Kershaw, Gerber, SOG, Handtools
Free Engraving SpecialOkay, Wirecutter beat me to this (as well he should, he had plenty of time off), and he covered the Knuckledragger point of view very well on his Two Point Enterprise post. So it's time for the Feminine Perspective. I just felt a collective shudder in the blogosphere as you dudes contemplated your women sporting these knives... bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha! ~snort~
I don't like to speak in sweeping, generic terms, but the majority of women I know do not have a clue about knives. We are intimidated, almost even more so than by guns, and we need help getting over this. I know a lot of "marketing" for women includes cotton-candy pink handles on knives and grips on guns. Seriously?! You think that's going to make it better? Any woman that chooses a pink-handled weapon isn't serious, won't take training seriously, and is more likely to throw the pink pussy/weapon at her attacker than use it to do damage. Women, love yourselves enough to take this seriously. Men, love your women enough to work with them, getting them at the very least comfortable with the weapons in your arsenal. It is my strongest belief that the absolute worst time to pick up a gun or knife for the first time is when you're fighting for your life.
Ladies, go to these sites, browse, study, pick out a few that you might feel comfortable handling, and give them a call. They have real, live, Americans manning the phones willing to answer your questions. And don't give me the "I don't want to ask a stupid question" excuse. There are no stupid questions, and these guys take what they do seriously. They will take you seriously.
Gentlemen, please, consider this as important for your woman as it is for you. You don't have to train her to the point of Ninja Knife Master, just get her to a place of comfort. And if she has her own toys, she'll leave yours alone.
The links are here and, until the first of the year, I'm moving them up to the top of the right column.
http://www.kershaw-knives.net/
http://www.gerber-tools.com/
http://www.sog-knives.net/
http://www.hand-tools.com/
"Gentlemen, please, consider this as important for your woman as it is for you."
ReplyDeleteOh, I do. Very much so.
A Gerber multi-tool is an absolute necessity. I've carried one for years (not the same one, probably on my tenth, keep losing them) and I would rather forget my cellphone than my Gerber. I'd suggest going to a sporting goods store and playing with a few to see which one you like best. Gerber also makes some excellent knives.
ReplyDeleteAs for knives, I've never owned a SOG so I can't say anything about them. I've owned several Buck's though and I can't praise them enough. Ask WC, I think he's a pretty big fan. The Old Timer is an excellent work knife, and the high carbon steel blades hold an edge forever. Might want to look into CRKT also. They've got some really nifty stuff. Boker is really nice too. I just love that Solingen steel.
Main thing is, don't limit yourself to just one knife. Try out a few, find the ones you like most and carry them. Different knives serve different purposes. I carry a Kershaw 1660CKT, my grandpa's Schrade 3 blade Old Timer and a CRKT M16 Z on a daily basis, in addition to my Gerber stainless Diesel.
[quote]I know a lot of "marketing" for women includes cotton-candy pink handles on knives and grips on guns. Seriously?! You think that's going to make it better? Any woman that chooses a pink-handled weapon isn't serious, won't take training seriously, and is more likely to throw the pink pussy/weapon at her attacker than use it to do damage.[/quote]
ReplyDeleteI couldn't disagree with you more.
A pink knife will injure an attack just as well as a black one, just as well as a green one.
So if a pink handled knife is what it takes for a woman to take her own self defense seriously enough to carry a knife on her at all times, I'm ALL for it. Hell, I'd feel silly carrying a Hello Kitty .45, but it will poke a hole in a bad guy just as well as any other .45 hand gun.
Like many things in life - the outside is not what counts. It's what is inside that matters most.
My own personal knife is a spring assist M-Tech pocket knife, gray handled, and is specially arranged for left handed action ( I'm left handed ). I live in a state where CCW is almost nonexistent - so carrying a knife is my only option for personal defense. When I'm jogging, in the grocery store, or like now, at my office desk...I'm armed.
Whether that knife is black or gray or hot pink does not matter. It only matters that I am armed, and I know how to use it.
This is why I hate speaking in broad generic terms. But I'm guessing you're the exception rather than the rule. Most of the women of my acquaintance are not as open and practiced as you are.
ReplyDeleteYour last line was the point I was trying to make. Practice, work with it, get comfortable. If a woman picks a pink handled anything as an "accessory" rather than a weapon, you've got problems.
It's amazing to me that most women can swing a kinfe around in a kitchen with a skill that'll put your average ninja to shame, yet they fumble with a pocket or sheath knife.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about mindset, just like anything else.
That is an excellent point, Wiser. Had never thought about it - until right now. Thank you.
ReplyDelete