Gun VS Knife..

[bkj]

I have been caring a knife since I was 10 and got my first Cub Scout knife. So that would be almost 42 years. I am as uncomfortable with out it as if I forgot my pants. I clean my nails, peel apples, open boxes and many other tasks.

[WildBill]

I have been caring a knife since I was 10 and got my first Cub Scout knife. So that would be almost 42 years. I am as uncomfortable with out it as if I forgot my pants. I clean my nails, peel apples, open boxes and many other tasks.

But it's different carrying a small pocketknife with a BSA or Swiss Army logo versus an assisted-open evil black knife with a 3 1/2 inch tanto or serrated blade.

[srothstein]

Well, a lot of people have given their opinions on the tactics of definding yourself with a knife. I agree that it is a bad choice tactically if you can avoid it.

but the original question was as much about the legal ramifications as the tactical ones. I wanted to point out that the law does not differentiate weapons in the defense statutes. It doesn't matter if you use a gun, a knife, a fork, or a spoon, as long as you are legally correct in your use of force.

Since the law really doesn't care what weapon I use, I will go with the best weapon tactically, which keeps me with a gun. I do carry a knife for last ditch emergencies though.

[C-dub]

My opinion might be different if Texas had a CCW permit.

I'm a little confused by this statement. Are you referring to the difference between weapon and handgun? (CCW vs. CHL) I can carry a pocket knife without any special license at all. Might you be talking about something larger than what is currently legal to carry around?

[WildBill]

My opinion might be different if Texas had a CCW permit.

I'm a little confused by this statement. Are you referring to the difference between weapon and handgun? (CCW vs. CHL) I can carry a pocket knife without any special license at all. Might you be talking about something larger than what is currently legal to carry around?

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. Yes, I was talking about a longer blade length or another type of "illegal weapon" such as an automatic knife.

[karder]

I always carry a knife as both a tool and a defensive weapon. Let's be honest, a gun will always be the first choice, but there are so many things that can happen during a fight. A moderately sized knife, which can be easily opened with one hand, can be a vital survival tool. A trained fighter can put a half-dozen cuts on you before you even know what is going on. That being said, your average gang member hardly qualifies as a trained fighter.
Knives are a funny thing, they can be your greatest tool or biggest liability depending on your experience with them. I have studied weapons and knife techniques from some of the best instructors in this country, so I know how dangerous a blade can be in a fight. Still, I strongly caution the average person against carrying one primarily for self-defense. The BG can take it away from you if you don't know what you are doing. A gun is a preferable self-defense choice on every level, but a blade is a serious back-up plan, just get some training.

[The Annoyed Man]

I can only speak for myself, (and I'm sure there will be many others chiming in soon) but I can tell you that while I do carry a knife it's purpose is certainly not for defending myself.
For one thing I'm no expert in knife fighting.

Knife combat would mean putting yourself way too close to the person attempting to harm you.

I carry my knife for the more mundane neccesities in life, like opening packages or cutting string. I have used it a few times (3 times in 10 years mabey) to cut people out of jammed seatbelts after they have been in a car wreck.

I have noticed that the day I forget my knife is the day I really need it.

But I'll leave the knife fighting for Chuck Norris or those guys from Westside Story - I don't sing very well either .

IANAL, IANAKF

What he said.

I've carried some sort of folding pocket knife ever since I was a young boy. In the intervening 45-50 years, I've had need of it thousands of times. And I've never desired to be close enough to a hostile individual to use my knife if need be. I'm the guy that brings a gun to a knife fight... ...not the other way around.

[TxSigp229]

I can only speak for myself, (and I'm sure there will be many others chiming in soon) but I can tell you that while I do carry a knife it's purpose is certainly not for defending myself.
For one thing I'm no expert in knife fighting.

Knife combat would mean putting yourself way too close to the person attempting to harm you.

I carry my knife for the more mundane neccesities in life, like opening packages or cutting string. I have used it a few times (3 times in 10 years mabey) to cut people out of jammed seatbelts after they have been in a car wreck.

I have noticed that the day I forget my knife is the day I really need it.

But I'll leave the knife fighting for Chuck Norris or those guys from Westside Story - I don't sing very well either .

IANAL, IANAKF

+1
thought lately, my knife is coming in handy for fishing too lol

[ELB]

Knife combat would mean putting yourself way too close to the person attempting to harm you.

You probably will not get a choice in this.

The more I look into knife fighting, and from what have seen of close range fights -- contact distance, mugging type stuff -- a knife is a better close-in weapon than a handgun, as well as being more reliable and not needing a reload. It is probably to our benefit that many thugs choose a gun (and thereby end staying back a bit) rather than simply launching a "sewing machine" attack.

I carry one as a last ditch defense too -- understanding that "last ditch" is a highly likely event.

[mctowalot]

Just a bit of trivia here. In England, where there are no handguns, (wink wink) they have a "knife culture" crisis on their hands. It seems there are multiple stabbings everyday in London alone. A lot of them are comitted by little kids, and they don't just stab their victims they slice and dice them. Of course I'm only repeating what I've read in their papers. Now there are groups pushing for knife bans.
Sooner or later they will have to ban pointy sticks.

[RiverRat]

my knife is a tool, my gun is my weapon.

That's my opinion, too. I carry two knives, but as tools. My Granddad always told me that anyone using a knife as a weapon would be better at it than you are. The only outcome of a knife fight is that you are going to get hurt.

[gigag04]

We just finished a day of knife defense at my dept today. Our instructor retired a couple years back as a 25 yr vet sgt with our agency. He also holds 8th degree black belts in 4+ martial arts. He is disgusting with a knife. He trained with the Philipinos back in the day and it is unreal how dangerous a trained knife fighter is.

I will carry multiple knives hidden while on duty as another weapon choice should I find myself needing one...

THAT said...when faced with a subj armed with a knife, if I able I will create distance and cover and engage the threat with firearm.

I'd rather be shot than stabbed.

[The Annoyed Man]

I have used a knife once to defend myself - on a train coming home from a day's fishing. I'm no expert either, but I've read Mark "Animal" McYoung's words on the subject and agree 99.9% with him (harsh language warning):

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

Pay careful attention to his "dangerous misconceptions" and "very dangerous misconception" sections.

Andy, that's an interesting site.

I've never been in a knife fight, although I once disarmed a knife wielding guy with a reverse crescent kick, which knocked the knife out of his hand. I don't know if he would have actually used it. He was an older guy and I think a little bit crazy, but he wasn't a career criminal or anything. He just had poor self-control when it came to anger. He was pushing 60 and I was in my 20s, and it was at my job in New York City when I lived there back in the '70s. He was angry at a coworker of mine and being racially abusive toward my friend, who is black. He grew angrier and angrier, and then he flashed this knife. I didn't even think about it or hesitate. I just kicked it out his hand, and that was that. The fight was over, and I went and told the manager what had just happened. Knife boy lost his job, and I never saw him again. I was young and very fit at the time, as I had been studying a form of Karate and had recently earned my brown belt.

I don't know if what I did was very smart or not, or maybe I was just lucky not to get badly hurt. But I've never forgotten a couple of things my first Sensei told me about street fighting and knives. First he said that a black belt is at best an even match for a good experienced street fighter. He also said that it doesn't matter how good you are, if you get in a fight with someone with a knife, you're going to get cut — no two ways about it. So he said you have to accept that possibility in advance and put it out of your mind. Otherwise, you've already lost the fight.

I've mentioned before about my years spent working in a west coast ER, and I've probably seen as many stabbing victims as shooting victims. We used to call it the Pasadena Knife and Gun Club for a reason. But, I would have to say that I saw a lot more people dead of gunshot wounds than knife wounds. I don't know if that is a measure of the relative lethality of either weapon, a comment on the lack of skill of knife fighters in the area, or maybe it means that we never saw all the ones who were dead in the field and went straight to the morgue.

When I say I'm the guy that brings a gun to a knife fight, it's not because I don't understand the value of a knife as a weapon at very close range; it's exactly because I know that I am no longer equipped to deal with that stuff. I'm much older than I was back in NYC. I'm overweight and out of shape. I have significant orthopedic disadvantages. Etc., etc., etc. So I'm just not going to let a threat get that close to me. That's what the gun is for, and that's why I don't carry knives for the primary purpose of self defense.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

TAM:
As a little aside to the knife issue, was it you that said the only
time you ever saw a bullet go through and exit a body, that it
was a .41 Magnum?

We're supposed to use JHP's as our self defense carry loads instead
of FMJ's in order to avoid over-penetrating the person we shoot.

SIA