We’ve done a few EDC articles in the past where we covered the basics. Those basics typically included: a knife, handgun, and light. In this article we’re going to discuss the importance of always carrying a blade, knowing how to strike with the blade, and where to strike. Again, as with most things EDC, the blade carried will differ from person to person. Some carry tactical folding blades, some carry the simple swiss army knife, and there are those who carry a concealed fixed blade.

Folding knife or fixed blade?

The folding knife is by far the most popular. They come in many different designs and sizes. Growing up my dad always had his Swiss Army Executive knife on him whether he was wearing a suit, or pair of jeans. He used it for everything from opening envelopes and boxes, to stripping insulation off wires when working on electronics, and occasionally picking locks using on of the available blades on the knife that he modified. When I was in the Marine Corps, I always had my Gerber Gator folding knife on my belt and used it for anything and everything while out in the field, or on deployments. Now as a civilian, I’ve been using Emerson Knives for the past several years. For a long time it was the Emerson CQC7, but have recently transitioned over to the Emerson Knives CQC10. In my honest opinion, the CQC10 is Emerson’s best blade design. As with all Emerson knives they have found a great combination between: blade designs, outstanding ergonomics, wave opening feature, making them one of the best all around blades for daily tasks, as well as a ‘weapon’ to defend yourself with.

The fixed-blade has some key advantages over the folding knife. First and foremost, you don’t have to worry about deploying the blade so it’s always ready. Secondly, with a solid full tang fixed blade there is no worry of a lock failure, or the knife closing on your hand. On occasion I carry a concealed fixed blade inside the waistband. The blade I currently own and carry is the Joe Watson Small Bowie with a custom inside the waistband sheath made by Tracker Dan. The Joe Watson blades can be on the expensive side, but there are some affordable options if you search around. If you’re wanting to try out carrying a fixed blade, but don’t want to spend the money on a Joe Watson knife, take a look at the following off the shelf concealable fixed blade knives: SOG Mini Pentagon, Cold Steel Braveheart, or the Spartan Blades Enyo. Combine any one of those with a custom sheath from Blade Rigs, and you have an outstanding blade ready to defend your life with. Check out the following video to see the advantages of incorporating a fixed blade into your everyday carry.

Another option you have is a combination of the two. You could carry a concealed fixed blade for defensive use only and have a smaller folding knife in your pocket for the day-to-day tasks. In an office environment pulling out a fixed blade can be intimidating to those around you, so having that folding knife as your go to knife for daily tasks may be the way to go.

How to strike with a blade and where to strike

In the book ‘100 Deadly Skills‘ Clint Emerson discusses the importance of knowing how to use a knife as a weapon. Many people carry knives for everyday carry and as a defensive weapon, but don’t have the necessary training and skills to effectively employ it as a weapon. Clint Emerson gives us a quick down and dirty lesson covering the knife grip, angles of attack, and most effective cut points. These three principles all remain the same whether you’re using a folding knife or fixed blade.

One of my favorite movies is, ‘The Hunted’. In that movie one of the main characters is a former Special Operations soldier who now lives and survives in the wilderness using only a blade. One of the scenes in the movie covers the knife training he goes through in order to learn how to most effectively defeat any adversary quickly and quietly. Enjoy.

This article was originally published on the Loadout Room and written by Scott Witner