There was a thread in GD yesterday about knife wounds and some of the comments got me to thinking, I want to choose an EDC knife that would be adequate to defend myself with should the need ever arise (god forbid). What deployment methods do you like on a SD knife? What is the ideal blade shape? What are some good recommendations in the under $75 range? Do any of you out there choose your EDC blade with last ditch self defense in mind?

EDC on duty is this beast that I designed and had made


Off duty EDC is a karambit

Dang that duty knife is a BEAST! What is the benefit of the shape of the karambit? Nevermind I googled it

I modded a ZT 0200 so it would have it's own wave feature.  Deploys faster than an automatic from the pocket.  I used a blemished ZT 0200 since I knew I was going to cut the back.  I wish I could have found a plain edge instead of a serrated version.



I carry it tip up, when removing it from the pocket I press the top of the blade against the rear of the pocket, as it exits the hook grabs on the pants locks open the knife.

       
 

The wave feature appeals to me.

I really like it.  I switched to a benchmade Rift Auto for a bit, but the wave was just faster, so I went back to the ZT.





 

Any advice on choosing a blade shape?

I guess I prefer a curved blade, nothing too crazy though.  I primarily view knives as a slicing weapon, but in the case of needing to stab it's nice to have the finger placement the ZT 0200 provides.  It would be nearly impossible to slide your hand up and cut it on the blade.        
 

My EDC is a Spyderco PM2. I didn't pick it for self defense purposes, but I am confident it would perform adequately in that role. The knife has a good size blade, it is easy to control, and deploys fast.

ETA: I carry a knife primarily to perform utility tasks rather than self defense. If you are looking at one the more extreme designs you may need to consider carrying two knifes. For me there is no way one of the hook end knives or full serrated blades could perform all the other tasks I need it to do.

Different strokes for different folks. I think blade shape is determined by the style of your training/fighting.
I own the CRKT Hissatsu folder. James williams designed it, whom I consider a master of his craft.  These can be found online or at big box stores. (I know for sure walmart and gander carry them: $55-$65)





Specs from blade HQ (my go to for buying online )
ww.bladehq.com/item--CRKT-Folding-Hissatsu--1948

Travis Haley and Paul Howe are big fans of it as well.

I can't embed videos for shit. Sorry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsJf0OTwwzI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQVPXn1NQNE

My understanding of the Hissatsu design is that it's primarily a penetrating design.  Nothing wrong with that.  I would prefer it had a deeper groove/tang to prevent your hand from sliding onto the blade if it was used to stab something.



 

Penetrating and slashing, yes. The handle shape was designed to be used with multiple grip techniques.

I'm not claiming it as "the" best. Just a great knife at an affordable price.

They do appear to be a good knife.  I have one of the larger fixed Hissatsu's, I just wish it had a tang.



 

I prefer khukuri and karambit because you get a little more cutting surface in an overall shorter length and the point of the blade is pointing away from you.
Real SD use of knives is very close work. There will not be any room for slashes unless you use your off hand to push away, which increases the chances that you will slash your own arm.
Additionally, if you are locked up with someone and trying to use your knife, the direction of your stabs will be generally back to yourself which increases the chance of stabbing yourself.
I practice a lot a fillet style cuts. They take huge hunks of muscle, cut ligaments, tendons and blood vessels while the blade is always moving away from you.
On of these days I'm gonna make a video because it's so hard to explain without visual aid.

I currently EDC one of these:

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Boker-Kalashnikov--104

I'd probably EDC one of these if daggers were legal to carry in my AO:

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Boker-Kalashnikov--7353

A couple of P'Kal's I finished up the other day. I'm really liking this type over most other styles/formats I have tried/made.

One is Double Edge one is not.

Where do I get one of those and how much does it cost?

This discussion has been made before.

That said, I will repeat what I wrote in the last 9ne couple years ago.

For EDC, you should carry what you would be comfortable in a legal setting to use for every day carry, the meaning behind EDC. A good, utilitarian blade, legal where you live and work, which does not carry stigma from a name like "Z9mbie Killer 3000", or some other silly name, you will then have on you when you need it. Shape, style,  strength, materials, all factor into EDC and combat defense blades....except utility. I would not carry a sheath knife everywhere as it may not be legal, and some sheeple have issues with things like that. You don't want to suddenly have legal issues when just cutting your apple into pieces. Any good, utilitarian knife with a strong lockup ( folder) and a non slip grip with some type of finger protection will work if you can deploy it.

Something you have, and could carry almost everywhere you go, would be a good choice as a knife for defense. Thinking anyother way will get your blade taken at the least, arrested and lose your liberty at the worst. A knife, that you have on you everyday, would be there when you needed it most.

Incidently, hissatsus have a tang, just it is a 3/4 hidden tang similar to an authentic japanese tanto.

Depending on the day I dress accordingly....

What I'm going to say is strictly opinionated; therefore, you're entitled to yours and I'm entitled to mine. Don't be fooled by Hollywood. A handful of blows to someone from a knife is often not disabling. During a confrontation, catecholamines are high and pain is far overridden by the survival mode your body enters. I've had people come into the ER with 20-30 stab wounds from multiple attackers, most of which simply need some glue to resolve. Only a handful require invasive treatment (needle decompression/chest tube insertion/surgical repair of vasculature/etc.). Your best method in an attack is not simply stabbing aimlessly, but rather to make focused attacks at vital and vulnerable areas of the body. If you have a 3 inch blade and stab an obese man in the gut multiple times, most likely you've only penetrated his subcutaneous tissue and he'll be disabled from moving from pain....long after the confrontation is over. With that being said, when looking for a blade, I would prioritize blade length over other factors. However, there are pros and cons to everything. Longer blade lengths require more technical skill and coordination than short, stubby blades. Take time to study some study anatomy. Be well informed and have a plan if you were to be attacked. I applaud fighting experts for their ambition and education they share, but how many have actually been involved in hand to hand, life or death combat, several times over? My point is this: don't go into a confrontation thinking that buying the "best" knife or watching XYZ knife fighting for dummies by the latest and greatest will earn you your life in a fight.
Now if I were looking for a blade for personal protection, I would choose something resembling a dagger but that has a little more girth to it (not too much as this can also impede penetration and follow up blows. Edge retention is crucial as hitting bone will often dull an edge in just a few incidences of contact. Grip is just as important as the blade. If there is nothing to stop your hand from making contact with the blade, you may end up injured, disabling your dominant hand. Obviously there are many other factors, but these are just some points I wanted to share. If you're interested, I'm also willing to share my thoughts on areas to target and technique as well.

Thank you for your input. If you wouldn't mind sharing your input on technique I would love to hear it. I have carried a knife in my pocket since I have been old enough to do so, but in my time doing this I have always had it more for utility and never for SD. I am new to the edged weapons world and do not have any hand to hand combat skills at all.  I want to clarify and say I do not anticipate having time to spend hours a week and money on hand to hand combat training. On the other hand I would be very interested in gaining some general knowledge on technique through reading, watching videos and the like.  Thanks for the in depth response.

Thanks. This makes sense, and while I won't be devoting a lot of time or money to learn knife fighting I do want to study up on the anatomical side of things. I understand I won't become proficient with a knife just by watching and reading but I would rather devote my precious resources to practicing with my concealed carry gun. Just as with guns, I know that you can't win a fight just by having the best weapon, but it never hurts to have the right tool for the job either.

No love for the femoral?

My thoughts and choice for a SD blade.

Every model on the Joe Watson Knives website is Out-Of-Stock. That's a shame....pretty nice looking blades on there. Especially the Archangel.

Try Blue Line Gear.

The above picture provides some great information. However, the reality of achieving the depictions are somewhat unlikely. The brachial artery will typically be out of reach as your attacker will most likely be in a defense body position as your making your lunge. Their elbow will be flexed, and your attempt will fail. The subclavian artery is naturally hidden by the rib cage where it initiates and then the clavicle as it travels more distal. Attempting to strike behind the clavicle to hit your target is unlikely. It can happen, but you would probably hit the brachial plexus before vasculature is damaged. This is a good thing as muscle that is not innervated cannot contract. Once again though, hitting this may be fairly difficult to do. It is a viable option to keep in mind though. Holding the knife as they are depicting in figure D is generally most people's stance for knife fighting. This provides defense against your forearm. As punches or other attacks are made, it provides a much more natural movement to defend against such attacks. It also provides a more sturdy grip with defending and attacking with the blade. Now on to the carotid artery. This is often where people attempt to strike and for good reason. The carotid artery is generally slightly beneath the internal jugular vein near the sternocleidomastoid. Somewhat posterior to this is the cervical plexus. A good blow to any of these structures would limit movement at minimum or depending on the structure/blow, completely incapacitate the attacker. As the above poster mentioned, the femoral artery is another target that some people attempt to hit. This is generally near the groin. You can feel your pulse there if you take the time. This is also nice because the femoral vein and nerve is also fairly close to the artery. Blood loss and lack of innervation will give you a very rapid incapacitating blow. Where you want to attack may depend on the attacker's stance or your position as well. The gut can be beneficial, again, providing the blade length is long enough to reach vital organs or vasculature. The upper torso is common to be attacked. Your ribs run horizontal, but the knife blade is generally held vertical in your hand. With that being said, the runs provide a natural defense against attacks. Think about that and decide accordingly. I will tell you that it not uncommon to end up with a pneumothorax from a stab wound. Yet another incapacitating blow. Lastly, I would like to discuss stabbing technique. Blade widths have a wide range, but generally don't exceed more than an inch or two. A lot of important anatomical structures are very narrow. The carotid artery may be the size of a large straw. Therefore, just providing a simple stab attack, you may not even be close to a vital area. I would recommend a stab technique that once your stab is made, you then put pressure on the blade to elongate your puncture, potentially hitting a vital organ beneath the skin. I may need to explain that further if that doesn't make sense. The same principle is the same when striking muscle. Muscle fibers run the same direction as your bones (generally speaking). If someone were to be stabbed in the bicep with a simple stab wound, it would bleed and cause pain, but not typically disable their arm. Now imagine of the muscle is stabbed then sliced in a perpendicular fashion. Minimal connection of muscle fibers equal no contraction. Read and watch techniques, practice some attacks in the privacy of your home to become familiar with the knife being wielded in your hand. Always be conscious of where your blade is in respect to your torso and be cognizant of where your non-dominant hand is when delivering attacks. Be careful!

Lots of good points.  In MCMAP we practice stabbing the neck then ripping the blade out the front to cut everything in its path.

Wow, interesting chart. Shocking to see how fast you can lose consciousness from some of those wounds.

Thank you for taking the time to type this, very insightful.