cross my mind to pull it out. it was just reflex to pick up the brick that was bounced off of my head and start beating the brakes of the nearest attacker i could get my hands on with it. they all ended up fleeing (i never got a head count but there were at least 3) and it was over as fast as it started.

im older and wiser now and try to avoid putting myself places i probably shouldnt be.

[snow and steel]

A weapon IS a tool. sometimes theya re a multi-purpose tool. Ever thought of that?

[ericvar101]

ive only been attacked once, i was in a proverbial dark alley when i shouldnt have been...

anyways, i did have a knife on me but it all happened so fast that it didnt cross my mind to pull it out. it was just reflex to pick up the brick that was bounced off of my head and start beating the brakes of the nearest attacker i could get my hands on with it. they all ended up fleeing (i never got a head count but there were at least 3) and it was over as fast as it started.

im older and wiser now and try to avoid putting myself places i probably shouldnt be.

Wow, thanks for sharing your story Voo.

[ericvar101]

A weapon IS a tool. sometimes theya re a multi-purpose tool. Ever thought of that?

The point of this thread is to hear peoples stories of situtations the found themselves in. the debate over, is a knife a good choice for self defence is a discussion for another post.

[fatherhudson]

I've never been in a situation where i've felt compelled to use a knife for self defense and i can say with a fair degree of certainty that i never will be. knives make terrible self defense weapons. knives are tools and maybe to some of you collector items or hobbys but should never be self defense weapons. there was a point in my life when i was a teenager and backpacking around a disreputable area of central america that i carried a large machete visibly sticking out of the top of my pack to deter unwanted attention. I've since learned that all this did was make the "bad guys" more likely to use a gun if they wanted to hassle me and really put me in more danger than i would have been without it.

sorry if this wasn't what the OP had in mind, but i get riled up about the subject

[tyr_shadowblade]

Knife is primarily a tool, yet it makes for an outstanding improvised weapon against unarmed attackers. If your attackers have weapons you lose the advantage.

However, if you pull a knife against someone who is unarmed -- even if they are twice your size or have friends backing them up -- you will treated as a criminal.

Knife is a lousy weapon for that reason . . . plus it is messy . . . tell your nephew to learn how to use his belt instead. Belt is a GREAT weapon.

[blt-2-drg]

Dont bring a knife to a gun fight! <----Its the wild west in Arizona so this saying reigns true.

I've never had to use a knife as a weapon myself. Off topic, but i did use a Surefire E2D Defender in self defense. I was in Vegas, no concealed carry firearm or knife on me, 2 guys attempted to rob me as i took a short cut off the strip. I pulled the Surefire out and layed into the side of his head. Worked like a charm.

[Jim D.]

Dont bring a knife to a gun fight! <----Its the wild west in Arizona so this saying reigns true.

I've never had to use a knife as a weapon myself. Off topic, but i did use a Surefire E2D Defender in self defense. I was in Vegas, no concealed carry firearm or knife on me, 2 guys attempted to rob me as i took a short cut off the strip. I pulled the Surefire out and layed into the side of his head. Worked like a charm.

I have both firearms and blades with me, pretty much all the time... and I would much prefer to use my blades within arms reach, unless I already have their back and I have exceptional positional dominance.

Each weapon has advantages and disadvantages. Under extremely close range, a blade can often work better than a pistol that pokes a single tiny hole then gets jammed up, or wrestled off-line and taken out of use.

"Gunfights" and "knife fights" are both still fights for your life. There is no contract between the participants on who gets to use what... nor do you know ahead of time what the conditions of the event are going to be. I see no need to draw a line between a "GUNfight" and any other fight for my life.

[killgar]

Edit- Changed my mind. Not interested.

[HeavyHanded]

I've only pulled a knife on a dog once and didn't have to use it. Then again, in 15 years of daily CCW the only times I ever put my hand to the grips was once for a dog, and once when I came home from dinner to a surprise Bday party and my front door was left ajar. Doesn't mean a snubbie is an ineffective SD tool.

That said, I've seen some nasty cuts inflicted by pocket knives. One that really stands out was at a house party - guy got stabbed in the leg and it hit an artery. Blood was literally squirting out of the cut. If some of the girlies on hand hadn't put direct pressure on it and kept it elevated till EMT arrived that boy would have probably died. No doubt in my mind that the humble pocket knife is an extremely dangerous tool. The rest is up to the individual.