Are people more afraid of a Gun or a Knife?

For myself, in most cases, if a weapon appears in social(antisocial) circumstances, My concentration will be focused on the person holding the weapon. Intellectually I know that due to training and experience,I have a better chance of surviving a knife attack than an attack with a gun. But I react much more emotionally to a knife because of the "up close and personal" aspect of it and the feeling that an attacker with a gun wants you dead, but an attacker with a knife wants you dead but wants you to suffer first.I carry at least one knife with me all the time, but If i'm down to defending myself with a knife, a whole bunch of real bad stuff has already happened. Based on my experience with miscreants and 20 years of dealing with mentally unstable individuals, if I see a straight razor during a fit of unpleasantness I'm going to unload a large caliber firearm in its direction, until it goes away. This based upon the type of people i've seen who carry them as offensive armament.
 
Well, having been in both situations, I was a lot more afraid when a knife was pulled.

I once had several LEO's pointing .40 cal semi autos at me (in a really bad case of mistaken identity), and while I was concerned, I was not terrified.

Standing several feet from Jim March, even though I knew he was going to demonstrate pulling out his 'Outsider', I damn near lost sphincter control when he pulled that sucker out. Put me down as being more afraid of knives. Even though I know that I am less likely to be injured seriously by them; at least, in the ER, most knife wounds were trivial. Walt
 
I have been on the opposite ends of both and I must say I feared the gun more than the blade, and this before I became a "knifenut". I have been cut(twice) but never stabbed.
Now that I am more informed I can not say with true alacrity which would frighten me more. I think the statement about control and chaos rings true on many levels though.
Personally, I would fear the person and their intentions more than the device itself.

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The vague and tenuous hope that GOD is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the conscience of millions.

*A. W. Tozer

2 Cor 5:10
 
Lt., word from company is that there are a couple of snipers up ahead.

Any of those knife nuts left ?

I dunno, we've lost a bunch in the last few weeks. Those guys sure don't last long. WE MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF SNIPERS UP AHEAD, ANYONE WANNA FLUSH THEM OUT ?

Do the snipers have big knives ?

No.

I'll do it, guns don't scare me much :^)
 
Walt? I freaked ya that much? I mean...I didn't point it anywhere unsafe or anything and I drew in a direction away from anyone...important with as many points and edges as that sucker's got.

Was part of it the "came out of nowhere" aspect since much of the blade length is covered and yet there's no "prior steps" needed to clear for the draw? I'm really curious now...I mean, you *knew* there was no evil intent going on. To all: Walt and I had gone over to Ralf's house to show'n'tell a bunch of fine cutlery. So Walt knew I was packin', heck it's still openly-enough carried to be legal.

Ya got me curious!

Jim
 
I've been on the wrong end of a pistol twice (1 mugging & 1 stray drunken knucklehead outside of a bar) & have a scar on the meat of my right hand from a knife. With the knife, I felt (and still feel) that I could take (or could have taken) the Shoe Leather Express & get out of Dodge if need be. While staring down the big $#@% sewerpipe that a gun muzzle turns into when pointed at me, running would have done me little good. Can't outrun a bullet. If you remove yourself from the immediate treat range of a knife, the knifer has to commit to closing the distance with the target- this removes a certain percentile of potential knifers (when the threat is removed, the impulse is removed). With a pistol, any punk can pull a trigger from a distance when the same punk with a knife at the same distance will not be willing to cover that last bit of real estate between you both. Only my experience. I really hope I never have to test this theory ever again...

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Runs With Scissors
AKTI# A000107
 
Well, for what it's worth I think that guns, as a whole are more intimidating. The problem is that it's easier to have a knife on you than a gun. I scared my uncle (a rabid gun hater) to death when I pulled out a Sebenza at my grandfather's farm.

Here in GA I need a permit to pack my Glock, but it's no big deal to carry my Axis Lock around - so there's a *much* greater chance I'll pull the Axis Lock out and inadvertently scare someone.

Now check this out: I was at an outdoor shooting range popping off a few rounds with my Glock when I struck up a conversation with another guy in the lane next to me. He was an older guy just getting into shooting after having inherited some rifles. I had my Axis Lock and a Spyderco Dragonfly clipped into my front pocket. He asked what they were so I nonchalantly answered "pocket knives". He took one look at me and went back to his lane. Didn't say another word to me... This was at a shooting range.

Go figure.

Jon
 
Dang, I got in on this one late...spent too much time hiding from the white-coat patrol...with their silly Thorazine...

Anyway, in my (thankfully) limited experience, people fear the very closeup and in-your-face nature of the knife. The gun is seen in a much more sterile light.

The concept is analagous to warfare: consider the difference between an Arclight Strike and a firefight. The same thing happens, on a much more contained scale, with this topic.

Mind you, except for a very small sliver of the population, I am personally much more worried about facing a knife-wielding opponent than one with a gun. In MOST situations, an attacker with a knife has at least practiced a bit with it, whereas any green punk can pick up a pistol or shotgun, and play stick-em-up. Mind you, that same punk kid will still kill you deader than Hell if he pulls the trigger, but that's another topic. Finally, I think due to the nature of the knife, individuals who wield one tend to have a mindset towards confrontation that will allow them to use it.

Just my $.02.



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One little nuclear holocaust can REALLY hose your bowling average...
 
From what I've seen, shoot me.

rk

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As for me and my house...

Joshua 24:15

 
RK, I hope Paracelsus doesn't see your post.
I made a similar comment in jest on another thread. Now he says he's got a contract out on me, as well as the whole cast of this TV show, "Just Shoot Me!"

A word to the wise, be careful in your wording, sometimes a comment or an expression, is taken as a request.
 
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