Slightly off topic but relevant to your post: Recently my wife and young son were threatened by a young thug with two Staffordshire Bull Terriers - I arrived at this scene as it was taking place and launched myself at him. In the ensuing scrap, I was mauled by the dogs. The police said it was my fault as I hit him first. Result - if ever I find myself in that situation again, I will make sure that I have said "baseball bat" or equivalent to hand, and I won't be troubling our police "service" with the consequences.
Do you ever wonder if you'd had a knife on you, would you have used it?
yes we have a different culture. Buy one that works very well for us.
if you were then put in a nasty situation; like someone starting a fight with you and the knife was dropped an attacker could use that knife against you" even at 15 I knew that was a poor excuse for why someone should not carry a knife.
Back to the question.. if you could use it on a person if you had too, although the thought is horrific, it is an interesting question because it in itself could be a matter of survival.
I reckon exploring this particular avenue is going to get the thread locked pretty quickly.
I find this question interesting too. It reminds me with a lecture I had off a policeman once that I'll never forget. I was about 15 and the policeman knew my (bushcraft) interests etc. but he still persisted that [i]"carrying a knife is dangerous, even if your just carrying it as a tool, if you were then put in a nasty situation; like someone starting a fight with you and the knife was dropped an attacker could use that knife against you"[/i] even at 15 I knew that was a poor excuse for why someone should not carry a knife.
Back to the question.. if you could use it on a person if you had too, although the thought is horrific, it is an interesting question because it in itself could be a matter of survival.
traderran: but why do you feel you need to carry a handgun every day?
Good question:
On the dogs - absolutely.
On the thug - absolutely not.
Do not believe all the BS that the papers spout over hear. They are in the business of selling papers. Also you may wont to check to see how many of the 3.93 you referI'm not sure I'd agree. Texas has 3.93 Gun homicides per 100,000 people.
The UK has 0.102579 gun homicides per 100,000 people.
But that's a whole different story .
"I take that you are of the young persuasion."
My point is that Dynamite Dan was made to feel uncomfortable whilst conducting a perfectly innocent and legal activity - and therefore the law, in this case, is an bottom!
Back to the question.. if you could use it on a person if you had too, although the thought is horrific, it is an interesting question because it in itself could be a matter of survival.
I'd bet the majority of citizens wouldn't want it weakened in any way.
Is this a bushcraft or survivalist forum?
I'd bet that half the young men walking around the urban streets with a concealed knife aren't half as obsessed by them as some of the folk here who only apparently think of them as tools.
I've owned a knife or knives since I joined the cubs at 8, but things have changed and I believe it is right that I should have to justify any knife that I carry. If I can justify it I, as a middle class, middle aged white male, would expect there to be no problem.
I bought one of those BCUK Spyderco knives and it is an excellent tool. It is worryingly scary to look at although a legal knife. I only carry it when I have a good reason to. It isn't much of a restriction and not even the thin end of an undesirable wedge, in my opinion.
Why do you say the street legal spyderco is "worryingly scary"? It's a tool,why impose an emotive load of baggage on a tool?