Lightest 3.5" Defense Folder?

I also think the pepper-spray is your best answer.
And you could also carry a Spyderco Endura or Cold Steel Voyager.

The ASP batons are too heavy for jogging shorts and tank-top.
And the Spyderco Military weighs 4 oz--which is not really very light-weight for a 4" folder.

Maybe a medium weight chain around your waist?
It might be too bothersome with the jogging motion.

BTW, Jogging with a stick just seems weird to me.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
I also favor pepper spray for primary protection against dog attack. Check out the Sabre "Jogger" model, which is what I carry.

Just a comment ... if you live in a populated area like I do, problems with dogs have less to do with the dogs themselves, and are more the result of irresponsible dog owners. I can hardly blame a large, aggressive breed dog for being true to their nature, and just because some idiot pet owner doesn't keep their dog under control is no reason for me to want to injure the animal if I don't absolultely have to.

That said, I do carry superior weaponry at all times, and while primarily intended to defend against attacks from hostile two-legged vermin, if push came to shove, and the pepper spray failed ....

Dave
 
What about a nice little .380 semi-auto Beretta with the night sights :D

My suggestion would be a 4-4.25" fixed blade in a kydex sheath. Whether it is attached to your shorts or your neck or where ever.....get something that you can draw quickly & not have to struggle with opening it if the dog attacks. You may not have the time to open it....


Pepper spray is nice, BUT....watch out if it is a windy night & it comes back in your eyes....if that happens, your f****d!

Batons are also a good idea. A little big, maybe a little on the heavy side....but I would rather have that then something to small & not heavy duty enough.

I have been attached by a dog before....damn thing almost killed me.
You will need something that you can deploy quick & NOT fumble with.

Don't take chances on something that just might not work. Carry something bigger & that may weigh more & something that you can get to quickly. It could save your life!
 
I suggest that you use a plain wrist-loop lanyard on whatever knife you carry -- you don't want to lose it in the dark, or drop it at a critical moment. I suppose you could do the same with the pepper spray.
 
A little something to think about. Yes, I know it really works. Just a little levity here.


What to do when in bear country... wear bells on clothes, carry pepper spray...


How to tell you are in bear country... bear crap has bells in it and smells like pepper...
 
Here's another vote for an FRN Endura. They can be found at very reasonable prices on eBay.
 
Excellent thoughts and suggestions. Thanks to all! I will chase down info on the pepper spray and knives mentioned. I'll probably stay with a folder - presuming it deploys as easily and positively as my BM750. It presents so quickly that a few people have mistaken it for an automatic.

Good point about the pepper spray. The knife needs to be last resort. I might also try a Streamlight TL-2 instead of the Arc LS. Extremely bright spot focusable beam. My LS has been fairly effective at keeping them back. The TL-2 should do even better.

Thanks again!
 
Some other things to consider:

- Spyderco Bob Lum fixed tanto in a kydex sheath
- Emerson CQC
- Surefire G2Z (light, comes with a wrist lanyard) + P61 lamp (120 lumens)
 
I would not view the dogs as a negative. Turn the dogs potential threat into a positive to improve your workout by motivating you to run faster!

As far as the pepper spray, you something to consider. Is it windy where you live? You may want to consider using a foam and forget trying to use it as a stand off defense. You don't want it in your face while trying to keep watch on Fido.

Keep the blade with you as back up. Also as adde dweight resistance for your run. You win all the way around!
 
Hmmm. Unless it's some kind of Pit Bull that's been trained for attack, you probably don't want to really hurt the dog. It's probably just reacting to it's instincts.

A dog will chase you simply because you're running and may not intend to hurt you. But it could just because you've excited it with your running.

A dog, as with many animals, will usually back down if you display aggression and dominance. I think some kind of stick and loud shouting and a waving of the arms will often change the mind of a chasing dog.

There are telescoping batons out there that will retract and deploy with the push of a button.

You don't want a knife to be your FIRST choice in these situations or you'll face serious legal trouble.

You should have pepper spray and/or a baton on hand to use as a FIRST resort and that will probably do the trick most of the time.

As a LAST resort, you might look at the LARGE Cold Steel Voyagers. I don't think they're quality knives, exactly, (they're not bad) but they offer considerable size/weight ratio. They're very light and you can get something up to a 6" blade that would weigh next to nothing. If I faced an angry dog I'd want something BIG over quality any day.

Don't carry an auto-knife. Even though I think most law enforcement personel will look the other way on those when they're carried by otherwise law-abiding citizens who aren't troublemakers, a person running the streets at night is a different story. Besides, you may have to USE it!

Get yourself a small, light pepper spray, run with a retractible baton in your hand and have a big but light folder clipped to your shorts.

If you had to pick just one, I'd say carry the baton. If chased by a dog, stop, swing the baton around a lot, yell at the dog and wave your arms and look big and intimidating. Hell, it works with bears. I was taught this in Alaska by a park ranger. Surely, it'll work at least as well with a dog.
 
The Postal workers all carry mace (or other spray, not sure which) in case they are approached by a nasty pooch.
 
I've sprayed over a hundred people (in training) and quite a few 'live' with 2 million SHU pepper spray, and I would not rely on pepper spray for defense against anything. Nice first option, but it definitely needs a 'Plan B' to follow it up.

Another thing-research has shown that a dog that is already biting you will tend to NOT release, but instead clamp down harder, if sprayed with OC.


Larry
 
The consensus seems to be that a knife is not the preferred option.

However, in some places knives are seen as tools while batons and sprays are weapons, so if you have to rely on a knife, my answer to your exact question would be Spyderco Endura.

I'm assuming that the criteria you gave are legal ones and that you can't carry a fixed blade?

Another folder that springs to mind is the micro tech dragonfly. 3.5" blade, thick but sharp with a wicked point, its a very strong knife weighing in at about 3.5oz (feels lighter, though). For the same weight you can also have the SWAT tiger, a bali with a 5" flat ground blade and Al handles.

If they're legal where you are - I like balis because they're strong and 100% reliable, because I flip 'em a lot they feel much more intuitive and secure to open than any other folder. Only problem with these two is no clip, but you could get a neck sheath (or IWB) and go latchless, reducing the weight even further (heavy steel latch on the dragonfly.)

If it were me, though, I'd run with the flashlight in one hand and an ASP in the other.
 
ASP Lite Weight Baton (about 8oz) in the 21" version along with a Surefire 6P and a blended (OC and CS) foam spray.

Like the others have said...a knife would be the last thing I'd use.
 
A knife will certainly not prevent a dog attack, and pepper spray is not effective 100% of the time. But I think the strategy is to try the pepper spray to keep the dog away from you, but if that doesn't work to use the knife to kill the dog if necessary if starts biting you.
 
On second thought here are a few more practical ideas...

1. Drag a steak behind you from a rope. The dog will hit that instead.

2. Carry dog treats in your pocket and bribe the dog into not biting you. "Nice doggie!"

3. Stuff the back of your shorts with Northern Bathroom tissue.

4. Grit your teeth and take it like a man.

5. Spray your bottom with the pepper spray instead.

6. Run with your cat.

7. Practise climbing trees.

8. Bite back. (The dog will think twice next time.)

9. Turn around and chase HIM back to his house.

10. Get a BIGGER dog and run with him.

I crack myself up! :D
 
LOL!, fulloflead. Sounds like you've been thinking about Colorado's new dog ownership law, and how to deal with it, or maybe even benefit from it (or do you think Denver will challenge?)

The hell with knives, guns and other weapons ... maybe I'll just get a couple of Presas for pets. :(
 
ColoradoDave said:
LOL!, fulloflead. Sounds like you've been thinking about Colorado's new dog ownership law, and how to deal with it, or maybe even benefit from it (or do you think Denver will challenge?)

The hell with knives, guns and other weapons ... maybe I'll just get a couple of Presas for pets. :(
Click to expand...

Guess me and my English Mastiff (190lbs) will stear clear of CO. :confused:
 
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