Where do you carry?

[atherts]

Here is an interesting article about where you might want to carry your knife when you also carry a gun. I can see their point.

http://www.ammoland.com/2012/05/24/proper-knife-carry/

[The Professor]

They have a point. . .if you only carry one knife.

I carry two, one in each front pocket.  I carry them regardless of whether I'm packing. 

But, I have a totally different response to gun grabs.  I don't automatically go for my knife or other weapon.  I respond with low- and high-line strikes and redirection before I go to a secondary weapon.  I'd only go for a secondary in a really bad situation, since that takes up valuable time.

Plus, in such a close-quarters engagement (you're already grappling), a knife is just a hindrance, IMNSHO.  Unless you actually plan on waiting for your attacker to bleed out, it's going to be difficult to get to structurally-debilitating targets (flexor tendons, bicep/tricep, pecs, traps, sartorius, quads, etc.) AND you're going to be reducing the ability of what would be an otherwise free hand to grasp/grab.

A neck knife is notoriously difficult to draw, unless it's outside the clothing.  You got some guy (presumably) trying to go for your gun and you're going to, what. . .snake your hand up your shirt, grasp  and deploy your knife while you're getting hit, kicked, punched, jerked around, thrown to the ground and bitten?

Sorry, not trying to be a wet blanket, but I see many problems with the very basis of the theory.

The Professor

[Herew]

The Professor makes a good case.

I always have at least 2 knives on me at all times weather I'm carrying or not but I've never thought about them as a backup to my firearm.

I think learning something like Krav Maga would be beneficial in a situation where an attacker is fighting you for control.

[PistolWhipped]

I carry three knives.  One in both front pockets, and a fixed blade IWB, very near to where a holster might occasionally be found.

Prof, I agree that going for a knife/secondary is not a priority at grappling range, but I do not agree on the amount of time needed to disable with a knife. 

A few jabs to the neck would take the fight out of the vast majority of adversaries.  Targeting major muscle systems remove their ability to even hold a weapon or pursue an attack.  Just like with a gun, target selection/attack placement is the biggest factor in effectiveness.

That said, dislocation can do the same thing without spending time to deploy a knife.  Even my fixed blade takes almost a full second to deploy when I'm not otherwise occupied.  I'd be a lot slower with some neckbeard mouth breather bearing down on me with a weapon/going for MY weapon.

[Appalachia]

I only carry one folder.  A folder is not the best defensive edged weapon.  Locks break, blades are often thin and easily broken, and the ones who do not fall into this criteria are often heavier than a fixed blade.  I am also cautious of moving the position of items on my body since I am used to carrying in specific areas.  I recall one time reaching for the pen I keep clipped to my pocket to sign a check and pulling my knife instead because I had switched sides.  I can't imagine what would happen under stress, I guess I would stab them with a pen.

Secondly, if you are close enough to use a knife, you are too close to draw a knife unless you have a lot of practice in weapon retention.  The last thing you want in an out of control situation is for your hand to drop out of action to your pocket then have to fumble your stress-induced-poor-motor-skills to open that knife.

All that said, I do carry a second knife especially when carrying a firearm.  I carry a TDI Kabar in an offside appendix position just a little closer to centerline.  I can draw this quickly, it is effective and fast since there is no opening it and most importantly, I can draw it with either hand.  A word of warning, check your state laws.  Some states call a fixed blade a deadly weapon and if your state's CCW doesn't allow knives at deadly weapons you could get into some trouble.

--Eric

[murf]

A valid concern...
I carry up to three knives at any given time. When it comes to my folder, I am guilty of strongside pocket carry. I do often centerline/appendix carry a small a fixed blade IWB or OWB(depends on knife). And every now and then, I wear a neck knife. This spreads the steel around, increasing the odds that a blade will be accessible when I need it.