What are good self-defense knife options for those willing to carry up to a 16-inch fixed blade?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “16 inch knife“
About Samantha
Written by: Samantha
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What are good self-defense knife options for those willing to carry up to a 16-inch fixed blade?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “16 inch knife“
About Samantha
I would like to start by stating the best self defense knife might not be the best one for stealthily eliminating or provocateur applications. And a 16 inch is mighty big for the off chance that you might be caught slipping. Unless you’re sure something is going to happen in which case you should take the offense or catch them by surprise instead.
It really depends on where you live. In Western countries your brand names are Ontario, SOG, Kershaw, Cold Steel, CRKT and so on. You’re in Machete territory at 16 inch, here is the thing. You want the capability to sever limbs. A Katana for example is about 20 inch total, much longer than your specification but it has this capability because it’s sharp/heavy enough.
But you can still have good chopping capability at 16 inch if your blade is heavy/sharp enough. So your blade will first and foremost, have to be tip heavy; 5mm or thicker, 1.5 inch or more wide but tapers down in width towards the choil. Kind of like a Kukri but you don’t want it bent down at the handle (compromises on stabbing capability).
So the weight should be 1–1.5 lbs and the balance point should be almost at the middle or well ahead of the hilts. Good heft to swing with. As light as possible towards the handle so it doesn’t slow you down. Full tang though so the handle dont snap off. Friction tape on the handle.
Knives like this are made to chop wood so the steel will usually be tough, make sure it is. Carbon steel, 1095, AUS8 etc. The stronger stuff. You need it to be strong not because you’re chopping wood but because you will reprofile the blade.
Grind the edge at 30 to 25 degree angle, up to 20 degrees at the tip for penetration power. Round off the corner of the spine for less resistance but don’t sharpen the spine, it takes off too much weight.
If you want to take a shortcut into your shopping, check out the Ontario SP53, its 7mm thick 1.5 or so lb and 16 inch total.
There is good chopping knives at 16 inch range made punch through tough dead trees. But like I said you have to reprofile them. If the blade is pretty thick at the edge, you might have to grind at 20 degrees until you’re almost at an apex then form the apex at 30 degrees. The point is to streamline the cutting edge so it can chop into bones better. Even if the blade expands to 7mm thick at the spine, it will do that much easier if the cutting edge is streamlined.
Avoid knives like the BK9 that have the same blade width through out the length, avoid the ESEE Junglas etc. There is no need for blade width at the choil, waste of weight. Make it heavy as possible at the tip light as possible at the handle.
Aside from the choppers, look into the Schrade Little Ricky. It’s 14 inch overall, blade is a recurve 2.5 inch wide. That’s a big ass cut to get stabbed with. Sharpen the spine on this one too.
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The gun lovers are gonna hate this question. In this list are weapons that can take care of a threat better than a 44 mag within reach. Blades to give Dirty Harry nightmares and he knows he ain’t feeling lucky. No cocking chambers no aiming, just heads and arms falling off straight out of the sheath.
You got your penetrators and slashers but the choppers are really intriguing because you can mortally wound someone but chopping is what allows you to literally disarm a foe before he injures you.
And I guess that means you want something light and fast yet heavy and sharp enough to take an arm. I’m kind of torn up between the likes of the SP53 and the Hisshou. Can the Hisshou take off an arm or leg? Can the SP53 jump out the sheath and strike with perfect quickness and precision?
At 16 inch you probably want the heavy duty choppers. They can’t be that slow. Respect the amount of damage they can deal. But the speed of the Hisshou is more reassuring. If you could manage distance and catch him with a heavy blade with perfect timing, the SP might be the better. It’s all about surprise, or deterrence.
The Kukri gives you more momentum in a shorter package to fit on your side but less reach. Not a bad choice. If your tempted by the Bowie, it’s a different fighting style that I know less about. I don’t think it has anything in the SP.
You might look into a Gladius type of blade and see what you can do with that. It cuts deep and wide, the Little Ricky is a fine one. The daggers might be the ticket where body armor is being worn. Fascinating ideas.
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Alot of knife and self defense forums will tell you ‘whats the best knife for self defense? Biggest one you can grab’ well not literally. You cant strap a Samurai sword can you? If anything it’s easy for someone to shoot you and claim self defense if they know you have a machete like that. Because it would look like your crazy or up to no good to go through the trouble of strapping a machete on you. Normally people get a permit to protect themselves. So it can’t be visible and not just to a casual observer but to someone looking to kill you they will check you out first as a precaution for themselves.
Don’t get me wrong though cause with a big knife like that you have a decent chance even against someone who can’t shoot straight. Just a chance though most likely you will be shot pretty bad but still come away the survivor. Cops don’t have the ’21 foot rule’ for no reason 21 is flattering that’s way too far to be charging from and that’s with the element of surprise.
Now what ever you strap train with it practice makes perfect. I would choose a gun any day but the average man with a gun creeping up on a Spetsnaz or a SEAL with a big knife you be surprise how it ends.
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16″?? I hope you are ready to have lots of chats with the police, even in the off-chance the weapon is legal whereever you are.
Anything that large will more than suffice for self defense against ninja hordes or whatever you are trying to protect yourself from. Perhaps a large kukri or Bowie?
If you meant 6″, I think that a Tanto or Bowie style blade are by far the most effective at stopping an opponent. They have lots of weight relatively, and inflict large wounds. A stiletto blade would be my last choice, as although they can cause devastating wounds in the long term, they frequently don’t stop an opponent.
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Don’t carry a fixed blade it limits the options for how you dress. Instead, get a quality 4″ folding knife you can open with one hand. I prefer a clip point, non-serrated blade.
A 4″ blade is a reasonable length for self-defense and every day use and a folding blade fits easily into almost any pocket.
That being said, my hunting knife is a fixed, 4″ stainless steel blade with a full tang. Also, it only cost me $25. It’s strong, easily sharpened with a good stone and if I lose it, it’s no big deal. Despite being a cheap blade, it’s been used to but and skin several deer and holds it’s edge very well.
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I’m not a bloody expert on self defense knives simply because a knife for self defense is almost useless. But from what I know a 6″ knife will get the job done. I personally carry a general utility knife with a 4″ blade use it all the time but in a real emergency ( last possible defense) it will work. If in deed you plan on using a knife for that purpose I recommend you pay for professional training. I just prefer to carry it and hope like hell my pistol does not fail me.
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A 16 inch fixed blade weapon is a fucking sword; not a knife.
depending on the weapon, the blade, the cutting edge, etc all depends entirely on how you plan on fighting with it.
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Well, for self-defense I generally go smaller blades, but if I had to chose a 16-inch fixed blade it would probably be the Schrade SCHMBS 16″ Priscilla Bush Knife. Sort of a Filipino-style feel to it, much better construction than most machetes, and very affordable. It will definitely take a limb off an attacker with ease.
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A good self defense for anyone looking to carry a 16” blade would start at the psychiatrist.
Unless you are cutting cane you don’t need a short sword.
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If you want to carry a big blade, I’d suggest you learn how to use it first. Games Keating has an excellent video series on big blade techniques.
You really should address these things before you ask what blade to carry. If you are trained in knife combat, you probably won’t need to ask people on Quora what knife to buy as you will know what you are looking for.
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As strictly a weapon it’s hard to beat a Fairbairn/Sykes. Get a genuine issued william rodgers if your wallet allows a handmade Joseph Rodgers find both at sheffeild Collectables Eddington Group
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“Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight”
Honestly, what do you expect to accomplish by carrying a 16″ bladed knife for self defense?
99.98% of people who attack you with a weapon will have a firearm, so you will have a knife in that 1 in a million time when you get attacked with a knife!
You were sooooo smart! …wait…
I’m not TRYING to hurt your feelings, but do you seriously think a 16″ bladed weapon will help you in a CCW scenario?
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I do like the choppers a had seen several videos on liveleak of people getting hacked on with machetes now a machete is usually flexible not too heavy and dull used to knock down twigs totally not what I’m talking about. They get hit again and again with one of these types and no arms or heads are falling off.
I have also seen sword executions where the head comes clean off. Sword is alot heavier and sharper. Thats what you want to go for. The CRKT Hisshou lives alot to be desired by way of momentum. Its 18 inch long too long to carry around concealed and its just over 1lb. There are way heavier blades at 16 inch and shorter.
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16 inches is pretty big, especially if you are only counting the blade.
Few Bowies are that big (generally they are 9″ to 11″) and large traditional tanto are usually 11″ to 13″.
That is about a mid-sized barong or bolo.
To carry something that large you’d likely need a custom concealment sheath made for it. The sheaths that come with knives generally are not made for concealment.
If you really want something large, and staying within manufactured brand names that will be relatively easy to find, my suggestion would be one of the Cold Steel Bowies.
The odds are that you’ll carry it a few times and then switch to a pocketknife or small fixed blade.
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