The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Advice for a friend that carries knives ONLY

leadcounsel · September 12, 2005, 12:43 PM

I have a friend that owns a pistol and also has a CCW and we took the course together and have had our CCW's for two years. Yet, he is reluctant to carry. That is fine, but I am concerned because he carries a knife instead. Let me be clear: I WOULD NEVER FORCE OR ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO CARRY IF S/HE WERE NOT 100% CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE WITH CARRYING.

Now, in Colorado where we live, guns, bats, and knives are considered deadly force. The laws states that a person can defend himself against deadly force with deadly force, but a person can also ONLY use deadly force to defend himself or another with deadly force or the threat of deadly force. For instance, if someone starts a fistfight with you, you can legally defend yourself ONLY with non-lethal force. However, if you defend yourself with lethal force, such as draw a knife, club, gun, or any weapon, suddenly you have elevated the situation and now the original attacker has the right to defend himself with lethal force against YOU. Hence, drawing lethal force makes you the attacker. If you draw a knife in a fist fight to defend yourself from an attack, and the original attacker draws a gun and shoots, the original attacker was in the right to defend himself even though he started the first attack!

The moral is twofold. 1) Be careful not to draw lethal force unless someone is using lethal force and 2) Don't bring a knife to a gunfight.

Now, there will be some that say that a knife is better than a gun and list several reasons and in certain situations I agree. I personally like knifes and feel they have a place in self defense. But in nearly 100% of SELF DEFENSE situations, I would chose a handgun of any common self-defense caliber over any legal-to-carry 3" knife due to reach and intimidation.

I seriously think that my friend is just asking for trouble by carrying a 3" knife as his primarly self defense weapon because he CANNOT legally draw it unless someone is using lethal force against him. And, despite the fact that he may be very good with it, if someone is threatening lethal force agaisnt him, it will likely be with a large club (e.g. ball bat), knife, or gun. In any of these more common situations, he'll be either even or at a disadvantage.

He's comfortable with guns and I've suggested that if he's intent on carrying deadly force, it should be a pistol. I think he's going to start, but I wonder whether anyone has any opinion on whether one should carry a knife.

September 12, 2005, 12:43 PM	#1
leadcounsel Junior member Join Date: September 8, 2005 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 2,119	Advice for a friend that carries knives ONLY I have a friend that owns a pistol and also has a CCW and we took the course together and have had our CCW's for two years. Yet, he is reluctant to carry. That is fine, but I am concerned because he carries a knife instead. Let me be clear: I WOULD NEVER FORCE OR ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO CARRY IF S/HE WERE NOT 100% CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE WITH CARRYING. Now, in Colorado where we live, guns, bats, and knives are considered deadly force. The laws states that a person can defend himself against deadly force with deadly force, but a person can also ONLY use deadly force to defend himself or another with deadly force or the threat of deadly force. For instance, if someone starts a fistfight with you, you can legally defend yourself ONLY with non-lethal force. However, if you defend yourself with lethal force, such as draw a knife, club, gun, or any weapon, suddenly you have elevated the situation and now the original attacker has the right to defend himself with lethal force against YOU. Hence, drawing lethal force makes you the attacker. If you draw a knife in a fist fight to defend yourself from an attack, and the original attacker draws a gun and shoots, the original attacker was in the right to defend himself even though he started the first attack! The moral is twofold. 1) Be careful not to draw lethal force unless someone is using lethal force and 2) Don't bring a knife to a gunfight. Now, there will be some that say that a knife is better than a gun and list several reasons and in certain situations I agree. I personally like knifes and feel they have a place in self defense. But in nearly 100% of SELF DEFENSE situations, I would chose a handgun of any common self-defense caliber over any legal-to-carry 3" knife due to reach and intimidation. I seriously think that my friend is just asking for trouble by carrying a 3" knife as his primarly self defense weapon because he CANNOT legally draw it unless someone is using lethal force against him. And, despite the fact that he may be very good with it, if someone is threatening lethal force agaisnt him, it will likely be with a large club (e.g. ball bat), knife, or gun. In any of these more common situations, he'll be either even or at a disadvantage. He's comfortable with guns and I've suggested that if he's intent on carrying deadly force, it should be a pistol. I think he's going to start, but I wonder whether anyone has any opinion on whether one should carry a knife.