Knife - More weapon or tool?

I carry slippies as tools.

Can't carry guns here.
If I carry a tactical, then it is as a weapon.
To be used as the last option for self defense in a clear threat to my life or someone elses.
 
Tool.
I EDC a Buck/Strider 889 to work and use it for opening pallets of fish,cutting wrap,plastic straps,cardboard ect.I've never been in a situation where I've had to think of my knife as a weapon.Personally I don't want to either.
 
southbeachlaw said:
The truth is, I take my EDC larger knife everywhere, probably more than anything for protection. Honestly, just feel safer having it on me. To me, it's primarily a weapon rather than a tool. To me it's a weapon that serves as a tool from time to time rather than a tool that can serve as a weapon.
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My knives are tools first and foremost. Of course a tool for defense could be called a weapon, but without training in it's use, I wouldn't feel at all confident that I could use it well in an emergency.

I would hope that you have enough training in knife fighting to actually BE safer, rather than just FEEL safer because you have a weapon on you.

(I was a member of a pistol club that used to use the Police range and have regular competitions with the Police. They NEVER won--I suppose because they didn't practice. The administration got so concerned about the consistent losing that they closed the range! Go figure.)

Greg
 
A knife is a tool and if I dedicated this tool to defense it would have to be very sharp and up to the task design wise but have to say that a stout stick is hard to beat and low maitenance.
 
Knives are tools. Like any other tool, they can be used as a weapon if need be. If I wanted to carry a blade as a weapon, I'd carry a sword.
 
I used to carry an Endura all the time, as a tool. But I now mostly carry smaller slipjoint pocketknives (of late, a Schrade Old Timer middleman jack) because they serve me better in the routine/mundane day-to-day tasks that I need a cutting tool for.

If I need a weapon for self-defence, I'm likely to have a Comtech Stinger in my pocket.
 
A knife is a cutting tool. Any cutting or striking tool can be used as a weapon.
 
My knives are tools and nothing else. I know they are tools and I carry them as such.
My EDC knives are in their sheaths in my jacket pocket or in my backpack.
However, used wrong they can be used as weapons, so does cobble stones, bricks, pipes, showels, cars, airplanes, boats, anything.

They are not black and full of serrations and other combat-ninja-swat-rambo features, just because other people shouldnt think that I am a mass murdering knife maniac. The second reason is that if the cops show up it is more likely they just dont see or ignore my tools because they are just that. My Fallkniven U2 cuts box tape as easy as a CQC7 wave. The difference is that it might take ten seconds for me to get the knife out.

I might have the "right" to carry a combat-swat-death-kill-rambo-knife when camping but it might still scare people. I do doubt though that the police will see the "need" for a 8" combat sword in a trailer park.

The whole "protection" concept is a new thing over here, even though people have been carrying knives since the wiking age. Only "bad guys" carry knives for protection or to threathen other people. regular people either carry small knives like SAK or multis to open boxes, cut string, open letters, food containers, USB stick packaging, cut shrink wrap, tighten the odd screw and all those small things that annoys you. If the police stops two people with two different knives, dressed the same and so on the guy with a SAK will most likely pass but the guy with a more "combat" knife will surely be questioned. There are actually court rulings on this.

If I need an EDC tool knife I pick a multi or a SAK or just a small folder and keep it in my pocket. The box or string or whatever does not attack me in two seconds.

If I need an EDC weapon knife I would pick a Sykes Fairbain or similar. "Excuse me mr enemy, just imagine that I am not here. I have to find my knife somewhere. then I will stab you".

Have a nice christmas.
 
TOOL first and foremost. I was raised that a knife is a trusted companion to always have in case of emergency. That emergency was always tool/task related.

To say I've never considered my knife a weapon would be a lie. I mean you hold it in your hands and admire the potential it has to inflict injury and hope it never comes to that. I've self inflicted injuries on myself by being careless because I was pressed for time and thought "the potential my knife has to do serious damage is immense" That thought alone makes me appreciate what great tool a knife is and what scary weapon it could be.

I hope only to inflict serious damage when opening unsuspecting wrapped Christmas presents next week.

Have a safe and blessed holiday knife lovers, enjoy friends and family and maybe a new shiny knife to enjoy over the holidays!!!
 
Dictionary.com says a weapon is "any instrument or device for use in attack or defense in combat, fighting, or war, as a sword, rifle, or cannon".

A gun (and please pardon me if I'm wrong--I know very little of them), has one purpose, and is a weapon. I cannot think of a way it could be considered a tool, or of any utility value it could possess.

A knife, like many other things, is a tool. Like so many tools/items, it could be used as a weapon. Just yesterday I was admiring the metal tip on my umbrella, and how it'd probably make a better weapon than my pocket knife. In this case, you could say an umbrella is more of a weapon than my knife.

I see a weapon as something that's primary/sole purpose, is an act of violence/fighting/killing/maiming another person or animal--and the average knife just doesn't fit into that category. In my opinion.
 
A cast-iron skillet is a tool ... it you could devise a IWB carry for it you would have quite a weapon ... I'M with "tool first" regardless of design ...
 
Also, something that everyone carrying a knife for protection should know, if you're in a situation that is not life or death, and you pull a knife, you've just screwed yourself. If you're in a bar fight, or someone pushes you, or anything else that is not truly life or death, and you pull a knife, chances are very good that you're going to be the one in in jail and facing the worst penalties. Real life is not the movies, and our legal system is not always fair.
SO TRUE!WORDS TO LIVE BY
 
The DOJ points out that knives are a small part of the spectrum of violence - firearms are the big #1, then "anything else" as #2.

The very sad truth is knives are largely used by women in domestic violence.

Being a testosterone-poisoned, firearms trained retired vet, I understand a knife is a tool, and I'm inclined to continue, as I have much more effective weapons available than a knife.

"Anything else" is tactically a much sounder response, especially for the untrained.
 
I absolutely would not want to get in a knife fight, but I do look at most of the knives I buy thinking how it would be in a fight if I had to use it to save my life.
 
To me it is both...kinda like a security blanket type thing when your little, I think you never let go of having a built in security feeling ,call it tool or weapon...it is there on our person for one reason or another and we are not letting go of the feeling no matter how old or young we are or claim to be.... EDC for me RAT3 & LM wave and maybe a Chive or Leek/blur...I alternate monthly on pocket knives...:D
 
An instructor I had liked to remind us that our brain is the weapon and the knife (or anything we can get our hands on) is a tool.
 
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