Before you jump on the internet and bombard me with facts and logic about my opinion, which is so hot that it rivals the temperature of the core of the sun, hear me out.
The title of this article is admittedly a bit clickbait. Perhaps a better title should be “Why a knife is a better self-defense option for you than a gun, or at least why you should carry a knife in combination with a gun for self-defense”, but that’s very long , and you probably didn’t click on that article. We stick to controversial opinions, everyone loves them.
Before we get into the discussion, I want to make it clear that this article is not a hit piece about guns. I am a proud gun owner. I know that AR stands for ArmaLite Rifle, and I know that there is no such thing as a “full semi-automatic.” I can tell the difference between a Glock and a Sig, I can feel the difference between a two-stage trigger and a single-stage trigger, and I’m a proponent of adjustable gas blocks. I know guns and I love them. I now understand why guns are used instead of swords on modern battlefields. I have never forgotten the truism that you should never bring a knife to a gunfight. It’s understandable why, for many people, the best self-defense option is a concealed gun.
However, I would argue that for many others, a knife may be a better option. Additionally, I strongly believe that everyone should carry a knife for self-defense, even those with years of training and thousands of rounds of firearms training.
Here’s why:
price
Money is a big reason why I don’t shoot guns anymore. Buying a firearm costs money. A run-of-the-mill striker-fired pistol available at your local gun store costs about $700, excluding tax and the 4473. If you want a Taran Tactical, Wilson Combat, or any other custom-level high-performance gun, the price can really add up quickly. And that’s just the entrance fee! If he’s lucky, he can find a 9mm ball for ¥15 per round, which brings his price to $3.90 per round. single 13 round magazine. That means trips to this range can add up quickly.
And don’t forget to train with carry ammunition from time to time. Ammunition often costs more than $1 per shot.
The shooting is expensive.
Next, consider the price of the knife. He’s got a great self-defense knife designed by edged weapons legend Ernest Emerson for less than $50. And if you want a high-speed, low-resistance knife from renowned experts like Doug Marcaida and Bob Terzuola, you can choose one for $300.
Just grab your pencil sharpener and trainer and you’re ready to get to work. No ammunition, no safe, no early retirement benefits.
size
Concealed aircraft carriers are well aware of the trade-offs. Smaller guns are lighter and easier to carry, but at the expense of ammunition capacity. Larger guns are cumbersome and difficult to conceal, but have much more firepower. after that, 1911. We won’t talk about that.
Most knives are smaller and easier to conceal than any pistol. In fact, it’s smaller than most spare magazines and easier to conceal. It’s less than half the thickness, weighs a fraction of the weight, and can be easily hidden in a pocket or belt.
This size makes it easy to carry around at any time. Let’s say a package is delivered at 7:30 a.m. on a holiday. Do you want to walk out there with your sidecar strapped into your pajamas, or do you want to keep a knife in your pocket?
ammunition capacity
A gun becomes almost useless when it runs out of bullets. I think you can also throw it at the attacker. It will probably hurt. But you know what hurts more than that? knife!
Knives are not powered by ammunition, but by the user’s force applied to the sharp point and blade. Keeping your knife sharp will ensure that it stays sharp throughout an argument, no matter how many times you fail.
Use in grapple
one of Core Tenets of Gun Safety It’s about making sure the gun is pointed in a safe direction. The bullets travel at supersonic speeds and mercilessly shoot through fabric, walls, and people. Therefore, how to point a gun in a brawl is a major concern. Once that gun is pointed at you, it’s no longer your friend.
But suppose you are involved in the same scuffle on the ground (all scuffles are likely to end eventually), but this time you have a knife. The direction you point the knife is still important, but if you’re trained, it can still be your friend. In fact, there are many self-defense and knife designs that benefit from making a hook or pull cut towards the user. When a scuffle breaks out, using a knife takes the training even further.
sphere of influence
Guns are essentially long-range weapons. They fire a projectile that is designed to travel from the gun to the target. A knife is primarily a hand-held weapon. They are designed to only affect what they can touch.
Most self-defense involves immediate bubbles. If someone is hurling threats at you from 20 feet away, just walk away. If you are not in immediate danger, there is no need to protect yourself. When a threat enters your immediate bubble, you know you’re in immediate danger, and that’s where the knife shines. Is it really self-defense to use a gun if you’re at range and someone is 20 feet away and just screaming at you and threatening you? I hope the jury thinks so…
Ease of training
The gun is its own beast. It’s a complex mechanism to understand, complex to manage recoil, and requires non-intuitive techniques to master. To train with a gun, you need a safe place (which is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain), a gun (which is expensive), ammunition (which is also expensive), and a useful target (please do not include your credit card). , and a qualified instructor (as you can imagine, expensive).
Most of the skills needed for self-defense with a knife have their roots in martial arts, so much of knife defense is a logical extension of any martial art you are trained in. MMA gyms are everywhere and they also teach self-defense with knives in mind. You can practice within city limits, or with a training knife you can practice at full speed with your friends at the gym. Heck, there are even competitions of this kind, and self-defense training has even become a sport.
Yes, you will have to pay an instructor, but just not using a gun will cut most of your training costs, and the training will still be useful even without a knife.
Plus, training with a knife is great exercise.
intuition
As mentioned earlier, guns are complex and often require muscle, skill, and conditioning to function. My colleague Michelle is a sweet mom who took her son to the shooting range for his birthday. Here’s what she said about her experience:
“I picked up the gun and had no idea what to do with it. Range personnel had to help me. I found it very difficult to pull that thing all the way. Why and who?” I don’t know how anyone can run around and use a gun. It’s very complicated and difficult to use.”
Hearing her talk about that experience, I quickly realized how many languages you need to know to operate a firearm. I explained to her what her slide was and why it had to have so much spring pressure on it, but she said just because she knew that she didn’t know how to operate the gun. It doesn’t make it any easier.
But a knife? Michelle always uses a paring knife at home. She knows exactly how they work, what they do, how to safely hold and use them, and how to maintain them. She picks them up and uses them with confidence. For self-defense purposes, do you think it would be more reasonable for Michelle to choose between a gun that she doesn’t understand and have a hard time operating, or a knife that looks a lot like the knife she uses every day?
utility
I have a friend who is a police officer, and when I talk to him about knives, he sounds like a broken record. “Buy a Glock,” he says.
When he tells me to “buy a Glock,” I always tell him two things. First of all, I have a Glock and I love it. Second, a knife is better at punching holes in bad guys than a Glock is at opening packages, slicing apples, or carving feather sticks. Gun critics like to use the line, “When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail; when you have a gun, everything looks like a target.” No one says that about knives. “When you’re a knife, everything looks like, well…”
If you go to court in a self-defense situation, saying, “I have a knife to cut fruit or open an Amazon package,” will be more likely to tell the jury than “I have a gun.” You will be well-liked. [insert literally any reason here]”
Other reasons
Here are some other reasons why a knife may be a better option for self-defense.
- Guns are more regulated than knives.
- Accidents involving guns are far more dangerous.
- You can order the knife online (especially from Blade HQ!).
- Guns are loud, knives are quiet.
- The knife does not have a serial number. All knives are “ghost knives”.
- If you carry a knife in your checked baggage, you do not need to declare it to TSA.
- No special tools or skills are required to maintain the knife.
- The knife has no jams, light primer strikes, stovepipes, etc.
- It’s more socially acceptable to flaunt a knife than a gun.
- Knives are not printed like guns.
Why a self-defense knife is right for you
The world of guns is difficult to get into. Many of the people in the organization have military or law enforcement experience, creating a culture that values efficiency and merit at the expense of inclusivity. Outsiders who are just getting into guns have a hard time catching up, and experts often refuse to slow down to help newbies catch up. Because of this, unfortunately, many people carry guns for self-defense without proper training on how and when to use them.
The world of knives, and especially the world of self-defense, is very different. Almost every martial arts gym out there offers an introduction to self-defense for the general public of all skill levels. For less than half the price of an average handgun, you get a great self-defense knife, its trainer version, and a month’s worth of training, and it’s well worth it.
If you have the resources and training to properly and ethically use a handgun for self-defense, good luck. You are helping to make society a safer place. This article does not discuss armed assailants, active shooters, multiple assailants, protecting others, or dangerous wildlife. Military and law enforcement personnel carry guns because they make it easier to deal with these situations. That said, you should also carry a knife. That will be good for you.
But if you’re like me, a regular guy with no training, experience, or self-defense preparation, sticking a pistol in your waistband and calling it a day isn’t the answer. Find some instructions and learn how to use the knife. Find the one that suits you and carry it with you every day. Keep it in your pocket and it will become your trusted companion, ready to handle whatever life throws at you.
