If I pull a knife should I use it?

[AlwaysLost]

Seriously tho, who is gonna be stupid enough to carry round something that big? Or you just trying to compensate for something?

I'm dying.

 

[AlwaysLost]

Had to be done View attachment 35982

Ernst Hardware had a folder that size but it was just a joke...my hands are so small I couldn't wield it with two hands lol

 

[AlwaysLost]

If you are crazy enough to carry around a knife as big as crocodile dundees one then why the fuck not? You'd probably be crazy enough to use it without a second thought as well lol. Put it this way, somebody pulls a knife that big on me im running as fast i fucking can away from the crazy cunt

I almost bought one of these..definitely overcompensating...

 

[Matt Derrick]

i don't remember how this all got started, but basically i was saying that a really dangerous and false myth in the traveler community is that if you use a knife against someone, they will take it from you and use it against you.

this is entirely false, and there has never (to my knowledge) been an incident like this in our culture. the fact is that none of us are MMA fighters, 99.99% of us aren't trained knife fighters, but that doesn't matter, because in 99.99999% of situations, a knife can be used as an excellent defense tool by a completely untrained person. so yes, you should always have one.

should you go around constantly pulling it out and waving it around? no. duh. i don't think anyone said that, and that goes against pretty much all common sense.

that said, people need to stop insinuating that brandishing a knife against a potential attacker will get that knife taken from you and used against you. you both made these insinuations in your posts in the introduction thread:

I will give you the first lesson of knife fighting. If you decide to pull it use it. The knife that is used to intimidate is the knife that kills you.

Completely agree! This is why I don't worry about carrying a knife. If someone pulls a weapon, that weapon often becomes mine.

neither of these quotes are true in the majority of situations.

 

[Deleted member 17306]

Personally, I think it's best not to pull the knife until you have to use it. Nobody needs to know you have one unless you're about to use it.

 

[Shwillam]

i don't remember how this all got started, but basically i was saying that a really dangerous and false myth in the traveler community is that if you use a knife against someone, they will take it from you and use it against you.

this is entirely false, and there has never (to my knowledge) been an incident like this in our culture. the fact is that none of us are MMA fighters, 99.99% of us aren't trained knife fighters, but that doesn't matter, because in 99.99999% of situations, a knife can be used as an excellent defense tool by a completely untrained person. so yes, you should always have one.

should you go around constantly pulling it out and waving it around? no. duh. i don't think anyone said that, and that goes against pretty much all common sense.

that said, people need to stop insinuating that brandishing a knife against a potential attacker will get that knife taken from you and used against you. you both made these insinuations in your posts in the introduction thread:





neither of these quotes are true in the majority of situations.

I've always found, personally, that it wasn't about them getting the weapon (knife, pepper spray/mace, stun gun ect) away from you and using it against you, it's been people that have also had a weapon not feeling the need to use theirs until one was brandished.
Like I said earlier, in my personal greenhorn experiences, pulling out a knife too early got me in a much worse situation than before I broke out my weapon(s).
This is my own stupid shit I did, but I've heard similar stories of people (like myself) getting scared or too intoxicated and thinking I needed to handle a simple fist to fist or even barker to barker issue be escalated by myself or someone else breaking out a weapon way before it had reached the point that option should of been considered.
Nowadays I've learned the only time I should actually pull my weapon should be life and death situations that cannot be resolved any other way.
I can confirm this even throu my own experiences where if someone broke out a weapon I'd do whatever I could to find a more effective or damaging option.
I always think whatever weapon you choose you should have basic ability to use.
Thou not all of us are MMA fighters, I do think there's some people out there that aren't travelers that could be potential threats that do have at least some sort of basic training and this could be the difference between life and death.

 

[Matt Derrick]

I've always found, personally, that it wasn't about them getting the weapon (knife, pepper spray/mace, stun gun ect) away from you and using it against you, it's been people that have also had a weapon not feeling the need to use theirs until one was brandished.

well, in that case, i think that's simply a lesson in how not to escalate a situation, regardless of the weapons involved.

 

[AlwaysLost]

i don't remember how this all got started, but basically i was saying that a really dangerous and false myth in the traveler community is that if you use a knife against someone, they will take it from you and use it against you.

this is entirely false, and there has never (to my knowledge) been an incident like this in our culture. the fact is that none of us are MMA fighters, 99.99% of us aren't trained knife fighters, but that doesn't matter, because in 99.99999% of situations, a knife can be used as an excellent defense tool by a completely untrained person. so yes, you should always have one.

should you go around constantly pulling it out and waving it around? no. duh. i don't think anyone said that, and that goes against pretty much all common sense.

that said, people need to stop insinuating that brandishing a knife against a potential attacker will get that knife taken from you and used against you. you both made these insinuations in your posts in the introduction thread:





neither of these quotes are true in the majority of situations.

No that's fair. But I'm still not sure that bluffing with a knife is a good idea. Even an untrained attackers adrenaline is gonna go on high. If he doesn't flee he's coming and he's coming fast.

Getting a knife taken away might be an urban legend but getting manhandled and having the knife end up inside you in a wrestling match isn't. I think that if you pull it I think you at the very least u need to look like you know how to use it and be ready to.

One thing I know about knife fights is they are rarely pretty like in that special forces shows. They are nasty brutal and fast.

But I respect your opinion and you may be right. You have a lot of experience traveling whereas all I seem to do when I go out is be miserable.

My big advice is to use your words. The only almost knife fight I have been in, I was able to talk my way out of. He was coming down of hard drugs and was irritable and confused.

 

[AlwaysLost]

@Matt Derrick

I apologize, I guess I did make that insinuation but I think it has sparked a very respectful and interesting debate on the subject so at least some good came over it.

 

[Rob Nothing]

The knife I used to carry was constructed such that it was concealable without being concealed and automatic without being illegal.. while it was there as a multiple purpose tool, it was also there for the theoretical occasion I were to use it on another man.. and not as intimidation although it did look pretty good.



Your relationship to your weapon and how you utilize it or whether you should carry one is your own business. So long as you understand that there will be consequences no matter how you choose to play it, consequences that it is in your best interest to foresee and accept completely. Be familiar with yourself and aware of your strengths and weaknesses and how likely you are to succumb to fear; so that you will know what kinds of situations you are capable of handling and not capable of handling. Be consistent, and be clear in you head about where you stand and what you are up against.. or you are liable to make a bad situation worse for yourself.

But - and this is just like my opinion, man! -- if you ever go pulling a knife on somebody and it is not all one single motion of attack from start to finish.. if there is a pause, then probably you don't want to use it and you should not have pulled it.

 

[AlwaysLost]

The knife I used to carry was constructed such that it was concealable without being concealed and automatic without being illegal.. while it was there as a multiple purpose tool, it was also there for the theoretical occasion I were to use it on another man.. and not as intimidation although it did look pretty good.

View attachment 35987

Your relationship to your weapon and how you utilize it or whether you should carry one is your own business. So long as you understand that there will be consequences no matter how you choose to play it, consequences that it is in your best interest to foresee and accept completely. Be familiar with yourself and aware of your strengths and weaknesses and how likely you are to succumb to fear; so that you will know what kinds of situations you are capable of handling and not capable of handling. Be consistent, and be clear in you head about where you stand and what you are up against.. or you are liable to make a bad situation worse for yourself.

But - and this is just like my opinion, man! -- if you ever go pulling a knife on somebody and it is not all one single motion of attack from start to finish.. if there is a pause, then probably you don't want to use it and you should not have pulled it.

I agree 100%, I just have this vision of a girl/guy pulling a knife out for the first and waving it around hands shaking from adrenaline and not looking like they mean it and just getting absolutely bumrushed.

Maybe I'm naive and inexperienced though and attackers see the knife and run 99/100.

I have drilled myself with hands. Front hand with knife pointed at the attacker. Backhand turned inward and raised to protect my throat, underarm and ribs. Knife foot forward and begin circling to their weak side.

In all fairness, I only remember basic techniques but it looks like I know what I'm doing.

 

[Art101]

My thought Is if I am in a spot where in forced to go for a knife Im a firm believer in strike hard and often.That said I have pulled a knife I think once in 30 plus years.

 

[Yancwhatchuwanttho]

while i was in new orleans for the month preceding mardi gras, a certain individual pulled a knife on me and then slashed my road dogs tire. the next day he threatened to pull the knife again and i kicked him in the face and took the knife. moral of the story, if you're gonna pull a knife use it.

 

[nivoldoog]

Seriously tho, who is gonna be stupid enough to carry round something that big? Or you just trying to compensate for something?

I carried one nearly as big for a few years. Recently sold it because WTF do I need a knife that big!

As for taking knives away from people...
I have done it on several occasions.

Only once to a person as a traveler as our selves. When a knife gets pulled on me, I give them two options," drop the knife and run Or die by it!" As I aggressively approach with a quicker pace as I close the distance. Most cases they choose option three... run and keep knife. The poor traveling kid did not have the option to run. He threatened to carve up my new gear/bag because I was an "oogle" and brand-new to traveling. So I snatched his bag up." Give me your knife, or I throw your bag in the river and I still take your knife." He was young and dumb. He dropped it, I took possession of the knife and it went into the river and I bounced out of town quickly because he was not the only one mad an "oogle" walked into camp. I have punked a few people out of knives. For if you pull a knife on me... I attack quickly and immediately. War cry! Often they drop everything to get the fuck away. I don't understand why they often drop the knife? Don't run with sharp things I guess...

I would not suggest this for most... I am trained in level 1 Brazilian jujitsu (military) and knife combat (PVC "knife" full motion against marine buddy)

 

[nivoldoog]

Razor blades scare the shit out of me tho. I got cut up a few times by razor blades. I never see them coming and often the infection is worse then the cut.

If you pull a knife. Too easy...
Rummage in your pocket as you walk aggressively at me...
I'm bolting.

 

[todd]

yeah razor knives scare the crap outta me too.. just thinking about how dam sharp they are makes me shiver.. brrrr

 

[nivoldoog]

yeah razor knives scare the crap outta me too.. just thinking about how dam sharp they are makes me shiver.. brrrr

I am talking about those things you put in box cutters. The insert singles. I tried to disarm one bum and only managed to mangle my hand. Some how he didn't even scratch his hand... Another bum said it was likely he was proficient and had thick callous.

The infection tho! Ooh man everytime I get scared I may lose my arm. I was told that they often keep them in their mouth, which causes infections, or some will even cover them in poop. Just for the infection. Wicked things.

 

[SammyG]

Yes the boy scout in me advocates carrying a knife for tool purposes for both male and female 100% of the time.

Matt kind of misunderstood me there I never said that she shouldn't carry a knife even for self defense. You never know when an emergency might arise.

By all means if you are to pull your knife, use it and use it well. That being said, learn to judge situations, and people very well so you can be sure it IS necessary to use.

 

[nivoldoog]

A thread on what to do if someone pulls a knife may be cool too. I would not suggest anything I have said or done so far. But what I remember from the military training basically goes like this.

Secure the knife hand.
Isolate the knife hand. So he can't switch it to another hand. I try to get my opponent to fall on his own knife. Either he will drop the knife, bury it in the dirt under his body, or stab his self. Thankfully most time they ditch the knife.
Disarm the knife. This part sucks. You will likely take a beating for this and likely get cut a couple times in the process.

Now, you have somehow managed to remove the knife from your opponent.
Break target and move on. There are quite a few ways to break a person's arm. These will need to be practiced a lot before combat. Till they are routine. I am trained... but too rusty to make it effective. But if you get good at a couple, it is too easy to break a man's arm. Thus disarming and breaking your opponent.

 

[A New Name]

This discussion is why I prefer blunt weapons.