Posted on 01/09/2010 4:54:45 PM PST by Travis McGee
Sure, we all know that classic line from the movie Crocodile Dundee. Sometimes, bigger IS better. Like when a punk pulls out a small switchblade.
But the problem is, you can't carry a giant bowie knife concealed very easily. And anyway, if you're going to carry a giant one-pound-plus hunting knife, you might as well carry a pistol, right?
Well, maybe not. Maybe there's an alternative. I came across this knife recommendation in Fernando Aguirre's book "The Modern Survival Manual." It's about his experiences in Argentina since the 2002 monetary collapse. He has extensive, detailed chapters on personal defense, including with firearms and knives. He recommended this particular knife as a great value, and I bought one. It's changed how I look at self defense.
The recommended knife is the folding "Vaquero Grande" by Cold Steel. I purchased mine off of the internet for $80, without really shopping around. For comparison, I photographed it next to a big, heavy Colt hunting/survival knife with a fixed blade.
If you grip this big folding knife in the middle of the handle where it's most comfortable, you will notice that you have eight inches of blade extending past your fistThis is the same blade extension as the big Colt survival knife, gripped normally. But try putting that big hunting knife in your pocket like this! (The black macrame string extension is my own addition, to make it faster and easier to draw.)In your pocket, you can't tell the big Vaquero Grande folder from the average folding knife, which has about a four inch blade, and only a four inch extension from the hand when open.
Note the overall size of the heavy Colt hunting/survival knife, compared to the folded size of the Vaquero Grande. Yes, the folding knife fits easily into any front pocket, and doesn't look any different from an average folding knife that many folks carry today. But when it comes out, look out! "THAT'S a knife!"
Now, in Florida where I live, my CCW permits me to legally carry all types of concealed weapons, not just handguns. You may have to look into your own local laws. But carrying a BIG folding knife does open up some new options.
Inside of the 21 foot "Tueller drill" distance, a blade actually has some advantages over a pistol. It won't run out of bullets, and it's much harder to wrestle away or disarm, to name a couple.
The curvature of this blade is not based on style or looks, but is intentional. The downward curve of the fully serrated knife belly gives it the deep cutting/slashing power associated with the Ghurka knife. The recurved tip makes it an effective stabber. And so on. It's not my intention to get into knife design or knife fighting tactics. I just wanted to present another option for a VERY effective lightweight weapon that you can carry in your pocket. I don't leave home without mine.
You bet.
You’ve been able to keep possession of a knife for 37 years? My hat is off to you. My general rule is that the more that I pay for knives or sunglasses, the quicker I lose them or wreck them.
If you can only carry a 3.5” knife, I guess you’ll just have to do with putting .45 caliber holes in the bad guys from a standoff distance. Oh well. I guess that will work too.
Yep. Limited to people cutting. I don't use it to open boxes or pry open cans. It's razor sharp and will stay that way, so sharpening it isn't an issue.
Cheap is good the way I lose them.
You bet.
Yep.....nuthin quite like leaving a 1200$ dollar blade stuck in some POS’s thorax !
Thanks TM. I always have appreciated your insights.
Nope I have one out of Glenn county. I’ve had others from Puumas and Placer counties.
I don’t leave home without my Kel-Tec .380 in my pocket. Seems way better than a knife.
Funny thing about that. I've lost or trashed more knives than I care to think about. But not that one. It was a gift from a brother in arms, so maybe that's it. The other thing that's stayed with me is my little Walther PPKs. Bought that in the mid-70s. Survived a catastrophic divorce that lost me half of my armory. I suppose that's because I never go anywhere without it.
Yep - so's mine. It's a razor. And it handles super well. I can easily flick it open with a gesture.
You may also want to consider the personal safety issue with this type of liner-lock knives: I think it's called the spine-whack test (or something like that). I've got a few Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn folders (the larger type) for example - with your fingers well out of the way, whack the spine of the blade of the opened knife against a solid surface. Chances are the comparatively thin steel liner lock will buckle and the blade will close. Bad news when that happens in a real-life situation unless you can afford to spare a few fingers! (A well-known scenario discussed on any of the larger knife forums.) Some companies like Benchmade have alternative locking solutions (e.g. the McHenry-Williams type lock) that work well. But IMHO the Sebenza is pretty much the best folder out there.
Oh, and a (folding, especially) knife shouldn't really be used to 'pry things open' or used as a screwdriver etc. outside of dire emergency anyway. Just use it for cutting and it will serve you longer. ;-) It's not intended to be a crowbar, after all.
Add to that that it's a piece of refined artisan craftmanship. The solidity and attention to detail becomes glaringly obvious in direct comparison with the products of other, larger-volume knife makers. Benchmade, EDI, Kershaw, SOG, Cold Steel, Gerber, Buck, and others all make a good (often Chinese) product at a certain price point, and I own a number of their products. But when compared side-to-side the Sebenza is just superior in every aspect. At a price, of course, but treated correctly it can be passed on to the following generations like grandfather's quality watch.
Never bring a knife to a gunfight.
For me, a sharpened edge is a tool, rather than a weapon. I was in Basic in 1970 when it finally dawned on me that I needed a pocket knife as an everyday tool. I bought a Case 61048 farmer's knife, and have it to this day. Of course I retired it to my collection in 1976.
My current EDC knife is a Leatherman Crater-series knife with decent 440C blade, screw driver(s), and carabiner. Something that won't totally freak people out, like my now-retired Benchmade Nitrous AO would.
While being a firm believer in "a handgun is what you use to fight your way back to the rifle you should have never left behind", I still feel naked without some sharps on me. And my vehicle is not properly equipped with some bigger cutting tools, too. The pocket on the passenger-side seatback (reachable from the driver's seat) has an Ontario Ranger tomahawk for getting into and out of tight situations. The handle sticks out of the pocket a bit, so I put a wool watchcap over it, because I might also have to keep my head warm.
Since my truck's bailout bag has now evolved into a bailout vest, I "went light" with this set by RAT Cutlery and Point Blank Cutlery.
This is the set that I'm currently shipping out to troops that the FR Hobbit Hole have adopted. The HEST is a good utility knife, while the PBC tomahawk is basically all weapon. It's light and fast, and all razor-sharp edge. The sheath may not look it, but if you're right-handed, it is lightning-fast when used in a cross-draw carry.
Oh, and Saturday night (Sunday morning) at the Hobbit Hole is "gun pron". It's mostly a review of new gadgets, and adventures in gunsmithing. Tonight the topics are the new Magpul angled foregrip, and mounting scopes on the .22lr GSG5 semiauto replica of the MP5. You're welcome to stop by, and be put on the ping list.
;-) Here : High 70, low 42.
Thanks for the ping. It appears that there are many sources still available to purchase one.
It was 21* outside here this am at dawn. High may break 40*, and colder tonight. This is NE FLorida!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.