When to reach for the main blade?

[snow and steel]

The more you use your knife, the better you will be with it due to familiarity and practice. You can sharpen it daily, if need be. As for a "back up"... my knife IS my back up... to a pistol.

 

[dsmegst]

In my opinion you should never use your main blade unless absolutely necessarily. Your main blade should always be extremely sharp and ready for action.

Why dull your main blade with daily tasks?

So you carry a "pocket queen?" I don't see the logic in that. My thought is to use the best tool for the job that's also convenient.

EDIT - after reading the rest of the posts, I also have to add that you're free to do what you think is best. There are no "right" answers here. So even though your thoughts are not the same as mine, it's the right thing to do for you. No argument from me, just a difference in thought.

 

[sensei78]

I always carry 3 knives with me, a main fixed blade, a folder, and a last ditch tool.

The folder is the user of the day, anybody needs somthing cut I take out my folder.

The main fixed blade is actually my back-up if somehow I'm disarmed of my folder.

and of course when all fails I still have my last ditch, like a Strider LM nail.

Bro, you are not alone.... I always carry three as well, Fixed horizontal cross-draw, back up, strongside FP clipped, and Leatherman wave weakside FP clipped but I gotta say my fixed is my primary

 

[Dago Red]

I almost never carry more than one knife, if I need a knife I just use the one I have on me at the time, i don't think I ever think about it ahead of time. I have a cold steel vaquero I'll carry sometimes, that 6" wicked serrated blade snapping out does get some looks. I'll use my carry knife to cut my food at a restaurant even if their knives suck. I used my dress knife this morning to cut blueberry coffee cake, and then opened a box with it.

Red

 

[P2P]

I thoroughly enjoy my knives and the way I handle them. I have been doing the same for years.

I like to have an extremely sharp knife with me which is my main blade. I carry a smaller knife for daily cutting tasks.

I am not waiting to use my main blade. It's better described as I am ready to use my blade and it is extremely sharp when or if I need to do so.

Does this not make sense? Am I the only one to execute this type of knife carry plan?

You are not alone. I will use my main knife, which also has defensive purposes as well. That being said, even though I use it on various tasks I don't leave that house with a main blade that isn't razor sharp. The benefit of sharpening my own knives. I love it when people think they have a razors edge then they feel the edge on mine.

 

[Slowrid-Der]

I was never involved in such a situation but I know someone who was. I guess this buddy of mine was at a downtown ATM when someone pulled a knife on him demanding his money, my friend who does train with a knife pulled out his knife and defended himself. It was the middle of winter and the attacker was wearing a winter jacket and the knife my friend had(I believe it was a Cold Steel Voyager) was the knife he used for everything, the knife did nothing to the attacker, my buddy said he don't even think he cut his coat. The attacker fled as soon as my buddy returned the attack. Lesson here, don't use you defensive blade for anything other than that or it may not be sharp when you really do need it.

The above is from another thread on this forum.

This is an example of why I carry a "pocket queen."

"It was the middle of winter and the attacker was wearing a winter jacket and the knife my friend had (I believe it was a Cold Steel Voyager) was the knife he used for everything, the knife did nothing to the attacker, my buddy said he don't even think he cut his coat. The attacker fled as soon as my buddy returned the attack. Lesson here, don't use you defensive blade for anything other than that or it may not be sharp when you really do need it."

I can not sharpen my knives every day. Even if I could, I use my knife everyday and as everyone knows, a blade starts to dull on the first use. I can only think how stupid I would feel if I used my main knife for daily tasks, only to need it in a defense situation, then to my horror, realize I can not penetrate the heavy leather coat my attacker is wearing.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a violent man and hope in my lifetime, I never have to hurt another person. That being said, I am capable, I train daily in some sort of way and want the proper tool for the job at the ready in case I have to handle an aggressor.

So to address the OP, the above describes the time to reach for the main blade.

Again, this is my way. I have done this for years and will continue to do so. Even when in the future, I live in a place that I can carry a firearm, I believe I will continue this knife carrying practice.

 

[XanRa]

The above is from another thread on this forum.

This is an example of why I carry a "pocket queen."

"It was the middle of winter and the attacker was wearing a winter jacket and the knife my friend had (I believe it was a Cold Steel Voyager) was the knife he used for everything, the knife did nothing to the attacker, my buddy said he don't even think he cut his coat. The attacker fled as soon as my buddy returned the attack. Lesson here, don't use you defensive blade for anything other than that or it may not be sharp when you really do need it."

I can not sharpen my knives every day. Even if I could, I use my knife everyday and as everyone knows, a blade starts to dull on the first use. I can only think how stupid I would feel if I used my main knife for daily tasks, only to need it in a defense situation, then to my horror, realize I can not penetrate the heavy leather coat my attacker is wearing.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a violent man and hope in my lifetime, I never have to hurt another person. That being said, I am capable, I train daily in some sort of way and want the proper tool for the job at the ready in case I have to handle an aggressor.

So to address the OP, the above describes the time to reach for the main blade.

Again, this is my way. I have done this for years and will continue to do so. Even when in the future, I live in a place that I can carry a firearm, I believe I will continue this knife carrying practice.

Maybe I'm just being a steel snob, BUT- if your knife dulls that much from daily tasks... You need ethier a better steel or to learn how to make a sturdier edge- IMO, no offense just my 2cents

 

[keygenkid]

what's the point of carrying a main if blade if you aren't gonna use it. I use my main for cutting. They can judge me all they want my blade is perfectly legal. If i was worried about appearances I would carry a gentleman knife.

 

[Slowrid-Der]

Maybe I'm just being a steel snob, BUT- if your knife dulls that much from daily tasks... You need ethier a better steel or to learn how to make a sturdier edge- IMO, no offense just my 2cents

If you put a razor edge on any steel, then cut cardboard for an example, it is not the same razor edge as you started with. After a week or two or three of continuous use, it needs sharpening. Is this abnormal?

 

[timberweasel]

Some people *do* carry a dedicated 'tactical' blade. Such a knife is a weapon and a weapon only--carried specifically to damage another human regardless of playing the defense card or not. I don't have/need/want one, but if I did, I certainly wouldn't consider it my 'main blade.' Such things are a big part of the reason why knife laws are so strict in many parts of the world... :/

Just a thought...

 

[Slowrid-Der]

Some people *do* carry a dedicated 'tactical' blade. Such a knife is a weapon and a weapon only--carried specifically to damage another human regardless of playing the defense card or not. I don't have/need/want one, but if I did, I certainly wouldn't consider it my 'main blade.' Such things are a big part of the reason why knife laws are so strict in many parts of the world... :/

Just a thought...

Main blade, primary blade, secondary blade... this is playing with semantics and has little bearing on on the point of this thread. Would small and big knife be better?

Some people carry a gun for defense while others carry a knife. That does not mean that they are aggressive or dangerous.

Please tell me how you know you will never need a defensive blade? I don't know that I will never need one however, I certainly hope I never realize the need. I will not pretend that I won't need one. I will not be unarmed when I can carry a big defensive blade legally. If I could carry a gun where I live I would. I still would not hurt anyone unless attacked and forced to defend myself or others.

The reason why knife laws are so strict in many parts of the world is governments that want a disarmed populous so they can be totally controlled. It has nothing to do with free people interested in protecting themselves and others. It is in fact, your responsibility to defend yourself and your family. If you are not going to do it, who then is responsible?

Let's play the semantic game and stop calling a large knife a tactical blade and start calling it a defensive blade. That will make everyone feel better. Maybe it will help people understand that it is their responsibility to defend themselves. The police are their to write up the report and attempt to capture the criminal that put you in the hospital or worse.

If you are a stand up human being, there is absolutely nothing wrong with planing to defend you and your family from any form of aggression designed to cause harm.

Large Defensive Blade... I like that!

 

[timberweasel]

Main blade, primary blade, secondary blade... this is playing with semantics and has little bearing on on the point of this thread. Would small and big knife be better? (...)

You can call it whatever you like. Certainly, any knife can be used as a weapon but that's not why *I* have one. My point is that I choose to carry a knife for its utility. Pretty sure it was the OP's point too.

Obviously, your mileage varies. I sincerely hope you are never called upon to defend yourself or a loved one with a knife, but if you do, may the courts disregard the fact that you premeditatedly chose to carry a knife that has no other purpose than to 'be ready for bad guys'...

 

[Hella Chinese]

I might be in the minority here but I wear pretty skinny, sized down Levis 501 jeans. With that being said it's way too uncomfortable for me to carry more than one blade at a time. I try to grab the smallest knife that will suit anticipated needs for the day and just use it for whatever I need to use it for.

 

[Slowrid-Der]

You can call it whatever you like. Certainly, any knife can be used as a weapon but that's not why *I* have one. My point is that I choose to carry a knife for its utility. Pretty sure it was the OP's point too.

Obviously, your mileage varies. I sincerely hope you are never called upon to defend yourself or a loved one with a knife, but if you do, may the courts disregard the fact that you premeditatedly chose to carry a knife that has no other purpose than to 'be ready for bad guys'...

Everyone who carries a knife has contemplated using it defensively. Whether fleeting or diligent in that thought, that contemplation makes the action premeditated. Pretending something different will not change the facts in a courtroom. I do want to point out that I have never heard of a charge of premeditated defense before.

If I ever have to use a knife, club, brick, gun... it will be because I have no other avenue and deadly force was called for to end a situation that was life threatening.

Since a self defense handgun serves no other function, would a person who is forced to defend themselves with their handgun be guilty of something because they armed themselves premeditatedly?

Planning ahead defensively is not a crime. It is in fact, the responsibility of all humans to protect themselves and their families. If a jury decides that a victim who had a defensive plan is criminally guilty, that would still be better than screaming for help while being attacked or watching a love one being attacked and waiting for someone else to intervene.

In a high stress situation, your response will be based on what you trained to do. There is no crime in training to not be a victim.

 

[Slowrid-Der]

I might be in the minority here but I wear pretty skinny, sized down Levis 501 jeans. With that being said it's way too uncomfortable for me to carry more than one blade at a time. I try to grab the smallest knife that will suit anticipated needs for the day and just use it for whatever I need to use it for.

Tactical nail file?

 

[00ChevyScott]

I frequently use my ZT0551 or 0200 to cut open plastic packages for my customers. Sometimes I'll get someone looking at it curiously, but the majority of the time it is because they're interested in it, not because of fear or ignorance.

 

[kipzroll]

I might be in the minority here but I wear pretty skinny, sized down Levis 501 jeans. With that being said it's way too uncomfortable for me to carry more than one blade at a time. I try to grab the smallest knife that will suit anticipated needs for the day and just use it for whatever I need to use it for.

There's more than one pocket, ha!

 

[Hella Chinese]

Haha, if there WAS a tactical nail file I'm sure you could sand down any attacker that came your way. Realistically I usually carry around a 3.5-3.75 folder in one pocket and my cell phone in the other. Any more than that gets pretty uncomfortable.

 

[somber]

I would think that in a situation where you would need a knife you'll instinctively reach for the knife that you always use for tasks that require a knife, instead of you're designated 'TACTICAL KILL'EM KNIFE'. Also, since it is a knife that you are familiar with that would it not be be something that you know how to use? Instead of a knife that you never use and that just sits in your pocket, and unless you 'train' with it frequently, it may not even be familiar to you except when you take it from your pocket to your dresser at the end of the day.

 

[Slowrid-Der]

I would think that in a situation where you would need a knife you'll instinctively reach for the knife that you always use for tasks that require a knife, instead of you're designated 'TACTICAL KILL'EM KNIFE'. Also, since it is a knife that you are familiar with that would it not be be something that you know how to use? Instead of a knife that you never use and that just sits in your pocket, and unless you 'train' with it frequently, it may not even be familiar to you except when you take it from your pocket to your dresser at the end of the day.

Why would someone have a "Defensive, Stop Attacking Me and/or My Family Blade" and not train with it? In a high stress defensive scenario, you will do as you were trained to do. If you do not train, you will panic and become a successful victim.

My larger blade is deployed far more times per week than my smaller blade. The latter I employ for daily cutting tasks. Not that I will not use my larger knife for cutting tasks. I do use my smaller knife to cut small things and my bigger knife to cut larger things. The main difference is, I will sharpen my lager knife the same day I use it to keep it razor sharp at all times. You never know when you will need a big, razor sharp blade and I want it to be at the ready.

There are times that I only have my smaller blade so I train with that also, just not as much.

I have a couple questions:

• Am I the only person here that thinks about defense and trains so my family and I do not become victims of criminals?

• Furthermore, am I the only person here that doesn't think it is wrong to defend yourself and family with the tools which are legal to carry with you?