So, I was walking my dogs at night tonight and got approached by some sketchy dudes that
had my Weimaraner growling and up in hackles at the end of his leash, and followed me for about a block taunting me before going away. It made me a little nervous, but mainly annoyed me.

I've already taken a self-defense class and keep my wallet in an inaccessible part of my pack. Besides teaching my dog a 'protect' command, can y'all suggest anything legal that might persuade assholes to leave me alone besides the usual pepper spray?

I used to carry a buck knife, is there anything better knife-wise I could try. I also own a survival hatchet and a small aluminum bat- but I'd rather not carry around a bat when walking the dogs.

4/13/2010 12:06:02 AM

ya, a gun

4/13/2010 12:06:51 AM

^Concealed Carry
I plan on doing it.

4/13/2010 12:07:59 AM

Basically, if you can handle the responsibility of carrying a gun then it's a good option. Even then, I suggest having various options at your disposal. There's a lot more to it than just buying a gun and carrying it to be honest. I highly suggest you consider whether or not you're willing to invest the time and money into being able to properly handle the weapon and whether or not you can safely do so. Can you control yourself to a high degree even when people are being assholes? As in, do you find yourself giving people the middle finger in traffic? You wont want to do anything that could be considered instigation when carrying. You'll have to do your absolute best to diffuse every situation. You've got to consider the fact that you have to be very conscious of where you can and can't go when armed and that not all of these places will be marked as off limits even though they are. You'll have to consider whether or not you are capable of taking another person's life up close and personal. These are all major things to consider when buying a firearm and often I don't think enough consideration to these factors is given.

With knives, understand that you're going to be in their face. It's going to be EXTREMELY dangerous and bloody. It's likely going to be a long, drawn out process of cutting their hands and arms a whole lot unless you're good and can move in for a rapidly incapacitating slice or stab to the neck. You need to study the proper points to cut and how to best use a knife. You'll need to practice deploying the knife ALL THE TIME. I mean, every single day is what I'd suggest. I practice with various knives constantly when I'm just sitting around. Practice with and without gloves, practice delivering various blows. Note that all of this practice can and probably will result in at least a few small cuts and maybe some big ones. A knife can be brutally effective, even more than a firearm when you're within arm's reach if it's in skilled hands. But the thing is, you're generally going to be on the defensive and taken by surprise, unprepared. So you've got a number of things working against you and the attacker will be mentally prepared. You most likely wont be able to surprise them and slam the knife into their throat and quickly remove it to allow a proper amount of blood loss to occur. You'll probably end up in a drawn out and extremely bloody/gore-filled fight if they don't back down. If you end up on the ground, then you could really be in trouble (This is why I like more than one knife in various locations). If all you have is your knife and they also have a knife, god help you, because you're both probably going to end up in really bad condition unless one of you is good or one of you is really bad.

Note that I still think you should have a good knife. Note that I said good, not like a $10 knife, but a good knife that is like ~$50-$200. Spyderco is my folding knife maker of choice because their designs tend to focus on defense (The designs are brutally effective and safe to employ defensively, as in they have jimping and stuff to prevent your hand from slipping forward on the blade when you stab and slash). I'd go for a Tasman Salt or Spyderhawk if you want a purely defensive blade in the $50 range. Those two knives are extremely dangerous, they're human zippers (They will unzip anything in their path; skin, organ tissue, clothing, whatever). It is a good last resort weapon and I'd much rather have it than nothing. It may just be the thing that saves your life or simply deters them from attacking. It could also allow you to stop a situation in the unlikely event that you find yourself next to a gun wielding maniac hell bent on murdering people around him. If you're extremely close to someone who starts to open fire or is about to open fire (Particularly in a closed space with only one or two exit points like a classroom), the only real option you have is to rush the bastard or cower and die. If you have a knife you may be able to end it and even if you are mortally wounded in the process, you might save a lot of lives by severely wounding or killing the shooter. These are all things you must consider. For me having options is always better than not having options and I'm willing to do what it takes as far as I can tell, so I make the choice to carry self-defense tools.

Anyway, I like having non-lethal options because lethal force is a last resort and the more options you have the better usually. That's not to say you always go to pepper spray first, if the situation dictates going straight for the firearm, do so.

I highly recommend pepper spray, but you need a good setup IMO and not just any old pepper spray if you want to ensure that you don't hurt yourself with it just as much as the bad guy. I like Cold Steel's inferno because it utilizes a canister that will spray in any orientation (Some will empty the propellant if discharged upside down, while others can only discharge upright or upside down but not sideways) and will not dump the propellant in any orientation. They use a formula that shoots a foam stream which then liquefies on contact with the target (So they can't fling the foam back at you). A foam stream is also essentially immune to blow back from the wind. This is one of the few pepper sprays I highly recommend.

The main reason I like pepper spray is it is a ranged weapon. No, it's not a gun, but you can hit the target at a range from which they are unable to physically contact you. This is not the case with knives that you can legally carry most places in NC. If nothing else, have a good sized can of Cold Steel Inferno pepper spray.

Personally, I like to have multiple knives and at least one gun with a substantial sized reload (I like to keep a Glock 26 with 11rds on board and a spare 17rd Glock 17 mag) at all times. I prefer to add pepper spray to the mix as well but I don't always if room wont allow for it. The more options the better, but you have to place all of this stuff consistently and you have to train with it constantly. Pepper spray doesn't require too much training and it gives you some range to work with, which I like. A good sized canister will allow you to engage a number of targets before you're out of "ammo" too. I'd go ahead and get that now and then decide on the gun later, as you'll have a somewhat involved/lengthy process in order to carry concealed (Register for and take a course, then go to sheriff's office and file for CC Permit, give fingerprints, wait for investigation to take place and then pick up permit). There's a slightly less involved process to open carry, but being able to carry concealed is far more convenient and having the element of surprise is usually to your benefit IMO. Even if you decided on the gun today and went to take a course tomorrow (Not likely, it will probably take a month or two to take the course if you sign up today), I'd still suggest you obtain the Cold Steel Inferno pepper spray in the meantime and try to carry it even when you have lethal options.

4/13/2010 12:28:27 AM

lighter fluid + road flare

4/13/2010 12:37:07 AM

^^

4/13/2010 1:11:33 AM

^ So, being realistic is crazy to you? I simply explained what to expect in various situations so that the individual can decide whether or not being armed is something they can handle. If you're going to carry lethal weapons but never train with them or even consider how to use them, then you're probably wasting your money and giving yourself a false sense of security. In fact, you may be more of a danger to yourself and others than you would have been without the weapons. I also can't recommend carrying lethal weapons if you're hot headed, because anything you do to escalate a situation is simply going to work against you in court if the situation turns violent. These are critical things to bring up, because a lot of people skip over these extremely serious considerations and just start telling you to buy this or that.

Then I went on to recommend a good pepper spray setup which should, by itself, be enough for most situations. That way they can decide whether or not lethal force options are right for them and in the meantime, still have a way to defend themselves. There's absolutely nothing wrong with any of that.

4/13/2010 1:22:21 AM

4/13/2010 2:26:59 AM

I should think that a full-grown Weimaraner would do plenty to discourage anybody, protect command or no. They're big, they're scary looking, and they have an impressive bark. You have to figure there are easier targets than somebody with a dog like that around, so they're not likely to want to mess with you unless you're wearing a rolex and have a roll of benjamins hanging out of your pocket.

I think SaabTurbo has given a pretty good description of some options, but my philosophy is that it's better to dissuade potential attackers from even approaching you than it is to necessarily be able to fight them off. To this end, at home I have usually erred on the side of "Being crazy" -- when I lived in a shitty part of town, I carried a machete around all the time. When I was sitting on the porch relaxing, when I was walking to or from my car, whenever. Nobody wants to fuck with a guy carrying a machete.

Of course, that's probably not feasible when walking away from the house, though I have used my hatchet in this situation before -- easy enough to have in a pocket without being too visible, and easy to take out and nonchalantly wave around if you think someone is following you.

4/13/2010 2:36:40 AM

A decent 'walking stick' can make a great weapon when needed.

Pepper spray/mace is a good option, but make sure to get foam, and not the actual spray.

Or, a gun.

4/13/2010 2:37:19 AM

Personally I wouldn't mess with someone that had a machete strapped to their person.

4/13/2010 2:56:26 AM

Machete works. We had a lot of bad encounters on Method Road until I started carrying that bad boy around. That shut off most of the unwanted foot traffic real quick. And when the occasional transient who wasn't familiar with our house came by, taking it out (even just to sharpen it or lay it on the table) got them to leave without a word or a threatening glance.

4/13/2010 3:07:34 AM

when I went to Southeast Raleigh HS, the local neighbors (mostly middle-aged/older) would have a walking stick, baseball bat, or golf club they carried as they were walking. It got to just be common to see and not a big deal

4/13/2010 5:39:39 AM

CHP and a gun ftw.

also, a knife that you can open quickly, and with one hand. a buck knife (assuming it's the old school classic kind) would be kinda useless if you needed it immediately. one of those assisted opening ones would work. autos are illegal.

4/13/2010 8:13:22 AM

subcompact or pocket carry pistol + CHP

sticks are ok, but you have to have the strength to do some real damage and sticks are easily broken or taken out of your hand, thus rendered useless

pepper spray is a little better, assuming you have quick access to it, are within range, and that it will actually affect the attacker (some aren't bothered by it, especially those on drugs). However, if there is more than one attacker, pepper spray may not be good enough.

A pistol, while not perfect, is better than these other two, versatile, quick to use, you won't break it, and it is much more sure to prevent/stop an attack than a twig or spray bottle.

4/13/2010 8:19:21 AM

bo staff

and a boyfriend

[Edited on April 13, 2010 at 8:20 AM. Reason : Post #45,500.]

4/13/2010 8:20:24 AM

4/13/2010 8:23:45 AM

Quote :

"Personally I wouldn't mess with someone that had a machete strapped to their person."

Made me LOL.

4/13/2010 8:58:11 AM

4/13/2010 9:03:04 AM

Don't underestimate pepper spray. I can't imagine many people continuing an attack after catching even a small amount of spray. It's also easy to use on multiple people (not so much with a walking stick.)

A walking stick could be nice, but you'd really have to choose between the staff and the pepper spray if one hand is already tied up with the dog. In that case I'd go with the pepper spray as your mobility would be somewhat limited with the dog on one hand.

Or just get the handgun.

A nice one hand opening knife should be a given regardless of whether you have pepper spray, a staff, or a gun. I'd consider that as more of a last line of defense though.

4/13/2010 9:04:02 AM

lol where exactly would one get a machete? Camping section in a sports store? How much would a decent one cost? I think I've seen them for like $15 at Wal-Mart but I'd think a good quality one would cost more than that.

You could also try a collapsible baton or something like that... but it keep it visible I guess. As someone stated, if the thug sees the weapon on you they are less likely to approach you.

4/13/2010 9:15:28 AM

http://www.coldsteel.com/machetes.html

They're pretty cheap mang. You don't use good steel in a machete.

[Edited on April 13, 2010 at 9:17 AM. Reason : s]

4/13/2010 9:17:06 AM

HIDE SOME SHURIKEN IN YOUR SKIDZ



and then those fuckers would be all like




[Edited on April 13, 2010 at 9:23 AM. Reason : .]

4/13/2010 9:22:42 AM

just remember, anything you carry can be taken from you and used against you

4/13/2010 9:32:14 AM

If someone's gonna take something from you and use it against you, being completely unarmed wouldn't help that particular situation.

You're gonna get beat with your own stick or the one they brought along or a rock laying in the ditch or something else.

4/13/2010 9:40:43 AM

^^^Those ninja stars don't look too sharp. On closer inspection it looks like it is a doll holding them.

[Edited on April 13, 2010 at 10:06 AM. Reason : ]

4/13/2010 9:42:47 AM

I mean, yes.

but it did take a rocket scientist to point that out.

4/13/2010 11:21:22 AM

^^^ This is why training is critical and above all else, the thing that is going to save you is your mind. That is the main weapon in your arsenal. Situational awareness at all times is absolutely critical, if you don't practice this then you're wasting your time being armed in my opinion.

This is also the reason I say the element of surprise should always be on your side if possible by concealing your weapon rather than open carrying it. If you are attacked open carrying, the individual will be even more prepared and will know your capabilities before they begin the attack. I do say you're overestimating the skills of a lot of criminals, but it is entirely possible to come across someone who is skilled. This is why you want backup weapons placed appropriately. A Spyderco Tasman Salt is an excellent handgun retention weapon and/or backup knife (Even a primary defensive knife depending on the situation). If you practice opening it with your non-dominant hand and carry it in your non-dominant pocket, you can use it to very quickly disable someone who grabs your firearm. I'm telling you, do not underestimate a Tasman Salt. It may only have a 3" blade, but it will sever every tendon in someone's wrist with a single slash. Hawkbill blades are disgustingly effective in self defense roles and the hawkbill blade profile and the handle to blade angle used on the Tasman Salt also makes it an excellent stabber. The Spyderhawk is also an excellent choice, it's just the Tasman's big brother.

The Cold Steel Rajah I or II is an excellent choice if you want a HUGE folding knife. It is extremely intimidating and will cut extremely well. It has a Kopis/Kukri style blade, which is very nasty. Cold Steel has videos showing this knife doing work on various objects and I know a few people who I trust quite a bit that have nothing bad to say about these knives. The Rajah II is probably about $90 depending on where you go and the Rajah I is like $190. Both of them have a "wave" feature, which allows you to open the knife as you draw it. This makes it faster than an auto knife and it's also very intimidating. The Rajah I makes a ridiculously potent sound when you open it too because of the solid aluminum frame. I'll link you to the page where you can look at the Rajah II and I as well as the page where you can buy the Tasman Salt and Spyderhawk (I recommend plain edge, not serrated, simply due to the difficulty in re-sharpening a serrated edge and yes I'm aware of work hardening in H1 steel and how serrated is better initially in H1). YCS is the best place to buy knives IMO by the way, it's one of the only places I shop because the prices are usually unbeatable. They have three Tasman's in black plain edge, they have four Spyderhawks in yellow plain edge, they have one Rajah I and plenty of Rajah II's. Their stock numbers are accurate, which is also a really nice feature of YCS.

http://yourcornerstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=734_1071_1123

http://yourcornerstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=734_1971_2029

http://yourcornerstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=734_1971_2034



Tasman Salt:




Spyderhawk:




Cold Steel Rajah I or II (I like the I, but the II is just fine if you don't have the money, the first pictures are the II the third is a picture of both the I and II):









Oh, and here's Cold Steel Inferno being used on the Cold Steel employees. As silly as Lynn C. Thompson is, I don't think he lies to you about his products. They do a lot of heavy duty testing with their products and they stand by them. The only one I don't recommend is the Pocket Bushman, but essentially every other product they offer is solid. His products can be pricey, but they are very good about listening to customer input and you will get an extremely solid product. They changed like 5 or 6 knives over to the TriAd locking system from various other locking systems for their 2010 lineup just based on customer inputs and that lock is stupidly strong, it's one of the strongest folding knife locks in existence. Even Fred Perrin will tell you that.







Notice how the Rajah II goes through ribs like they're nothing. It will easily remove a hand at the wrist if you use it properly IMO.

4/13/2010 11:32:52 AM

^ out of curiosity, what prompted you to start all of this training? Were you in the military, police, have you ever been attacked (aside from the average school yard fight)?

4/13/2010 11:39:21 AM

If you carry pepper spray, have someone spray you so you know what you will have to fight through. I've never seen a situation where spray was used and the user didn't get hit as well.

4/13/2010 11:39:31 AM

That Rajah is one hell of a knife.

4/13/2010 11:45:06 AM

IMO the best thing for you to do is to simply avoid putting yourself in situations where you feel there may be danger. Whether that means moving, not going out at certain times, or going out with friends.... it's your ass, do what ever it takes. Most situations would most likely end with exactly how you described, a little razzing, and at the worst, some pushing or maybe even a fight. But if you pull out a knife, you have all of a sudden became the agressor, and things are probably not going to end well, especially against a group of people who more likely than not also have some kind of weapon. I think if you're going to carry anything, pepper spray is probably your best answer because it is non-lethal and sends the message that you are only interested in protecting yourself, not on attacking or hurting anyone.

4/13/2010 11:51:37 AM

^ Well, staying out of trouble is fucking obvious. Nobody in their right mind goes looking for trouble and this is why I said all of that shit in my first post. I explained how if you're hot headed or the type to instigate people, you don't need to carry lethal weapons. You're being overly ideal in my opinion. While the likelihood of ever needing weapons is low, there are also times where the only way out is going to be having one.

You are not going to reason with someone hell bent on ending your life, so showing them that you "only mean to defend yourself and don't mean to harm them permanently" is hardly going to have an effect one way or the other. At best, they will be indifferent and at worst they'll see it for what it is, a sign of weakness and unwillingness to fight for your life and kill someone else in a kill or be killed situation. This is where the training shit I brought up really comes into play dude. You don't just pull out a knife and act bad ass when someone approaches you. You need to assess every situation differently and a group of people attacking you is not going to end well most times regardless, but I'd rather have MANY OPTIONS (ie - gun, knives and pepper spray) than nothing or just one of those tools. I think one of the biggest mistakes nice people make is to think that a ruthless criminal thinks like you do. Someone who is desperate, insane, etc may not really care about how nice you want to be to them. Again, I don't advocate always shooting someone, I made that extremely clear in fact. I advocate being prepared for various scenarios and training and running through them in your mind. No, you'll never be prepared for every possible situation but you can be prepared for many of them.

An attack is going to happen when you least expect it. If you are headed somewhere that you expect to be attacked, you're a fucking idiot. Your advice isn't really advice, it's common sense. If you think any intelligent individuals who carry guns just go around wandering into dangerous situations thinking they're invincible, you're highly mistaken. The goal is to ensure your own safety (And the safety of those around you), but you don't want to hurt or kill anyone unnecessarily and if you instigate a fight or escalate a situation, you will go down in court, period. Even if you're justified in your actions, expect to pay tens of thousands of dollars should you shoot or stab someone. As I said before, you must be a simple minded person if you think being armed means you have more testosterone fueled bravado. When you're armed, you turn into the biggest pussy anyone will ever come across. This is necessary because, as I've repeatedly said, you WILL be held accountable should you instigate the use of lethal force in any way. If you pull out a lethal weapon, you'd better be ready to use it and if you aren't it shouldn't be out yet. Now, if you pull a weapon out and they back down, you obviously don't just kill them anyway, but you don't pull out a gun until you're ready to rock and roll and there are no other options left.

Quote :

"But if you pull out a knife, you have all of a sudden became the agressor, and things are probably not going to end well, especially against a group of people who more likely than not also have some kind of weapon."

This is just plain false. Pulling out a lethal weapon does not automatically make you the aggressor. The use of lethal force is pretty clearly outlined in NC law. You are not the aggressor if you deploy and use a lethal weapon under the circumstances during which you may legally do so. Again, this is why I pointed out that training is necessary. Training is mental and physical, it includes knowledge of weapons systems and how to best deploy them, the legality of deploying them, situational awareness, etc. Again, this is why I said that it's a big decision and if you just want to buy a gun and carry it without any of these other actions and considerations then that's not always going to be a great idea. One of the biggest reasons to take a Concealed Carry class is just the legality part of it. But again, if you're facing a group of people who are armed, you are in BIG trouble regardless and I don't think it's going to matter whether or not you pull your knife or you pull your pepper spray and act like "you have no interest in harming them". Either way they'll probably still do exactly what they had planned to do from the beginning. This is where a gun combined with backup weapons comes into play. At the very least, go down with a fight and take as many as you can with you. If you have a fucking group of people after you, the psychology of the situation is going to make it very difficult for you to diffuse it btw, chances are you need to act quickly and aggressively rather than trying to demonstrate your unwillingness to harm others.

Again, this scenario is unlikely though, it's more likely to get attacked by one or two people. Regardless, be prepared and have high levels of situational awareness so that you get away before they ever get close to you or you gain a position that gives you an advantage and makes them enter a fatal funnel in order to reach you, so that you can pick them off one by one rather than getting taken from all sides simultaneously.

Quote :

"If you carry pepper spray, have someone spray you so you know what you will have to fight through. I've never seen a situation where spray was used and the user didn't get hit as well."

Yep, this is why I like Cold Steel's Inferno so much. It minimizes the chances that you'll get hit too much with your own stream, but I'd imagine it's likely that you're going to get hit with some anyway in the confusion like you're saying. I trust your opinion on this above most other people's obviously, thanks for giving your input here good sir.

4/13/2010 12:06:38 PM

Not to mention the +3 damage bonus for wearing cargo shorts

4/13/2010 12:15:25 PM

I'm never leaving the house unless SaabTurbo comes with me.

4/13/2010 12:16:24 PM

Quote :

"is there anything better knife-wise I could try."

Ka-Bar

[/thread]

4/13/2010 12:24:48 PM

^ You've got to be a bit more specific. Yes, Ka-Bar makes alright knives, but they're not a high end manufacturer and some of their knives aren't made for defensive use at all while others are. Also, none of the good Ka-Bar knives can really be legally carried in a manner you'd want to carry them for defensive purposes in NC.

I'd recommend a small folding knife for ease of carry (Remember, your self defense tool is completely useless if you don't actually have it with you all the time) and legality reasons. As far as I know, it's illegal to conceal a fixed blade knife anywhere in NC. The Tasman Salt is legal just about everywhere in NC because it's blade is just barely under 3" (Like 2.95" I believe) and it is EXTREMELY potent for the size. Again, the Tasman Salt is a human zipper. I provided a link to YCS where you can purchase the Tasman Salt. I don't think you'll find a more effective self defense knife that you can easily carry 24/7 for the price (Around $50). It's made by my favorite knife manufacturer and uses a truly rust proof steel (H1) as well. It's a karambit style knife without the ring in the end of the handle (The ring is essentially useless for a folding karambit anyway, other than for doing tricks really). It is also extremely lightweight, so light that you wont notice it in your pocket. Again, it's a knife you can actually carry all the time and if you practice with it, it is lightning quick and brutally effective.

Go for some Cold Steel Inferno and a Spyderco Tasman Salt to start with. Then go from there. That's my end recommendation, it will be inexpensive but you'll end up with very effective and high quality self defense tools and you can decide from there if you'd like more knives or a firearm, etc.

Again, buy the Tasman Salt here. For a self defense knife I'd suggest you get it in black with a plain edge, which is all they have in stock anyway right now. Somebody actually bought one in the past hour btw, so now three remain, lol:

http://yourcornerstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=734_1971_2034

4/13/2010 12:30:20 PM

You do not want a stick, maglight, or anything like that, being female. Unless you are a fucking ninja, I'd say that there is just about a 100% chance that an attacker will take it away from you, and then likely use it against you.

If you are willing to learn how to use it well (i.e., spend some time at the range both initially and periodically), and if you are confident that you are mentally prepared to kill someone, a pistol is the gold standard. If not, then I'd go with pepper spray or a TASER.

4/13/2010 1:12:14 PM

SaabTurbo I do not know you at all but the advice you are giving to this girl is just plain bad, and I hope to God she does not go out and purchase a knife thinking that it is a viable option.

I can barely think of even a hypothetical situation that a girl having a knife would be a good idea. As you said before, if someone is going to attack a female, it's probably going to be out of the blue where the last thing she would think of/have time to do is pull out a knife and fight back. Even if she had time to wield it, she has just gone from being attacked/robbed/raped to probably getting killed. The best assets a woman has to prevent being attacked is her voice and her legs. A shrill scream and her running as fast as she can is going to deter most would-be agressors. That is not speculation that is absolute fact. I would venture to say that I could take a knife away from just about any female that had one, and the small percentage that I could not are those crazy karate ninja chicks that could probably kick my ass anyway without one. If you think a class on self defense is going to prepare a female to defend herself against some random lunatic, think again.

4/13/2010 2:03:07 PM

Really? I wouldn't feel very confident in my ability to take a knife away from anyone, regardless of gender or age, if I were attacking them and they feared for their life.

4/13/2010 4:41:09 PM

FeebleMinded lived up to his name when he said:

Quote :

"If you think a class on self defense is going to prepare a female to defend herself against some random lunatic, think again."

What are self-defense classes for, exactly, other than defending oneself against some random lunatic? And why the Christ are you such a paranoiac?

4/13/2010 4:44:42 PM

4/13/2010 5:11:32 PM

Quote :

"I do not know you at all but the advice you are giving to this girl is just plain bad, and I hope to God she does not go out and purchase a knife thinking that it is a viable option."

You aren't an individual who knows ANYTHING about self defense, so I have no clue why you're even involved in this thread. I hope you actually read my posts, because if anything, what I said repeatedly was that knives require a significant amount of training (This mostly involves practicing quick and stable deployment of the blade and some basic stab and slash motions, a hawkbill blade is devastating with very basic moves, it requires very little training other than getting the blade deployed initially). I have pointed out that small knives are back-up or last resort weapons and that knife fighting is "EXTREMELY dangerous" (I used those exact words, asshole). Never once did I say, "Get a knife and you're set for every possible situation". Read what I've written, dipshit.

You are the one giving horrible advice. Obviously you've never had your ass handed to you by a female in a fight, but do NOT underestimate ANYONE based on sex alone. Their movements and confidence are going to give away a lot and I have had my ass beat by women on plenty of occasions. A trained woman is just as dangerous as a trained man of the same size. If they use their body type to their advantage and they're trained, you're in for a pretty nasty fight. If someone is vicious enough, they will completely ruin you with a blade like a Tasman Salt (If you aren't dead, you'll wish you were because you're going to need hundreds and hundreds of stitches). I cannot get this across enough, if someone is fighting for their life and they have a hawkbill like that, you'd better be very skilled because if you let them get in one solid touch with it, you've got a big problem. With just a bit of understanding in martial arts and an understanding of how to deploy a blade, stab and slice, you can be very effective against most criminals as long as they don't also have a knife. This is also why I pointed out that she should get BOTH a knife AND Cold Steel Inferno pepper spray. I never said just get a knife. You want a ranged weapon of some kind too. Most criminals are NOT trained, so a trained woman with a Tasman Salt is your worst fucking nightmare if you're a dumb criminal trying to get your rape on. I also said that a gun is a good choice if you can handle the legal knowledge required, are willing to go through the hassle to get it and to endure the training costs and time investment. The knife and Cold Steel Inferno can be obtained today though and training with them can start immediately. This means you can wait to make the decision on the gun (Or go ahead and decide to, either way you're going to wait months before it's all ready to go) and in the meantime you have some measure of protection.

Your "advice" is to not arm yourself at all so that criminals can have their way with you and you make the terrible mistake of assuming a criminal is a nice person who will somehow "appreciate" the fact that you "don't wish to harm them". Yes, they'll appreciate it so much that they'll throw you down, remove your pants and fucking rape you. Sounds like appreciation to me!

My advice was to arm yourself COMPETENTLY (Train mentally and physically with the knife, gun, spray, TASER or whatever combination you choose) and, above all else, have a high level of situational awareness. Never once did I suggest that buying a knife and simply sticking it in your pocket without any practice or any training effort is the key to surviving every possible encounter. You haven't been reading anything I've said. You obviously look at pictures and assume you understand my point. Go back and read each one of my posts and explain to me how in the hell you got any of that shit out of reading what I said.

Btw, for experience, I would advise you to try to grab a Tasman Salt out of a 120lb female's hands with the level of skill you have and see what happens. If they have even the slightest bit of competence they'll disable the arm you do it with in one solid hit. Are you going to grab a hawkbill blade and try to pull? I have personally severed someones tendons who did just that. Do not come in here and talk to me about knives and self defense as if you know something when your advise is based on no experience and the assumption that females are completely incompetent and incapable of training to handle a knife, gun, etc with skill.

4/13/2010 5:13:39 PM

[Edited on April 13, 2010 at 5:53 PM. Reason : X]

4/13/2010 5:40:00 PM

the x is easier to read than the Wallotext from saab

4/13/2010 5:41:11 PM

Well, this is one of the few topics I care enough about to actually make a point in.

4/13/2010 5:42:26 PM

its cool buddy

it was a good post

4/13/2010 5:48:20 PM

I have a mother fucking ax handle beat down stick.

4/13/2010 5:58:03 PM

Quote :

"just remember, anything you carry can be taken from you and used against you"

it's pretty hard for a criminal to steal your dog and turn it against you. with that being said, people who have guns and knives taken from them during a fight are people that were too pussy to use them when the situation called for it.

4/13/2010 5:58:40 PM

^^ha are you an 80yo woman?

^i would reckon it is pretty easy to be disarmed of your knife in a struggle

[Edited on April 13, 2010 at 6:02 PM. Reason : c]

4/13/2010 6:01:47 PM