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Old March 28, 2013, 03:52 PM   #26
allaroundhunter
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Quote:
allaround, you will find attitude is the first and most important tool in your defensive tool box.
Absolutely, attitude and awareness are your first, and generally most effective, defenses. The weapon you are carrying is always of third importance. As I have always been taught: Mindset, skillset, toolset (in that order).
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Old March 28, 2013, 11:24 PM   #27
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Ok, since this thread is still going, I'll editorialize a little.

It's true that if the shooting ends (or never gets started) and things turn into hand-to-hand, having a knife will be handy. However, if the confrontation turns out to be a gunfight it's best to maximize your effectiveness as a gunfighter. Holding something unrelated to gunfighting in your off hand instead of using your off hand to improve your accuracy and speed your followup shots isn't really a great strategy.

Having a knife handy is smart, as is having a flashlight. However, carrying the knife around in your hand the whole time you're in a defensive encounter even when there's no need, makes as much sense as carrying your flashlight around in your hand the whole time in bright sunlight.

Having it readily available makes a lot more sense than pre-strategizing that you will always be holding it in your hand.
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Old March 29, 2013, 01:18 PM   #28
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In the case of the OP's sister she practices with 2 different guns shooting one handed so speed and accuracy might not be an issue in her case, especially if she is familiar with a variety of guns and can shoot either equally well. What concerns me is does she have any martial arts training because having a knife does not a knife fighter make. Same side of the coin is does she practice with that knife in her hand because holding an object in the left hand changes a whole mess of dynamics.

Range practice is good but situational practice is a whole nother ball game. Take cover and call for help instead of trying to clear the house is the best option but if she is in a situation where she can't take cover or is in the situation of having to provide safety of others in the house then it behooves her to be practiced with either hand, learn to shoot from behind either side of a barricade and to know how to use a knife.

Maybe learning that will convince her to go two handed on the gun. From the sounds of it though she sounds like a lady who will not take kindly to intruders and could be a menace to boogermen who enter her domain.
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Old March 29, 2013, 03:46 PM   #29
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As I mentioned, she had 2 years of tae kwon do as a kid, I am guessing ages 13 to 15. After that, gymnastics,figure skating, and boys were more her interests.

So she understands the basics of striking with a fist, kicking, blocking. She wasn't great at sparing, but she was good.

The 1911 is her husbands gun. The glock she considers her gun, because she is very proud of the extremely low price she paid for it. A local police department was switching from 9mm to 40 and they were practically giving them away.

The knife thing... well, I think she has a "thing" for big knives. Her husband just smiled at me when I tried to talk her out of it. In the end she is going to do exactly what she wants to do, without regard to what I or her husband, or anyone else thinks she should do.
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Old March 30, 2013, 01:12 PM   #30
peacefulgary
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Does she actually carry a 1911 and a 10" Bowie knife everywhere she goes?

I think carrying around that much weight would kinda suck.

And a 10" Bowie would be kinda awkward on the belt while getting in and out of the car.
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Old March 31, 2013, 08:43 PM   #31
Doc TH
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I understand her rationale, and it is interesting.
However, you are talking about defense in her home, and I have to wonder why in that environment she would voluntarily get into a "hallway" confrontation. The pistol gives you the advantage of inflicting injury at a distance. Why get into close quarters when it is wiser to stay in a larger space waiting for an intruder? If she's in her bedroom, why not call 911 and wait, with a more secure 2-hand hold on her weapon? Is she thinking about house clearing? That's a job for pro's.
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Old April 1, 2013, 10:29 AM   #32
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TDI/Ka-Bar; CQB, tactics...

Im not Tactical Ted or a Ninja Master & do not espouse the "way of the Warrior" belief system but I have heard-read a few sources that say; "if you get into a knife fight you will get cut.

Id suggest a small, sharp Tanto type blade that can gash, cut, stab quickly.
The slick Ka-Bar TDI tanto comes to my mind.
The tall female could carry-deploy the pistol then in a CQB/point blank attack, pull out the TDI & use it.

If she has the space, $$$, etc she should practice these CQB tactics(gun & blade) with a CPR dummy or human size polymer-rubber training aid.
To "attack" milk jugs filled with red-guts like goo would show her how she'd react in a dynamic, high stress event.

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ps: Many, many years ago, as a young US Army MP, a E-6/SSG in my platoon told me about a call he had in Germany where a female family member killed her soldier husband with a large kitchen knife. The victim was laying(dead) at the top of the stairs/hall in a 6 story apt bldg. The MP Sgt told me the victim's blood(a lot of it) flowed all the way to the front door/first floor!
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Old April 1, 2013, 01:47 PM   #33
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A knife is really an experts tool. You need to be a skilled fighter to inflict a instant incapaciting wound. Stab someone in the gut or cut their arm and they may bleed out, eventually, but they will have a lot of fight in them. It is better than nothing but no way I'm going to tie up my left hand with one. If I carry something in my weak hand it will be a flashlight or spare mag.
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Old April 1, 2013, 04:56 PM   #34
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Seems like she is making things pretty complicated, It seems like it would be more effective to focus on the gun, shooting and not getting it taken away.

The most popular tactic for not getting a gun taken away in a close quarters fight is to use both hands and hold close to you, seems like a knife in the other hand would make this difficult.

I guess I am one of those keep it simple type of guys.
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Old April 1, 2013, 06:17 PM   #35
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I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I can agree that most people do not know how to properly use an edged “tool” for self-defense. I can also attest that one does not have to be a scholar in order to be effective with a knife.

Here is a link to a video that shows a man with a knife attacking multiple law enforcement officers (not sure of country of origin) who have firearms. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75RTkGbiJpk

I don’t think using a knife in one hand and a pistol in the other (simultaneously) is a good idea at all. Use one or the other but not both, unless you are using the knife as a retention tool for the firearm. I would advise some professional training.
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Old April 2, 2013, 12:25 PM   #36
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I actually teach and practice some techniques around this idea. I've been doing Martial Arts for 11 years and specialize in edged weapons.

I think what some people don't see is that having the knife is really just to assist in retention of the gun. This ISN'T a "knife fight", this isn't a situation to rely on the knife to kill your opponent. The knife is used to gain distance if the opponent reaches for the gun. Now, in the fashion I use it, the knife is in an "icepick" grip, edge in. This creates a hook with an edge that is mostly used to pry down and against the direction of the opponents wrist. Using downward pressure is easier for weaker opponents, and going against the skeletal structure is more important than the wound created by the edge. To be careful, the gun is swept down to angle it away from the opponent and put the knife forward. Gain some space and get the gun up. I include other techniques to cause more lethal wounds, but mostly for those who want to learn them. I also prefer to use knives that have a slim enough handle that they can be held while both hands are on the gun.

Again, there is the disclaimer. Pain doesn't always work for compliance, some people won't even notice a cut or stab until it's too late. Being that close to your opponent when you cut them increases your risk of contracting a blood born disease. Techniques like I talked about require some skill, which means practice, and no hesitation. Reaction time is important, having no reservations about using the knife is just as important. Using a knife is not like pulling a trigger, anything you scrape will be felt through the knife, so mindset is important. There is no perfect opponent who allows the technique to work right, there's a chance they will throw punched or low kicks, this is something to be dealt with.
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Old April 3, 2013, 05:25 AM   #37
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If she insists on having a knife, then suggest to her a knife designed for her intended purpose... of getting the bad guy to back the hell up so she can employ the firearm. Something like a Ka-Bar TDI or the Benchmade SOCP dagger.

The SOCP has a very thin handle that will not alter a two hand pistol grip by much. The pummel end is a ring that you put your index finger in and makes for a very secure grip with great difficulty in disarming. This may not be legal for carry in some states as it's a dagger (both edges sharpened). They also make a set that comes with the actual dagger and a metal trainer knife that fits in the sheath and could possibly work as a kubotan type weapon of it's own.
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