Best Self Defense Knife for your Wife/Daughter/Girlfriend,etc

joel said:

Was designed for women, undercover cops and men in areas where guns are illegal.
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I went back to check and according to Sal Glesser, it was built primarly to be used by women for self-defense. Most of the @ 1500 initial run went to South Africa, where Bruce Wentzel was teaching a self defense course which incorporated the knife. The name of the knife alone could be construed as a testament to the thinking behind the intended audience.

Yes, over the years some LEO personnel have adopted the knife, but the intent of its origin is pertinent to the original thread topic.

Regardless, the Matriarch seems to be one helluva self weapon for anyone.

TimmyBoston said:

I've found one, but it's much more than I wanted (and really have to spend ). Joel, I really appreciate your recommendation, I think it's awesome, but I'm very worried that it's too large for my gf. She has very small hands and I think that would be huge for her. I've been looking at this one too.

The Spyderco Salt Tasman
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It's available in plain edge and Spyder-Edge. Which do you think would be better for this purpose.

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Spyderedge... always. It ads 30% more cutting area when you get it serrated and will pop right through leather, parkas, etc.

I'd still go matriarch over the Tasman - as the tasman isn't designed for self-defense (blade profile, grind, etc) and wouldn't be as effective. How much do you want to spend? How much were the matriarchs going for?

SWMBO carries a small Case knife. She prefers her Makarov with Hornady JHP/XTPs and 2 spare magazines. She's well trained.

Better yet, where can you buy one period? New, that is. AFAIK, the Matriarch is long gone.

joel said:

Spyderedge... always. It ads 30% more cutting area when you get it serrated and will pop right through leather, parkas, etc.

I'd still go matriarch over the Tasman - as the tasman isn't designed for self-defense (blade profile, grind, etc) and wouldn't be as effective. How much do you want to spend? How much were the matriarchs going for?

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I've tracked down a Matriarch for $180, I was really hoping to keep it under $100. But Clean's right, the Matriarch's have been discontinued for a few years and just finding one at all is pretty damn hard.

grb said:

Unfortunately, without proper training, a weapon such as a knife in a woman's hands is likely to get taken away from and then used against her. If you are truly concerned about your wife or girlfriend, I think pepper spray is a much better choice. Stops the attack long enough to get away and run. Just my $.02...

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Absolutely. I've taught my fiance some self defense, but she doesn't take it seriously.

She does, however, take her pepper spray seriously.

Weapons (like knives) are more like to to be taken and used against her rather than to be of much help. Just to parrot what others have already said.

Do whatever it takes to be able to get the heck out of there as fast as possible. Pepper spray is a good means to this end, and is much easier to learn to use than self defense techniques, much less wielding a weapon like a knife.

Cliff's notes: +1

TimmyBoston said:

I've tracked down a Matriarch for $180, I was really hoping to keep it under $100. But Clean's right, the Matriarch's have been discontinued for a few years and just finding one at all is pretty damn hard.

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Is that $180 for a NIB? That is about what I read that they were going for ($175), but I didn't find one with a quick gOOgle check. I share your price point for an EDC. And was mentioned, luckily there are a lot of nice knives out there to fill that market. Unfortunately, the Matriarch is not one of them.

The keychain size of Fox Labs Mean Green Pepper Spray arrived today (thanks for the tip guys) But I've got a question about it: There is a safety, but it is easy to know it off and push the plunger down, and so my girlfriend is quite worried about it getting knocked around and going off in her purse, is a way to get a cap or anything for this thing to prevent accidental discharge.

Here's a link to the product I purchased.

http://www.defensedevices.com/mean-green-training-kit-1.html

TimmyBoston said:

The keychain size of Fox Labs Mean Green Pepper Spray arrived today (thanks for the tip guys) But I've got a question about it: There is a safety, but it is easy to know it off and push the plunger down, and so my girlfriend is quite worried about it getting knocked around and going off in her purse, is a way to get a cap or anything for this thing to prevent accidental discharge.

Here's a link to the product I purchased.

http://www.defensedevices.com/mean-green-training-kit-1.html

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Is the safety the type that you have to twist to remove? Most like that while easy to maneuver with your fingers aren't likely to move on their own or in a purse.

SlagleRock said:

Is the safety the type that you have to twist to remove? Most like that while easy to maneuver with your fingers aren't likely to move on their own or in a purse.

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The safety is one where you twist and then push down to fire the spray. It really does move pretty easy. Honestly much easier than I expected it to move. Which I'm glad you could deploy it easily when needed, but I know she'd be a wreck if it went off unexpectedly.

TimmyBoston said:

The safety is one where you twist and then push down to fire the spray. It really does move pretty easy. Honestly much easier than I expected it to move. Which I'm glad you could deploy it easily when needed, but I know she'd be a wreck if it went off unexpectedly.

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That is the type my wife has in her purse (and both cars). All of hers are simple to activate, but when you shake them or rattle them they won't twist on their own. Try that, if it doesn't move when jarred around it should be fine.

SlagleRock said:

That is the type my wife has in her purse (and both cars).

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Rob, you know about Indy weather, is it okay to keep a spray in the car here? I really, really, really don't want to the damn thing to explode because of the heat on a hot summer day.

knives for self defense from someone who has actually been in a knife fight:

http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/knifefighting.html

note: graphic language. not nearly as graphic as what can happen with an edged weapon, however.

I've kept a can in my car during Chicago summers--pretty intense heat, but it never cooked off.