Which Emerson is best for self defense?

I feel my CQC8 and Surefire E2D Defender (500 lumens) to blind someone first are my best options.

Manic offensive aggression if and when in such a situation are my best allies. I am not sure a different Emerson will improve my odds, but I feel content with my setup or I'd utilize something else.

The Surefire definitely plays into things. It's hard to get at something you can't see, and I know I'd be vulnerable if I played the perp in that situation.

Try it with a full-length mirror sometime if you have a good light, and aim it at your face in the mirror. You'll see what I mean. The first thing out of my pocket is the light to buy time, but the 8 will be out seconds later, open and ready to slice someone within seconds. I'd hate to be on the other end of that situation, and I train weekly to see how fast I can get both into action.

It's less than two seconds consistently, and the light disorientation lasts far longer. It sucks when you actually try it on yourself in a mirror, try it.

And get a good light like the E2D.
 
I feel my CQC8 and Surefire E2D Defender (500 lumens) to blind someone first are my best options.

Manic offensive aggression if and when in such a situation are my best allies. I am not sure a different Emerson will improve my odds, but I feel content with my setup or I'd utilize something else.

The Surefire definitely plays into things. It's hard to get at something you can't see, and I know I'd be vulnerable if I played the perp in that situation.

Try it with a full-length mirror sometime if you have a good light, and aim it at your face in the mirror. You'll see what I mean. The first thing out of my pocket is the light to buy time, but the 8 will be out seconds later, open and ready to slice someone within seconds. I'd hate to be on the other end of that situation, and I train weekly to see how fast I can get both into action.

It's less than two seconds consistently, and the light disorientation lasts far longer. It sucks when you actually try it on yourself in a mirror, try it.

And get a good light like the E2D.

Surefires are excellent with the tactical bezel, I will get one sometime I hope. I went with a Fenix pd35 doesn't have the tactical bezel but has 5 or 6 different modes highest being 850 lumens, which will light up my yard.
 
Getting back to the original question. IF you are relying on a knife to defend yourself AND it ends up laying on the ground for any reason, you are SCREWED. For this reason alone I think any of the Emerson Karambits are the best for SD. If you don't like the hawkbill blade, Emerson has made karambits with tanto, commander and bullnose blades.
 
^ I've been trying to say that, but this whole mindset crap is getting in the way of a knife discussion.
 
Why go to Brazil with your wife if you are in that much danger of being jumped? Why not go to a safer area?

A safe area in Brazil? You must be kidding! ha ha ha ha ha!

BTW my wife is from there.

Why are some people getting off the point of this thread and instead giving advice which has nothing to do with said topic.


Salvador, Bahia..city for the upcoming World Cup:
Brazilian-drug-gang-members-pose-with-weapons-atop-a-hill-overlooking-a-slum-in-Salvador-Bahia-State-April-11-2013.-Lunae-ParrachoReuters-960x639.jpg
 
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Sorry for hijacking the thread. Back on topic I think its a personal choice, I'd opt for an 8, or a roadhouse. Both leave huge holes when stabbed into things, this helps with blood loss, they also are great slashers. Having tested their slashing abilities I've concluded the roadhouse is a better slasher. This is because the handle sits farther behind the blade when you grip it than the 8, as a general rule the more center inline the blade is with the handle, and the straighter the handle, the worst the slashing ability. This is not to say that the 8 isn't an excellent slasher, which it is, just that I've tested the roadhouse and it's proven to be a better slasher. Both blades are long enough to penetrate into the subcalavian, or into the chest of a large attacker, that's a big bonus right there in the world of folders. The tips of both blades line up in such away with the wrist that for my style of stabbing into things I don't feel the blade pulling to the front or back at the moment of impact, this varies by how you hold it though. The handles of both knives offer an excellent grip, one that both protects the thumb, and guards the fingers a bit. The roadhouse allows you to grip mainly with the pinky, a grip I personally prefer as it helps me keep the knife secure when it's subjected to impact, from say slashing. The 8 I find makes you apply equal pressure to all fingers, which is the generally preferred grip style. Both knives over you some additional handle sticking out of the back for striking, with the 8 offering a nice spear shaped end. This is an important factor IMO also. Getting kind of technical here...but say a guy has his hands up in a guard after you slashed him, so your arms moving to strike again. If you come in thrusting from the side your blade could possible get caught in his arm which may also cause him to jerk in pain and in the process disarm you, all by accident, this is where breaking his guard with a strike from your pummel may work better. Again this is a bit technical, and if your in a situation like that when the guy puts his guard up you should be running away from him because that's probably a perfect chance to get away and if you stay and fight now your the criminal. I just wanted to point this out as allot of people seem to think that the extra handle is only good for non-lethal impact blows in situations where your blades not already out. This is a point over the Karambit, whose ring handle wouldn't offer as good of a blow. Another thing well I'm talking about karambits is say you slash the guy up a bit and and he's got his hands up in a guard, you slash him again and inadvertently pull his arm In towards you. The guy now with his adrenaline rushing takes the opportunity and is now in your guard, has his hands near your face and throat and now you got problems, especially if the guys bigger than you. Again this is my opinion but I think a karambit can put someone whose not heavily trained in its use in allot of situations that can allow the opponent to quickly turn the tables on them. You could always opt for what my prison knife fighting statistic reinforced and get your self a 7 or super super 7 and just go for low stabs in rapid succession to the lower torso. Statistically your attacker will be unable to block you and statistically your probable win.
Back to the mind set thing, it's not something you acquire by an experience, or learn from someone, it's something you develop in your own head. You can do this at any time, it's just something you have to come to honest to God terms with and have the mental discipline to apply. Training is always good, but I suggest you ground your self in a training that's based in reality not all caught up in some traditions or art form. UFC is cool in all but you don't eye gouge, break arms, bite throats, and crush layrnxs in the sport. Judo is underrated, but those guys can get a man to ground super fast allowing you to escape, or changing a fight from 2 on 1 to qp1 on 1 rather quickly. Even those martial arts steeped in art and traditions such as fencing offer you some practical real training, from it your get used to the idea of having a weapon in your face and learn when it can actually touch you and when it can't, how long you have to capitalize on an opening and so on.
 
^ I've been trying to say that, but this whole mindset crap is getting in the way of a knife discussion.

Yeah, I agree. This was supposed to be fun and not Dr. Phil hour.

Also, yes (not directed at you gooeytek) I have a brain and probably have used it in more hair raising experiences than most people alive.


dr-phil1-150x150.jpg
 
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Sorry for hijacking the thread. Back on topic I think its a personal choice, I'd opt for an 8, or a roadhouse. Both leave huge holes when stabbed into things, this helps with blood loss, they also are great slashers. Having tested their slashing abilities I've concluded the roadhouse is a better slasher. This is because the handle sits farther behind the blade when you grip it than the 8, as a general rule the more center inline the blade is with the handle, and the straighter the handle, the worst the slashing ability. This is not to say that the 8 isn't an excellent slasher, which it is, just that I've tested the roadhouse and it's proven to be a better slasher. Both blades are long enough to penetrate into the subcalavian, or into the chest of a large attacker, that's a big bonus right there in the world of folders. The tips of both blades line up in such away with the wrist that for my style of stabbing into things I don't feel the blade pulling to the front or back at the moment of impact, this varies by how you hold it though. The handles of both knives offer an excellent grip, one that both protects the thumb, and guards the fingers a bit. The roadhouse allows you to grip mainly with the pinky, a grip I personally prefer as it helps me keep the knife secure when it's subjected to impact, from say slashing. The 8 I find makes you apply equal pressure to all fingers, which is the generally preferred grip style. Both knives over you some additional handle sticking out of the back for striking, with the 8 offering a nice spear shaped end. This is an important factor IMO also. Getting kind of technical here...but say a guy has his hands up in a guard after you slashed him, so your arms moving to strike again. If you come in thrusting from the side your blade could possible get caught in his arm which may also cause him to jerk in pain and in the process disarm you, all by accident, this is where breaking his guard with a strike from your pummel may work better. Again this is a bit technical, and if your in a situation like that when the guy puts his guard up you should be running away from him because that's probably a perfect chance to get away and if you stay and fight now your the criminal. I just wanted to point this out as allot of people seem to think that the extra handle is only good for non-lethal impact blows in situations where your blades not already out. This is a point over the Karambit, whose ring handle wouldn't offer as good of a blow. Another thing well I'm talking about karambits is say you slash the guy up a bit and and he's got his hands up in a guard, you slash him again and inadvertently pull his arm In towards you. The guy now with his adrenaline rushing takes the opportunity and is now in your guard, has his hands near your face and throat and now you got problems, especially if the guys bigger than you. Again this is my opinion but I think a karambit can put someone whose not heavily trained in its use in allot of situations that can allow the opponent to quickly turn the tables on them. You could always opt for what my prison knife fighting statistic reinforced and get your self a 7 or super super 7 and just go for low stabs in rapid succession to the lower torso. Statistically your attacker will be unable to block you and statistically your probable win.
Back to the mind set thing, it's not something you acquire by an experience, or learn from someone, it's something you develop in your own head. You can do this at any time, it's just something you have to come to honest to God terms with and have the mental discipline to apply. Training is always good, but I suggest you ground your self in a training that's based in reality not all caught up in some traditions or art form. UFC is cool in all but you don't eye gouge, break arms, bite throats, and crush layrnxs in the sport. Judo is underrated, but those guys can get a man to ground super fast allowing you to escape, or changing a fight from 2 on 1 to qp1 on 1 rather quickly. Even those martial arts steeped in art and traditions such as fencing offer you some practical real training, from it your get used to the idea of having a weapon in your face and learn when it can actually touch you and when it can't, how long you have to capitalize on an opening and so on.





To be honest I never considered the Roadhouse. I have the CQC-8 and I heard it was good for slashing but never quite understood how that curved blade was better than say, a straight blade or a CQC-15 spanto style blade..

But now that you bring up the Roadhouse I will take a closer look at possible acquiring one.

Excellent post. Thank you!
 
I feel my CQC8 and Surefire E2D Defender (500 lumens) to blind someone first are my best options.

Manic offensive aggression if and when in such a situation are my best allies. I am not sure a different Emerson will improve my odds, but I feel content with my setup or I'd utilize something else.

The Surefire definitely plays into things. It's hard to get at something you can't see, and I know I'd be vulnerable if I played the perp in that situation.

Try it with a full-length mirror sometime if you have a good light, and aim it at your face in the mirror. You'll see what I mean. The first thing out of my pocket is the light to buy time, but the 8 will be out seconds later, open and ready to slice someone within seconds. I'd hate to be on the other end of that situation, and I train weekly to see how fast I can get both into action.

It's less than two seconds consistently, and the light disorientation lasts far longer. It sucks when you actually try it on yourself in a mirror, try it.

And get a good light like the E2D.


Now I was a huge flashlight fanatic and was on CPF since they probably started. I have had many high end and modded lights. So I am a huge fan of flashlights.

But am I going to trust my life to one? Hell no! If anything, I am just going to try and finish the person(s) threatening my life. So I am not about to test out if a flashlight works to temporarily disorient someone in a real situation.
 
^ I've been trying to say that, but this whole mindset crap is getting in the way of a knife discussion.

Without proper mindset, you might as well be defending yourself with a toothpick. The point being really, that threads like this one and hundreds of other "what is the best self defense knife" threads are a moot point without proper mindset and some training. Most people aren't going to rise to the occasion like in the movies. They will default to the level of training they have mastered. You can never talk about mindset too much, and if it gets in the way of another "what is the best self defense knife" thread, that's probably a good thing. Mindset is at the top of the hierarchy of survival principles, and gear is at the bottom.
 
ForeverArmed,

I am the original OP. I asked a question about knives and so far I was give advice not to take my family to Brazil and go somewhere else (my wife is from there) "IT'S NOBODYS BUSINESS where and why I go and I should not have to explain.
To also saying that a knife fight can be damaging pshchologically , well duh@! But better to be alive! Unless this poster thought I might run out in the streets trying to find a knife fight and was worried about my stability. LOL!
To saying that you need to have the proper mindsetiion agression. Well I think any grown man knows that already. Shit happens and when it does you never know how you will be. I happen to know myself.

Criminals always have the intent to do harm so they go out of their way to carry tools that can be potentially lethal to their victims, they have that advantage. On the other hand, we don't think about hurting others so we don't walk around with a baseball bat under our coat. They will always be one-up on you.


You gentlemen don't know me and I am not about to go tooting my own horn here. I came here asking a question because I like to learn and see what this community thought was the best Emerson for fighting/slashing. So just lets keep the armchair fantasies analogies of fighting out. Even though it is fun to imagine.
 
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ForeverArmed,

I am the original OP. I asked a question about knives and so far I was give advice not to take my family to Brazil and go somewhere else (my wife is from there) "IT'S NOBODYS BUSINESS where and why I go and I should not have to explain.
To also saying that a knife fight can be damaging pshchologically , well duh@! But better to be alive! Unless this poster thought I might run out in the streets trying to find a knife fight and was worried about my stability. LOL!
To saying that you need to have the proper mindsetiion agression. Well I think any grown man knows that already. Shit happens and when it does you never know how you will be. I happen to know myself.

Thing is you guys don't know me and I am not about to go tooting my own horn here. I came here asking a question because I like to learn and see what this community thought was the best Emerson for fighting/slashing . So just lets keep the armchair fantasies analogies of fighting out. Even though it is fun to imagine.

There is a good discussion of the effectiveness of blade design on Warriortalk in a stickie of their Knife Fighting sub-forum. Pros and cons of all blade designs are examined. I would post a link but I am not sure about the rules gere.
 
Try re-reading the post to understand it. A knife fight (self-defense) is not going to be "from a distance,' so it doesn't matter which blade length you use or what shape it is.

...the fight must start somewhere, the [knife] fight will always start at long range, there are very few people who wish to rush forward into cold steel, or a burning branch, they don't want to get on fire, so there's very few people who'll charge into the heart of death. So you will circle each other, you will test the other one, in which case I will keep that point directly in their eyes.
 
Colubrid-

I recommend you paruse through the "PracTac" section on here. Truth is, there is no "correct" answer to your question, except for whatever knife you feel comfortable carrying or happen to have on you when said attack occurs. You are correct no one here knows you from Adam, I stated what I did in my previous post because it was a fact. A knife will not give you magical self defense powers, nor will it give you the upper hand (unless you hve some kind of training) which you may or may not have. Some think a 5" blade is perfect, other can believe a 3" blade is ideal. I do hope that you never have to suffer through being stabbed or stabbing someone else. Good luck in your search.
 
...the fight must start somewhere, the [knife] fight will always start at long range, there are very few people who wish to rush forward into cold steel, or a burning branch, they don't want to get on fire, so there's very few people who'll charge into the heart of death. So you will circle each other, you will test the other one, in which case I will keep that point directly in their eyes.

The most dangerous self defense situation will start "in your face" and last seconds, not a West Side Story ballet.
 
The most dangerous self defense situation will start "in your face" and last seconds, not a West Side Story ballet.

Exactly. Many people think they can predict or even have control over what their next fight is going to look like. The only control you really have is over how much you've trained and prepared for your next fight. And a little bit luck is always a plus, but definitely can't be counted on - it's usually against you.
 
Without proper mindset, you might as well be defending yourself with a toothpick. The point being really, that threads like this one and hundreds of other "what is the best self defense knife" threads are a moot point without proper mindset and some training. Most people aren't going to rise to the occasion like in the movies. They will default to the level of training they have mastered. You can never talk about mindset too much, and if it gets in the way of another "what is the best self defense knife" thread, that's probably a good thing. Mindset is at the top of the hierarchy of survival principles, and gear is at the bottom.


You make some excellent points. I'd like to add a quote I've always liked and I think it sums up a few things you've already said "you never rise to your expectations you only fall to your level of training". Your right their are to many "best self defense knife" threads, it's basically a stereotypical blade forum thread.
 
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