Some of us get both the Seax and the Dirk, I would think.
It's sad that there was a murder, but the carrying of a Kirpan is one of the best features of any religion. I strongly hold to approximately the same values as undergird that practice, even if I don't share their religious context at all.
Maybe Americans in Britain could carry Bowie knives?
ReplyDelete- Tom
That and/or the Arkansas Toothpick!
DeleteAs a Texan I would say my 'ethnic dagger' is actually a revolver.
ReplyDeleteI am 1/4 Sicilian, so maybe my ancestral "ethnic dagger" would be a switchblade?
ReplyDeleteThough, as an American*, I'm pretty sympathetic to anonymous's suggestion; especially as it comes with the added benefit of allowing one to scoff at all other ethnicities for "bringing a knife to a gunfight."
* Our national sport is shooting, and always will be.
Not sure what my ancestral blade would be- most likely an axe, or perhaps a flensing knife. Neither one is particularly suited for day to day toting around.
ReplyDeleteAs male kids, we were all issued Barlow knives at 7 or 8. Most likely some sort of capital crime in formerly great britain.
Hmmmm. As mixed as my pedigree is, I have a veritable buffet of blades to choose from. None of which are legal in (Formerly) Great Britain.
ReplyDeleteLittleRed1
Would a gladius count? My ethnicity is flexible enough that I can claim Roman. If that doesn't suit, I have others.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, though, similarly with Anon and Thos., my preferred ethnic dagger is a pistol (similarly with them, not identical).
Eric Hines
Really, though, a pistol and a knife would be best. Just as you don't want to bring a knife to a gunfight, you also don't want to bring a gun to a knife fight.
ReplyDelete- Tom
...you also don't want to bring a gun to a knife fight.
DeleteYes, I do. Pistols nearly always are better. Knives are nearly always very good backup; although with suitable training, they become very good secondary backup behind hands and feet and....
Eric Hines
I generally only carry a knife. I explain that I find that acceptable, because I never meet anyone more dangerous than me.
DeleteWell, Eric, there's nothing wrong with bringing a pistol, even if you're in a real firefight where everyone has automatic rifles, machine guns, grenades, etc. The point was, sometimes the knife has a real advantage, in which cases you're in a knife fight and the pistol is backup.
Deletesometimes the knife has a real advantage, in which cases you're in a knife fight and the pistol is backup.
ReplyDeleteI'm focused on self defense, and in that kind of situation, I can think of no situation where a knife is advantageous to a pistol, or to a revolver, come to that.
Eric Hines
I like revolvers, but frankly they’re less useful than a blade in skilled hands. At close range, I mean; it’s mostly grappling there, and the blade is a powerful addition to that contest.
Delete“This, you can trust.”
https://youtu.be/tz2DknROaI8?si=qPXqFDW0bvga5hAr
The Riddle of Steel turned out to be a real consideration.
Delete...it’s mostly grappling there, and the blade is a powerful addition to that contest.
DeleteA pistol or revolver helps keep it from getting to that. But if it does, there are lots of unarmed defenses/offenses against the knife. It's no hype either, that someone trained has more useable weapons on him than the man who's focused on his knife use. That's why I count a knife tertiary behind my pistol and my training.
Eric Hines