What is your pick for best self defense Spydie

"Never fight fair with a stranger, boy..." - Arthur Miller

This thread has been a grisly read but the concern is justifiable in this day and age. Practice situational awareness. Try not to be in a no-fly zone. De-escalate a confrontation. Use your head, not your knife.
 
This is my pick for best SD Spyderco.
pehZSgJ.png
 
Otto Carpenter said:
"Never fight fair with a stranger, boy..." - Arthur Miller

This thread has been a grisly read but the concern is justifiable in this day and age. Practice situational awareness. Try not to be in a no-fly zone. De-escalate a confrontation. Use your head, not your knife.
Click to expand...
In fact, yes, your brain and common sense will go much farther than a knife ever will in the self defense arena. Of course, one must have a brain and common sense to begin with. :rolleyes:
 
I've been car jacked and I would never had time to pull a knife even if I have the presence of mind to remember it.

When you are getting out of a car and all of a sudden are looking at a shotgun held by a teen, your first reaction is...Oh s**t. I had a Buck Mayo in my pocket and it stayed there.

I carry a Harpy, Matriarch or P'Kal when I need a little steel in my spine, but I have no illusions about turning into Jet Li if I get jacked again :)
 
BuckShack said:
I only own two PM2 so that is my choice. I've got plans for others now thanks to you guys. :thumbsup:

Here is one. The other is black.
Spyderco02c_zpsba113904.jpg

Spyderco03c_zps03ed9711.jpg
Click to expand...

Not about SD, just want to say that DLC s30v digicam g10 is the best looking PM2 among all PM2 that I have/had (DLT red g10 m390, DLT grey g10 20cv, KW cf m4, and burnt orange rex 45).
 
Lapedog said:
Stabbing is considerably more lethal but it is not at all uncommon for people to get stabbed and not realize it until after the fight.

Neither slashing or stabbing will necessarily get someone to stop attacking. Often they think they are just getting punched.
Click to expand...

I agree and disagree. Many people who get stabbed don't realize it. Many people who get slashed don't realized it either but if an attacker gets slashed in the neck or groin with a purpose-designed Spyderco Civilian, I guarantee that attacker is stopping.
 
Dudelepowski said:
I agree and disagree. Many people who get stabbed don't realize it. Many people who get slashed don't realized it either but if an attacker gets slashed in the neck or groin with a purpose-designed Spyderco Civilian, I guarantee that attacker is stopping.
Click to expand...

Likewise there are places you can stab a person that will likely result in a stoppage.

But no I disagree. While a slash to the neck might be very quickly fatal the slashed person may still have enough gas to grab your knife and slash you back, or slash you with their own knife.

Knives have no stopping power short of completely severing a muscle or tendon that will disable its corresponding movement. Will a deep slash to the neck kill someone? Almost certainly. However until they bleed out and lose conciousness they can still do you harm.
 
Many people think they got punched when they were actually stabbed.

Many knife deciplines teach to comma cut on the thrust strikes. It causes alot more damage than simply poking with the blade.
 
Swick. Old original version with smaller hole. Wharncliffe blade like Yojimbo and you cant drop it . original was much slimmer . would love to find an original leaf blade swick as well but not paying 150-200 for one.
 
Lapedog said:
Likewise there are places you can stab a person that will likely result in a stoppage.

But no I disagree. While a slash to the neck might be very quickly fatal the slashed person may still have enough gas to grab your knife and slash you back, or slash you with their own knife.

Knives have no stopping power short of completely severing a muscle or tendon that will disable its corresponding movement. Will a deep slash to the neck kill someone? Almost certainly. However until they bleed out and lose conciousness they can still do you harm.
Click to expand...

I guess what I'm saying is that if someone told me that there was a 100% chance that someone was going to try to take my life and I could choose one Spyderco folder to defend myself with, it would be the Spyderco Civilian for reasons already described.
 
Last edited:
Dudelepowski said:
I guess what I'm saying is that if someone told me that there was a 100% chance that someone was going to try and take my life and I could choose one Spyderco folder to defend myself with, it would be the Spyderco Civilian for reasons already described.
Click to expand...

I think the waved Matriarch is a better choice. Self defense scenarios we can’t run away from are going to make drawing a non waved knife and thumbing it open a tricky proposition. If walked around all the time with the Civillian open in your hand then that’s fine but since the advent of wave opening folders imho a self defense folder absolutely requires one.

Then the next step is practicing waving that folder until it is absolutely second nature.
 
I've always liked the Hinderer fingerguard on the XM series and the ZT 0560, 0562 knives. The Spyderco Amalgam looks like it would be a nice EDC/SD type knife.

Sounds like they got the bugs out of the flipper/bearings.
 
Last edited:
I'm retired LE & I never leave the house without a handgun. If I knew when I left the house in the morning that I was going to need my handgun for self defense, then I'd take a carbine or shotgun too.

I don't really carry knife for self defense, but if I did, it'd probably be a big assed Busse or something like that. If I was limited to a folder, I'd probably go with a Yojimbo 2. The reasons why Michael Janic designed it the way he did seem valid to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rpn
Ironbut said:
I'm retired LE & I never leave the house without a handgun. If I knew when I left the house in the morning that I was going to need my handgun for self defense, then I'd take a carbine or shotgun too.

I don't really carry knife for self defense, but if I did, it'd probably be a big assed Busse or something like that. If I was limited to a folder, I'd probably go with a Yojimbo 2. The reasons why Michael Janic designed it the way he did seem valid to me.
Click to expand...

I'm a retired LEO too but I almost never carry a gun, even though I'm qualified to do so. Just too much of a hassle and too big of a liability if I actually use it. Not sure how/why you'd carry a carbine or shotgun for SD. I'm sure that that would draw A LOT of attention if you did. Especially, in the current climate and aftermath of all of the recent mass murders.

While I have over 140 knives and have many designed specifically for self-defense, I normally only carry "normal" EDC blades, like the Natrix that I'm currently carrying.

However, if I think I'm going to be visiting an area that requires it (usually at night), I'd carry a G17 in my Galco shoulder rig and/or a G26 in my Sticky Holster ankle rig and/or a small automatic knife (like a Microtech UTX-85 or Min-Infidel) and/or a small back up fighting knife folder like a Spyderco Introvert or ZT0750 Talon.

If that's not good enough to handle any situation that arises, I'll be in WAY OVER my head any way and will just call 911. LOL!!! ;)
 
Last edited:
sgt1372 said:
Any knife Sypderco sells can be used for self-defense but, among those specifically designed for that purpose, I like the Introvert the best because it is the easiest and most intuitive to use.

The unique flip design allows for quick deployment and the positioning handle allows you to quickly insert your index finger in the hole and place your thumb on top of the blade to establish a fighting grip on the knife for quick defensive slicing action and secures the grip in such a way that it would be very difficult to lose your grip on the knife (even if subject to a counter leverage move).

I also have the Yojimbo, P'kal and Karahawk (as well as a Lapu Lapu Corto - the Gunting look alike) but these knives, are require specific training to use properly and (except for the P'kal) are much slower to deploy. However, for non-lethal and/or non-cutting applications, the Gunting is probably best but again you need specialized training and practice to use it effectively.
Click to expand...

My main issue with the Introvert is that one can carry a Fred Perrin La Griffe and essentially have the exact same knife in a fixed blade. The La Griffe in its tiny sheath is more compact and faster drawing than the introvert.

I don’t understand, why is the karahawk slower to open than the Pikal? Both knives have wave devices and thus should draw faster than the introvert. The pikal and karahawk draw as they are pulled out of the pocket wheras the introvert needs to be flipped open after drawing.

The Lapu Lapu family have that “kinetic opener” where you sort wave the knife after drawing it. I think these lapu lapu family knives would have benefited greatly from being tip up so one could wave them on draw if they chose.

I love that Spyderco makes these designs for self defense knives. I wish they made wave features standard on self defense Spydercos; maybe a removable peg wave like the pikal.
 
GatorFlash1 said:
Sometimes just the noise of cocking a gun, or snapping open an auto edc may be enough to stop a confrontation
Click to expand...

Sometimes it does but I wouldn’t want to count on that. My whole issue with non waved folders for self defense is you have to draw them then open them.

Even for making a “scarey noise” waved knives do this faster as they are drawn whereas an auto has the extra step after drawing.

I already think folders are extremely not ideal for a defensive weapon you may have to draw under stress. A wave atleast helps somewhat. If it is a fight I can’t run away from chances are good it is a fight too close for me to want to be fumbling with thumb studs or butttons

Its ugly but atleast almost any spyderco can use a zip tie mod to help out. Or some companies are making attachable third party waves.
 
i CC so i doubt i would be in knife fight , i would try to talk it down but old saying my dad had

young guys fight old guys shoot lol . and i CC everywhere like my wife does also

i would use a push dagger if gun is away from me
 
Now here's the thing.
If SD with a knife means to cut one's self away from an assailant, then i guess any knife would do.
Basically the action revolves around quick stabs and multiple slashes in order for one to flee within seconds from harms way.
But to go head on as in having a prolonged exchange requires a heavy duty blade.
Meaning a blade that is able to withstand a great deal of force and punishment.
I would think very few, if any folder is able to
lift a man of his feet.
Because this is where most knives eventually face the greatest possible malfunction...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top