I’m sure you’ve probably heard the term, “never bring a knife to a gunfight, right?
I mean, who in their right mind would do something so stupid, knowing that there’s no way a knife could “out-power” a firearm – ANY firearm?!
Except there’s just one problem:
This just isn’t (always) true!
In fact, there are a LOT of reasons you might choose to (or be forced to) “bring a knife to a gun fight.”
I know… sounds nuts, right?
Well, hear me out, because I’m about to explain to you. . .
3 Reasons To Bring A KNIFE To A GUNFIGHT
Ok, first of all, NO… I’m NOT saying that if I were to go toe-to-toe with a gun-wielding bad guy that I would pull out my combat folder knife instead of my Glock 9mm.
That would be stupid… IF I had the time, space, and option of using my gun instead of my knife.
But let’s face it…
If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll realize that only a FOOL assumes you’ll always have the time, space, and option to go for your gun.
For starters, there are places you can’t carry a gun, right?
In those cases, that’s no choice at all — it’s just you going with the best available weapon.
But let’s look a little closer, because there are (at least) 3 good reasons why you should carry a knife specifically for self-protection purposes – and may even be the “winner” in a real attack…
1. A Knife Takes Almost No Muscle
A knife “works” because the point or the cutting edge are very thin.
This means that all the muscle power behind that knife is concentrated on that very, very small area.
Think about it: If you put the palm of your hand on your buddy’s chest, it doesn’t hurt.
If you press your index finger into his chest, though, it hurts enough to annoy him.
Put the same amount of pressure behind an ice pick, and you’ll puncture his skin.
If your knife is sharp, it takes almost no muscle power at all for you to do damage with it.
That means even if you’re older, injured, much smaller than your attacker – or otherwise at a disadvantage – you can deal out a HELL OF A LOT OF FORCE at close-quarters.
That makes the knife a very real option, particularly for people who might have trouble racking the slide of a full-sized auto.
It also makes the knife a great one-handed backup if you’re injured, disarmed, or run out of ammo.
Speaking of which. . .
2. Your Knife Never Needs Ammo
I’ve fought in combat, and I can tell you that there’s one piece of gear that will always have a place in a soldier’s arsenal…
It’s a knife.
Why does a high-tech military with fighter jets, machine guns, and smart bombs issue a bayonet to its infantry troops?
Because the military knows that no matter how much ammo a soldier carries, he could run out.
When that happens, his only option is to fix his bayonet and use it as a pike to stab his enemies.
Well, no matter how much ammo you have for your gun, sooner or later, it’s going to run out.
If you’re out and about and carrying concealed, you’ve got a lot LESS ammo on you than you have stockpiled at home.
And the reality is, most people don’t carry extra ammo at ALL.
You’re going to run out of rounds FAST in your auto or that 5-shot snubby revolver you’re carrying. . .
. . . and that’s when your knife will HAVE to come into play for self-defense.
3. A Knife Is Devastating At Close Quarters (And Almost Can’t “Miss”)
Guns are extremely powerful.
They are, however, powerful only in a straight line.
In fact, every gun disarm relies on getting out of the way of that single straight line in front of the barrel.
That means that, even at close quarters, it’s possible to miss your target.
Adrenaline dump, tunnel vision, shock, and other physical effects of a gun fight turn your aim to garbage in a real gunfight.
But if you have a knife…
You can slash.
You can thrust.
You can put the sharp edge between you and your attacker and just push, cutting them open with pressure.
With a knife, you almost can’t miss.
That makes a sharp blade your best friend in the adrenaline dump of a fight.
Now, there are a lot of great knives on the market for fighting and self-defense, so…
Here’s What To Look For In A “Fighting Knife”…
Ask a million “blade experts” what knife you should carry for personal defense… and you’ll get a million suggestions, right?
Well, when it comes to FIGHTING with a knife, I have a few things I look for…
First, I won’t carry a knife that doesn’t have an ambidextrous design. Period.
Curved handles and blades limit your options for how you hold your weapon – and in a real attack, I like to have all the options I can get for fighting back.
With an ambidextrous design, it doesn’t matter how you hold it: left hand… right hand… point up… point down… no matter which way you grab it, it’s always ready for business!
It (of course) also has to be able to open lightning-fast!
I personally find “thumb studs” to be the best openers – especially if the knife is also “spring-assisted” so all it takes is a little nudge of your thumb to unleash the blade into instant action.
I also like as thin a design as possible so it’s easy to conceal, yes… but also so that it “stabs” more effectively – especially if facing an attacker who is heavily clothed (maybe even in a leather coat!
Your preferences may vary, but these are mine.
Anyway, I think you can see the value in WHY you need to carry a knife with you for personal defense… you just need to make sure it’s the right one in order to be ready for the reality of a violent attack.
