Best Type of Switchblade

[Geronimo!]

I live in a college town that has seen a rise in muggings and as a result, I am looking to buy a switchblade I can carry as self-defense.

Does anyone have any experience with a particular type of switchblade? What is the best value switchblade on the market?

[crashdive123]

Please do not take offense at what I'm about to say, as it is only my opinion. IMO carrying a switch blade knife for self defense is not a good idea. Several have said in other threads that nobody wins in a knife fight. Unless you are well versed in the use of a knife as a fighting weapon, you may stand a good chance of somebody taking it away from you and turning you into a popsicle. .....and never ever bring a knife to a gun fight.

[Pict]

Switchblades are legal in Brazil and sold commonly. I own one but don't carry it. My EDC Spyderco Endura is far more knife and I can get it open quicker. Mac

[Ole WV Coot]

Can you spell illegal? They are in any state I can think of. Any you may buy are usually a piece of junk. If you are a college student go out with friends, learn to defend yourself legally. I have been around a few years and you learn awareness, where you go and what you might do. You should have two arms, hands, legs and teeth and they should serve you well. It ain't the size of the dog, it's the fight in him and no "mugger" wants a scuffle, he just wants your loot and scoots. Besides it don't get cold enough in jail to have a "bunk buddy" which you will if you use a deadly weapon. My personal opinion and I don't believe even at my tender age a mugger could take me.

[Geronimo!]

You should have two arms, hands, legs and teeth and they should serve you well. It ain't the size of the dog, it's the fight in him and no "mugger" wants a scuffle, he just wants your loot and scoots.

Agreed, but a small dog with a lot of fight is no match for pack of dogs. Arms, hands, legs, and teeth vs. 3x(arms, hands, legs, and teeth.)

[Pal334]

I agree with Crash and Ole Coot. And would offer this also, since you are young, would it be worth "damaging" the rest of your life by getting caught with a switchblade in your pocket? By no means am I suggesting that you surrender your right of self defense, just seek a legal method, do some research, pepper spray etc. And never be too proud to use the old "shoe leather express" to escape if the odds don't look good.

[old soldier]

illegal here, but 80% of the people in a knife fight die. get some mace wiich is also illegal here.
they would surely be illegal on your campus.

[nell67]

switchblades are illegal as heck here in the hoosier state.

[Sourdough]

What is the world coming to, when college students have something to steal.

Time to bump up the cost of books, housing, pop'tarts.

What, you got a car also.....? The rich students had bikes back in the 60's.

[SARKY]

Get yourself some of the 10% capsacasin (pepper) spray. get the biggest container of it that you can handle. Personally .... I would rather have bearspray to use on the basturds. Also if you get pepper spray try to get one with the dye incorporated into it. This is a UV dye that only shows up under black light and is quite permenant so it will be easy to identify your assailant.

[SARKY]

Just got a flash... are these muggings done with a firearm, strongarm, knife or some other weapon? If it a gun, don't attempt to use pepper spray on them as they will probably start shooting randomly. if it is a contact weapon, nail them with the spray and get the hell out of dodge!

[RunsWithDeer]

Geronimo, as others have said, a knife for self defense is not a good idea, and switchblades in the US are illegal to carry. Go with pepper spray.

[Sourdough]

Join the track team, and run, baby run.

If he has a knife, I want dress sock's with two rolls of pennies. You want my money, you talking to "Me". Here is my money. Bonk, Bonk, Bonk. You want some more money A$$'hole.......Boinnk, Boink, Kerthunk....?

[Tracker]

maybe he doesnt know what a swichblade is i had a friend try to convince me that my regular spring knife was illegal...

[Sarge47]

...sounds like James Dean all over again. Uh,Geronimo, did you ever hear of a switchblade accidently opening up in your pocket while it was pointed in the direction of your groin? If you're not yanking our chain then my advice is forget about it. Recently, on the University campus where I drive buses, we had an incident last spring where a student was jumped by 3 guys at a party. He whipped out a blade and slashed away, then beat feet outta there. There were squad cars from 4 different law enforcement groups, local PD, Sheriff, State police, & University cops, all scouring the neighborhood for this guy. When they finally caught him they'd found that he'd been beaten by the rest of the guys at the party to within an inch of his life for pulling a knife in the 1st place. The security guy on my bus, (it was a "late-night Drunk Route") told me he'd never seen someone that bad off before, & he'd seen a lot. I think you're someone headed for trouble & would advise you to forget about it altogether. Listen to the more wiser heads here.

[vegasrandall]

a cane,umbrella,handfull of change in a sock,big can of beans in your backpack.you can beat the living crap out of a mugger with any of them and the law really can't call any of them a dangerous weapon. IMPROVISE!!!

[Tony uk]

Such a bad method of defense mate. A little knife against what, a handgun ?

Personaly, I would just give them what they want. I dont normally carry that much cash and i would be a hell of alot more open to giveing them it than spending time in hospital.

[RBB]

As said above - get some mace. Even if it's illegal where you live - people just don't view mace the same way they view knives.

But back to your question - best switchblade I've ever seen - an old fisherman up in Alaska had one with a wood handle, blade on one end, splicing fid on the other. Strictly a working tool - it looked nothing like a stiletto, with a big wide cutting blade and fairly blunt point. I believe it was home-made, and was a switchblade so you could open the knife one handed during a storm when you needed the other hand to hold on to something for dear life.

[Geronimo!]

...sounds like James Dean all over again. Uh,Geronimo, did you ever hear of a switchblade accidently opening up in your pocket while it was pointed in the direction of your groin? If you're not yanking our chain then my advice is forget about it. Recently, on the University campus where I drive buses, we had an incident last spring where a student was jumped by 3 guys at a party. He whipped out a blade and slashed away, then beat feet outta there. There were squad cars from 4 different law enforcement groups, local PD, Sheriff, State police, & University cops, all scouring the neighborhood for this guy. When they finally caught him they'd found that he'd been beaten by the rest of the guys at the party to within an inch of his life for pulling a knife in the 1st place. The security guy on my bus, (it was a "late-night Drunk Route") told me he'd never seen someone that bad off before, & he'd seen a lot. I think you're someone headed for trouble & would advise you to forget about it altogether. Listen to the more wiser heads here.

I didn't realize switchblades were illegal. Thanks for the advice guys. Just a little jumpy after a friend of mine got jacked the other night.

Sarge, are you at WIU?

[Geronimo!]

Not realizing that switchblades were illegal, I guess my real question was then, what's the best way to defend yourself from a gang of muggers. A can of mace and can of beans in the backpack with some rolls of pennies in my socks sounds like the best bet.

My original theory was to get a knife that was easy to open to scare off an attacker. While in Chicago over summer I saw a guy get mugged, he pulled out the knife to gain some space then made a run for it. It's a different story in this town.

I don't think (hope) anyone in my college is gonna mug someone with a handgun, but then again, crazier things have happened (guy streaking down street on drugs arrested then defecated in a squad car.) Most people that have been mugged here have had a car stop next to them, guys run out, clean the victim out, then drive off. Unbelievable considering we've got university, city, and state police in one town.