Anyone carry a fixed blade?

[kaboomkaboom]

Some thing to consider...if you move from yellow to orange, a folder can be easily hidden in the hand, cupped so to speak, for extremely fast deployment. Because of the folded size it is easy to keep from casual observation in the situation where you can not draw a fixed blade, or draw your gun, without possibly being charged with brandishing, or certainly draw attention with a gun or fixed blade in your hand...I always remove my ti-lite from my pocket when in any area that edges me from yellow towards orange...cupped in my hand I move confidently through parking garages, parking lots at night and other areas of concern, knowing I have instant access without raising any attention...

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Doubledown]

You may also want to look at the Cold Steel "push" or T Handle type knives. I got my wife an Urban Pal. It is about 3/4 of an ounce with a 1.5 inch serrated blade. It can attach to a key ring, a zipper, etc. You just reach in your pocket and come out with the blade protruding from your fist and there is practically no way you can drop or fumble it. They make larger and nicer models but this was an easy sell to my wife, suggested it for opening boxes and literature packs. Since she is a drug rep she is often in parking structures alone and the defensive purpose was brought up after she was used to having it all the time. Now with CC coming to WI I need to find a way to convince her a pistol is a good way to open her packages too.

[45ACP4ever]

I'm planning on carrying a CRKT Folts Minimalist on my left hand side near my reload. I figure having that accessible to my left hand and my Benchmade folder accessible to my right hand is the way to go. I would never trust my left hand with the complexity of a folder, but a fixed blade is nice and easy and relatively fumble free.

[Spade115]

I carry a buck 119 and I have carried spring assisted to manual folders and find the manual ones to be just as fast as a spring loaded one and a fixed blade in situations depending on size helpful or harmful when you go places.

Do you know what size you want to carry? Style? (I am partial to western styles) but also dont want to lose a good knife so I buy winchester fixed blades. (not the best but has their purpose)

[ktulu92fs]

I've been considering a fixed blade as well. I feel in a situation where I need to deploy a knife, a fixed blade would be much quicker than a folder. Or maybe just easier because I wouldn't have the possibility of fumbling with opening a folder in the heat of the moment. After reading some posts, if I do decide to carry a fixed blade, I will carry a folder as well. In a time where I can put the folder in my hand and hide it, would be very beneficial.

[limatunes]

Some thing to consider...if you move from yellow to orange, a folder can be easily hidden in the hand, cupped so to speak, for extremely fast deployment. Because of the folded size it is easy to keep from casual observation in the situation where you can not draw a fixed blade, or draw your gun, without possibly being charged with brandishing, or certainly draw attention with a gun or fixed blade in your hand...I always remove my ti-lite from my pocket when in any area that edges me from yellow towards orange...cupped in my hand I move confidently through parking garages, parking lots at night and other areas of concern, knowing I have instant access without raising any attention...

You can easily do this with fixed blades as well.. just an FYI.

Some common examples from the criminal underground is shanks in prison or even with a razor blade hidden between two fingers... the person with the razor blade just starts slapping and dragging at the face and neck and because of the sharpness and heightened adrenaline a victim may not even know how many times or how severely he's being cut until he sees blood. He just thinks he's being slapped.

In the knife class I took we got an extensive demonstration on how both fixed blades and folders could be casually carried in hand without alerting anyone. In fact, in some cases it was easier to carry the fixed-blade in hand without detection than it was the folder, and again, it was immediately useable vs needing to be opened.

One such method is to put the knife in a small plastic gift bag and hold the knife firmly in a regular grip. From the outside it looks like you are just walking down the street with a small, cheap gift. But the bag can be immediately and easily stabbed or slashed through and if someone tries to grab the bag, again, because the blade is already deployed and fixed he will likely get cut for his troubles.

Slipping a handle up the sleeve of a long-sleeved shirt and pinching the blade between your fingers, making sure to keep to the hand turned in slightly.

Wrapping a newspaper around the knife and holding the knife with your four fingers while you hold the folded edges of the paper to your hand with your thumb (this also works with magazines or any loose papers).

Holding the knife in your hand and crossing your arms with your knife hand under the opposing arm's armpit with the blade lying flat against and down the body, hidden by your upper arm.

Hand in pocket gripping knife, blade concealed by pocket. Actually, depending on the size of the knife and sheath you can clip a small fixed blade to the inside of your pocket (no matter what pocket that might be) and have your hand on the handle so you don't have to worry about cutting yourself if you get in a tussle but it's easy to keep your hand on when just walking down the street, etc.

Resting forearm on forearm, knife in hand between the forearms and concealed under the dominant hand/arm, blade laying flat against the forearm underneath.

There are MANY ways to conceal a fixed blade while just walking around. Typically, I always have a folder somewhere on my person more for utilitarian purposes and I'd certainly use it in a pinch if it was all I had available but when it comes to a fighting knife I am a HUGE advocate of fixed blades.

[BioGLoCK23]

Once a locking folder has been opened, what is the difference between it and a fixed blade?

[limatunes]

Once a locking folder has been opened, what is the difference between it and a fixed blade?

I'd say nothing (as long as you've testing the locking mechanism and know it won't break or collapse on you or get "unlocked" during a fight)....

it's just getting it open that becomes the issue in defensive situations.

[BioGLoCK23]

I had to somewhat brandish my Geber paraframe (locking folder) a few years ago after a guy followed me to a service station yelling that I almost hit him. Maybe I did, but I certainly wasn't aware of it. After cussing me real good he started digging in the pockets of his coveralls, he appeared to be a welder or similar tradesman. I worried that he was reaching for a weapon, so I popped out my Gerber and held down low parallel to my leg to where he could see it, but no one else could. I said "whatever you are digging for just stop it" thankfully that was enough to convince him to back off and leave.

But, in that case it took less the a fraction of a second to get the knife from the clip on my pocket to a usable defensive position.

[BigJon10125]

For those of you that carry fixed blades, how do u prefer. I am pretty sure that in my deplorable state, CA, it must not be concealed. That is one aspect that I dont like, but as I have many times here, may find a good way to accomplish it!

Thanks in advance!

BigJon

[64zebra]

I'm with Lima on the TDI......I carry one on the inner belt behind my taser when on duty, can reach with either hand and its hidden unless you know what you're looking for

I have another at the house and sometimes carry it with the belt clip
Most of the time I have my S&W out the front assisted

[mr.stuart]

I have been thinking about a TDI. I suppose they are legal in Texas and many other states? Good to hear positive feedback on this knife.

[Arborigine]

I was on a motorcycle "poker run" last sunday with about 200 others. A benifit for the local Autism society. At the end stop there were members of certain outlaw motorcycle clubs standing around. There was a vendor selling knives from 4 cases, mostly chinese crap but a few nice ones. As I was standing there looking with my friends, it occured to me I didn't really need one, as I was ready for a knife fight with a .45 in a shoulder rig and a .380 in my pocket.

[64zebra]

I have been thinking about a TDI. I suppose they are legal in Texas and many other states? Good to hear positive feedback on this knife.

absolutely legal in Texas, both the big and small size

[popo22]

We had an Officer almost killed when the suspect took his TDI from his belt while grappling. We can no longer carry them...