EDC and Personal defence folding knife.

R

Ronnyls

Joined
Apr 11, 2015
Messages
13
Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum, just registered.
A while ago I bought a SAK (just a simple vic climber). And I was simply amazed by how it made my life easier. I found so many uses for it that I got obsessed with EDC gear. I have been reading a ton of content about flashlights, multi-tools, knives, etc. And I have decided that the next EDC gear I would get would be a good quality folding knife.
Everything I buy, I buy after doing a ton of research. For example, I have started to study the different kinds of steel so I can choose my knife. Problem is, I am Brazilian, and Brazil does not have a good quality knife seller, I would be extremely limited in choice. My brother is going to the US this month, and he will buy the knife for me, but I did not have the time to do my research!!! So I will need you guys to choose it for me.

Brazilian law limits the size of the blade to a maximum of 4" (10cm).
I don't have a specific use to it, I am an electronics and telecommunication engineering student. The blade won't be used to an extreme, mostly box opening, eventual wire striping (I know it hurts the blade, I will use mostly the SAK for this), smoothing the edges of wood planks I use to fix my circuit boards, cutting heat shrink, etc. But it's quite a violent country, I really want it to double as personal defense.
I want a knife that is very rust resistant, I want to be able to peel an orange, give the blade a little wipe, put it back in my pocket and not worry about it rusting.
I have no problem in spending a lot of time sharpening, I want edge retention over an easy sharpening.
It must lock, for safety reasons.
I don't care for its appearance, if it is ugly, but is good, I will take it.
Must be a folding knife I can carry in my pocket.
It must be around 70.00 US or lower. Sorry for the low value guys, Brazil's coin (real) is really low in comparison to the dollar right now. I made a quick conversion, taking minimum wage into account, and for a Brazilian to spend one dollar is the equivalent of an American spending 5.22. So it's like paying 365 dollars for a knife.


Thank you very much guys.

Edit: Do you guys know if my brother will have problems bringing the knife in his suit case? It will fly in the cargo, not with the passengers.
 
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I'll have to say spyderco tenacious, or Ontario Rat 1. Those are under 4 inches, not super rust resistant, but for the money you can't beat it.
Or take a look at the Kershaw/Emerson designs. Like the cqc7k. I have that one and it's excellent for the price! Plus the wave feature allows the blade to be opened as it's drawn.
But for self defense, have you considered pepper spray? If that's legal in Brazil, not sure, but you would have more of a reach than with a less than 4" knife.
If you want super rust resistance, check out the Spyderco Salt series. Specifically the Tasman Salt. Under $70 online and the hawkbill blade would make a nasty little backup if things went bad when using mace.
 
Cold Steel Rajah III - Practical enough to be used in most situations, but it can also be waved open out of the pocket and is well within the price range.
 
I feel your pain. My girlfriend is from Brazil. Brazil is ridiculous. (Otherwise we probably would live there. Although I can't complain about Amsterdam :cool:) My first thought was a Spyderco Military, but considering your budget I would say a Cold steel Recon 1. Also keep an eye on of the exchange for anything you like.
 
Ronnyls said:
Edit: Do you guys know if my brother will have problems bringing the knife in his suit case? It will fly in the cargo, not with the passengers.
Click to expand...
I brought my Cold Steel Rajah II, my Spyderco Military and my S&W HRT Badge knife through luggage to Brazil: not a problem.
 
Buck 347.
3.25 inch S30V blade. Non assisted flipper with a liner lock and G10 handle and deep carry pocket clip.
Just shy of $70.00
 
Welcome to Bladeforums.

I don't have a knife recommendation, but if your brother is just visiting, depending on how long he will be here, it sounds like he might be limited to buying whatever is available in whatever stores are in the area he is visiting. Of course, if he is going to be staying with friends or family, depending on how long he will be there, you might be able to order a knife online and have it shipped to the address where your brother is staying.

If ordering online is not an option, perhaps you can mention what city your brother will be visiting so that members here can recommend any knife stores, or stores that sell knives, in that city. If the members here know what city your brother will be visiting, they might be able to recommend knives that are available for immediate purchase in the stores in that city.
 
Cold Steel Recon 1?

A knife is no good for self-defense, as I have learned on these forums. The saying goes...

"The loser of a knife fight dies at the scene. The winner dies in the ambulance on the way to the hospital."

Knife fights are very messy. Consider a collapsible baton.
 
It's no myth. Knives do suck for self defense. However, a knife is better than an empty hand.
Anyway, I'll second (or third) the Cold Steel Recon 1. It's much cheaper than your budget, and should cost much more than it does.
 
Knives are perfectly capable of being used for self defense. They sure as hell beat your bare hands.

One of the main problems that has led to this common dismissal of knife usage for self defense is the fact that effective knife usage requires both lots of training and a knife that can be deployed quickly and easily under stress. Because of this, I would recommend immediately passing by anything that doesn't have a wave. And it's even better if its something like a kerambit that has the index finger ring for retention.

Another thing to consider is the fact that the presence of a knife will usually escalate a situation, and you don't know what the attacker(s) may respond with. They may have something even nastier than you do, so using it for intimidation is a big no-no in most situations. Not to mention the fact that it's most likely illegal where you live and YOU could end up appearing to be the aggressor in the situation (both to onlookers and in court).

So if you're going to carry a knife for defense, you have to

1) Train with it extensively, and in as realistic way as possible
2) Know your local laws in regards to what your can and cannot carry and the limitations surrounding your ability to defend yourself
3) Get a knife that is easy to deploy at a moments notice and begin to practice situational awareness so that you can anticipate (and either avoid of prepare yourself for) a dangerous situation before it comes to pass
4) Come to terms with the seriousness of leaving home with the ability to take a life, and practice discretion at all times. Never consider yourself invincible because you have a weapon on you and know how to use it, and never go waving it around inappropriately.
 
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Fish Boy said:
A knife is no good for self-defense, as I have learned on these forums. The saying goes...

"The loser of a knife fight dies at the scene. The winner dies in the ambulance on the way to the hospital."
Click to expand...
Apparently the Hileah Florida Police Department, and the Ontario California police Department strongly DISAGREE with you-

http://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/2012/02/09/law-enforcement-and-knives/

http://www.policemag.com/channel/weapons/articles/2002/10/on-the-cutting-edge.aspx

Both departments train their officers in the defensive use of knives. And according to that second article, in 2002 the Ontario PD issued their 250 officers Emerson folders in part specifically for self-defense purposes.

And I would wager that this officer in Tulsa would also strongly disagree with you-

http://www.news9.com/story/20617711/tulsa-police-officer-stabs-suspect-trying-to-grab-his-gun?=H264

Not only did that police officer in Tulsa successfully use a knife to prevent a suspect from taking his gun, but no one died.

I don't know where it is on this forum that you learned about knives being no good for self-defense, but clearly a lot of people working in law enforcement believe differently.

I also have links to several documented incidents where ordinary citizens successfully used knives to defend themselves against violent attackers on the street, and in some cases multiple attackers, but I don't feel like typing them all out right now. Maybe later.

And Krissig12 gave some very good advice. Although I disagree with his assertion that one must be highly trained to use a knife successfully, and I disagree on limiting ones choice to waved folders and his preference for kerambits, I very much agree with the rest of his post. Perhaps people could learn a thing or two from him.
 
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killgar said:
And Krissig12 gave some very good advice. Although I disagree with his assertion that one must be highly trained to use a knife successfully, and I disagree on limiting ones choice to waved folders and his preference for kerambits, I very much agree with the rest of his post. Perhaps people could learn a thing or two from him.
Click to expand...


Thanks killgar.

I only stressed the necessity of training because I don't want to be an advocate for carrying a knife only for the "warm fuzzy feeling".

Sure, a knife can be used without much training. But is it really going to be as effective if you've never gone through similar situations in training first? A big part of training is developing muscle memory and stress management skills. If you are thrown into an attack and don't even know how to quickly deploy your knife, let alone use it to any success while being in full on panic adrenaline mode, then your chances of prevailing in the situation decrease dramatically.

You don't become an invincible ninja because you throw the latest and greatest peice of edged gear in your pocket. Just like you aren't a sniper because you buy a bolt gun or put a scope on your AR.
 
Wow, thanks guys. You guys are spot on, almost every blade you guys recommended I loved, to a point I don't know which one to choose.

Let me clarify one thing first, when I say personal defense, I mean use it or die personal defense. If you talk to any Brazilian that is not a fool, you will see that we have situational awareness ALL THE TIME. We always know which parts of the city we can go at what time, the stereotype of people you need to be away from, how to react if you get robbed, etc. Thing is, since the police fails to arrest most of the bad guys here, some of them lost all fear of being canned. Some of them kill even if you hand everything you have. I don't intend to use the knife against pickpockets or purse thieves. I intend to use it if someone comes for me like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9poaNwV83w


Now, back at the knives.
Isn't that Rajah III way too hard to sharpen? I know I said there's no problem in taking my time to sharpen, but the curve on this thing... I think I'll screw up with a wet stone.

This buck 347 is made from S30V I like it! Is it worth the extra money though?

The spyderco tenacious seems to be the slower to deploy, am I right? But I am a big fan of spydercos, I mean, of their reviews.

The recon 1, there are 3 models I liked:
http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-27...e=UTF8&qid=1428819803&sr=8-2&keywords=recon+1
http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Re...e=UTF8&qid=1428819803&sr=8-1&keywords=recon+1
http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Re...e=UTF8&qid=1428819803&sr=8-4&keywords=recon+1

Those blade designs, at whom is each of those aimed? I mean, what kind of job is each of them designed for?

If I go for full self defence, this seems to be the most logical option:
http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-6034T-Emerson-Designed-CQC-7K/dp/B00I0RQ0AO

But isn't this frame lock going to be uncomfortable for all other uses I have for this knife?
 
Knives are great for SD, because I heard this one police force actually trains with them, and I hear this one cop this one time stabbed a guy to retain his weapon...
C'mon man. I can see knives as a "I don't have anything else, so I might as well use what I have thing", but, meh. I firmly believe in knives for utility. If it comes down to it, sure use it as a weapon. Just don't expect Joe Felon standing there at 6' 2", 250 pounds of fresh out of prison muscle to stand there and let you wave your 3" bladed folder at him like a spider monkey, while he leans on his aluminum baseball bat.
I carry a knife to cut stuff and a gun to splat bad guys. I'm not Jet Li, nor do I pretend to be. But, to each his own.
 
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Krissig12 said:
Thanks killgar.

I only stressed the necessity of training because I don't want to be an advocate for carrying a knife only for the "warm fuzzy feeling".

Sure, a knife can be used without much training. But is it really going to be as effective if you've never gone through similar situations in training first? A big part of training is developing muscle memory and stress management skills. If you are thrown into an attack and don't even know how to quickly deploy your knife, let alone use it to any success while being in full on panic adrenaline mode, then your chances of prevailing in the situation decrease dramatically.

You don't become an invincible ninja because you throw the latest and greatest peice of edged gear in your pocket. Just like you aren't a sniper because you buy a bolt gun or put a scope on your AR.
Click to expand...
I agree %100. If more people possessed your level of understanding on this topic, they would be much better off.

I fully agree, and advocate, that anyone seeking to carry any item for self-defense, whether it be a weapon, or pepper spray, etc, should seek out QUALIFIED instruction in the use of those items. And furthermore, that they should dedicate themselves not only to the proper use of such items, but also to a thorough education on all matters related to self-defense (some of which you mentioned).

My disagreements with your earlier post were minor ones. Qualified instruction on matters of self-defense, including the defensive use of weapons, is always a good thing, and is something that should always be sought out. Such instruction is always better than no instruction, and it may very well make the difference between success (living) and failure (dying).
 
in my opinion the best knife in that price range is a spyderco endura. the endura is a very strong and reliable knife. also the spyderco salt series has rust proof blades.
 
i also recommend the cold steel talwar, the 4 inch blade is pretty strong and light, check out the abuse it takes in this video

[video=youtube;lxk163cLWWo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxk163cLWWo[/video]
 
Ronnyls said:
Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum, just registered.
A while ago I bought a SAK (just a simple vic climber). And I was simply amazed by how it made my life easier. I found so many uses for it that I got obsessed with EDC gear. I have been reading a ton of content about flashlights, multi-tools, knives, etc. And I have decided that the next EDC gear I would get would be a good quality folding knife.
Everything I buy, I buy after doing a ton of research. For example, I have started to study the different kinds of steel so I can choose my knife. Problem is, I am Brazilian, and Brazil does not have a good quality knife seller, I would be extremely limited in choice. My brother is going to the US this month, and he will buy the knife for me, but I did not have the time to do my research!!! So I will need you guys to choose it for me.

Brazilian law limits the size of the blade to a maximum of 4" (10cm).
I don't have a specific use to it, I am an electronics and telecommunication engineering student. The blade won't be used to an extreme, mostly box opening, eventual wire striping (I know it hurts the blade, I will use mostly the SAK for this), smoothing the edges of wood planks I use to fix my circuit boards, cutting heat shrink, etc. But it's quite a violent country, I really want it to double as personal defense.
I want a knife that is very rust resistant, I want to be able to peel an orange, give the blade a little wipe, put it back in my pocket and not worry about it rusting.
I have no problem in spending a lot of time sharpening, I want edge retention over an easy sharpening.
It must lock, for safety reasons.
I don't care for its appearance, if it is ugly, but is good, I will take it.
Must be a folding knife I can carry in my pocket.
It must be around 70.00 US or lower. Sorry for the low value guys, Brazil's coin (real) is really low in comparison to the dollar right now. I made a quick conversion, taking minimum wage into account, and for a Brazilian to spend one dollar is the equivalent of an American spending 5.22. So it's like paying 365 dollars for a knife.


Thank you very much guys.

Edit: Do you guys know if my brother will have problems bringing the knife in his suit case? It will fly in the cargo, not with the passengers.
Click to expand...

Hello,

Welcome from Western Montana!

The Buck 110 folding hunter knife is what I carry on a daily basis. I carry it in a black leather fanny pack kept alone in it's own pocket. It can be carried in a pocket too. You can carry it on a belt too. It comes with it's own case or you can have a special one made for it.

It is a heavier knife than some smaller pocket knives but it works for me. Single blade - easy to open.

The blade length would work for you. So would some other nice things about this knife.

I do not know if I am allowed to post the Buck knife's website or not on this forum but you can look it up.

You and your brother can check the knife laws for the states and cities where he will be traveling in the United States. Knife laws vary state to state and rural versus city too. Most of the time there is no problem packing a knife in 'checked luggage' = cargo section compared to not being allowed to have it in a carry on bag. I have not checked all of the newer airline laws in every single detail for some time.

Best wishes to you.

Cate
 
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