Combat knives for combat

[Quirinus]

I've been reading a lot of your discussions and the overwealming majority of you seem to support folders for defence (3.5"). I'm just curious as to why no-one seems to carry a military combat knife (i.e. a Ka-Bar). Too hard to conceal/access?

 

[misque]

Yes to all of the above.
And then there is that little nit-picky problem of answering why you are carrying an illegally concealed 7" combat blade designed for seperating various tissues and blood vessels on humans when stopped and questioned by the cop who just happens to notice your knife printing against your clothes. Kinda hard to say it's for cutting one's steak or for rope cutting. Saying it's for self defense is suicide for your liberty and will definately lighten your wallet as you spring for bail and then the obligatory legal fees, etc. etc. etc.
Plus, the bloody things are a real PITA to haul around 24/7.
It's just more convenient, legally and comfort-wise, to carry a folder. But this is just my opinion.

BTW, Welcome to the Forums!

------------------
The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.
Sun Tzu

[This message has been edited by misque (edited 07-12-2000).]

[This message has been edited by misque (edited 07-12-2000).]

 

[Loki]

There seems to be some confusion in the post. If you're referring to carrying knife around as part of your normal routine then the 7" plus combat knife is not going to work out - unless you work and live in the boonies where such is needed. Normal life for us in the cities and burbs demands something a bit less "threatening." Then there are those pesky laws that intrude on our choice of carry. Folders work fine for most of life. Now if you're talking preparing for trouble of one sort or another the larger "combat" knife begins to make more sense. For heavy duty cutting or fighting the bigger heavier blade begins to look mighty good. So are we talking the casual kind of combat one might encounter by chance on the street or something of a more organized sort? Me, I always carry a folder and when I go out hiking and such, I carry a the bigger fixed blade combat knife.

 

[Cameron Reddy]

Don't be led astray by generalizations. Check the laws were you plan to carry. For example, in Michigan, you can carry any size knife you want (and, incidentally, a firearm)--if you carry it openly. And arguably, you can even carry that Brend Model 2 in a concealment rig--so long as the handle is visible.

And here is another example. Michigan prohibits the concealment of a double edged fixed blade. So, just carry and conceal the Applegate folder with a 4.5 inch double edged blade. I can't think of a more devastating folder.

------------------
Cameron Reddy
Author of "A More Perfect Union," as yet, an unpublished novel, portions of which can be read at cameronreddy.com

 

[Burke]

I don't think most of us favor a folder per se, it's just what we're stuck with unless we want to break the law, with all of those attendant hassles.