Man is a hunter. He is a wilding at heart. He needs food and he’s ready to hunt. Hunting is his primal instinct .. it’s in his blood. And for that, he needs to defend himself .. against enemies and force of nature. At first, he turns to stones. He knows hurtling rocks can help him hunt and defend. But he moves things up a notch. And 2.6 million years ago, man makes his first stone tools - the sharp, spearheaded stone flake. That my friend is the forefather of our modern tactical knives. Now we know that at the heart of every knife sits self-defense, food, and shelter.
Self Defense Is An Everyday Skill
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you mention ‘self-defense’? A knife maybe? Pepper spray? It varies from person to person, depending on your age, sex, and environment. You visualize a threat or attack and there you are defending yourself. That is self-defense for most folks. But ask a hunter, woodsman, a marine, a monk, or a samurai and you’ll learn that we need ‘self-defense’ every day. It’s not just in deep woods or in dark shady ghettos that you need self-defense, but everywhere you are.
Knife As A Self-Defense Tool
We’ve established that the knife is the man’s oldest self-defense tool but how good is it among our modern arsenal of firearms and weapons? Let’s find out.
Switchblade Or Automatic Knife - Everyday Self Defense
Whether you’re sprinting your way through the traffic to the office or waiting patiently in the backcountry for your game, the automatic knife is an unbeatable self-defense tool to have in person. It’s easy to carry and conceal. And when faced with a threat, you can deploy the blade with one hand in a flash, just with a single push of a button. When you pull out an automatic knife and fire the blade - 9/10 times the person in front of you (or behind) will back off. It’s a scary thing when the blade makes that click sound and jumps out. And for survival enthusiasts in the wild, it’s an invincible tool for moment-to-moment self-defense and survival.
Unfortunately, a lot of states in the U.S.A. prohibit the carry of automatic knives. Check your local knife laws to see what knives you can own and carry and whether you can conceal carry.
The Folding Blade
The folding knife or the folder is a favorite of all survival enthusiasts without exception. The folder comes without button or spring mechanisms which leads to fewer moving parts. Hence it’s more rugged than the automatic knife. This is a great self-defense tool as you can carry it in your pocket, conceal and great for unarming your attacker. More states allow people to own a folding knife than an automatic knife.
Cons: Not ideal in close quarters when you need to deploy the blade in a flash with one hand.
Fixed Blade. The Hunting Knife
As the name suggests, this knife is forged from a single piece of metal - a full tang knife. This is not a practical everyday self-defense tool. It’s a lethal weapon. Sure it can be a deadly self-defense tool too but it’s impossible to carry it in person and even harder to conceal. But when you’re against wildlife and nature, this becomes a must-have self-defense and survival tool.
