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First of all, let’s clarify what we’re


talking about: a knife intended to be carried constantly, perhaps in a vari- ety of legal jurisdictions, and serve as a highly functional personal-defense weapon. That means something that cuts and punctures clothing and flesh with the goal of stopping an attacker reliably and efficiently. I am not really concerned with how well it fillets a fish, splits kindling or stabs through a car hood since those uses are not relevant to this discussion. With that scope established, let’s move on. The first step in choosing a de-


fensive folding knife should be to research the knife laws in the area where you live and the areas where you frequently travel. Make sure you research both state laws and all appli- cable municipal laws, since many cit- ies have stricter regulations than the states in which they are located. Why research the laws? … because


we’re the good guys, and we play by the rules. If you choose not to play by the rules and don’t care about the legal parameters for knife carry, research them anyway so you can at least know what risks you’re taking and what charges you might face. The key things to look for are restrictions on blade length, number of sharp- ened edges and what constitutes a “prohibited weapon.”


It’s Gotta Cut Once you have a good grasp of


the basic parameters of what you can carry, it’s time to start looking at specifics. The first thing to consider should be the functionality of


the


blade as a weapon; in other words, how well it will cut and puncture. The blade style, shape of the point, edge geometry and sharpness all have a direct bearing on how well the knife will perform when employed in a high-speed defensive situation. If your training has provided you with a specific set of knife skills, you will obviously view potential knife choic- es through the eyes of that skill set. If not, there are a few things you need to consider when it comes to blade shape and cutting performance on pocket-sized folders. First, remember the most efficient


way to cut with a knife is to use the entire length of the cutting edge and to maintain constant pressure into the target. Also, understand the motion of your arm when wielding a knife will be an arc and that arc may strike the target at unpredictable distances due to the dynamics of a critical in- cident. With all that in mind, if your blade has a pronounced curve or “bel- ly” to the edge and the point is high


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While point strength is a desirable quality, it shouldn’t be your sole selection criteria. A sharp, acute point penetrates clothing and flesh best. Sound tactics and targeting do the rest.


in relation to the blade’s centerline, the force of your cut will dissipate sig- nificantly as you reach the tip of the blade. In simple terms, when the arc of motion of your arm and the curve of the blade run parallel, you no lon- ger apply pressure into the target and the cutting action stops. Conversely, a straight or concave (“hawkbill”) edge configuration always cuts with full power all the way to the point. The point of your knife should be


as sharp and acute as possible without sacrificing too much strength. This is where opinions can really vary. Some knife tacticians feel extreme point strength is preferred so the tip will not break if thrust into bone, keys, coins, belt buckles or anything that might be in the way of your intended target. While this logic is sound, if


tip strength becomes so important it compromises the knife’s ability to readily penetrate clothing and flesh, we’ve lost focus on our real goal. Also, the more you understand practical, stopping-oriented knife tactics, the less concerned you’ll be about stab- bing through an attacker’s sternum. As noted previously, hawkbill


blades cut with power all the way to the point; however, if they are too radically curved, they sacrifice their thrusting ability. When gripped with a natural wrist angle, the point of the blade should face straight forward or slightly high. If it points downward, it’s not suitable for thrusting.


Edge Geometry Edge geometry is the primary fac-


tor that determines how well a blade


In addition to strength, a good folding-knife lock must also make closing the knife a deliberate action. The liner lock on the top is vulnerable to unintentional lock release, while the Crucible folder on the bottom requires a deliberate effort.


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