Houston - suggestions for knive retailers?

[RHenriksen]

My wife's going back to work full time in the medical center. Just when she got her CHL, and has been carrying *daily* ( ), she will have to leave it locked in her car. And... two days/week she'll be working 11a-11p, and taking the last train down to the huge parking Braeswood & Greenbriar at close to midnight. Unarmed.

She had an old, plastic (handled) Spyderco folder which will certainly work; I'd like to look around and see what might be an upgrade to that for her. Would much prefer to check things out in person, than web shopping. So... besides Academy, what other retailers carry good quality folding knives, of the one-handed opening variety?

She's a tiny Asian woman - 4'10". Fiesty, though! I just see her as being high on the target list for any scumbags hanging around shopping for victims at midnight in a huge parking lot.

[cajunautoxer]

There's a shop N of 10/BW8 that sells Emersons. That's where I get all my Emersons from. They are the only ones in Houston

[RHenriksen]

There's a shop N of 10/BW8 that sells Emersons. That's where I get all my Emersons from. They are the only ones in Houston

Thanks - do you remember the name?

[mr surveyor]

what happened to pepper spray?

[RHenriksen]

Wow, this place looks like the bomb. Can't believe they close at 3 on Saturday, though :-(

http://www.beckwithsblades.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Commander Cody]

what happened to pepper spray?

+1 for pepper spray.

[cajunautoxer]

There's a shop N of 10/BW8 that sells Emersons. That's where I get all my Emersons from. They are the only ones in Houston

Thanks - do you remember the name?

This

Wow, this place looks like the bomb. Can't believe they close at 3 on Saturday, though :-(

http://www.beckwithsblades.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fox Pepper spray

[speedsix]

...an online store I used to get catalogs from was Smoky Mountain Knife Works...they had many brands and many styles...and decent prices...
...my favorite "get 'em OFF me" knife is the little Claw knife that Columbia River Knife and Tool sells...very short razor sharp blade...serrated or plain in a neck sheath that could be worn all day under a hospital blouse...has a hole in the handle for retention and will do a lot of damage...won't drop or have it wrested away from you...might want to look for it...here's a pic http://www.crkt.com/Bear-Claw-Sharp-Tip ... Sharp-Edge" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RHenriksen]

Thank you very much for the on-topic reply!

...an online store I used to get catalogs from was Smoky Mountain Knife Works...they had many brands and many styles...and decent prices...
...my favorite "get 'em OFF me" knife is the little Claw knife that Columbia River Knife and Tool sells...very short razor sharp blade...serrated or plain in a neck sheath that could be worn all day under a hospital blouse...has a hole in the handle for retention and will do a lot of damage...won't drop or have it wrested away from you...might want to look for it...here's a pic http://www.crkt.com/Bear-Claw-Sharp-Tip ... Sharp-Edge" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[speedsix]

...aw, c'mon, it ain't THAT unusual for me to stay on topic...or maybe it is...

[bayouhazard]

Even with gas prices coming down, it's cheaper for me to order online and pay shipping instead of burning gas. Unless the store is close to home or work.

[boba]

She had an old, plastic (handled) Spyderco folder which will certainly work; I'd like to look around and see what might be an upgrade to that for her. Would much prefer to check things out in person, than web shopping. So... besides Academy, what other retailers carry good quality folding knives, of the one-handed opening variety?

What training does she have in edged weapons? That will affect the suggestions. For example, a kerambit or pikal blade are maybe good if she's trained that way, but not an advantage if she isn't. Also, will it see hard use? The 300 and 350 series from Zero Tolerance are nice but maybe overkill.

The Spyderco Delica and Endura have been around for a long time and there are reasons why they continue to be popular. They also clip to the waistband of scrubs pretty easy and are light enough so you don't look like one of those pants on the ground fools.

[RHenriksen]

A Spyderco Delica is what she's had for years, and has served her well. I just thought it would be worth casting about what's on the marketplace these days to see if there have been design improvements since we picked that one up.

Small and lightweight are important, since she's petite and I'd want it to be a realistic EDC for her. The job she's going in to won't require scrubs, so she'll be in business casual. The other goals I'd have for her are:

ease of deployment
secure grip/retention
hard use is *not* expected, so don't need to get carried away with durability/high tech materials

The bear claw's finger hole is interesting, I'd like to find one locally she can try in-hand. She's also asked me for some Hapkido training, which I'm happy to provide. While she's short, she has a lot of muscle, and has really surprised some guys during some roughhousing in the past. Scorpio, too

She had an old, plastic (handled) Spyderco folder which will certainly work; I'd like to look around and see what might be an upgrade to that for her. Would much prefer to check things out in person, than web shopping. So... besides Academy, what other retailers carry good quality folding knives, of the one-handed opening variety?

What training does she have in edged weapons? That will affect the suggestions. For example, a kerambit or pikal blade are maybe good if she's trained that way, but not an advantage if she isn't. Also, will it see hard use? The 300 and 350 series from Zero Tolerance are nice but maybe overkill.

The Spyderco Delica and Endura have been around for a long time and there are reasons why they continue to be popular. They also clip to the waistband of scrubs pretty easy and are light enough so you don't look like one of those pants on the ground fools.

[boba]

If a fixed blade is acceptable, look at the CRKT Bear Claw and similar styles and the Ka-Bar TDI. For a folding knife, the Delica is still a good choice.

Some people like the assisted opening knives but I don't. I have to engage the tip lock to make sure it doesn't open in my pocket. When I need the knife, disengaging the tip lock and then hitting the flipper takes longer than opening a Spyderco with the thumb hole. Maybe that's just me but it's something to have her try if you look at a Leek or similar Kershaw. The liner lock is easier to close one handed, but that's less of a concern for me for a SD knife.

[RHenriksen]

Thanks for all the advice, Boba!