Stick vs. Knife

Yesterday I commented on the disadvantages of carrying a knife as a primary weapon, and relying on a knife system for self-defense. Yet I have carried a knife and doubtless will do so in the future.

There is yet a third option in the stick vs. knife debate –carry both. If you carry a knife and a stick, the knife is accessible when your stick is not. Suppose you are seated, or in a car, or have left your walking stick at the door; in these scenarios your knife is accessible, and you can wield it as a yawara (palm stick) if the situation calls for it.

You can wield the stick and use the knife if someone tackles you, and that someone could be a second opponent that you didn’t see. If you are fighting multiple opponents, the stick serves to keep them at a distance, and the knife is an emergency last measure. Again, this should be a do-or-die scenario, not arguing over who cut in line at Wendy’s.

If you have a stick, having the knife visible can serve as a deterrent to someone charging in, which you can expect as a typical strategy/technique. If your opponent knows he can’t counter your stick at a distance, and sees that things only get more dangerous if he closes, he make think twice about assaulting you.