fixed blade or folder for home defense

...It can't happen here, it can't happen here...

Moving to a less crime ridden neighborhood is a great idea. But don't for a minute think that this "solves" the issue of home defense. Complacency kills.

And I don't think you would fare any better with a jury with a 12" - 14" bladed exotic knife like the Khukri than you will with the spear. Conversely I think you would fare better against the home invader.
 
yam said:
I just think your under estimating what can be done with a bat or mattock handle and over estimating what can be done with a knife or spear.
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I agree that a club is a fine weapon, better than a knife if you have room to swing it, but I think you're seriously underestimating the spear.

It's no accident that in every pre-gunpowder army, the spear was the primary weapon. A sword is for after your spear is broken.

It's commonly said that in the hands of a master there is no deadlier melee weapon than a spear (plus, you can throw them pretty well if you need to). A long staff is a close second (against unarmored opponents), but a long staff is just a spear missing the pointy bit...

Given the confines of a house, I'd go for a short spear (nice call on the Cold Steel Assegai, DRider), or a short stabbing sword (small sword or gladius).

Of course, all this conjecture is meaningless since he is old enough for a shotgun. :rolleyes: I prefer an automatic 20 ga with #4 buck...
 
James Green Dragon said:
Moving to a less crime ridden neighborhood is a great idea. But don't for a minute think that this "solves" the issue of home defense. Complacency kills.
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I actually used this strategy very effectively. I propose that if done effectively, you will find this has perhaps the greatest impact in reducing the likelihood of having a violent confrontation.

To illustrate, I present the following crime statistics in the LA area:
http://www.palos-verdes-real-estate.net/crime-by-city-comparison.htm

I used to live in a city adjacent to the infamous Compton that everyone has heard of (origin of Compton Crips & Blood, other gangsters, gangsta rap, #1 homicide city in the US some years, etc). Notice 1,955 violent crimes that year. My house there experienced a home invasion and a few close calls with thugs.

Now, notice a city called Rolling Hills. This was perhaps the most violent year (2001) in Rolling Hills in a long time. There was exactly 1 violent crime. (And that was some stupid within-the-family BS that is so rare.) Usually it's zero. If you live in Rolling Hills your chances for violent crime against you or your family drops by a probability factor that is off the charts.

Really, making a move like this has immense impact. In the Compton area, your children will feel tension of something going down --- on a DAILY basis. If you really want your kids to be non-complacent and be familiar with violence, raise your kids here and they will be guaranteed to know at least a dozen classmates who will be killed before graduating from high school! When you are in Rolling Hills, your family will not feel anywhere near this kind of stress for as long as you live there.

The only thing is that this is not an option for everybody. To make it happen, you need to succeed in business first, or have some kind of marketable skills (like play pro ball or something -- or even gangsta rapper --- HA, HA, HA!).
 
In addition to deciding which "tool" is right for the job, you should also be familiar with your laws and legal repercussions regarding the use of those tools. For instance, in many places being in someone's home is good enough reason, in other places it may not be. Texas was contemplating a law several yeasrs ago that said anyone on your property after dark had it coming - the perp wouldn't have to be in your house. I don't know whether or not that passed. And Florida just passed laws enabling a wider flexibilty for defending yourself and property. Texas has a law on the books making it legal to shoot anyone who's comitting a felony - unfortunately it didn't hold up in court recently and someone's in jail for a very long time for shooting a car thief.

How about a kitchen knife? You'll never have to explain to a jury why yopu had one of those in your house. And practice repeating the phrase, "He said he was going to kill me, he said he was going to kill me, he said..." Your word against the perp's.

Best Wishes and good luck,
Bob
 
Personally, I'd recommend a good golf club. It is solid metal, not expensive, won't resonate in your hand like an aluminum baseball bat, more maneuverable, etc...
But if you want a knife, why not just get a cheap machete, as suggested above, from Cold Steel. Hell, get one of their seconds, no need, IMO, to spend "under $200" when you could spend "under $50".
 
The intimidation factor is best backed up with the well rehersed, no nosense 'I am crazy enough to use this to hurt you in an ugly way" attitude. Then you start seeming all bad, and think you are all that, and soon enough you will have to back up the talk with the walk.
I used to meet potential intruders with my bow. Being poked with a big nasty broadhead does not appeal to most people. Legal. Easy to use in a hallway (hard to miss) and has that 'reach out and touch someone' safety envelope of distance. ;-) That cold steel spear is an option also.
 
If I can't have my .40 cal. Sig Sauer P-229 I'll take my chances with a short (little league size) aluminum baseball bat over a knife any time. I would say broken bones and cracked skulls are a lot more effective at stopping a person than non-lethal cuts and stabs from a knife - And even if the knife wound is eventually fatal it usually takes time for the individual to bleed out. Who knows what kind of damage a very large, very pissed, methed-up intruder could do before he blacks out.

Golf clubs might make a good weapon in a large open room but if you happen to be in a hallway with an fairly low ceiling you're pretty much screwed. (unless you break it in half and stab the intruder. :D )

As for a spear-I guess it would be great if you make a good initial thrust, but if you miss it would be way too easy for a big, strong, doped up intruder to grab the shaft of the spear wrestle it away from you... And NEVER throw a weapon at an intruder-if you miss it becomes THEIR weapon and I can't think of a much worse way to go than being run through by your own spear.
 
Actually, the Vikings did a pretty fair job against spears with axes. Anyhow, this isn't Hollywood. This isn't some low budget kung-fu movie. You are not a Roman soldier. You are not a Gladiator. Sure spears "were", maybe even "are" great weapons. But why were they or knives effective back then? Because the people using them trained with them and used them a lot, for everything from hunting to combat. They used them nearly every day for something, they were a part of their lives. They did not have them leaning in a closet or behind a door to be used at a later date.

A spear? I would take my mighty club and smash your puny spear that you don't know how use. Sure, try to poke, jab or stab me with your now broken and useless spear. I am powerful, I am a .... I am a ..... I am a guy with a club and I'm not afraid to use it, uh ... aggressively! Am I mocking you spear advocates ..... why yes, yes I am. I'm also mocking myself because I never would have thought in this day and age I would be having a debate as to whether a club or a spear would make a better home protection weapon. Go ahead and mock me back though, it's ok, I can take your poking at me. :D Just remember, my mocking was in good fun not a personal clubbing.

Anyway, think in realistic terms, figure out what you could actually use effectivly and get that. Think about what might incriminate you later if you should ever have to use it. I still say securing your apartment or house is the first thing to consider. Make it so that it's too much of a challenge and they move on. Then think about what you might need should you get an intruder.
 
You know, if your set on a knife, the others are right when saying you don't need an expensive one. Ontario has their Spec Plus series which can provide you with decent options on a budget. I bought a few and IIRC i never paid more than $40.00 for any of'em. This is including their monster "Marine Raider Bowie".
My only problem with them is some of the names they put on those knives. Their Randall looking model, for example, has "FIGHTER" stamped on the ricasso.:thumbdn: :( Not something you'd want to have to explain in civil or criminal court. And, you can bet the farm the other side is gonna be all over that.
Cold Steel has some reasonably priced pieces too. They are fixed blades with Kraton handles and guards and are "420 Sub-Zero quenched" steel. A bargain basement steel for sure, but, how long does the knife need to retain it's razor sharp edge anyway? Till you've defended yourself, right? Two minutes, maybe? Certainly something we thumb our noses at here for utility use, but as a dedicated SD piece it only needs to be sharp for the time it's actually separating home invader soft tissue.:eek: :barf:
BUT! The good news is they are now making these models in their excellent Carbon V steel. Not too shabby!

Now, if your old enough to legally own a shotgun, you need to just shelf the knife/spear idea and go do some shotgun shopping.:) There's little else in this world that can put the fear of God into someone faster than hearing that universally recognizable sound of a 12 gauge pump shotgun being raked.
 
I have to LAUGH!!!

Get serious. If a club was a great weapon, swords wouldn't have been invented. What made the Samauri Warrior great? The edge.

If the guy is bigger or stronger or crazed by drugs.....he can grab a club and use it on YOU!

Get a short (18 to 20 inches) sword with a good sharp cutting edge and a good sharp point.

If he grabs at you.......just cut the hand off.

Nothing causes an attacker to stop and think like losing a limb.

If he gets too close......just run him through and bear hug him......at least he won't be able to use the sword against you like he would a club.

:D
 
Well, the golf club idea was recommended by a Chicago police officer pretty well versed in such matters. It can do plenty of damage and is a bit easier to explain to a jury then why you were swinging your "jungle machete "or "Viking broadsword" around.
 
Perhaps the nice police officer would like us to use a pillow?

That would be even easier to explain to the jury.

:D

Seriously, a golf club is effective only if aimed perfectly (not likely to happen under stress, it rarely even happens on a quiet golf course). Most likely the shaft would be hitting the attacker's arms and then if he was big enough or had a partner, he (or they) would close on you and it would be all over.

A sword can slash or stab and is deadly from point to hilt, the golf club is a club only on the very end.

Not good.

Sword it is!!

:D
 
In light of the myriad of suggestions, and after considering the debate a bit more seriously, I'm gonna have to change my recommendation to a sling.:D
 
For home defense only... my vote would go to the Cold Steel OSS .

Since it is for home only, a larger fixed blade knife is a much better choice over any folder or smaller fixed blade knife. The OSS also has a sub-hilt which gives nice control and protection.

I can't think of any knife that would be better for this particular application... and it's only $99.

http://www.coldsteel.com/38ssc.html

Nick
 
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