Blades for defence
 

I am starting to learn armed combat with bladed weapons. This is after 2 years of unarmed training. Being new to it I am interested in what type of blade is best in a concealed carry situation. Taking into account blade style, strength, size, concealbility, and quality. I guess quality doesn't really matter much with a blade that is only going to be used once... if that.

I am looking for a brand and model suggestion. Right now I am training with 2.5 and 4.5 inch blades, mostly working on incorporating wrist and neck slashes into the existing blocks and movements of my style. I tend to favor 2-3 inch blades.

Folding or fixed? What sort of style?

The kerambit is a very common blade for use in martial arts.

I don't really know what style, I prefer fixed, or folders with really thick handles that I can get a full grip on. I was told that fixed blades are better because slashes are deeper and more painful when the blade is firm and has no room to shift so the whole blade passes through the exact same area in one motion. The practice blades I train with are rubber coated and straight so we can actually slash across our partner neck and wrists.

The kerambit looks nice, I hold my knife in the same position when I practice.

A good folder will be as strong as a fixed blade, so don't worry about that.

Where do you live? Different states have different laws, but typically it is more likely you can carry a folder legally.

Massachusetts .
The problem with folders is the handle length and shape. If it's not large enough then I can't get a firm grip around it. When the blade is slashing across something it angles a little left or right, so instead of making one deep cut (the point of blade contact remains constant) it makes one wider cut, but not deep. Deep=painful.

Looks like fixed blades are out then. Check out your state's weapon laws:
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/ma.txt

A folding kerambit is probably your best bet.
http://www.karambit.com/folding_kara...?what=products

if you get a good switchblade you can get your large handle, and, btw.. on a good switch, the blade should NEVER move after its locked in the open position. A high quality and most likely expensive blade will get you that. I cant make any reccomendations because there are too many to name.

Switchblades are illegal in MA. So is about anything else that is kewl.

LSD

Sweet bought a cheap folding kerambit, and a no blade training one (sadly more expensive then the real one). thanks for the advice

What did you buy? Where did you get it?

I only saw one brand...
 

in the sub-100 dollar range. Mtech. I can guess that it is a POS, but considering that I will most likely only have to depend on it once, if at all it doesn't really matter.
It's more important to have the skill and the training blade then it is to make the uber perfect cut. I hope...
Of course when I get a job and money I'll go out and buy a whole bunch of other things before I lay 200 dollars down on a blade, but it will all happen eventually.

http://www.cutlerytogo.com/kerambitg10.html

The training kerambit is here:
http://www.cutlerytogo.com/kerambitg10.html

And my instructor (sensei) has a guy who can coat it with various things to make it safer for use on a partner. (still can take an eye out :-)

[EDIT] Make that two brands... http://wisedirect.bizhosting.com/lio..._kerambit.html [/EDIT]

Re: I only saw one brand...
 

FYI, the Boss should actually be a good knife.

Email sent to cancel the first order, if that goes through I can take a 10 dollar hit and go for the boss knife. Ordered the boss knife for 25 including shipping.

Boss is a brand you recognize?

Kershaw, any of the Ken Onion designs. They are some of the best things on the market, and you can get them cheap here:
http://bigmanknives.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc
They open as fast as an automatic, but are legal to carry in all 50 states.

Yes. It is. I own the Boss "Cheetah" balisong. It is made for a well known knife designer by a Chinese company. They are made with cheap materials to keep costs low, but they should be the best knives you can find in such a low price range.

If one is carrying a blade for self defense, why bother w/ concealment? I know that if I saw some dude walking around w/ a broadsword strapped to his back -I- sure wouldn't try to mug him...

Blades can be useful for defense, but only if the person doesn't have a gun. Your best bet is to carry a small revolver. That will either scare them off, or if they are dumb enough to come closer, you can pop them in the knee and ruin their life.

Because you will be sure to get hassled by the cops. Plus, in some places that is illegal!

That is a bad way to think. You shouldn't ever use lethal force without lethal intent. It will be hard to cover you ass in court.

If someone is enough of a risk to me that I would shoot them, I shouldn't feel any remorse about what happens to them. It would be a "him or me" type situation.

The two knives that instantly leaped to mind were both Spydercos...the Spyderco Civilian and Matriarch have very little practical use except as a self defense knife...and the Harpy is also very VERY effective.

why dont you buy a real version of the type of knife that you train with? I know there are many different types of knives and many different types of knife fighting styles. If your training with a certain type of knife then you would use that type best in a life or death situation. A fencer would carry around a broadsword or vice versa. Any serious blade dealer will either have it or be able to order it in for you. In a fucked up situation where you actually need to use it you will only ever use what you know 100% of. An unfamiliar knife (dimensions, weight etc) could actually be a detriment especially since you have trained so long in unarmed combat. You should of learned by now that unarmed combat can be just as deadly if done right.