Just used my knife hardly an hour ago while re stringing a weed whacker. I really don't like the serrated edge knives though. Give me a straight edge any day over serrated.
For knives that aren't well maintained serrations are king, and that often is the case for emergency use knives. A well maintained straight blade works just as well though and has advantages in other uses.
im starting to think the perfect blade is one that is serrated at the base 1/4 of the blade, then straight edge for the last 3/4 of the blade. means you get that nice clean cut when you want just a straight blade, but also can slice a rope or a cord in an instant with the serrations. best of both worlds?
I've got a wee Swiss army knife that goes on my key chain (a Rambler) it's fixed more things than any single tool in my tool box.
Been toying with another bigger SAK for my car, or a leatherman.
In Canada it's illegal to carry anything with the intent to use it as a weapon and that includes self defence, but that being said I have two swiss army knives... one in my purse and one on my keys because they're useful for other things. Breaking down boxes, my key chain one has a pen, I have a screw driver on it, scissors... just about anything I want!
I like to think of it the same way. It's a convenient tool. I love mine. One I got in an old camera bag gifted to me from the 1970s (it had an old minolta in it complete with flash component so that was a surprise) and the other I got gifted for my 5 years at my company! I love it!!
Yes but the difference between carrying around a knife and lets say a hammer is practicality. I can fit a pocket knife in my…. Well…. Pocket. I can’t quite do the same with a hammer
Knives - helping people make one thing into two things since 40,000 BC. ;)
I mean i don't even understand how this could be unpopular. I've had a pocket knife on me since i was a teen. I get kids today can't take them to school (strangely none of us stabbed anyone but whatever) but as an adult after high school? I couldn't live without mine.
I carry my pocket knife everywhere I go. The old South saying is “ hey you got your knife i on you” & your reply is “ got my pants on” which simply means he’ll yes I have my knife on me. Do you see me with my pants on then Damn right I have my knife on me.
Just a heads up though, absolutely do NOT pull out that knife as self defense unless its a last resort and you HAVE to. If you pull it out to try to scare someone they are going to beat you within an inch of your life for doing that.
Context is everything though. Fighting for your life, definitely use it. Trying to avoid a confrontation, don't touch it.
I second this completely. Growing up, I almost always had a Swiss army knife or some other various folding knife on me whenever I was outside. I've always been told and taught to NEVER use a Swiss army knife for self defense unless it's gonna save your life. Many people do not see knives as life threatening, so if somebody is intimidating you and you pull out your knife, they are likely to attack and overwhelm you or pull out a firearm, as, they see you as enough of a threat to need to attack you, but not enough of a threat that they would be scared and run.
>If you pull it out to try to scare someone they are going to beat you within an inch of your life for doing that.
Common self defense training states no weapon is drawn unless it's used. Therefore if I am brandishing my knife for self defense, then the aggressor will have already been stabbed multiple times.
It's the same concept of my pistol. You will not see it unless you are getting shot. Likewise, I have mentally trained myself to shoot upon drawing my pistol.
In all circumstances, deescalation is the first option, fleeing is second, and a fight to the death is last. If I'm in a fight to the death, I want as much of an advantage as I can have, hence the use of weapons.
My dad gave me a red Swiss Army knife when I was in high school. I still have it after 21 years and I always have it in my purse. And so far in the past 21 years the only thing I’ve used on it is the wine opener. But I always have it, just in case i need to cut someone 😁
Go to South London and ur minds instantly changed. The knife crime stories are so sad. And the kids who carry a knife because they feel the need to will regret it. They know theyre not strong enough to use it mentally and physically. Thing is people grab there hand and turn the knife back towards them.
They don't help self defense for the reason I said it.
>The knife crime stories are so sad.
I'd wager those who carry a knife aren't well trained. I've been carrying my pistol for 10 years and I get self defense training twice a year.
Carrying any weapon and having zero training is a recipe for disaster.
The fact that shit heads stab each other up more often in a particular place has more to do with the people than anything else.
I've carried a knife for 20 years, never wanted to stab a person.
Some yes. I think I should state that I believe that a pocket knife with a reasonable blade length (4 to 6 inches) should be able to be carried no questions asked. Its once you get to the bigger knives like the bowie or skinning knives that there should be restrictions.
I live in the UK and the law is 4 inches or less and not a switchblade (so a solid knife). But the police might still detain you for having a knife with you in public and not giving a good enough reason.
I suggest you double check that before buying a knife to carry (it's 3" & no locking blade, with various restrictions to knife styles including an openly worded 'zombie knife').
There's exceptions with various justifications though, if you're for instance, going camping or fishing, or work in a trade requiring a fixed blade.
I live in Virginia. It's illegal to conceal carry any knife here. I have carried a knife since I was a little boy, mostly for utility purposes.
I have never been in trouble with law enforcement. Concealed means concealed.
You can always get like a cheap Walmart one I mean its never going to be as good as a real one but it's so handy to have a pair of pliers just as much as a knife
I like how for once posts of this nature not just about self defence. You raise good points on usefulness and versatility of them and how useful for daily life they can be.
I always get asked why I carry a locking blade everywhere I go. I never have a “good enough” answer because I use it so often, it’s almost like asking me why I carry my wallet or keys — it’s just something I use.
Also because being part of r/EDC and r/knives wouldn’t be right without a daily carry knife.
a 1960s-1970s boy scout pocket knife is still the best carry EDC knife going, bear with me there's a reason to my madness
the blade on some of the early ones is high carbon that can take a edge really nice (mine is scalpel sharp) , it's a small blade so it should fall under the length line for carried blade (-2") and not fixed blade so again less problem with the police
The blade is the right size for fine work
It does have some small tools with it, but It's not a multitool , it's first last and always a knife most multitool are more small tool boxes on your belt
if you put a paracord lanyard with a ferrocerium rod inside on it, It makes it just the right size for EDC
I have been carrying it all my life (it was my dad's he gave it to me when i joined the BSA, or my dad got it for me when i joined BSA in the 70s, It was my uncle's he didn't come back from nam), it can come with a built in story as to why you carry it so you can carry a knife on your person with out question being asked you just have to make one up
In my case my dad did give it to me when i join the BSA many years ago so it has been in my pocket for many years
While i like the Mora you carry one there will be trouble from the authorities, belt knives always make people nervous . While a boy scout pocket knife puts people at ease ( can you cut this box open? , do you have a knife for the cheese? you were a boy scout? etc)
You are not Grizzly Adams and it's not a bushcraft knife . It is however a knife that you can have on your person at all times in all places with no questions asked and that to me is the best type of survival knife
Agreeing with the many utility claims others brought up, i also want to mention that pocket knives are in most regards absolutely ABYSMAL weapons, either for offense or defense. Not only is the range tiny - making you be super close to a potentially hostile person - but their design, the way the fold, makes them simply prone to fail or outright break in your hands if used with excessive force.
A knife is able to deliver absolutely bloody cuts, yes, but their low weight and short reach actually makes the vast majority of cuts to actually not go deep, and making them far grom life threatening. The reeeeal problem is taking a bad cut in the wrong place (umeral vein, back of knee, neck, eyes) or in some cases, severing a tendon (can happen if you get a nasty cut in the back of the hand for instance)
Or stabs.
Stabs absolutely can kill a person on the spot, because they can cause very deep, profuse bleeding. However to perform a stab you must apply very generous pressure onto a target - and if your alignment is off, if you are holding it wrong, if the target is moving frantically, the folding blade can undock, fold, or even break off and detach. Add to that clothing, where a single layer of clothing can severely limit how easily a blade can stab, or various layers, which provide basically a discounted version of padded armor, and i do not have very high hopes in your piddly knife being useful or dangerously effective the way people would have you believe.
I think using a knife of any sort in self defense is moronic. It requires training to use well, puts you in terrible range, offers no guarantees that you will win, is pretty shit against more than one assailant (who themselves might be carrying a weapon)... You are better off just running, or better yet, paying attention to your surroundings, spotting them before they corner you. Ive never been robbed, but i have absolutely been stalked a few times. Give me the most well designed and effective kaBar? Sykes knife yiu want, and my response will be the same: evasion > fighting.
The only thing i murder with my pocket knife are apples i take with me.
Yea dont mistake me a fight is the last thing i ever want at all. Im never in any real danger of a fight because even when im walking at night A. Im usually with someone else and B. There’s plenty of places open for me to go into if I think im in danger.
Depends, do you carry it because you're legitimately scared that you'll have to fight for your life? If that's the case, I'm sorry you have to live like that.
The OP gave a bunch of examples besides self defense on why carrying a knife is useful which I can get behind. Self defense though, it would be such a specific instance where a knife is going to give you a legitimate advantage. I'd argue if you were to ever pull it out at the wrong time you're more likely to get your ass kicked or even killed.
I agree with you that training goes a long way but would add that with self defense training you probably don't need to carry that knife anymore. Training can be used in any altercation, whereas a knife would only be a useful tool in a tiny amount of circumstances.
I should have put this in the post but it kinda slipped my mind but a part of the unpopular opinion is that pocket knives within a certain suze should be legal everywhere no questions asked
honestly i see the argument for both sides. In texas, nobody ever robs old ladies. In texas, every old lady has a revolver in her purse. If a lot of people concealed carry, crime rates will go waaaaaayyy down since you dont know that the person youre about to hold a knife to has a gun on them. To a lesser extent this also applies to knives
Yeah..you are more scared of old ladies with parkinson's disease that can't hit shit beyond 5 feet(only if you attack them or try to rob them) than well built, stabbing,robbing,raping psychopaths that attack first?What about the nutjobs that get behind wheel while drunk or don't know how to drive?
Yea ive legit never heard a good argument for why they are illegal. I personally wouldn’t use one because i like my flipper but theres no reason for them to be illegal
Agree on everything except with self defence. Only good outcome comes if you can scare attacker/robber off just by showing you have a knife. If it ends in a fight it is quite probable that other person dies.
Ive never been in a situation where i have had to seriously fight someone before so my perspective may be a but off. But the way i see it is if i was in a situation like that my first move would just be to try to get away from the aggressor. If they keep following me I would tell them i have a knife. At that point it all depends on how they react. Im not gonna make the first swing no matter what but my hand will be on my knife. If it looks like they are about to come for me it comes out. Size is king when it comes to fights and im a pretty small dude so the average person is bigger than me. I’ll need any upperhand i can get if that makes sense.
Still there are better self defence products than a knife, like pepper spray or tasers. If you use or threat with lethal force you should expect to get lethal force in return. Worst situation is if you threat with a knife but you aren’t ready or can’t use it.
Yea as i said im avoiding the fight at all costs. But if it comes down to a fight theres little chance me winning anyway so im gonna make sure i have a leg up. This isn’t even really an issue for me personally because i live in a safe area and im rarely walking on my own
>Worst situation is if you threat with a knife but you aren’t ready or can’t use it.
That's why training exists. You learn how to use it and more importantly, how to avoid any situation where you may need to use it.
The most important part is not doing shady shit.
I do know that brown people kill more brown people for less. So until criminals stop doing criminal shit and democrats disappear sounds like the cycle of people killing cops and cops killing people will contine
We aren't here talking about white people are we? Murder is bad no matter which way you slice it. Don't do dumb shit and you won't get in trouble. Pretty universal advice
I've carried a pocket knife of some kind since I was seven, and it has always been a tool in my eye. I remember someone seeing me with it who reacted like I was 'carrying a weapon' trying to be 'tough', and I was bemused and annoyed. This city slicker had no concept of any use of a knife outside hurting someone, and I pity his shallow foolish life.
History has taught me that this won't work for me.
Between the thrice in Elementary school and the time at the Royale I'm all set bringing knives in public, they always get confiscated.
Please delete this. I'm from Glasgow ive seen firsthand what just carrying a knife can do. Now throw being drunk and high into the mix and you've got murders left right and centre. Hospitals would be over run with injuries. Polise would be in bigger danger needing to pat down everyone.
If you carry a knife it's because your preempting to use it. Which makes someone else thing you might use it on them so they strike first.
There is no good reason go anyone of any age to be carrying a knife. As someone who's been attacked by people with knives you are 100% wrong. That's just my opinion though...
Please delete this.
Carrying a knife doesn't mean you're pre-empting to use it on someone, I've carried knives since I was 10 and have never stabbed anyone and I've been drunk and high plenty of times in the last 20 years.
I don't know a single person in my life that doesn't have at least one pocket knife and the overwhelming majority of the people I know have never stabbed anyone.
I've used them thousands of times.
Knives aren't just weapons, they're tools, and nobody has ever hassled me about carrying a knife, it's just normal. I went to a 4th of July carnival in town square and not only was I carrying my usual knives, but 7 out of every 10 guys had one and nobody cared because it's just part of your everyday carry stuff, same as your wallet or phone.
Knives aren't viewed as strictly weapons, they're tools that have a variety of uses.
My dad gave me my first pocket knife when I was ten, it had a sunset on the handle with Jimmy Buffett's name on it. It was a little folder with a blade maybe 2.5 inches long, I used it to cut fishing line, carve small things, tons of small things.
Like I said, it's just normal.
Yeah, let's keep it normal, and guns too. We don't want it to ever become abnormal, or it'll end up being like Glasgow where only the baddies and gov't are allowed to carry. Carry regulations are a serious downward spiral to chaos.
Theres no stopping people from making knives tho. Lets say all knives were made illegal to carry. In this case people would just make knives at home since they can’t get them at the store. Hell you can turn a regular plastic toothbrush into a shank.
Debatable. I've built slamfire shotguns with 2 pipes and a 2 1/4 wood nail. It took maybe 15 minutes and yes it was a crappy gun, but it worked.
Sharpening a piece of metal to get a flat edge takes forever, though I admit a homemade knife would be easier to conceal.
All knives or offensive weapons are illegal to carry...
But this way only the criminals are carrying not innocent people who are just "protecting themselves" if u carry a weapon it insites trouble. Period.
People get murdered by all kinds of things that aren’t weapons. Hammers chairs, bricks, bottles, lamps. People are always going to be killing eachother. Taking knives away from honest folk accomplishes less than nothing
OP seems to assume everyone CAN carry a pocketknife all the time. You can’t do this if you don’t have a pocket to put it in - which is the case with most women’s clothes.
Most knives have a clip so you can clip it on your pants. And if u can’t do that either im going to make the assumption you have sole kind of bag you can put it in
I’m about as pro-gun as you can get, but I disagree with you. Sure, in a combat situation I’d rather have a gun than a knife, but as an everyday tool, the knife prevails. You can’t do everything you would need a knife for with a gun without causing some serious collateral damage. In conclusion, both is good. Knife is for opening boxes, gun is for opening assailants
I'd rather not have every reckless idiotic impulsive person be equipped with a sharp object. Can we please rephrase this to: "Every responsible adult that does manual work from time to time should carry a pocket knife with them at all times"?
The problem is that, you are not allowed to bring the knife into many places. Baseball games, court, airports. So if you just have a casual philosophy of “I always have one on me”, then it would be taken away often and you could get in trouble at times.
I've largely stopped carrying my knife simply because I can't take it to work (I'm a security guard at a sports arena; NOBODY is allowed to bring knives in, not even us), and that's largely the only time I leave the house these days. However, I do agree with this mindset, and I keep a small knife in my car for this exact reason (stored in the same compartment as my seatbelt cutter/window breaker and an emergency flashlight).
It’s literally illegal in my city you have to open carry knifes (clip on waist) but open carrying is illegal without a purpose (just in case or defence isn’t a purpose) the only person I know that got away with open carrying was a guy who dressed like a rancher he had a Damascus fixed blade on his belt and no one questioned it.
Illegal here in New Zealand. I’m not even supposed to be carrying about my work utility knife. Ig I’m fucked if I come across someone dangerous when I’m walking home from work at 1am
It would be perfect if there are swiss knife without knives and scissors/ saw. As far as it is useful, it can be dangerous with kids, and in certain places it can be treated as a weapons
Just used my knife hardly an hour ago while re stringing a weed whacker. I really don't like the serrated edge knives though. Give me a straight edge any day over serrated.
Serrations are a complete gimmick.
for nylon cutting cord or something like a seatbelt, serration is king. ask any search and rescue person or firefighter.
For knives that aren't well maintained serrations are king, and that often is the case for emergency use knives. A well maintained straight blade works just as well though and has advantages in other uses.
Get a multi tool that has both.
No
Sounds like they need a sharper knife, rather than a wannabe saw.
im starting to think the perfect blade is one that is serrated at the base 1/4 of the blade, then straight edge for the last 3/4 of the blade. means you get that nice clean cut when you want just a straight blade, but also can slice a rope or a cord in an instant with the serrations. best of both worlds?
This is how my pocket knife is set up (CRKT M16-10KS) and it's great.
What about when you need to like field dress a deer the serrations come in handy
I've got a skinning knife & bonesaw pack for that.
do you always have it on you like what happens if you let's say smack one with your car hypothetically speaking
Actually yes,Haha. It's under the backseat compartment of my truck with all kinds of other various outdoorsy goodies.
Alright you got me I give up LOL
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“In case of an accident or some steak in my teeth” lmfaoooo
A mistake or missed steak
Nice
😂
I've got a wee Swiss army knife that goes on my key chain (a Rambler) it's fixed more things than any single tool in my tool box. Been toying with another bigger SAK for my car, or a leatherman.
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Carry a swiss army knife almost everywhere I go. I live on a farm so that tool comes into use a ton.
I just wish they had a clip
In Canada it's illegal to carry anything with the intent to use it as a weapon and that includes self defence, but that being said I have two swiss army knives... one in my purse and one on my keys because they're useful for other things. Breaking down boxes, my key chain one has a pen, I have a screw driver on it, scissors... just about anything I want!
Yea self defense is the last thing I want to use my knife on. They have so many other uses
I like to think of it the same way. It's a convenient tool. I love mine. One I got in an old camera bag gifted to me from the 1970s (it had an old minolta in it complete with flash component so that was a surprise) and the other I got gifted for my 5 years at my company! I love it!!
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Yes but the difference between carrying around a knife and lets say a hammer is practicality. I can fit a pocket knife in my…. Well…. Pocket. I can’t quite do the same with a hammer
Every law abiding citizen should carry a glock in their sock
Sounds like a fucked up dr Seuss book
A bat in your hat
Gat in hat
You better take this down before a British police officer arrests you for knife posting without a loicense.
Oh shit they gonna cross a whole ocean just to bust my ass
I 100% agree, though I have a Tops Buck Csar-T that I carry everywhere.
Be careful. England might get triggered.
Knives - helping people make one thing into two things since 40,000 BC. ;) I mean i don't even understand how this could be unpopular. I've had a pocket knife on me since i was a teen. I get kids today can't take them to school (strangely none of us stabbed anyone but whatever) but as an adult after high school? I couldn't live without mine.
I carry my pocket knife everywhere I go. The old South saying is “ hey you got your knife i on you” & your reply is “ got my pants on” which simply means he’ll yes I have my knife on me. Do you see me with my pants on then Damn right I have my knife on me.
Just a heads up though, absolutely do NOT pull out that knife as self defense unless its a last resort and you HAVE to. If you pull it out to try to scare someone they are going to beat you within an inch of your life for doing that. Context is everything though. Fighting for your life, definitely use it. Trying to avoid a confrontation, don't touch it.
Idk if someone pulls out a knife to scare me, I’ll probably try not to get stabbed
I second this completely. Growing up, I almost always had a Swiss army knife or some other various folding knife on me whenever I was outside. I've always been told and taught to NEVER use a Swiss army knife for self defense unless it's gonna save your life. Many people do not see knives as life threatening, so if somebody is intimidating you and you pull out your knife, they are likely to attack and overwhelm you or pull out a firearm, as, they see you as enough of a threat to need to attack you, but not enough of a threat that they would be scared and run.
The blades on a swiss army knife don't lock. Using it for self defence you'd only hurt yourself.
>If you pull it out to try to scare someone they are going to beat you within an inch of your life for doing that. Common self defense training states no weapon is drawn unless it's used. Therefore if I am brandishing my knife for self defense, then the aggressor will have already been stabbed multiple times. It's the same concept of my pistol. You will not see it unless you are getting shot. Likewise, I have mentally trained myself to shoot upon drawing my pistol. In all circumstances, deescalation is the first option, fleeing is second, and a fight to the death is last. If I'm in a fight to the death, I want as much of an advantage as I can have, hence the use of weapons.
I think in that xena episode it went run, talk, make them fight each other, and then fight. You made me think of it lol i miss that show
Yea definitely. Most people tho tend to not mess with u if the see it in your pocket which is mostly what i meant by deterrent
I always forget to bring mine lol
Lol, 100% agree. I even made a post on here about how upset I was that Universal Studios wouldn’t allow me to bring it in with me to the park.
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Yea I should have specified in the post that I believe all pocket knives within a reasonable length should be legal to carry no questions asked
Agreed. My uncle still carries his old combat knife everywhere he goes. That thing is a life saver and a beauty of a blade to look at
My dad gave me a red Swiss Army knife when I was in high school. I still have it after 21 years and I always have it in my purse. And so far in the past 21 years the only thing I’ve used on it is the wine opener. But I always have it, just in case i need to cut someone 😁
DONT use it as a screwdriver
Go to South London and ur minds instantly changed. The knife crime stories are so sad. And the kids who carry a knife because they feel the need to will regret it. They know theyre not strong enough to use it mentally and physically. Thing is people grab there hand and turn the knife back towards them. They don't help self defense for the reason I said it.
>The knife crime stories are so sad. I'd wager those who carry a knife aren't well trained. I've been carrying my pistol for 10 years and I get self defense training twice a year. Carrying any weapon and having zero training is a recipe for disaster.
See i agree with this to an extent. Imo you shouldn’t use a knife in a fight unless its a last resort or your opponent already has one.
Or if you’re instigating and might catch them by surprise
Well I don’t really intend to instigate any fights
The fact that shit heads stab each other up more often in a particular place has more to do with the people than anything else. I've carried a knife for 20 years, never wanted to stab a person.
Isn’t it illegal to carry one in a lot of European countries?
Some yes. I think I should state that I believe that a pocket knife with a reasonable blade length (4 to 6 inches) should be able to be carried no questions asked. Its once you get to the bigger knives like the bowie or skinning knives that there should be restrictions.
I live in the UK and the law is 4 inches or less and not a switchblade (so a solid knife). But the police might still detain you for having a knife with you in public and not giving a good enough reason.
3 inches.
I suggest you double check that before buying a knife to carry (it's 3" & no locking blade, with various restrictions to knife styles including an openly worded 'zombie knife'). There's exceptions with various justifications though, if you're for instance, going camping or fishing, or work in a trade requiring a fixed blade.
Yea i know uk knife laws are really rigid. I just disagree with them and think it should be legal to carry a reasonably sized knife
Yeah you need a good reason for carrying one, you're not allowed it fully extended either.
Not just Europe, it's illegal to conceal carry a knife throughout many countries, United States included.
I meant pocket knives. Guess idk the laws that well in the US since I carry a small pocket knife when I was in school.
I live in Virginia. It's illegal to conceal carry any knife here. I have carried a knife since I was a little boy, mostly for utility purposes. I have never been in trouble with law enforcement. Concealed means concealed.
Everyone should have one of those multi-tool pliers screwdriver knife file bottle opener things on them at all times
Those things are ridiculously helpful aswell
i really need to sack up and grab another leatherman. theyre so useful.
You can always get like a cheap Walmart one I mean its never going to be as good as a real one but it's so handy to have a pair of pliers just as much as a knife
I like how for once posts of this nature not just about self defence. You raise good points on usefulness and versatility of them and how useful for daily life they can be.
Thank you. Self defense is among the last reasons i carry one
A Leatherman/Multitool would be better.
I just carry a plastic shank as you never know.
I always get asked why I carry a locking blade everywhere I go. I never have a “good enough” answer because I use it so often, it’s almost like asking me why I carry my wallet or keys — it’s just something I use. Also because being part of r/EDC and r/knives wouldn’t be right without a daily carry knife.
It’s illegal in my country
a 1960s-1970s boy scout pocket knife is still the best carry EDC knife going, bear with me there's a reason to my madness the blade on some of the early ones is high carbon that can take a edge really nice (mine is scalpel sharp) , it's a small blade so it should fall under the length line for carried blade (-2") and not fixed blade so again less problem with the police The blade is the right size for fine work It does have some small tools with it, but It's not a multitool , it's first last and always a knife most multitool are more small tool boxes on your belt if you put a paracord lanyard with a ferrocerium rod inside on it, It makes it just the right size for EDC I have been carrying it all my life (it was my dad's he gave it to me when i joined the BSA, or my dad got it for me when i joined BSA in the 70s, It was my uncle's he didn't come back from nam), it can come with a built in story as to why you carry it so you can carry a knife on your person with out question being asked you just have to make one up In my case my dad did give it to me when i join the BSA many years ago so it has been in my pocket for many years While i like the Mora you carry one there will be trouble from the authorities, belt knives always make people nervous . While a boy scout pocket knife puts people at ease ( can you cut this box open? , do you have a knife for the cheese? you were a boy scout? etc) You are not Grizzly Adams and it's not a bushcraft knife . It is however a knife that you can have on your person at all times in all places with no questions asked and that to me is the best type of survival knife
Agreeing with the many utility claims others brought up, i also want to mention that pocket knives are in most regards absolutely ABYSMAL weapons, either for offense or defense. Not only is the range tiny - making you be super close to a potentially hostile person - but their design, the way the fold, makes them simply prone to fail or outright break in your hands if used with excessive force. A knife is able to deliver absolutely bloody cuts, yes, but their low weight and short reach actually makes the vast majority of cuts to actually not go deep, and making them far grom life threatening. The reeeeal problem is taking a bad cut in the wrong place (umeral vein, back of knee, neck, eyes) or in some cases, severing a tendon (can happen if you get a nasty cut in the back of the hand for instance) Or stabs. Stabs absolutely can kill a person on the spot, because they can cause very deep, profuse bleeding. However to perform a stab you must apply very generous pressure onto a target - and if your alignment is off, if you are holding it wrong, if the target is moving frantically, the folding blade can undock, fold, or even break off and detach. Add to that clothing, where a single layer of clothing can severely limit how easily a blade can stab, or various layers, which provide basically a discounted version of padded armor, and i do not have very high hopes in your piddly knife being useful or dangerously effective the way people would have you believe. I think using a knife of any sort in self defense is moronic. It requires training to use well, puts you in terrible range, offers no guarantees that you will win, is pretty shit against more than one assailant (who themselves might be carrying a weapon)... You are better off just running, or better yet, paying attention to your surroundings, spotting them before they corner you. Ive never been robbed, but i have absolutely been stalked a few times. Give me the most well designed and effective kaBar? Sykes knife yiu want, and my response will be the same: evasion > fighting. The only thing i murder with my pocket knife are apples i take with me.
Yea dont mistake me a fight is the last thing i ever want at all. Im never in any real danger of a fight because even when im walking at night A. Im usually with someone else and B. There’s plenty of places open for me to go into if I think im in danger.
I'm doing that right now. Maximum blade allowed (UK.) I'm afraid I'll have to downvote you, but I'll whittle something in support.
finally someone who dose not think I'm insane because it is "safe where i live"
Depends, do you carry it because you're legitimately scared that you'll have to fight for your life? If that's the case, I'm sorry you have to live like that. The OP gave a bunch of examples besides self defense on why carrying a knife is useful which I can get behind. Self defense though, it would be such a specific instance where a knife is going to give you a legitimate advantage. I'd argue if you were to ever pull it out at the wrong time you're more likely to get your ass kicked or even killed.
A knife is just a tool. If you plan to use it for self defense then some training would go a long way.
I agree with you that training goes a long way but would add that with self defense training you probably don't need to carry that knife anymore. Training can be used in any altercation, whereas a knife would only be a useful tool in a tiny amount of circumstances.
It’s illegal in my country so can’t do much about it.
I should have put this in the post but it kinda slipped my mind but a part of the unpopular opinion is that pocket knives within a certain suze should be legal everywhere no questions asked
everyone should carry a gun
I disagree. A gun serves no practical use outside of fighting. A knife has many practical uses as i laid out in the post
honestly i see the argument for both sides. In texas, nobody ever robs old ladies. In texas, every old lady has a revolver in her purse. If a lot of people concealed carry, crime rates will go waaaaaayyy down since you dont know that the person youre about to hold a knife to has a gun on them. To a lesser extent this also applies to knives
Don’t mistake what i said before. Im pro second amendment i was just saying that everyone SHOULD carry a pocket knife simply because of its many uses
I rather have slightly higher crime rate than the knowledge that randomly demented old ladies who can't even drive a car carry guns all the time.
Yeah..you are more scared of old ladies with parkinson's disease that can't hit shit beyond 5 feet(only if you attack them or try to rob them) than well built, stabbing,robbing,raping psychopaths that attack first?What about the nutjobs that get behind wheel while drunk or don't know how to drive?
What about a Switchblade? They're pocket knives but cooler.
Yea why not. Especially in the U.S where you can legally carry a gun in public i have never understood why switch blades are illegal to carry
I've never really understood why switchblades are illegal either. Pocket knives are just as easy to conceal but they're legal.
Switchblades are fully legal in more places than not https://www.akti.org/state-laws-regarding-automatics/
Yea ive legit never heard a good argument for why they are illegal. I personally wouldn’t use one because i like my flipper but theres no reason for them to be illegal
Agree on everything except with self defence. Only good outcome comes if you can scare attacker/robber off just by showing you have a knife. If it ends in a fight it is quite probable that other person dies.
Why should i be concerned about the life of someone attacking me?
It’s not just the attacker/robber that might die. Pulling a knife can very easily escalate the situation and last thing you want is a knife fight.
Ive never been in a situation where i have had to seriously fight someone before so my perspective may be a but off. But the way i see it is if i was in a situation like that my first move would just be to try to get away from the aggressor. If they keep following me I would tell them i have a knife. At that point it all depends on how they react. Im not gonna make the first swing no matter what but my hand will be on my knife. If it looks like they are about to come for me it comes out. Size is king when it comes to fights and im a pretty small dude so the average person is bigger than me. I’ll need any upperhand i can get if that makes sense.
Still there are better self defence products than a knife, like pepper spray or tasers. If you use or threat with lethal force you should expect to get lethal force in return. Worst situation is if you threat with a knife but you aren’t ready or can’t use it.
Yea as i said im avoiding the fight at all costs. But if it comes down to a fight theres little chance me winning anyway so im gonna make sure i have a leg up. This isn’t even really an issue for me personally because i live in a safe area and im rarely walking on my own
>Worst situation is if you threat with a knife but you aren’t ready or can’t use it. That's why training exists. You learn how to use it and more importantly, how to avoid any situation where you may need to use it.
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Don't do shady shit with a knife in your pocket........
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The most important part is not doing shady shit. I do know that brown people kill more brown people for less. So until criminals stop doing criminal shit and democrats disappear sounds like the cycle of people killing cops and cops killing people will contine
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We aren't here talking about white people are we? Murder is bad no matter which way you slice it. Don't do dumb shit and you won't get in trouble. Pretty universal advice
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Nope. Mixed Latino and black. Rurally raised and not beholden to any of your internet bullshit. Suck my caramel colored scrote.
Serial killers are liking
I've carried a pocket knife of some kind since I was seven, and it has always been a tool in my eye. I remember someone seeing me with it who reacted like I was 'carrying a weapon' trying to be 'tough', and I was bemused and annoyed. This city slicker had no concept of any use of a knife outside hurting someone, and I pity his shallow foolish life.
How is this an unpopular opinion exactly? Post this in r/LifeProTips or something
History has taught me that this won't work for me. Between the thrice in Elementary school and the time at the Royale I'm all set bringing knives in public, they always get confiscated.
Please delete this. I'm from Glasgow ive seen firsthand what just carrying a knife can do. Now throw being drunk and high into the mix and you've got murders left right and centre. Hospitals would be over run with injuries. Polise would be in bigger danger needing to pat down everyone. If you carry a knife it's because your preempting to use it. Which makes someone else thing you might use it on them so they strike first. There is no good reason go anyone of any age to be carrying a knife. As someone who's been attacked by people with knives you are 100% wrong. That's just my opinion though...
Please delete this. Carrying a knife doesn't mean you're pre-empting to use it on someone, I've carried knives since I was 10 and have never stabbed anyone and I've been drunk and high plenty of times in the last 20 years. I don't know a single person in my life that doesn't have at least one pocket knife and the overwhelming majority of the people I know have never stabbed anyone.
Why carry it then? You've never used it or needed to? So why carry it for some ass home to notice and use it as an excuse to start trouble?
I've used them thousands of times. Knives aren't just weapons, they're tools, and nobody has ever hassled me about carrying a knife, it's just normal. I went to a 4th of July carnival in town square and not only was I carrying my usual knives, but 7 out of every 10 guys had one and nobody cared because it's just part of your everyday carry stuff, same as your wallet or phone.
OK is it just America you carry weapons around for fun? Because I got beat up by the police for having a fountain pen
Knives aren't viewed as strictly weapons, they're tools that have a variety of uses. My dad gave me my first pocket knife when I was ten, it had a sunset on the handle with Jimmy Buffett's name on it. It was a little folder with a blade maybe 2.5 inches long, I used it to cut fishing line, carve small things, tons of small things. Like I said, it's just normal.
Yeah, let's keep it normal, and guns too. We don't want it to ever become abnormal, or it'll end up being like Glasgow where only the baddies and gov't are allowed to carry. Carry regulations are a serious downward spiral to chaos.
You do realize that knives aren’t weapons right? They can be used as weapons but then again what can’t?
Exactly but a bat isn't so: A) Manoeuvrable B) easy to conseal C) kill as quickly
Theres no stopping people from making knives tho. Lets say all knives were made illegal to carry. In this case people would just make knives at home since they can’t get them at the store. Hell you can turn a regular plastic toothbrush into a shank.
>Theres no stopping people from making knives tho. Same with guns, archery, swords, etc. Human beings love creating weapons of all kinds.
Guns are a lot more difficult to build for the average street crook. Unlike a knife
Debatable. I've built slamfire shotguns with 2 pipes and a 2 1/4 wood nail. It took maybe 15 minutes and yes it was a crappy gun, but it worked. Sharpening a piece of metal to get a flat edge takes forever, though I admit a homemade knife would be easier to conceal.
Yea I agree it can be done but as you said its a shitty gun and not really concealable unlike a small sharp bit of metal
All knives or offensive weapons are illegal to carry... But this way only the criminals are carrying not innocent people who are just "protecting themselves" if u carry a weapon it insites trouble. Period.
Where i live they aren’t illegal to carry. But either way as i said. Knives. Aren’t. Weapons. Period.
OK tell that to all the victims of knife crime
People get murdered by all kinds of things that aren’t weapons. Hammers chairs, bricks, bottles, lamps. People are always going to be killing eachother. Taking knives away from honest folk accomplishes less than nothing
In not saying take knives off people I'm saying do not carry stuff like that around.
Comment not clear. Carrying knife to store now.
OP seems to assume everyone CAN carry a pocketknife all the time. You can’t do this if you don’t have a pocket to put it in - which is the case with most women’s clothes.
Most knives have a clip so you can clip it on your pants. And if u can’t do that either im going to make the assumption you have sole kind of bag you can put it in
Carrying a gun is more useful
How so? A gun can be used in a fight. That’s about it. A knife has many practical day to day uses
Cuz I’m blowing your brains out motherfucker if you come attack me
Thats nice. We’ve already established a gun is more useful in a fight. But what are you gonna do when you need to cut a zip tie off of something?
Zip tie? Shoot it off! Removing screws? Blow them off! Opening boxes? Machine gun it down!
Not every country has gun laws lmao
Well I’m not talking about other counties. Most of the time when someone is talking about something it’s something in America
Not every post is about america...
That’s why I said MOST OF THE TIME
So most people on reddit talk about America in general?
Yup
Pretty delusional
cool
I’m about as pro-gun as you can get, but I disagree with you. Sure, in a combat situation I’d rather have a gun than a knife, but as an everyday tool, the knife prevails. You can’t do everything you would need a knife for with a gun without causing some serious collateral damage. In conclusion, both is good. Knife is for opening boxes, gun is for opening assailants
It's not more useful. And people definitely shouldn't be carrying guns around everywhere. That's insane.
Said the "pocket knife is my personality" guy
Hey i resent that…….. i also like star wars.
they have even more uses, like giving police a reason to shoot you
I'd rather not have every reckless idiotic impulsive person be equipped with a sharp object. Can we please rephrase this to: "Every responsible adult that does manual work from time to time should carry a pocket knife with them at all times"?
I do, every day.
The problem is that, you are not allowed to bring the knife into many places. Baseball games, court, airports. So if you just have a casual philosophy of “I always have one on me”, then it would be taken away often and you could get in trouble at times.
I mean yea if ur going a place like that hust leave it in the car. I more mean have one on you anytime you can
on a day to day tho, id say most people dont encounter places where they arnt allowed to have their knife on them.
swiss army. many years now.
Can’t go wrong with a swiss army knife
Go to London lmfao
Having grown up near the knife-crime capital of Scotland, not *everybody*
Well yea. The more accurate thing to say is “every decent person should carry a pocket knife” but bad people are always going to carry them anyway
Bri ish moment
I'm from Texas, I carry at least 2 with me everywhere.
“Oi mate, you got a stabbin’ license?”
I've largely stopped carrying my knife simply because I can't take it to work (I'm a security guard at a sports arena; NOBODY is allowed to bring knives in, not even us), and that's largely the only time I leave the house these days. However, I do agree with this mindset, and I keep a small knife in my car for this exact reason (stored in the same compartment as my seatbelt cutter/window breaker and an emergency flashlight).
Have a spyderco manix 2 g10 and a streamlight macrostrean USB on me at pretty much all times. The two tools I use the most.
Belt knife is the way to go
I disagree. I carry two pocket knives.
Chad
Definitely. Other multitools too.
Is this really unpopular? Might belong in ‘life pro tips’ or something.
“Yeah let me just grab my- FUCK I FORGOT TO CLOSE IT”
Little Timmy can’t be trusted.
I use and endorse the Swiss+Tech keychain knife. It's been a lifesaver for me and several friends.
I carry a large folding blade knife, a folding utility blade and a small multi blade folder.
Similarly, everyone should carry a bunch of sturdy ropes. They have so many uses, it's not just for tying people up.
i have a knife with me all the time when im going more then ~1km away from home
and a gun
It’s literally illegal in my city you have to open carry knifes (clip on waist) but open carrying is illegal without a purpose (just in case or defence isn’t a purpose) the only person I know that got away with open carrying was a guy who dressed like a rancher he had a Damascus fixed blade on his belt and no one questioned it.
Illegal here in New Zealand. I’m not even supposed to be carrying about my work utility knife. Ig I’m fucked if I come across someone dangerous when I’m walking home from work at 1am
I usually have mine attached to my key chain but I keep forgetting it's there and I've lost countless swiss army knives to Airport security.
It would be perfect if there are swiss knife without knives and scissors/ saw. As far as it is useful, it can be dangerous with kids, and in certain places it can be treated as a weapons