Non-gun back up

[fightingquaker13]

not to mention in many states you will get in big trouble for having a some striking weapons.

Fl. is pretty liberal. If you have a CCW,it doesn't specify, even switchblades become ok.
FQ13

[TAB]

and you never leave FL right?

[fightingquaker13]

and you never leave FL right?

Not till April anyway.
FQ13

[Rob Pincus]

If you are in an altercation and use your firearm and kill someone who was threatening your life and you had a "less lethal" option wouldn't that present a legal issue after the fact that may be exploited by an ignorant prosecutor or a judge with an anti-gun agenda?

I think the legal answer is that you only use lethal force for defense when you perceive the need to.

If the question asked afterwards is "wouldn't the taser have stopped the attack?", the answer should be "I needed to use my firearm to defend myself" (as long as you believe(d) that to be true). Saying "gee, yeah, I guess I could've just used the taser" because you might be thinking more clearly or rationalizing other possibilities after the fact or have a new perspective is totally beside the point of the judgement you made while under threat. All of us can look at any number of actual incidents from the comfort of our couches or in a classroom and come up with "better" ways to solve the problems presented... but they are not always relevant to the judgement made at the time given the perspective and knowledge you have then. The most valid purpose in those exercises is to help others prepare for the NEXT encounter.

That's the RJP Answer.

A simpler answer is : "Cops carry all sorts of tools and are trusted to use the right one based on their training and policies."  So, if you seek out and can demonstrate knowledge of similar training, you'd be more protected.

Another answer, even simpler, is: The attorney with an agenda could find 1000 things to make you look bad in court, act in good faith, be as prepared as you can and trust the justice system.

I could go on... 

-RJP

[ECHOONE]

  Have you checked out Gerbers F.A.S.T. Folder.(forward action spring technology) a slight push and the blade springs open for you,it's pretty fast in opening and can be done on the draw to put in to action,also don't forget you can always use your pistol as a great blunt object that can inflict alot of pain if you thrust the muzzle into the right spot of the body!
   People to often forget they themselves are the true weapon,what we carry are just our tools! If need be a good size rock makes a perfect tool,we all know how fast we can throw a baseball, a rock can easily stop a conflict!
   I carry a knife,I'm also a Vet so I've had hand to hand combat involving knife fighting,it's something you really want to avoid at all cost's,you can pretty much guarentee if you get in a knife fight your coming out of it sliced up to a certain extent,usually bleeding pretty bad,and knife injuries don't tickle.The only problem with most knife techniques is they can become pretty complicated for the novice who usually doesn't have the motivation to continue the drill to make it imprinted into his memory,which is a disaster waiting to happen.what most People need is just a very simple basic offensive technique with as few steps as possible that will end the altercation as quickly as possibly so they can back off to a safe area to call for help! The best and simpilest move I ever seen for a novice was in Personal Defense Magazine DEC. 2009 issue Page 80 Living on the Edge. This is just my personal opinion other's may disagree with me.Read and decide yourself.  Be Safe,stay alert,and I hope all of you have a healthy and much more prosperous New Year then we had last year........CHEERS!

[Sponsor]

[bushpilot267]

Most States have specific lengths for ALL knives.

I have been to court on carpet layers who were arrested for having a hawkbill knife on them which is a tool of their trade.
Most Judges will quickly end that case but still police and DA's will push the case against the citizen.

In fights, knives are deadly weapons. The same justifications which apply to using a firearm apply to knives.

The same "deadly sins" ( ie  anything done to a weapons to make it more readily deadly ) apply to knives. Imagine two cases, same facts, but one knife is a pocket knife and the other is a COLD STEEL RECON......the jury will see both of the knives and be impressed.

Never name your dog "KILLER' and expect to walk ona dog bite case. The same is true of pulling a knife which is made for killing and slashing.

I carry a KA-BAR Marine knife or a Becker Companion when I am hunting or camping.  Simple and usual knives for the circumstances.

I carry a single blade AL MAR knife for daily use. It is a little large and has assisted opening but it LOOKS ordinary.

A better choice for me would be a Kershaw small knife. These are little razors and fast opening too BUT they don't scare Aunt Nellie on the jury. Pull out a RAMBO blade and she will convict you just for the hell of it.

Knives USUSALLY do not kill but you will be facing a civil suit for damges for cutting Bubba a new hole and that could be expensive.

Still, if Bubba is just asking for a new body piercing and the circumstances dictate you have to pull and cut to live, go for it. Just make sure you get witnesses and tell a simple story and stick to it.

[TAB]

I've often wonder about what the roll in SD a knife actually has,  for the most part I can't see myself ever using a knife in SD.

For the most part, I would have to be cornered, vs some one that was going to kill me and there was nothing that could be used as a impact weapon. 

[Jackel]

my entire body is a weapon




arghhh!

[tombogan03884]

 I don't think Ugly is considered a weapon.

I have the perfect short explanation for using a knife on some one, "I ran out of bullets before they ran out of body temperature".
Of course after 25 rounds of .45 ACP it might take some searching to find an undamaged part to stab.

[Michael Janich]

I am a huge fan of ASPs and would prefer one of those (specifically a 21-inch Airweight) to a knife. Unfortunately, carry of an ASP is typically more restricted than knives, which are legal in some form in just about all jurisdictions. The ability to carry a potent, potentially lethal weapon legally just about everywhere was a determining factor in my choice to specialize in knives a long time ago.

A good tactical flashlight (high output, shock resistant, and large enough to use as an impact weapon) is a great tool and should be part of everyone's EDC kit. Even in non-permissive environments, you have a potent defensive tool. If you skip the "cheese grater" bezels, you also have an item that is PC enough to go virtually everywhere. That makes it a consistent "layer" of your defensive strategy and something you can escalate "up" to or fall "back" to.

If you don't ever travel outside your gun-friendly jurisdiction, don't mind taking the chance carrying a prohibited weapon (I used to do it, too), or answer every question with "I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6," "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight," or some other tired cliche, that's your choice. Whatever you do, I hope it and good judgment in its application serve you well. But please remember the REAL issue here: If you don't have a gun, your gun runs out of ammo, or you suffer a catastrophic malfunction that can't be fixed in the middle of a fight, you need to have a backup plan, tools, and TRAINING to support it.

If your non-gun weapon is a knife, carry it and maintain it religiously and learn how to deploy it and use it under stress. If it's an ASP, the same rules apply. If your plan is to beat your attacker unconscious with your non-functioning or shot-dry pistol, get a blue gun and actually practice hitting a heavy bag with it. Then work with a partner and proper training equipment and practice fending, blocking, and controlling his strikes with a training weapon while you work on your pistol-whipping skills.

I don't mean to rant, but cliches are not a valid weapon and recycling them does little to really advance anyone's planning and training.

Stay safe,

Mike