I have to get this off my chest. And I'm sure people here will udnerstand where I am coming from insetad of the dumbass I've been talking to.

What happened was the subject of self defense came up. This girl (who shares a mutual friend with me) is telling our mutual friend her b/f is concerned bout her because she works late night at a victoria's secret in queens. And that she takes the subway alone. So being a good b/f he is, he gave her a knife. I said it would not be a good idea to pull a knife in self defense but she kept repeating she needs it for self defense. Basically my argument is below.

Now I dunno bout the rest of you, but I personally believe carrying a knife for self defense purposes (even if it is legal to carry one in ur state) is PURE stupidity. I don't care if you're trained in soem knife fighting art or not, it it STUPID!!!
If you pull out a blade on someone (and forgive me for sounding like a TMA guy) you must have the intention to kill. Because just like the MAIN focus of MA is fighting (says soemthing liek somewhere else on this site) the MAIN use of a knife in a self defense situation is to KILL. Now given if you're trained you can prolly do soemthing fancy and just leave the person unable to move by slashing some part of their leg or w/e and then you can run away. HOWEVER the MAIN use of a knife (and the easiest and most direct) is to kill.

This girl said soemthing like she'll pull the knife just to scare people away. Now I ask what happens if theydon't get scared call you on that bluff and attack anyway cuz they see your hand shaking or soemthing telling them that you are bluffing, are you willing to kill?? Then our mutual friend (who I got pissed at for this) says I'm a martial artist and I'm always saying stupid **** like this and that i carry a Kubuton and pepper spray.

Now I wanna know how I am stupid. Everyone has the right to defend themselves. Why not use non-lethal LEGAL ways to do (which you prolly won't hesistate to use) instead of using a lethal illegal method that will cause you to freeze up (because many things will be going through your head). I believe carrying pepper spray and a kubuton is better for self defense than a freaking knife. and I advice everyone to have one.

Other things that piss me off are why people go for exotic weaponary fo rself defense i.e. Nunchucks rather than simple to use **** and simple to carry (and legal to carry)

There I got it off my chest. Thank you

Plz post what stupid things about self defense people have said to you. (not bout the martial arts but rather on self defense.. i.e. Soem other guy once said to me "if someone asked for my wallet and had a gun to my head I would disarm them even if my wallet was empty.")

**** it just give her some pepper spray or a tazer. Both offer hilarity and self defense. The knife thing is kind of a bad idea but hey, better then nothing. And queens isn't the nicest place to be on the train at. Most NY'ers know this, and I'm pretty sure yo do too. It's really nothing to get mad at.
Ok now for stupid question time, whats a kubuton?

Even carry around a couple of Kali sticks would be better then a knife (everyone can swing a stick at someones head without too much training).

But you're 100% right, carryign a knife to a fight you don't wish to have is a really fucking dumb idea, go to google, take off some stats on people who carry knives for self defense and show her the stupidity of her ways.

FFS, why not just carry a damn gun with her (anotehr bad idea but you get my point?).

Pepper spray ftw.

I think the argument against carrying a knife breaks down like this:

1) If a cop finds you with it, you could be in a lot more trouble than if you are found with a legal, non-lethal weapon. Why risk turning minor run ins with police into something more?

2) If you are attacked your knife could be taken and used against you.

3) Untrained use of any lethal weapon carries a lot of risk to the user.

If this question was raised in Texas, where I live, I might suggest that if you want to carry a lethal weapon get a conceal and carry license and trained with a handgun. Then you can at least dispatch the attacker before they get close. One thing they teach in C&C class is that you never brandish a weapon to scare someone off. It never works against a determined attacker. You only pull your weapon if you intend to use it. If a gun won't deter someone intent on attacking you, a knife certainly won't.

The goal of this untrained woman should be to evade assault, not to try and overcome an attacker. To that end, she should consider using pepper spray. It's non-lethal, doesn't carry much risk to the user, and if used successfully will offer her a chance to escape.

you need to smack your friend and buy her pepper spray because most likely if she were to pull out a knife the person make take it and use it against her

A couple of months ago I was attacked by what probably was a druggie cokehead meth baker. Luckily for me, I had my knife with me. I pulled it on him and it gave me enough time to make the right decision and walk away from it.

I think you're dumb.

As a general observation there are a lot of people, and a disproportunate number of women who are unwilling to use lethal force, or cut someone up. You never give a weapon, particularly a knife, to someone as a self defense tool unless they will be able to use it without hesitation if the need arises. Secondly, for some reason some preditors will try to take a knife out of a woman's hands when they would never try this if she was holding a gun. So if she pulls a knife on an attacker, she will probably have to use it, and can't count on holding him off by bluffing with this weapon she has no idea how to use. I won't even discuss the legal issues here of how she is exposed by carrying a knife around in New York City, where like LA they don't seem to like the idea of people defending themselves.

Have her get some pepper spray.

A couple of months ago I was attacked by what probably was a druggie cokehead meth baker. Luckily for me, I had my knife with me. I pulled it on him and it gave me enough time to make the right decision and walk away from it.

I think you're dumb.

Okay but what woulda happened if he attacked anyway, woudl you of killed him. And persoanlly if my life was in danger I would prolly pull a knife if i had NOTHING else, but to carry a knife with the MAIN intention just to scare soemoen is stupid. cuz they can tell if you bluffing or not. you sir were prolly not bluffing and didnt care bout legal reprecussions.

**** it just give her some pepper spray or a tazer. Both offer hilarity and self defense. The knife thing is kind of a bad idea but hey, better then nothing. And queens isn't the nicest place to be on the train at. Most NY'ers know this, and I'm pretty sure yo do too. It's really nothing to get mad at.
Ok now for stupid question time, whats a kubuton?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubotan

it can be used to press preassure points but i find it better used to hit boney areas or the temples or collar bone. Hurts like a bitch and easily carried. Reason I carry this is becaus epepper spray on a windy day may blow back at me, so on windy days I'll pull this thing out.

You're right about the knife, I hope your message gets through to her quickly and she gets something like pepper spray.

I'm hoping I get a set of knuckle dusters for my birthday. Someone is going to have to rip those of my cold dead fingers if they want to use it against me.

This girl said something like she'll pull the knife just to scare people away.
In my entirely non-professional opinion that kind of mindset is probably 100% more dangerous to her than carrying a weapon in the first place.

Squerlli, a kubaton is an approximately 5" long dowel shaped metal or hard plastic stick that one would presumably use to improve striking or joint locks. Might as well carry a Maglite instead and have less cop problems and a handy light source.
(Oops, other poster got to it first, my bad.)

**** it just give her some pepper spray or a tazer. Both offer hilarity and self defense. The knife thing is kind of a bad idea but hey, better then nothing.

Depending on what kind of friends you have, pepper spray and tazers will most likely be used on your friends than on an attacker.

You're right about the knife, I hope your message gets through to her quickly and she gets something like pepper spray.

I'm hoping I get a set of knuckle dusters for my birthday. Someone is going to have to rip those of my cold dead fingers if they want to use it against me.

Omfg I envy you...

Depending on what kind of friends you have, pepper spray and tazers will most likely be used on your friends than on an attacker.

My friend Dima tazed this kid out of his at a party once, he knew him for years but he was passed out drunk and in the morning he wouldnt leave. Ahhh... good times.

Last time I checked, tazers are illegal in NYC.

Last time I checked, tazers are illegal in NYC.

Seriously?