The Stabby Stabby Arts

[bbbass]

Holy Bovine brother, I did not know you were that old. You were indeed at the last rendezvous. Of course this coming from an old Jar Head who will be 62 in September ... Well, in that case, never mind the age thing.

I must admit I carry a folder even though fixed blade is a boat load stronger and do not carry OC/Mace. After carrying the stuff for over twenty years every day at work I have seen it not work far too often. But hey, it always seems to work on the good guys really well.

Hope things are good up your way. We make it through this Covid thing be good to finally meet you Mk1 eyeball to Mk1 (except mine are actually Mk1 Mod1) eyeballs.

Yep, I'm definitely out to pasture!!

I carry the pepper spray only as a better option than standing there and getting beat on, got both the pepper spray and the knife when the CoV made the likelyhood of parking lot assault/theft a higher risk in my area (shooting an unarmed man as a first option prob is not a good idea)... if it doesn't work, I can still slash, stab, shoot, or run (yeah right), as needed. In law enforcement, it's a different rules of engagement (for one thing, cops can't run away). I have seen lots of vids of people getting shot by an officer after pepper spray didn't work.

Yes Brother, I would like to meet up someday!! You Pup!

 

[revjen45]

1) I would not try to use my cane against attack with a bludgeon. If he has a club he is not unarmed.
2) I don't have the confidence in my knife skills to depend on disabling an attacker by slashing extremities. If he is loaded on speed + smack, PCP, etc. he may not even know you have cut him. I realize the intent is to disable the limb so he can't use it, but that would require a level of anatomical accuracy in a life and death situation that I just could not depend on. If (God forbid) I ever do have to use a knife as a weapon it would be a folder and I would not feel like I had the luxury of doing anything less than maximally effective.
3) ", if we are that worried about DA's and judges, we should stay home or not fight back when accosted/ attacked)"
Not suggesting that we don't fight back, just that its easier for those shysters to fabricate a beef with some weapons as opposed to others. (Shyster: "a lawyer who uses unprofessional or questionable methods.") I would love to carry a SOG Agency, Gerber MkII, or a M81 Glock.
4) "To each his own. That's my strategy and I'm sticking to it!!! "
I hope none of us ever has to use our defensive strategy in a serious social encounter.

 

[bbbass]

1) I would not try to use my cane against attack with a bludgeon. If he has a club he is not unarmed.
2) I don't have the confidence in my knife skills to depend on disabling an attacker by slashing extremities. If he is loaded on speed + smack, PCP, etc. he may not even know you have cut him. I realize the intent is to disable the limb so he can't use it, but that would require a level of anatomical accuracy in a life and death situation that I just could not depend on. If (God forbid) I ever do have to use a knife as a weapon it would be a folder and I would not feel like I had the luxury of doing anything less than maximally effective.
3) ", if we are that worried about DA's and judges, we should stay home or not fight back when accosted/ attacked)"
Not suggesting that we don't fight back, just that its easier for those shysters to fabricate a beef with some weapons as opposed to others. (Shyster: "a lawyer who uses unprofessional or questionable methods.") I would love to carry a SOG Agency, Gerber MkII, or a M81 Glock.
4) "To each his own. That's my strategy and I'm sticking to it!!! "
I hope none of us ever has to use our defensive strategy in a serious social encounter.

It's a theory of escalating use of force that involves having choices.

1. Attacker with a bludgeon.... might not need to be shot, at least I would have a choice.
2. There are vids out and trainers that can show a defender how to make disabling cuts. It doesn't look that hard to me. Now if somebody is on speed or PCP, that would become obvious real quick that they need some lead based disuasion. (sp) I've been around a PCP user and wouldn't hesitate to stop the threat from crazy.
3. I'll survive first, worry about shysters second. Same thing with having trigger parts in my EDC handgun. I do stop short of having "Punisher" type logos all over it tho.
4. Me too. At least we have defensive strategy! We're not sheeple walking around unaware and unprepared!!!

 

[revjen45]

Attacker with a bludgeon would be death/GBH territory for me. A blow to the head or chest would be more likely to kill me due to having had a heart attack that left lasting cardiac damage. I am also unable to effectively flee or fight due to arthritis.
My continuum would be:
Ignore any & all verbal insults
Leave if possible
If the attacker is "unarmed" the cane is appropriate, especially when used to push him back. (Take the tip off and push it thru to his spine.)
If attacked with a weapon I don't have the option to engage physically, so it goes to my Smurf (little blue friend).

 

[bbbass]

Attacker with a bludgeon would be death/GBH territory for me. A blow to the head or chest would be more likely to kill me due to having had a heart attack that left lasting cardiac damage. I am also unable to effectively flee or fight due to arthritis.
My continuum would be:
Ignore any & all verbal insults
Leave if possible
If the attacker is "unarmed" the cane is appropriate, especially when used to push him back. (Take the tip off and push it thru to his spine.)
If attacked with a weapon I don't have the option to engage physically, so it goes to my Smurf (little blue friend).

I'm getting real close to being in that same place. The knife may become an unworkable option, but I'd be keeping the pepper spray. And supposedly it works on rogue dogs.

 

[revjen45]

Cane works on dogs.
My bat belt is full now with nose spray, nitroglycerin pills, cat laser, pocket knife, pistol, wallet (only when leaving the palatial estate).
For now I can pass on pepper spray.

 

[QualityControl]

Fixed blade or folder? Revolver or semi-auto? Walk around with one in the pipe or not? Lots of questions with many more opinions that would follow…

I own both fixed blades and folders and due to where I live I tend to carry folders most of the time. Since I made that choice, I also make sure that I train quick draws* a lot in different scenarios so quick accessibility and deployment becomes second nature. Being a folder I also have the choice of using it as an impact weapon/fist load or deploying the blade. Like with any weapon I hope that I never need to use it but I train for the "What if's…".

Ideally what ever you choose to carry be it a knife, a firearm, pepper spray, or an impact weapon you should train to use it competently and effectively. I'm probably preaching to the choir here but the more training you have, the more control and accuracy you will have in deploying, targeting, deterring, and/or neutralizing a threat (betters your odds). I'm sure many here train often at the range but I'm always surprised by the number of people who then will also carry a blade but don't give a lot of thought about getting proficient with it as well. "I'll just pull it out and slash or stab here or there….", but one could make the same argument about working a firearm…but many here would not buy that line of thought at all (and rightly so). I don't buy that line of thought for carrying a knife either if you are planning on using it as an option for self protection.…or the use of anything else that might be used for self protection.

If one makes the decision to carry, one should also make the decision to get proficient as well as confident so they can utilize one if they had to. Can you deploy your knife, continually slash, stab, target, grab with your other hand (live hand), and maneuver confidently and not be afraid you are going to slash or stab yourself? Most people don't even think it out that far. Even "trained" people who look "amazing" and "dangerous" to the untrained working training blades can't work real steel. Moving at full speed with a live blade is not the same as flowing with trainers. The physical movement is the same, but the mental component is not. Being able to Flow with trainers is beneficial (but they also allow you to be sloppy), but you will find out real fast that a live blade changes the dynamic dramatically. I've seen people fly with trainers, but hand them a live blade and many look like they're learning all over again. Just because you can work a trainer doesn't mean you can do it with a live blade. If you can't even do it with trainers, no way you are going to do it with a live blade.

For those that do train, the point is to build the students blade awareness and to get them to develop the mental component of using and/or confronting real steal. Too many people who always train with dummy blades develop the bad habit of just waltzing in to perform their technique/disarm believing that is really going to be how it goes down, not developing a healthy respect for a real metal edge. Hand someone a real blade after watching them work with trainers and see how much their technique and focus changes. One exercise I'll sometimes use when I notice that someone isn't respecting the edge: I'll hold out my trainer and ask them how close do they think they can be and still feel they are in a safe range (Funny thing is, the more training they have had in other MA's the closer they will generally get)? When they move into their range, I'll quickly draw my folder and snap out the blade, "how about now?"…99% of the time they will move off. You had the confidence to move in closer with the trainer but then moved out when the real thing was presented. I'm not really trying to scare them, but just to get them to realize they weren't taking working with the training blades seriously…you have to always keep that in mind.

Sorry, I kind of went off on a tangent there. Point is if you are going to carry, train different grips, strong/blade side forward, live hand forward with blade back, in close quarters with little to no manueverability, in open areas so you can learn to move and protect, and or create/take advantage of openings to finish or get out of dodge.

I'll shut up and go back to reading the forum now. Like I said earlier, it's kind of a peeve of mine.






QC

*Taught to me very early on by an instructor who was great empty handed but his knife material was complete bunk which I discarded many years ago. The quick draw concept was gold though.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Cane works on dogs.
My bat belt is full now with nose spray, nitroglycerin pills, cat laser, pocket knife, pistol, wallet (only when leaving the palatial estate).
For now I can pass on pepper spray.

I carry some packs of Taco Bell Fire Sauce with me so I can put them between my fingers like Liam Neeson in The Grey did with airline bottles of booze. Pow!

 

[bbbass]

Fixed blade or folder? Revolver or semi-auto? Walk around with one in the pipe or not? Lots of questions with many more opinions that would follow…

I own both fixed blades and folders and due to where I live I tend to carry folders most of the time. Since I made that choice, I also make sure that I train quick draws* a lot in different scenarios so quick accessibility and deployment becomes second nature. Being a folder I also have the choice of using it as an impact weapon/fist load or deploying the blade. Like with any weapon I hope that I never need to use it but I train for the "What if's…".

Ideally what ever you choose to carry be it a knife, a firearm, pepper spray, or an impact weapon you should train to use it competently and effectively. I'm probably preaching to the choir here but the more training you have, the more control and accuracy you will have in deploying, targeting, deterring, and/or neutralizing a threat (betters your odds). I'm sure many here train often at the range but I'm always surprised by the number of people who then will also carry a blade but don't give a lot of thought about getting proficient with it as well. "I'll just pull it out and slash or stab here or there….", but one could make the same argument about working a firearm…but many here would not buy that line of thought at all (and rightly so). I don't buy that line of thought for carrying a knife either if you are planning on using it as an option for self protection.…or the use of anything else that might be used for self protection.

If one makes the decision to carry, one should also make the decision to get proficient as well as confident so they can utilize one if they had to. Can you deploy your knife, continually slash, stab, target, grab with your other hand (live hand), and maneuver confidently and not be afraid you are going to slash or stab yourself? Most people don't even think it out that far. Even "trained" people who look "amazing" and "dangerous" to the untrained working training blades can't work real steel. Moving at full speed with a live blade is not the same as flowing with trainers. The physical movement is the same, but the mental component is not. Being able to Flow with trainers is beneficial (but they also allow you to be sloppy), but you will find out real fast that a live blade changes the dynamic dramatically. I've seen people fly with trainers, but hand them a live blade and many look like they're learning all over again. Just because you can work a trainer doesn't mean you can do it with a live blade. If you can't even do it with trainers, no way you are going to do it with a live blade.

For those that do train, the point is to build the students blade awareness and to get them to develop the mental component of using and/or confronting real steal. Too many people who always train with dummy blades develop the bad habit of just waltzing in to perform their technique/disarm believing that is really going to be how it goes down, not developing a healthy respect for a real metal edge. Hand someone a real blade after watching them work with trainers and see how much their technique and focus changes. One exercise I'll sometimes use when I notice that someone isn't respecting the edge: I'll hold out my trainer and ask them how close do they think they can be and still feel they are in a safe range (Funny thing is, the more training they have had in other MA's the closer they will generally get)? When they move into their range, I'll quickly draw my folder and snap out the blade, "how about now?"…99% of the time they will move off. You had the confidence to move in closer with the trainer but then moved out when the real thing was presented. I'm not really trying to scare them, but just to get them to realize they weren't taking working with the training blades seriously…you have to always keep that in mind.

Sorry, I kind of went off on a tangent there. Point is if you are going to carry, train different grips, strong/blade side forward, live hand forward with blade back, in close quarters with little to no manueverability, in open areas so you can learn to move and protect, and or create/take advantage of openings to finish or get out of dodge.

I'll shut up and go back to reading the forum now. Like I said earlier, it's kind of a peeve of mine.






QC

*Taught to me very early on by an instructor who was great empty handed but his knife material was complete bunk which I discarded many years ago. The quick draw concept was gold though.

For me personally, I don't want to be in a knife on knife fight. Against an aggressor armed with a knife, I will just shoot. The knife that I carry personally, is planned as an option to my firearm against a aggressor with a blunt object. I always want to be higher on the force spectrum than the oppo. If moderate knife skills allow me to disarm an aggressor rather than shooting him/her, to me that is a more desireable outcome.

 

[bbbass]

Cane works on dogs.

I've seen an Active Self Protection video with a man fending off several large dogs with a 4' pole, and he barely made it... only because Animal Control had already been called and showed up in the nick of time. I would not want to be that guy.

My wife has been attacked twice by Rottweiler. I've thought about getting her a stun wand but she already has her hands filled. Keeps her pepper spray clipped in her jacket pocket. If that don't work, the dog is getting shot. Something we'd hate!!

For myself only, well my wife too, I prefer a longer reach than a cane or a walking stick. POM pepper spray is supposed to be nasty stuff, fits either on a belt or clipped in a pocket, and has a range of 25 feet. If either one of us can have the ability to intercept marauding dogs before they can get within cane range, that would be preferable. My wife uses a 5' walking stick, but like me, arthritis in the wrists/hands would prevent an effective defense with such. So pepper spray it is. For us... to each his own.

 

[DivCurlGrad72]

Hilarious. Was waiting for this allusion in the scimitar scene:

 

[revjen45]

1) When I was practicing (~'01-03) I tossed little kitty toy yarn balls in the air as targets and slashed/stabbed at them with the 12 strikes. I got to where I could hit them regularly. Lots of fun. Agree with bbbbass above as to deploying a knife for defense.
2) The cane is for obnoxious dogs one encounters when out & about. Shooting the neighbor's dog for being obnoxious makes for bad neighbors. For a real threat by big dog I would use the pistol if necessary. I actually do need the cane to walk too.

 

[QualityControl]

For me personally, I don't want to be in a knife on knife fight. Against an aggressor armed with a knife, I will just shoot. The knife that I carry personally, is planned as an option to my firearm against a aggressor with a blunt object. I always want to be higher on the force spectrum than the oppo. If moderate knife skills allow me to disarm an aggressor rather than shooting him/her, to me that is a more desireable outcome.

Nor would I. Just like I wouldn't want to be in a firefight either. I was just commenting on one aspect of personal protection options since it came up. Imo the goal is always to be higher up on the force spectrum. That's why I have and continue to train empty hands, impact weapons, edged weapons, as well as firearms. Options are good when the when/how/and what you can/have time or room to get to pop up.

 

[Member 52301]

I feel confident using a FIXED blade knife for self defense issues if I needed to use it.

I no longer own, shoot or carry handguns. I do shoot a rifle.

I do carry a fixed blade KNIFE on a regular basis. I have quality made, name brand fixed blade knives in VARIOUS lengths.

I do know the weapon laws in my state and I abide by them.

I would rather KNOW how to properly USE a good fixed blade knife than carry NO knife since I am not walking around 'town' with my CZ 455 Lux on a sling even if that is LEGAL in most places.

StackPath

I feel confident using a cane if I HAD to use that too.

It depends on the person. Some people do PRACTICE or train how to use their self defense tools on a regular basis to keep up their skills even if they are a very good shooter or good with a fixed blade knife or ax or 'hawk.

And if a person is not sure what is LEGAL in their state for open and conceal carry when it comes to carrying KNIVES on a daily basis... look it up on your .gov website under weapons, knives, guns, open and conceal carry weapon laws/permits.

There are MANY places where you can't OC or CC a handgun BUT you can carry a folding or fixed blade SMALL knife and you will NOT have a legal issue. That goes for MULTI TOOL KITS on your leather belt.

Check out your official .gov allowed BLADE lengths websites for open or conceal carry.

If push comes to shove - carry a stainless steel DINNER FORK, dinner knife and/or spoon in your pack or purse or briefcase! You can carry an old fashioned stainless steel can/bottle opener too. They still make the old style ones that I grew up with in the 1950's.

Old Lady Cate

 

[Member 52301]

And it never runs out of bullets or jams at inopportune moments.
I would have to be sorely afeared to use a knife as a weapon, but if I had to it would be a lot more effective than bare hands and teeth.

^^^

This!

Cate

 

[Member 52301]

There were some BRUTAL attacks made on several people up in the mountains on a trail last week. It was all over our news.

I believe that the same man who made those attacks was the same man who people said RAN out towards them and HE was naked too. THESE attacks happened ALL in one day too. But most of the attacks described a MAN with clothing on. So who knows if he ran away and put clothes on?!

One woman was with her kid and her SKULL was fractured. Horrific beating!

The same man made threats and attacks on 2 OTHER hiking couples or 2 to 3 other groups.

ONE of the people in a couple or group setting had a KNIFE on him or her and that KNIFE SCARED OFF the crazy CRIMINAL!

The crazy criminal with FULL INTENT who had been making THREATS to his own family and to OTHER PEOPLE non stop had a LONG, long whack-a-doodle background, criminal record, etc.

The FAMILY of that CRAZY CRIMINAL kept warning and calling the CRIMINAL'S psycho babble contact, social worker, various agencies and the M. POLICE. They may have notified the sheriff's department too. They did this for OVER ONE WEEK and previously they WARNED the authorities. They did this ALL of the week - the VERY WEEK when the attack happened too. Plus before that time frame.

The BROTHER spoke up and stated that NO ONE WOULD PAY ATTENTION to what he was telling them about the crazy criminal. That was ALL over the news. The brother said that his CRAZY CRIMINAL BROTHER had been RED FLAGGED - those were his OWN words.

The woman with her SKULL BEAT IN is still alive. Her SON and another person witnessed all of it.

The calls were made to LE about what was going on and the crazy criminal was caught finally AFTER he made threats and HURT people.

ONE PERSON WITH A KNIFE stopped one attack and I do not remember if the criminal RAN or got stabbed and ran away. Either way, the KNIFE helped.

I have NOT been able to find a news story on what KNIFE IT WAS or if it was used or not as in a STABBING in self defense and if it was a man or a woman who USED IT.

I will hunt for some more details.

My MT born and raised husband said that MANY people use the trails all over here and he did and still does. BUT some of those trails he would NEVER USE unless he had his GUN ON HIM (Which he does!) and not just due to the TRANSIENTS - CRIMINAL BUMS but due to the mountain lions. People who were born and raised here can be just as dense as the Newbies because there is a LONG HISTORY of mountain lion attacks and not just black and grizzly bears coming out all over town and in the wilderness.

MY home is in a BEAR corridor zone AND when I used to do most of the mowing in the past and when I was in my yard - I ALWAYS packed a gun on my hip due to the mountain lions and FERAL vicious dogs that some idiots like to dump and they BREED. The BEARS go downtown too. I am not downtown but we have had BEAR POOP in the yard with other types of animal scat too.

Since I no longer shoot/carry handguns - I do have a KNIFE on my hip and/or IN my fanny pack if I am working in the back in the brushy-natural area. In town lot that backs up to a NO BUILD ZONE all of the way down, down and down some more to one of three rivers around here.

Cate
PS: I am older than BBBass @ 69 years old!

 

[Member 52301]

Hilarious. Was waiting for this allusion in the scimitar scene:

I LOVE that scene in that old movie!

Cate

 

[Member 52301]

Update to one of my posts here. Sunday's news.

Some of the victims of the crazy criminal in the news story above STABBED the perp TWICE for sure, if not more with a knife (?), to defend themselves.

The perp was taken to the hospital.

Sunday's news said that he was released from the hospital and taken to JAIL.

He had a long record of previous offenses. He was LET GO and had a conditional release for his previous OFFENSES too. Gee, go figure! Isn't that HOW most of these criminal stories go?! Gggrrrrr.

So they let the criminal OUT in society with BS promises that he is supposed to OBEY and he almost KILLS one woman - bashes in her SKULL, goes after several other people including a KID with rocks, tree branches, other crapola, etc.

Meanwhile the police IGNORED the perp's family who kept warning them about this crazy criminal's behavior that was going downhill faster and faster with threats of horrific actions even towards his own Mother too.

Cate

 

[ma96782]

Not to worry.....
Before suspects/defendants/parolees/the convicted are released.....
Judges frequently warn them about what would happen if they were to engage in "bad behavior".



Aloha, Mark

 

[DunRanull]

Fiddling with a knife, for God's sake when an assault is being made upon your life or the life of a loved one!?! I already know what to do and it is not pretty. If you can articulate fear for your life to the point of stabbing an assailant, the line has been crossed. Use of a knife isn't well thought of in judicial circles- it's kind of "unAmerican". Concealed carry laws are focused on handguns, not knives. If you are close enuff to knife someone, you're are close enuff for HIM to do YOU in as well. Not legal advice, dunno the laws in your jurisdiction(s) but I know the laws in mine. Using a knife IS lethal force in the eyes of the law so you might as well use an effective weapon to protect yourself. It's a sorry world we live in....