Looking for an anniversary present
 

Gentlemen and knife gurus,

I have a conundrum on my hands. I am currently on a search for an edged tool for my wife who recently deployed with 525 BfSB to a wonderful little FOB in SE Afghanistan. This particular FOB has a group of Romanians who have a reputation for being somewhat forceful towards the female population. While my wife is a damn good shot with her M-4, I would like to acquire a personal protection device, rapidly I might add, that she can carry at all times that does not require pointing and shooting. Any recommendations would be awesome. Price max is $150.

33

Romanians? Garlic and a wooden stake.

Wrong Romanians. Plus I already told her that and she was not amused. Apparently they already smell like garlic.

lol Fixed or folder? Time frame?

She and I would both prefer fixed. I'm hoping to send it out NLT 15 Feb. Currently looking at the Spartan Enyo, Mr Urbanovsky's Mini Dashi, Spyderco Native.

I can vouch for the Native. 'Course it's a folder, but it's handy.

Seconded.

And a Mike Janich video to go with it.

TR

I agree with the Spyderco Native.

the Native took care of 2 attacking pitbulls for me...I believe it would work.

ss

That's right!

I'd rather go up against 5 Romanians than one pit bull. ;)

The Native's Deployment Speed
 

I remember that thread. The only folder I ever carried was a Kershaw Ken Onion Blur and it has an assisted opening feature that engages the blade quickly. When you had to deploy and defend, did you have any hang-up's or issues deploying the blade?

I'm guessing it opens rather quickly because you made it out of that situation and came out on top. I'm just wondering about the time and motor skills needed to get from Point A to Point C if his wife was in a violent struggle with someone that could overpower her.

Practice. 100 times a day, every day.

Very good point, Dusty. I'm not sure of his wife's background, but mine has trained in Kali and Silat for a number of years. She still prefers a fixed blade for every day carry so that fumbling with opening it is one less thing to think about should the time ever arise to deploy it.

As for me? I like things that go BANG :D

Repetitive task transfer (muscle memory): when you develop unconscious competence, you never ask that question. Remember the 4 stages of learning

1. unconscious incompetence: no clue what you don't know: oblivious/unaware
2. conscious incompetence: aware that you don't know something, heightened awareness, very uncomfortable 'feeling'
3. conscious competence: you think through it, understanding the steps needed to accomplish a goal; have to think about each indiviual step, time consuming and must be focused on each step
4. unconscious competence: do it 'without thinking', happens smoothly to progress through the steps/parts of an issue.

Our goal is to "master" the steps in performance of tasks that can become that high a level. i.e., deploying a weapon, walking and chewing gum....it lets you then concentrate on the other more important aspects of the situation you are dealing with so you don't spend time and energy thinking about the parts you can do "without thinking"

simple philosophy, difficult mastery. I no longer 'think' about deploying a weapon...it just happens when the initiator is triggered (no pun intended)

ss

I bought my son a Pacific from Chris Reeves. It is the civilian version of the Ist SFG knife. It looks like a smaller version of our knife...

Although, the best knife guy I knew in group carried an X-acto knife in his belt. He could cut you 4 ways- Long, wide, deep and frequent.