Fight like a girl: It’s a knife kind of day

March 7th, 2012 ·BOLO Report Admin·Basic Tactics, Fight Like a Girl, Op-Ed·14Comments

The BOLO Report will be running a weekly column written by female professionals of various kinds (tactical officers, patrol officers, defensive tactics instructors, military personnel of various backgrounds, etc.) The decision to do so began (not a joke) after it occurred to a couple of our male staffers that a couple of our female staffers are among the most well trained and dangerous peers they have. If you’re interested in writing for Fight Like a Girl (or for BOLO Report in general) then drop us a line at admin@boloreport.com.

Be careful out there boys and girls, they’ll damn sure try to kill you.

Fight Like a Girl: It’s a Knife Kind of Day

I used to work in an outdoor gear store that sold knives and I became particularly fond of a piece by William Henry. It had a carbon fiber handle that fit my hand well, and a blade that was razor sharp. The shape of the blade was a little bit wider than normal. It could cut me out of most anything I’d get myself in to and spread peanut butter when I was camping. My knife priorities have changed slightly over the last 14 years and I no longer mix business and pleasure in the same knife. If you did a survey of carry knives on an average Police Department, you would find every shape and size, automatic, spring assist, and fixed blade, but the most popular option would be the tactical black with gun manufacturer logo that they bought for $29.99 at a local uniform store. One thing that amazes me is the majority of pocket knives that cops carry have to be turned around before they can be opened. What sense does that make? That’s okay if it is the knife you use as a tool, or for spreading peanut butter, but it is unacceptable if it is the knife you will go to when your pistol is out of play. You wouldn’t use a holster that secured your pistol upside down, or carry a pistol that had a safety on muzzle end of the slide that you had to disengage before you could grip and shoot, so why carry a knife that does not truly fit the task at hand?

BOLO Report: Are you ready if it becomes a knife kind of day?

Consider: Your knife has become your primary weapon and you have two to choose from. The first option is the uniform store knife that you paid $29.99 for and last week you used it to tighten a screw on your holster and broke off the tip. The week before that, the roads were icy at work and you messed up your bumper, so you used your knife to cut off the piece of plastic that was rubbing against your tire so you could limp it back to your station. Knife number two clips to your pocket in the proper orientation so that when it is drawn, it is facing the right direction, and you can open it without any conscious thought. Either the blade opens upon the draw, or the opening mechanism is oriented where your finger naturally lies, and it is deployed as naturally as blinking or sneezing. The only thing you have used the second knife for is to cut a notch in the end of a few cigars, it is intact, and sharp. I would prefer the second knife, so I make sure I have one, sometimes two, of those handy (both on duty and off).

I carry an Emerson Commander for my work knife because it has that little hook, ‘Wave feature’, on the back side of the blade. All you have to do is pull it out of your pocket and it is open, properly oriented, and ready to go. Knives are for cutting. Do you use your pistol as a hammer, or your rifle as a crowbar? I didn’t think so. If it’s a knife kind of fight, you’ve only got your blade and your Kung-Fu grip to fall back on, so don’t you want a knife that is about the fight? Have you tried getting your knife into play with gloves on or under stress? Whatever you carry, make sure it works for you and isn’t just cool, or it was cheap. It is a primary weapon that may save your life and it should be simple to deploy.

Kim Heath

Kim Heath, a contributing editor here at BOLO Report, is a veteran law enforcement officer from Illinois. She is a firearms instructor for her department and the Women’s Tactical Association (WTA), a fiercely competitive shooter (such as at the NPRC) and the Vice-President of the Women’s Tactical Association. A backpacker and outdoorswoman from way back, she is very hard on her gear – which is why BOLO Report sends her stuff to try and break. You can contact here or via the Women’s Tactical Association.

BOLO Report Contributing Editor Kim Heath

The Personal Defense Network Spring Training Tour

Announcing the Personal Defense Network Spring Training Tour...
View More →
Police Tactical Clothing Sales Picks Up Military Slack

Reprinted with permission of Predator Intelligence. IBIS World,...
View More →
Homicide: Real Life on their Real Beat

HOMICIDE DETECTIVES (by “Little Nessie”) … “No...
View More →

13Comments

Reply

Sure ShotMarch 7, 2012 at 12:50 pm

Great article, Kim!
Reply

Karen BartuchMarch 7, 2012 at 1:22 pm

Great blog Kim! I totally have used my knives for random things like you mentioned and also for squad-car manicures when sitting on scenes, etc. You forgot to mention not to leave your knife in your backpack when boarding a plane, the TSA do not have a sense of humor about that…LOL Great job KIM!
- Reply
  
  DorjiMarch 15, 2012 at 10:03 pm
  
  I have owned Buck knives for years, and they are letruy great. The Buck 290PLT is a very convenient knife, which is small and portabe to be carried around in your pocket daily. It’s construction is super and great to look at as well. All my freinds are impressed when I show it to them. I would also recommend buying the sharpening stone and oil as it makes good sense to look after your investment, and its prolongs the life of your knife. Hands down, the best small knife money can buy.!!!!!!
Reply

Kelly BlackMarch 7, 2012 at 9:30 pm

Great post! My husband carries an Emerson knife, too, and has for many years. I was just looking at one for me, too. I need to get back to that….
Reply

BrianMarch 8, 2012 at 2:09 pm

Great article, that was the same knife I carried when I worked the road. I carried several knives over my career (22 years) and none of them were under $100.00 because you get what you pay for and I was also of the school that I wanted that tool to save my life if needed. Again, nice article and something more police officers should think about.
Reply

Fight Like a Girl « Soldier SystemsMarch 14, 2012 at 5:15 pm

[...] Read the articles on BOLO Report. [...]
Reply

Ben BranamMarch 14, 2012 at 9:11 pm

I love my Emerson for that very reason. It comes out of my pocket open. Sadly I bought mine back in 2003 and after 9 years of everyday carry and 3 tours of duty in Iraq it has worn out. I just cant see breaking down and buying another one for the price they want. ($300). I bought mine for $79 and I thought that was really expensive at the time.

I now carry a CRKT that will open the same way. It’s a beautiful blade and design, but doesn’t carry as well in my pocket. But it is $230 cheaper, so I can life with that so I can buy more ammo.
- Reply
  
  KimMarch 15, 2012 at 12:50 am
  
  Which CRKT do you have?
Reply

LaraMarch 15, 2012 at 3:04 pm

This is actually very unlecar. It is illegal to carry any fixed-blade knife concealed on your person. The question whether a knife carried in a backpack is concealed on the person has been the subject of some debate in the legal defense community, and the law that is out there, concerning concealed firearms, is not good. A firearm has been found to be concealed on the person if carried in a purse or brief case, and a backpack is not that different. Some defense attorneys think it is different enough to be lawful, but their view will not prevent your arrest.It is, however, lawful to carry a fixed-blade knife in a belt sheath, so long as the sheath is fully visible. Until the law is clarified, that would be my recommendation. (It is also lawful to have the knife in the trunk.)This is based upon state law, there may be some local ordinances on the subject, which may or may not be enforceable.
Reply

TareqMarch 15, 2012 at 3:51 pm

Purchased this product ueacbse of seat belt cutter,and emergency glass breaker.Was going to keep this knife in truck for emergency purposes.When I recieved this knife,the blade would not lock into place.So if you used the knife,it could fold downward and cut youre finger.Very poor quality control.I contacted the seller and the other knives had the same problem that were in stock.It seems that you need to pull the blade upward after extension,to lock the blade in.Good quality knives do not have this issue!Please be careful if you purchase this product.Another china misfit MFG.!Seems that the seller of this product recieves shipment of this product from China without ANY inspection of quality control,prior to selling to the consumer!I guess when I saw the wording (Law Enforcement)on the product site,that I was getting a safe quality knife.I am waiting for a full refund,and cost of return shipping from seller!
Reply

LukeMarch 15, 2012 at 10:38 pm

I must tell you your webpage is truly valuable. Useful content and awesome design you got here! More power to you!
Reply

free ipad scamMarch 16, 2012 at 2:28 am

Hello. remarkable job. I did not anticipate this. This is a excellent story. Thanks!
Reply

win ipad 2March 16, 2012 at 2:57 am

I have been reading out some of your stories and it’s pretty good stuff. I will make sure to bookmark your website.

The Bolo Report

Basic Tactics · Fight Like a Girl · Op-Ed

Fight like a girl: It’s a knife kind of day

Related Posts

The Personal Defense Network Spring Training Tour

Police Tactical Clothing Sales Picks Up Military Slack

Homicide: Real Life on their Real Beat

13Comments