Anyone have the cold steel smatcht

Link?

You don't carry a knife with over a 5" blade as a backup.

The only place in the modern world for a knife that large is to do things like clear brush. It is NOT a backup of any kind. If someone did a lot of work outside, and didn't carry a firearm, something like that smatchet could be pressed into service for defensive use.

To be sure there's no misunderstanding, I have been both a deployed infantryman, and am perhaps the most vocal fan of large blades on the forum.

You know, I just went back and read the original post again. You're seriously asking if you can reasonably conceal a knife that large every day? That's a joke, right?

John

There are two many schools of thought regarding daily carry knives.
The first believes that a dedicated defensive knife is the way to go, and this knife should only ever be used for defense.
The second school of thought believes you are likely to use a knife even better if you actually use it on a daily basis, instead of just carrying it.

School #1 doesn't require the knife to be sharpened frequently, since it is only ever used in emergencies or after practicing defensively (because it would just be stupid to carry a defensive tool that one never practiced with, right?). The user will need to carry at least two knives, one for tasks, and the other for defense. There are potentially more legal consequences to this approach, since the dedicated defensive knife frequently looks like it exists to cut people.

School #2 doesn't require carrying more than one knife. The knife must also be a good shape for daily use, so is generally likely to be viewed as more acceptable if seen by ordinary citizens or law enforcement. It does require more frequent sharpening and knife maintenance.

In both cases, the knife in question should be easily carried and concealed and (of course!) legal where carried. This automatically means any knife with a blade over 4.5" blade is out. Any larger knife is just too cumbersome to carry on a daily basis.

John

Let me back up: welcome to THR, and congratulations for taking responsibility for your own training and safety.

Here is an article I wrote 11 years ago. Maybe it will help inform your thinking.

The most effective defensive firearm for me is generally a short AR-15 type rifle.

It's just not reasonable to carry on a daily basis.

If I had to defend myself with a blade, I would like a fairly large one- it's just not at all reasonable for me to carry a knife that large during my usual daily life. Having quick access to your knife is more important than having a large blade. You also need to understand that fighting off an attack is much more important than killing the attacker. Just as with a firearm you "shoot to stop", the ultimate fate of your attacker is not your concern. Escaping the attack with honor is.

A fixed blade can potentially be faster than a folder, but only if you find a suitable small fixed blade, and a reasonable way to carry it.

The advantage to that reverse grip that dayhiker's demoing is that it's very hard to disarm.

The disadvantage is that you lose range with what is already a very short-range tool.

Fellow moderator and friend Sam Owens and I created a defensive knife, the ARK, that Spyderco is making. I do not suggest the ARK as a primary defensive knife for most people due to the ball (dog tag) chain carry, though Sam does occasionally offer a few handmade ones for sale with a Spyderco G Clip, which works great for concealed carry. The demonstration video, though, you may find useful, being geared towards pure SD with a small blade. (Also bear in mind that the ARK was built as an anti-rape tool, since both male and female troops are at risk for this in Afghanistan. These techs will not work against someone who just wants your wallet, since he has no reason to grab you.)


https://youtu.be/f50iSHjStJU

heavy on knife and stick work

Click to expand...

Hillbilly,

They're probably an FMA school teaching Escrima with Silat, Arnis and/or Kali or they might be JKD teaching it.