The two biggest problems with using a knife for personal protectiion

[trinydex]

The thing that pisses me off with all the knife fighting BS out there is that they continually to ignore the two biggest issues when it comes to using a knife for personal protection.

#1 Defining for the student exactly what situations would actually cause them to draw their knife. In firearms this shoot/don't shoot training. A knife is deadly force option, so if my understanding of use of force is correct you would have to be defending against deadly force. Lets look at a few possible scenarios. They all start with your knife in your pocket.

A) You are attacked open handed, at least in my eyes this is not justification to produce your knife.
B) You are attacked with an impact weapon. Even a short impact weapon like a tire iron is going to give your attacker the advantage of distance. If you manage to identify the threat and get your knife out and attempt a cut or a stab, it is likely to be much less effective then their blow to your skull.
C) They have a knife, this really all comes down to range, but this is the one that so many people like to train for and proclaim knife fighting prowess.
D) They have a gun, and if they are holding it on your and not shooting, you going for your knife and then attempting to close distance will likely get you shot.
E) You are attacked by more than one person, but none of them are armed. The law is on your side if you pull the knife. If you manage to single one out and cut or stab him and the others can see they will likely be inclined to leave. But it is more likely that they will rush you not seeing the knife. The knife requires motion to be effective, and once they are on top of you it will be hard to create that motion.

While working the street I made it habit during all walk up contacts to have my closed ASP in my hand. I would have rather carried a straight stick but we were not allowed. With a flick of the wrist I had what I believe is the best tool to deal with spontaneous open hand, edged weapon, or impact weapon attacks. If the threat,time and opportunity allowed I practiced dropping my baton and in the same motion drawing my pistol.

It made sense to me to walk up using a tool that could subtly carry in my hand that gave me the most options for dealing with threats that were not obvious deadly force situations.

#2 Showing the student exactly how hard it is to deploy a knife under stress.

Just as I am not impressed by someone who can draw a pistol on the buzzer and dump a magazine into the A zone of an IDPA target, I am not impressed with someone who is fast as lightening with a knife already in their hand. The goal is decisive, defensible decision making, and the ability to get your knife out if you ever have the chance.

i don't mean to disrespect in any way when i say this, and this is just an observation, i make no claim to know knife fighting, but it seems your reasoning is based on the myopia of i-have-a-knife-and-therefore-it's-the-only-weapon-i-have-at-my-disposal. this is described in the art of jeet kun do by bruce lee. one philosophical tenet of fighting (in bruce lee's mind) is that your whole body is a weapon. just because you have a knife in your pocket doesn't mean that's your only implement. focusing on the knife as your only weapon actually gives the advantage to the person who views their entire body as a weapon. there are ways to react to all the above situations sans knife, the knife in the end will give you one more tool at your disposal, hopefully when you have right time and opportunity to employ it, which doesn't have to be immediately.

[Hwikek]

You should just keep it concealed in your hand as you walk in the day, you don't have to conceal it at night because it's dark then.

This is of course assuming you're walking somewhere that you need a knife or other weapon on hand. You should also be able to break an opponent with your bare hands as well. That increases your chances of survival in any sort of street brawl.

[Evil Colt 6920]

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[mercop]

i don't mean to disrespect in any way when i say this, and this is just an observation, i make no claim to know knife fighting, but it seems your reasoning is based on the myopia of i-have-a-knife-and-therefore-it's-the-only-weapon-i-have-at-my-disposal. this is described in the art of jeet kun do by bruce lee. one philosophical tenet of fighting (in bruce lee's mind) is that your whole body is a weapon. just because you have a knife in your pocket doesn't mean that's your only implement. focusing on the knife as your only weapon actually gives the advantage to the person who views their entire body as a weapon. there are ways to react to all the above situations sans knife, the knife in the end will give you one more tool at your disposal, hopefully when you have right time and opportunity to employ it, which doesn't have to be immediately.

None taken. I actually favor open hand combatives, impact weapons, firearms, and as a last resort edged weapons, but would do whatever needed to be done.- George