Stiff KISS for wife?

[danez71]

Hopefully the Mods will allow this to stay open as the reason I'm asking is tangently SHTF related.

Currently, I'm living in earthquake country - aka California.

I'm putting together an emergancy small back pack for her car. Pepper spray will be a part of it along with some other things


She works 5 miles from home in what most people would consider 'big city'.

Surprisingly, she asked me, "what about a knife?" Realistically, she won't train with it...only what ever 10 minutes worth of instructions I give her.

So I was thinking something small and fixed blade but I could be swayed by someone that knows what their talking about.


The CRKT Stiff KISS seems to be discontinued but Big5 some how gets them in... on sale for $15.


I dont want this to be a discussion of SHTF


So...... what are your thoughts and what do you recommend?

 

[blindhari]

I live in middle of Az and have a survival bag in each car and 1 in the house. Each one has a Mora Bushcraft Survival knife with fire starter and stone in the sheath. The did run about $60 + apiece but my wife can use them as well as I can. Lightweight, full handle, high strength, and a non-tonto blade that can be used as a skinner. Oh yeah sharp, very sharp and easy to maintain.

blindhari

 

[JShirley]

I think there's some presumption on your part that a knife would be used for defense against an attack. I'm not sure that's a valid assumption.

If the mission is dedicated self-defense, there are a wide variety of tools that would be more useful for self-defense than a knife for anyone other than a highly trained knife expert. I "may" know what I'm talking about...and almost anything with more reach would be better for someone like her. If legal where you are, something like a Kimber Pepper Blaster would be much more intuitive and useful for dedicated SD.

Now, knives ARE useful survival tools, but not the most useful defensive tools.

...and, looks like OC is restricted in CA.

Some background:
I like knives.
I use knives.
I design knives with my good friend Sam.

BUT, except in certain situations (sudden attack from very close range), anything with more reach/range is better for SD. Even a cane is better for SD, because it has more reach than any blade than can be readily concealed.
Firearms are good because they can be compact, are easily learned, and have range. A readily concealable knife has very limited range, and is best used when the threat has closed the distance, or is closing it~ exactly the type circumstance where a neophyte defender will be most disadvantaged.
I ONLY suggest carrying a knife for dedicated SD in this case, if your wife is willing to get some training. If she isn't, she'd be better served with a good pair of running shoes and a strong prayer repertoire.
John

 

[hso]

I'm not sure what you're asking but a knife like that isn't the answer I'd give.

Please clarify if you're talking about it being for defensive use specifically.

 

[Tirod]

This is meant to be a bug out bag knife, therefore it's role will be utilitarian. An inexpensive Ekco paring knife will do.

Above and beyond that it IS a end of times last ditch weapon. And yet it will still perform anyway.

 

[danez71]

Thanks for the replies so far.

As mentioned in the OP, pepper spray will be inclued and the 1st line of defense.

She asked me "What about a knife?" so I want to give her something beside a bush craft knife. She'll only have to walk 5 miles home thru the city.

I like that she's 'thinking'.

So I guess 'yes', potentially for defense but as I said pepper spray will be 1st line of defense.

But I also don't want to limit the discussion strick to defense - maybe there is a better knifey tool? But not necessarily a SAK or multi tool.

 

[redneck]

Since its use as a weapon is secondary, I would look for a knife that is more utilitarian. I can see the stiff KISS being fairly easy to break if pushed into a role other than light cutting, and the handle would be uncomfortable.

For the money, it's hard to beat a Mora Companion, but you might also check out some of the condor knives. The mayflower looks like a good choice at less than $50, or the kickback can be carried as a neck knife and comes in around $24.

 

[mrgadget]

+1 for the mora. Best bang for the buck

 

[danez71]

Hmmm.
Sometimes the obvious isn't so.

I have a couple Mora's. Ill see how she likes the feel.

 

[Litlman]

I second the Mora. Cheap, reliable and can be pressed into many uses. Got one in most of my bags as a utility knife or, ESEE Izula nice knife for all purposes and is virtually indestructible, multiple colors, more $.

 

[C0untZer0]

I'm not a knife expert, I did put together a get-home-bag and I purchased a Condor Woodlaw for it.

It's a pretty straight forward Plaine Jane knife.

Just my opinion, but I think the more a handle or a blade is engineered for a specific task, the less overall utility it has.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danez71]

I'm not sure what you're asking but a knife like that isn't the answer I'd give.

Please clarify if you're talking about it being for defensive use specifically.

I'm asking for suggestions for a knife that my wife can keep in a small back-pack in her car.

I DONT want to make this a SHTF thread and get it closed. I'm not talking about rioting TEOTWAWKI scenarios either.




The purposed/scenario is that she is at work (5 miles a way) - earthquake hits - and she needs to walk home.


Since pepper spray is her 1st defense, I imagine that this will be used as cutting tool but I cant rule out as a defensive tool either.

 

[hso]

Every bag I have carries a multiplier and a chopping knife.

 

[hrsaylor]

What about a good multi tool? It has a knife plus other tools that may come in handy ..

 

[Tirod]

We are assuming that she drove to work, but by circumstances she's forced to walk home. It can happen.

She may need water for hot weather, or additional protection from freezing conditions if she only dresses warm enough to drive to work. People freeze to death every year in the Rockies when they go playing in the snow with their 4WD and slide off a hill with nothing better on than shorts and flip flops.

Trudging thru 100 degree temps or freezing rain is more deadly than needing some $100 survival knife. The BOB needs more comprehensive attention to a wider number of literally lethal threats from weather alone rather than focus on which knife of the month fans can recommend.

Again, any cheap kitchen knife can do it. In point of fact, that is exactly what Lewis and Clark took with them cross country - cheap imported Sheffield knives by the dozens. They bushwacked their way to the Pacific Ocean and back with them.

All a knife need do is cut when you ask it to. If your wife needs to be ready to defend herself, I would recommend combatives training ie martial arts first - because in an assault, the bad guys will be hands on with an ambush. Responding to entrapment holds to even get to a knife will be far more important than having the most highly recommended knife for bugging out.

Just being practical -

As for the contents of the bag, be reminded that cars in the city (even mine) are often ransacked (even in my front yard.) What you leave in them can and will be taken - keep that in mind when calculating the expense. It also goes to others knowing it's there. That bag does no good when she sees someone else she halfway recognizes running out the parking lot with it while the sun goes down.

Better options are usually on body carry, but that comes later when awareness grows.

 

[TimboKhan]

All things being equal, I would think a Mora would be a good choice, but a multitool or a good Swiss Army Knife would probably be more genuinely useful, in my opinion.

 

[JShirley]

As mentioned in the OP, pepper spray will be inclued and the 1st line of defense.

A Pepper Blaster is likely more intuitive to use than a spray.

 

[hso]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=768705&highlight=pepper

The large thread on OC sprays is a good place to look for information on what works and what doesn't.

As important as what get home bag blade you choose is to practice with it. Most people spend money on gear to use in an emergency, unwrap it, look at it either questioningly or with satisfaction and then dump it in the bag without becoming familiar with it much less testing it. Become familiar with the gear and test it to find out if it will do what you expect it to. I've seen plenty of people fumble with sheaths and waste time with grips too large or small for them when they needed to have figured all that out long before.

 

[redneck]

All things being equal, I would think a Mora would be a good choice, but a multitool or a good Swiss Army Knife would probably be more genuinely useful, in my opinion.

This is true, but you might want to buy 2 SAK's or multi tools if that's the route you go, so that when she decides it's handy for day to day tasks it doesn't end up in her desk drawer and not in the get home bag. The get home bag doesn't work very well if it has to be re-packed on short notice under high stress.
I keep most of the stuff in my hunting pack year round so it can be grabbed in an emergency and some of the stuff is redundant to what's in my truck or what I EDC, but that way I never take stuff out of the pack for menial tasks and have it not be there when I need it.

 

[ilbob]

personally, I would prefer some kind of fixed blade. it is simpler, if nothing else. a knife of this size is pretty limited in what it can do, although it is a lot better than nothing.

I would not count on it being much of a SD weapon. A big stick would be a better choice for SD.

 

[Jim Watson]

I agree, a plain cutting tool type knife and a multitool would be most suitable.
I could mention the girlfriend who kept a hammer in her purse. One of the small ones with a screwdriver in the handle.

What is some of the other stuff you plan to equip her with? We might give or get suggestions.

 

[C0untZer0]

Every bag I have carries a multiplier and a chopping knife.

Is there such a thing as a "small" chopping tool? It seems that a lever is needed to get chopping action, can you chop with something that's less than 8" long OAL ?

 

[danez71]

Thanks for all the relies so far.


I'll try to do a better job explaining.

She's not going to train for knife fighting. Heck, I'd guess that 95% of the people on this forum don't have knife fighting training.

So please keep that in mind.


I do have a few hand tools in her car. But they're mainly for me because, just like millions of others out there, she isn't very handy with tools. I do most all home and car repairs/maintenance and she helps quite a bit with the home repairs so she isn't 'tool ignorant' either.



She only works 5.3 miles away but its on the other side of a freeway and train tracks. So no matter which way she goes home, she's either crossing an over/under pass twice in the short 5.3 mile drive (door to door)

This is the big city.... not wilderness or long term survival on her own.


Probably, the most likely scenario for this will be if there is an earthquake that forces road closure for cars due to, most likely, broken aging water mains, collapsed structure freeway overpass, or possibly fallen power lines.
See pics or look at "Northridge earthquake" in google images.



Ive been with my wife for over 20. If she's asking about and for a knife... its a good thing!

'Mind set' trumps all. And while her 'skill set' isn't the best, I don't want her 'tool set' to hinder her 'mind set' or 'skill set'.

She asked for a knife.... Shes getting a knife! (or 2)


So this small back pack will have very limited things like decent walking shoes that fell out of style. A gallon jug of water plus a smaller container A minimal amount of 1st aid (mainly gauze wrap, scissor, tape, wound cleaning, etc). Probably a couple nutrition bars; just cause.


Rioting and looting has never happened around here immediately after an earthquake. However, she's been instructed to carry the pepper spray in her hand while walking whether or not people are acting sketchy.


Back to the knife.....
Could be used for defense.
Could be used for cutting.
Likely, will never be touched.

Knowing her, since she asked for knife and its on her mind... I could see her forgetting she has big crescent wrench she could use as a hammer and trying to used the end of the grip on the knife if she had a need to beat on something (I don't know.... maybe a window?)


She'll have the scissors and I'm thinking something like maybe a Mora Companion and a SAK or multi tool (there may be one in her small tool bag now)


Whats are your the thoughts of serrated blades? More, or less versatile?

What about adding something that has both, a straight and serrated edge and a little larger? (not necessarily this brand)

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-5-5-in-Duct-Knife-48-22-1920/205935390


AHH HAAA! Depending on how she may have to walk home, its certainly possible she may need to cut chain link fence. I didn't think of that until now.

 

[OC-Trainer]

Rioting and looting has never happened around here immediately after an earthquake. However, she's been instructed to carry the pepper spray in her hand while walking whether or not people are acting sketchy.

Dan,
Can I ask what specific brand and type of pepper spray she'll be carrying? Also, would there be any possibility of a threat from wild animals: coyote, cougar, etc?

Depending on how she may have to walk home, its certainly possible she may need to cut chain link fence. I didn't think of that until now.
Attached Thumbnails

You may want to look into lockpicks for this. Need training of course, and they are legal* in CA.

*Legal must show intent.

 

[danez71]

Dan,
Can I ask what specific brand and type of pepper spray she'll be carrying? Also, would there be any possibility of a threat from wild animals: coyote, cougar, etc?



You may want to look into lockpicks for this. Need training of course, and they are legal* in CA.

*Legal must show intent.

Hey OC. Nice to see you around again.

I was going to send you a PM about the pepper spray. I bought her some cute pink kind (I think branded by Browning for breast cancer awareness).Its a few years old so I want to buy her a replacement.

Any suggestions?


There is a slight possibility for coyotes, but no cougars etc. This is a big city but we are on the very edge of it. Her work location is 'concrete jungle' but 5 miles away to our house is in unincorporated county land and we do see coyotes. These are city coyotes that come down from the hills and eat peoples pet cats. (I chuckle when I see 'Lost Cat' signs. They're not lost. They were dinner)


Lock pick... hmmm. I'll keep that in mind but finding a locked chain link gate to pick may take her miles out of her way. But that's something I'll consider, thanks.

I'm thinking she could need to cut a chain link fence to be able to cross the train tracks to get home.

I'm 1st going to look for a ratcheting hand tool cutter to minimize needed hand strength and virtually no skill required.



** Pepper spray is legal in CA. You can by it at any Target, Walmart, Sporting goods store with out any permit etc.