A knife for the wife.

A large aggressive dog? A heavy walking stick, or a handgun. Small sub $20 knife isn't going to fit that bill, at all.
 
Cold Steel Gi Tanto or a Mora would be good fixed blades under $20. Mace i think would be best for a woman against a pitbull though. Although she might get it on herself. Should get her a gun instead. Be a nice hubby and get her a Ruger LCR in 357 or Glock G27 Gen 4. That would stop a naughty pooch. Really strong tazer? If i was worried about big dogs though would carry a molotov cocktail and a zippo and try to light that puppy on fire. If it didn't kill him he would most certainly get scared and confused. Seriously though would go with a gun for her if your serious about making sure your wife is safe & secure from big dog attacks.
 
Nice I gave the wife police issued mace and she flips my Bali open and close so I see her grip is getting there but I do agree with the slipping so I gave her a nice protech with skull paracord on the end. So she has some style. She carries it in her purse all the time. Told her hit the button and don't think twice.
 
You have to carry in style! Exactly why I took the stock handles of my CS GI Tanto and did a paracord wrap... Grip is much more "grippier" and looks so much better!
 
I used to work for cable and they gave us dog spray. I don't know what about it makes it specifically useful for dogs, but I did get a little on my face one time and it burned. I think any pepper spray/bear spray would be the best option. I wouldn't want to shoot a dog because it was running at me and have to file a police report and anything else needed when you fire a gun in public; I would much rather spray the dog and go on my way.
 
xxspeakxx said:
So today, my wife and I were almost attacked by a pitbull tonight while taking our own dogs for a walk. The dog had jumped it's fence and started chasing us. Luckily we were able to get away with just a scare. Sadly though this isn't the first time this has happened (there are several overly aggressive and poorly trained dogs in the neighborhood) and my wife finally told me that she wants to start carrying a knife of her own.

I offered to give her back the little auto that I gave her a while back, but she doesn't want that. Says she wants something bigger and deadlier. So I went through my collection and found a flimsy Chinese hunting knife that needs a sheath. The other knives I have are traditional folders and wouldn't be good if you needed it in an emergency.

Anywho, I've been looking at something suitable for her, that's not to terribly expensive. A fixed blade in the 20$ price range and a blade length between 4-6". I've come across a couple of potential boot knives that fit the bill, but i'm not sure if a double edged blade would be best since she has zero knife experience.

So any suggestions?
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If the primary purpose of the knife is for self-defense, and she has zero experience, I would suggest pepper spray or anything but an edged weapon, as that is not a good combination at all.

The sprays made specifically for dogs are much more effective than an edged weapon in a sense they can be operated from a much further range, and their incapacitating affects are almost immediate. Additionally, the legal implications are also generally more favorable.
 
Ulf Krogstad said:
Cold Steel Gi Tanto or a Mora would be good fixed blades under $20. Mace i think would be best for a woman against a pitbull though. Although she might get it on herself. Should get her a gun instead. Be a nice hubby and get her a Ruger LCR in 357 or Glock G27 Gen 4. That would stop a naughty pooch. Really strong tazer? If i was worried about big dogs though would carry a molotov cocktail and a zippo and try to light that puppy on fire. If it didn't kill him he would most certainly get scared and confused. Seriously though would go with a gun for her if your serious about making sure your wife is safe & secure from big dog attacks.
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She's not particularly fond of guns. It took years before she finally okayed getting a gun for home defense.



All this is leaning towards mace. So this weekend we're taking a trip to the Army Surplus store to pick her up a couple of canisters.

Talked to her about the baton this morning before work and she wasn't to thrilled with that idea. So I'll show her some of the knives you guys brought up and see what she says.
 
xxspeakxx said:
She's not particularly fond of guns. It took years before she finally okayed getting a gun for home defense.



All this is leaning towards mace. So this weekend we're taking a trip to the Army Surplus store to pick her up a couple of canisters.

Talked to her about the baton this morning before work and she wasn't to thrilled with that idea. So I'll show her some of the knives you guys brought up and see what she says.
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It seems odd to me that she'd be more comfortable using a knife with little or no training to defend herself (and which requires close contact) against an aggressive animal, than she would in using a baton (a tool with more reach) where a few basic swings connecting to the dog's face would get the point across. I'm not going to criticize your wife, or your communication level with her but I have to say that that inconsistency would have been the first thing I pointed out.
 
xxspeakxx said:
She's not particularly fond of guns. It took years before she finally okayed getting a gun for home defense.



All this is leaning towards mace. So this weekend we're taking a trip to the Army Surplus store to pick her up a couple of canisters.

Talked to her about the baton this morning before work and she wasn't to thrilled with that idea. So I'll show her some of the knives you guys brought up and see what she says.
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Gotcha. Yeah then would say the Mace. More i think about it i actually have been maced by the police twice in my life during black out drunken stupors. Don't really remember what happened exactly.:rolleyes: But what i do remember is you can't really do anything besides deal with the pain and try to breathe. So it will definately take things down by taking away their sight and respitory functions. The mace would probably be best of all. Spray the dog good and run. Or mace and a knife even better. No reason why couldn't carry both unless the laws won't let you.
 
You wouldn't want to give yourself nor your wife a false sense of security. Having something on your person is definitely a must. You may want to get with your local animal control and police departments to see what they may have to offer in terms of self defense against animal attacks. They probably have had more encounters than anyone else and learn how they defend themselves and you may have a better option that your wife will chose as far as a foreseen attack such as you described earlier. It is sad that people neglect their responsibility as animal owners and fail to train their animals properly. The reality is that it does happen, I really don't think anyone can truly defend themselves against an ambush attack, a weapon at that point would be the only defense to minimize the amount of damage one would incur and that will take awareness/training if you think it needs to go to that level. You've got to have piece of mind when you decide to take your dogs out for a walk. If you know the aggressive animals, they should be reported. Make it a point to call animal control/police every time you see an animal loose and try to get your neighbors involved so maybe no one will have to live with something that could have been prevented.
 
Ulf beat me to suggesting the GI Tanto by Cold Steel. It's a good knife, it's a tough knife, it can be had for about $25. It comes with a retaining sheath, and it has integrated quillions so the hand can't slip onto the edge. Another possibility, if double edged is a legal option, is the Shanghai Shadow, also about $25.

It might sound ridiculous, but if overall length isn't a restriction, you might want to consider the kukri machete, also by Cold Steel. It does its job well, so long as you do your part and actually sharpen the edge. Also about $25.

But like others have said, a knife -regardless of size- is a last resort. A strong walking stick is the better route to go as it provides a greater range of possibilities.

And speaking from personal experience, I'll offer up this piece of information. You say this is a problem you've had in the past. Call animal control and try to have the problem animals removed from the equation. If you just leave them running around then other people will be put at risk, including little children. That way, if nothing else, when push comes to shove you can honestly say that you exhausted absolutely every legal non-lethal option at your disposal, short of getting rid of your own dog.
 
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Got my wife one of these, and she loves it.
It's easy for her to open if she needs to, and it's sharp and stabby, which is what she wants, god forbid she has to use it.

piranha-bodygaurd-pink-tactical-plain-flipper.jpg


Plus it's pink, that didn't hurt :P probably swayed her over some other possible options.
But I'm fairly impressed with the Bodyguard for just over $100. Might pick up a Piranha for myself some day...
 
Quiet said:
It seems odd to me that she'd be more comfortable using a knife with little or no training to defend herself (and which requires close contact) against an aggressive animal, than she would in using a baton (a tool with more reach) where a few basic swings connecting to the dog's face would get the point across. I'm not going to criticize your wife, or your communication level with her but I have to say that that inconsistency would have been the first thing I pointed out.
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yeah she's pretty bull headed at times. She's worried that it might not be enough to stop a mauling, or the dog geting inside the range of the baton
 
If you care about her spend more than 20. Get a matriarch, it was designed for female self defense, hence its name.
 
xxspeakxx said:
yeah she's pretty bull headed at times. She's worried that it might not be enough to stop a mauling, or the dog geting inside the range of the baton
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Not saying a pit bull is exactly as ferocious or as capable as a mountain lion, but Google "mountain lion attacks" and read some of the first-hand accounts of people who have been mauled by cougars and some of the things they tried to deter the animal or get the animal off them / their loved one.

Cougars can withstand all kinds of abuse (getting their eye gouged out, getting bashed in the head with a large rock, etc) and not break their grip. Again, not saying a pit bull is on this same level, but I know I would not want to rely on any kind of "blunt force" weapon when trying to fend off a savage beast.
For cougars, a pistol isn't that effective, because by the time you see it, it's either on top of you, or on top of your loved one, and there's not a lot of good shots to be taken. I'd just as soon have a reliable blade.
But you will almost surely see / hear a pit bull coming, so a pistol is more viable. But still, one good stab from a 3"+ blade into most animals is enough to give it pause and hurt it enough to break it's death grip and let you hopefully get away.
 
xxspeakxx said:
yeah she's pretty bull headed at times. She's worried that it might not be enough to stop a mauling, or the dog geting inside the range of the baton
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Hey brother, I hear ya. Absolutely.

If nothing else, maybe tell her this way. She's a woman*. Your guys' dogs are her babies, right? So, that mom instinct is going to kick in in a split second, and having a baton, she will most likely flip the heck out and start beating that aggressor dog like a drum. Hey, you're a good guy for being here asking for advice for her protection in the first place. :thumbup:



*If I come off as sexist, not my intent LOL
 
xxspeakxx said:
She's not particularly fond of guns. It took years before she finally okayed getting a gun for home defense.



All this is leaning towards mace. So this weekend we're taking a trip to the Army Surplus store to pick her up a couple of canisters.

Talked to her about the baton this morning before work and she wasn't to thrilled with that idea. So I'll show her some of the knives you guys brought up and see what she says.
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The below is my personal opinion, so take it as you may...

In some situations, a concealed handgun with proper training is going to be the best form of mobile defense by a significant margin. Being female, she'll most likely be able to learn faster and shoot more proficiently than most men because for whatever reason, women generally quickly master marksmanship. And while the handgun being most useful will hold more true for defense from people, there are some situations in which it holds true with animals as well. Regardless of whether a knife is used to defend oneself from a person or an animal, what remains the same is that the probability of severe injury (or even death) is often going to be high because of the mechanics involved with defending oneself with an edged weapon. Preferably, a firearm, spray, or a taser would allow your wife to distance herself from the target to reduce the probability of close-quarters injury. Ideally, one would first attempt to use a self-defense weapon which would maintain distance, with something like an edged weapon or close-range impact weapon being the absolute last option only to be used after other options have been exhausted and failed. And truth be told, there are sick people in this world who do absolutely terrible things and prey on females. Her having a concealed firearm and the ability to use it both safely & effectively is always a plus.

One thing that firearms, knives, batons, sprays, tasers, and virtually any defensive weapon has in common is that the effectiveness of usage depends on the user and their competency for whatever tools are used for the job. Quite often, the person with the better training is the person who survives the attack with fewer or no bodily harm being sustained. The biggest challenge is training that mimics real life is difficult, and this is especially true with knives as there is no real easy simulations here. In terms of shooting, most collectively refer to the standard real-world training as a "stress shooting exercise" in which one may use a certain type of digital simulation or be shooting at others with, while being shot at with, a simulation/non-lethal ammo (like Simunition) in a high-intensity situation that seeks to mimic the characteristics of a real world encounter.

I have learned a few important things from stress-shooting, and believe it applies to virtually all self-defense modes of thought/technique/materials:
  1. a weapon without training is generally useless, and sometimes makes situations worse;
  2. when an environment closely mimics a SHTF situation, it is easy to make mistakes overlooked in a calm environment. The first stress-shooting exercise I did, I learned that I could shoot a full 10 round mag at under 15 feet and miss the target every single time when that target is moving and firing/fighting back. Actually staring down the business-end of a firearm about to be used on me resulted in my reaction being very different from slowfire on a range paper target. I had to modify some aspects of my own psychological reaction and modify how I functioned to offset some of the physical reactions that occur when a person realizes that someone is about to start shooting at them;
  3. the "rules of engagement" (more or less the appropriateness of what action when and if using a & what force multiplier is acceptable) can be more difficult to assess in a high-stress environment;
  4. the amount of repetition to embed a defensive reaction and necessary situational awareness can be ridiculous in the amount of times it must be practiced, and the amount of different situations the same mechanical actions need to be practiced in; and
  5. that ridiculous repetition is not wasted: once training is embedded through that ritualization, one achieves the ability to react without hesitation, avoid/reduce the potential errors that could be the difference in successful vs. unsuccessful defense, and be able to do this quickly & proficiently in all sort of situations, including actual SHTF situations outside of a training environment. This proficiency is what I believe to be THE critical component in determining the outcome of what can often be a life-or-death situation.


My own findings lead me to believe this applies far beyond firearms. With pepper spray, I think that the mechanics involved are:
  1. finding an accessible (but concealable/comfortable) carry mechanism and that mechanism be followed exactly in all situations (pepper spray free-floating in a purse isn't very useful given it is likely to be fumbled and will be difficult to draw right-side-up every time)
  2. practicing being able to retrieve/draw, remove any safeties, aim towards the target, and preparing the unit to fire. This should be done both quickly and without error. Doing this in a simulated high-stress environment with adrenaline pumping, multiple things going on, and some sort of reproduction of how a probable attack would occur, can reduce the chance of errors in real-world usage.
  3. practicing either with live pepper spray or a trainer (many makers make inert ones for practice)
  4. understanding the dynamics of that particular spray: how far, how wide, how much the spread of the spray is, how many cycles/much time the unit will spray for, as well as what outside factors could prevent successful usage (ex: wind or rain)
  5. understanding how environmental factors such as wind can result in some of the OC spray making contact with the user in addition to the assailant
  6. having a plan of action on the followup after the unit has been used (probably along the lines of retreat, contact emergency services, report the incident, and allow local LE to take necessary action such as arresting the assailant or animal control confiscating/euthanizing the animal)


It is also worth noting that the pepper spray used on dogs is not the same as people. Dog mace tends to be less potent due to those animals having more sensitive systems. They also often tend to feature products that can spray further and/or wider, and sometimes contains larger quantities of spray. So if one is going to carry one spray for both people and animals, the one for people is strongly advised. There are a lot of brands but I personally prefer Sabre Red such as the Crossfire or Pepper Gel with 10% OC. Part of the reason is I have been sprayed with it and it's just absolutely brutal.
 
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