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Fixed blade EDC

Bump up your price some and get a Bradford Guardian 3.5. The leather sheath it comes is great for concealed carry, it's a great edc blade too, and you can get it in MagnaCut right now even cheaper than the M390 version. The sheath is set up for horizontal carry and conceals very well. I have two. They are phenomenal.
 
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dirc said:
I agree with all of what Jeff says : )

Another point to consider, holding a knife can be a negative in a fight, it's like having one hand tied up - you're gripping the knife & not able to use it for much else.
2 well trained open hands will take advantage of this, grab you/your wrist, or enact holds which will instantly remove any advantage a knife may have provided

this is why training is so critical, and always brought up in these discussions

the result is simple, most people would do better in a fight with bare hands, allowing them to grab/lock/control your opponent
using a knife curtails these options, and you're left with disabling strikes to cut tendons etc (if you're skilled), or stabbing... which never ends well for anyone

so yes, a knife may be enough to frighten people to back down
if they don't back down... all bets are off, you better have some basic training using them in sd scenarios
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This sounds like bad info..... sorry.
 
Bastler said:
Long story short, my attorney told me that just pulling a knife is felony assault in this state. Yeah, I know, "Judged by twelve--carried by six..." blah, blah, blah. If the state is willing to take your case before a jury, it's because they are confident that they have enough evidence for a conviction. Very few criminal defendants walk out of court smiling. The Man doesn't care about your definition of self defense, how the law in your jurisdiction defines it is all that matters.
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Pulling weapons Out is illegal where I live too. Brandishing/assault.

However, during imminent danger said knife can perfectly legally go In and Out of said attacker as Many times as Needed.
 
JWright214 said:
Honestly, I think we are saying the same thing, just articulated in a different way. The self defense I’m speaking of is basically following the force continuum starting with de-escalation and ending with deadly force. If we are strictly speaking of life or death then my recommendation (of what someone could have on their person in a public setting) would be handgun and then knife. I was using a broader definition or range of self defense, including threats where lethal force is not a necessity. I agree with all of your points, you are correct, I’m just saying there are instances that the less than lethal would be better options. Again, most of this is based upon legality and not my personal preference. Personally, I think that any self defense situation that arises could potentially be deadly and you should be able to defend yourself accordingly. Unfortunately the legal side of things doesn’t agree with me. Hopefully that makes sense.
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I agree. The full spectrum of possible defensive encounters is diverse. Having the right tool for a particular encounter is a good thing. It's just always a matter of balancing preparedness with what is comfortable to lug around all day. I always have a gun unless I'm traveling somewhere where those in power would egregiously violate my rights over it. I do not carry "less lethal" tools in addition to my firearm. If I am traveling to one of those places, I usually carry a fixed blade and usually in the same belt position.

A lot of the "less lethal" tools and back-up tools make sense for police, guards, etc. because they are carrying that stuff as a job. I just don't have the EDC real estate for something like that. I live in a safe place and carry a defensive tool for the same reason that I keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. A gun is already the biggest, heaviest, and most complicated part of my EDC and it is in preparation for something that will hopefully never happen.

The artificial, immoral, and unconstitutional impediment to some people being able to carry the best tool for the job here is a shame. We should all be working towards solutions on that but unfortunately, this is the wrong forum to discuss it.
 
Chronovore said:
I agree. The full spectrum of possible defensive encounters is diverse. Having the right tool for a particular encounter is a good thing. It's just always a matter of balancing preparedness with what is comfortable to lug around all day. I always have a gun unless I'm traveling somewhere where those in power would egregiously violate my rights over it. I do not carry "less lethal" tools in addition to my firearm. If I am traveling to one of those places, I usually carry a fixed blade and usually in the same belt position.

A lot of the "less lethal" tools and back-up tools make sense for police, guards, etc. because they are carrying that stuff as a job. I just don't have the EDC real estate for something like that. I live in a safe place and carry a defensive tool for the same reason that I keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. A gun is already the biggest, heaviest, and most complicated part of my EDC and it is in preparation for something that will hopefully never happen.

The artificial, immoral, and unconstitutional impediment to some people being able to carry the best tool for the job here is a shame. We should all be working towards solutions on that but unfortunately, this is the wrong forum to discuss it.
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I agree 100%. I’m the same way, I always carry
a gun and I do not carry less than lethal options either. I only tend to recommend them to those who can’t exercise their rights to carry a gun, which is unconstitutional, but that’s a whole different conversation 😂
 
$121 for the Spyderco Ronin.

Designed by our M Michael Janich exactly for your purpose. Plus super useful to open boxes, cut seat belts, etc., etc.
 
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wicat3 said:
Sorry I'm sure I was pretty vague and should have known better. I am looking for a self-defensive fixed blade for edc. I always carry a knife or two, but this is more something that won't be used for opening boxes or the daily tasks that a knife comes in handy for. I'm thinking something small like a 3-4 inch blade. I have a few CRKT knives that I like. I have seen some cold steel but I wasn't sure the quality of the products or what is a good brand and what isn't.
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Gryphon M10 FFG laminated.

I think it meets all your stated requirements: Size, price, sheath positioning, intended use, etc.
 
Just an update. I had been torn with between a few different budget knives but went for an ESEE Izula. It's a nice knife but after handling it a bit I think it might be a bit too small between the grips and the blade length seems a bit smaller than I expected. Now I'm not saying it won't do what I was looking for but I'm not sure it's what I was thinking. I did some looking around and I had a BK14 which I thought was the Izula when I ordered it. Plus, I have leaned toward and keep going back to the guardian 3, Ontario RAT 3 or ESEE 3
 
wicat3 said:
Just an update. I had been torn with between a few different budget knives but went for an ESEE Izula. It's a nice knife but after handling it a bit I think it might be a bit too small between the grips and the blade length seems a bit smaller than I expected. Now I'm not saying it won't do what I was looking for but I'm not sure it's what I was thinking. I did some looking around and I had a BK14 which I thought was the Izula when I ordered it. Plus, I have leaned toward and keep going back to the guardian 3, Ontario RAT 3 or ESEE 3
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If the izula is too small the guardian 3 might be a bit small for you too. Luckily the guardian 3.5 exists and gives you just a bit more to hold on to. Very comfortable
 
wicat3 said:
Just an update. I had been torn with between a few different budget knives but went for an ESEE Izula. It's a nice knife but after handling it a bit I think it might be a bit too small between the grips and the blade length seems a bit smaller than I expected. Now I'm not saying it won't do what I was looking for but I'm not sure it's what I was thinking. I did some looking around and I had a BK14 which I thought was the Izula when I ordered it. Plus, I have leaned toward and keep going back to the guardian 3, Ontario RAT 3 or ESEE 3
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c7m2p3 said:
If the izula is too small the guardian 3 might be a bit small for you too. Luckily the guardian 3.5 exists and gives you just a bit more to hold on to. Very comfortable
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I tried a Guardian 3 and it just didn't work out. Problems included: Handle is too small, Choil forces my hand into a weird grip, Lanyard cut-out causes hot spot, Scales get pointy around lanyard cut-out and choil, sheath does not allow full grip on the draw, sheath is too loose on the knife and too tight on my belt.

Luckily, the Guardian 3.5 solves those specific knife issues for me. The 0.15" blade thickness is a bit much though. I get that it makes the blade "sturdy" but what exactly are people doing with this small of a knife that it requires that level of sturdiness?!? Dropping down to 0.125" would make it a better slicer and it would still be plenty sturdy. Even if we are talking about use as a defensive tool, 0.125" would be fine.

Speaking of defensive tools, "full grip on the draw" isn't just a convenience. It's widely considered a benefit for defensive tools and some trainers consider it a hard requirement. Given that these are named "Guardian", you'd think that they'd be streamlined for defensive applications. I know Bradford makes a kydex alternative but it looks like that too inhibits full grip on the draw. Armatus makes a Kydex sheath that seems to fix that problem but I haven't tried it.
 
Chronovore said:
A lot of the "less lethal" tools and back-up tools make sense for police, guards, etc. because they are carrying that stuff as a job. I just don't have the EDC real estate for something like that. I live in a safe place and carry a defensive tool for the same reason that I keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. A gun is already the biggest, heaviest, and most complicated part of my EDC and it is in preparation for something that will hopefully never happen.
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My view on that is the less you mess a guy up. The more likely you are to be able to go about your day.
 
Check out the Sog Trident FX fixed blade. Suppose to be available in July. 3.7 inch tanto style blade. Comes with Kydex sheath with tension adjusters. Waiting on this one myself. Price under $100 which fits your price range.
 
wicat3 said:
Hey everyone. I am looking for a tactical fighting fixed blade to carry for my EDC. I have looked around and read some reviews but most of what I found are custom made and pretty expensive. I'm looking to spend around $100 as it would be my first fixed blade and would prefer something that can be carried sideways on my belt instead of hanging down. Any help or suggestions would be great.
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For a bit more than $100 you can do something like this-
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Becker BK-11, about $52, sheath from Randy Bagwell, $40, Brazilian Ironwood scales, $20.

Small enough to carry easily on your belt, light enough to forget its there....
 
Cheap and very good: Cold Steel mini tac in your choice of tanto or clip point. I think they cost about $25. You will want a mini C clip with it. The.grip design is astonishingly good. I prefer something bigger, but I would feel good carrying one of these (and I own a couple for this reason).

At the smaller blade lengths mentioned in this thread you will need to emphasize CUTTING rather than stabbing for defensive purposes. Back when I worked in the pr8son system I saw a whole lot of people stabbed, often multiple multiple times, and they were only rarely taken out of the fight or even noticeably incapacitated.

A deep and long cut, even with a smaller weapon, can end the fight right there. If the arm no longer works because the tendons are cut, then it no longer works. And very few people will chase you far while tripping over their own intestines.

More, you often hear people say some variation of, 'A knife for defense? You are just as l8kely to cut yourself!" To this I say bullocks, assuming the knife is designed with that purpose in mind. Consider, for example, the Spyderco Civilian or Cold Steel Black Talon. Both are designed, from the ground up, to allow untrained civilians to cause horrific and likely lethal injuries without requiring extensive training. They are claws, and you use them that way. Anything you can reach with it will be destroyed. Arms, legs, abdomen, chest, if it is within reach it is done. Best choice for defense? No, but you can't always carry a gun, or quickly get to it when you can.

In my inexpert opinion of course.
 
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