Self defense knives VS Pepper spray?

**gizmo16** · 05-09-2008, 10:44

I am still considering what to carry on my weak side. In the interim I am carrying a Sabre Red Pepper spray which I have already unwittingly tested on myself, pretty potent.

As far as I can see the pepper spray has the advantage of being non lethal, and pulling it out in a situation should be a lot more justifiable in court ? Also I guy will be in a pretty hard place to try and shoot me with my own gun if he manages to wrestle it from me, if I have got him a good zap of the stuff in his face with my weak hand. It is also useful to take with me when I walk the dog, as I am pretty comfortable with spraying the rubbish out of a dog, but the idea of knifing an animal a few thousand times does not seem exciting to me.

Main advantage of a knife? I'm guessing that its the fact that it will pretty much always work.. Also you don't have to fumble with safeties (like you do with the pepper spray). Even if you forget your training its pretty easy to remember to try get the pointy side into the other guy. The disadvantage is that I am sure its going to be harder to justify ripping on the knife on your aunt when she grabs you from behind. She might just laugh if its pepper spray. Knife not so much.

Also knife has the advantage to act when I am confronted by a vicious piece of delicious biltong when I am unprepared.

I know an obvious solution might be to carry both. But I don't want too many choices to confuse my fragile mind when something arises. The idea of escalating from spray, then knife to firearm does not sit well with me. My brain is hurting as it is.

What you guys think? What am I not considering here - already learned a lot from the extra mags post.. so I'm all about getting the facts.

Thanks.

**Thorkind** · 05-09-2008, 11:17

They both have their place in the use of force continuum which I'm sure the BTDT boys on here can explain in more detail. Personally, if I carry any more gear on me right now, I'll be walking like an astronaut in a full space suit. With a knife, you do have a more versatile weapon ie. you don't necessarily have to open a folding knife. You can just use it as a blunt force weapon if necessary. I would suggest doing a tactical/defensive knife course and then making up your mind.

**Geoff Carter** · 05-09-2008, 11:59

Good advise Thorkind! Get training for everything you carry so that you can understand when, where & how to use a specific item.

Personally I prefer a knife but Pepper spray has a valid place in your defensive tools.

**SSP** · 05-09-2008, 12:03

Carry both! After you have shived the Bi*ch you can spray pepper spray into his wounds!

**Musgrave** · 05-09-2008, 12:09

Psycho. ;D lv29

**SSP** · 05-09-2008, 12:16

No really. Carry both, especially if you don't have a gun. As Thorkind says, they will give you escalation options.

**Geoff Carter** · 05-09-2008, 12:18

A lady I know (who shall remain nameless) says that the best time to use Pepper spray is when the BG is cuffed & lying on the ground. Step on his nuts & when he screams spray it down his throat! hpy194

**Corné** · 05-09-2008, 12:48

What a lot of people do not undestand is that effective use of pepper spray involves a bit of training and understanding the difference between Direct Stream and Spray. There are limitations to pepper spray (and to a knife and to a firearm) and you need to know what they are and thus know how to work around it.

Yes Pepper Spray has a valuable place in the food chain of your defencive system and if you are not carrying a firearm, I would suggest to make the effort to carry both the knife and the pepper spray.

In general I do not carry pepper spray as Glock + Extra Mag + Two Knifes + Surefire + Wallet + Swiss Army Knife + Cell Phone + Key's is as much as I can handle without looking like some crazed gizmo maniac....

**Musgrave** · 05-09-2008, 13:31

Mmm..one of my mates started to refer to my sleeveless jacket as "The Battlejacket" after seeing all the gear I lug around - it reminded him of the battlejackets we wore in the army...

Would make an interesting thread: How do you carry all yer sh@#& around...

**ikor** · 06-09-2008, 01:35

I am treading here on unfamilar ground, so someone please correct me if I 'assume' something that is wrong. We all know it is bad to 'assume' but sometimes it is necessary for brevity's sake.

In my state, (Florida) we were for many years required (as some in certain other states still are) to make an attempt to retreat from danger outside the home (which has always been sacrosanct) if such could be done safely. Who decided that? You guessed it...the courts...AFTER the fact. For that reason, many carried the old CS spray and later OC Pepper...mainly to demonstrate that you did not just have only a single 'lethal option' available if the situation called for less than lethal force...to be able to show that you were willing to 'escalate' if you possibly could, before 'going to guns'.

As a retired cop, I am allowed very free choice in what I carry but non LEOs not so much. I have no idea where...if at all...it might fall on SA's scale of 'force options' but I often carry a 'flat sap'...called a 'slapjack' by some. They slip nicely into a pocket if not too long, and I can guarantee a hard strike on the point of the chin, or the side of the temple will almost always put a guy to sleep for a while...certainly it will disorient him. I have no idea if they make these in SA. They do make junk copies in China, but they are not nearly like the real thing. Here, Boston Leather makes the best I have found these days. They are not expensive and are effective...but, as with all impact tools, you must be within arms reach of the bad guy.

We won't even get into Tasers I think, but if you have ever 'ridden the lightening' you will have a huge respect for them. Again, I have zero idea of where the technology falls on SA's force continum...here we place pepper and the Taser below striking with a baton due to the lesser chance of permenant injury, etc.

I can hardly get torches, CR123 batteries and blades over to my friends as gifts...I'm not sure I would even wanna TRY a Taser...but they DO work. ;D

Boston Leather...

http://www.bostonleather.com/UMSS.cf...Do&category=24