That is me also. I did carry a throwing knife in my teen age years and could throw one pretty well but I never really wanted to a hand to hand with knives. I really don’t know why but just didn’t like it. Guns were a different story. I actually had my first criminal stop at 6 years old. We lived in a bad neighborhood and people were always trying to break in or window peep. My job was to get the gun and give it to my older brother while he was outside looking for the guy. The gun was hung over the door in my moms bedroom and I had to climb the chest of drawers, grab the rifle and run it to my brother. One time I couldn’t find him, and I went back around to the front of the house to see if he was chasing the guy down the road. Well, here comes the guy that tried to break in, and I pulled the rifle up to my shoulder and yelled for him to stop, and he did. My first and last bad guy capture. I remember the cops telling me they we going to pick me up the next morning and take me on patrol with them. These days I’m much to old and broken for fights of any kind so I carry.
Up-close attacks are some of the most vicious and deadly. Someone who’s bold enough to attack you up close (strangulation, knife attack, blunt instrument) is either batshit crazy,under the influence or both.
The “advantage” (for the victim) of this sort of attack is if they come right at you frontally, and that they travel a tad bit slower than a bullet or other projectile. You do have a few seconds to prepare and position yourself for defense. The disadvantage is being attacked from behind. In either scenario, having self-defense training is essential for survival,and specific training in disarming an attacker, fighting off an attack from behind, or close -quarters defense, is even more important.
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight…LOL
WOW Brother (6) !
(Just climbing the chest of drawers now could be hazardous to my health now! 
)
My not using a Blade was cemented in my head when ‘Bernardo’ killed ‘Riff’ and then Riff’s younger Brother ‘Tony’ picked it off the playground floor and stabbed Bernardo—really messed me up!
—West Side Story (1961) When I first saw this I was (6) also
But I REALLY have NO problem w/ shooting the Bastards to this day—NONE!
In all my Firefights I NEVER thought ‘Gee, it would be wrong to fire upon these Insurgents’
Never entered my mind once. More like Bad Guy—dead Guy (or Girl—I don’t discriminate 
)
You speakum Gospel Tamantha! And THAT is SITUATIONAL AWARENESS! Frontal Assault or sneeky, vermin crawling rear assault can be thwarted by ‘head on a swivel/Head in the moment’ SA !
and the real beauty is you can teach yourself! YOU train yourself up!
If you are Vigilant, aware and prepared you can be the Victor of an attack, You have your head in the phone, or worse you can be the Victim. And these days Perps don’t usually leave anybody breathing.
They have NO fear of the LAW and Courts, Prison, NO bail, Catch and release even if they KILL you.
Send them to Hell.
Thanks for playing
Tell God (or whoever they believe in) I Failed coach.
Too Harsh?
I’m NOT Blood Thirsty… I’m Violent…There’s a difference!
I thought about it many years later and didn’t understand why that was my job. He was 6’ 3" and could have just gone to the bedroom and pulled it off the nails it hung on. He said he thought I needed something to do that would help. Learned early and often.
That’s all right Brother, i love you too! You skin 'em for me! and I will clean ‘em and fry ‘em TEXAS STYLE!
I’ll even bring da Beans and tortilla’s! "Bad guy Burrito’s!’ comin’ up! w/ Green or red chili? your choice!
All good points Burdo, preparing the body and mind for each day is what I strive for. As time passes the mental and muscle memory should kick in because of daily disciplines. As we all are aware of from being members here, that awareness of what, when and we’re you are at any given time of day or night and being mentally in the moment, observing behavior around you and knowing how to use the arsenal you have chosen. React with minimal emotion and strive for maximum efficiency.
Joe195. WITH ALL MY STRENGTH AND LOVE . AND . I truly . BELIEVE THAT CRIMINALS. Need a wake up call. AND YES . DEFINITELY CHANGE THEIR MIND . SO WHEN THEY GET BETTER . THEY WILL BE . GREATFULL. THAT . WE WERE KIND . 
AND THAT WE. CARE . AND CALL THEM . BY THEIR NAME . SO THEY KNOW . THAT. WE CARE. AND WE WILL . HELP THEM… till the EMT’S. Come. 
. AND HOPEFULLY. THEY WILL NEVER . GET ALL BENT UP . LIKE THAT EVER AGAIN . Because we TRULY CARE . I CARE . Definitely . LOVE BOBBY JEAN . Here’s the root beer 
AND THEY WILL ANSWER . SHEAR THE LOVE 
. GREAT WORK BROTHERS . 
Doug101. You are correct when you . Got to show your big brothers what . They had . For gotten . ?? You were still developing. !!! And when you . . Took them down memory lane. They were . Definitely . Proud of you . Because they . We’re . What got you. To. Train and . . Mean it. My big brother . 6,7 he never got his AZZ WHIPPED. By me. !! Because by the time I. Could have . Got the job done. !! . He had better things to live for . I love him . And never got to give him the attention he gave me . Haw haw love Bobby Jean 
Hoyt Axton sang a song , “Jealous Man” that had the lyrics “You got a knife, I got a gun. Come on, boy we’re gonna have a little fun…” There has never been an “unarmed man with a knife”, ever. They are a threat and will be dealt with as necessary.
Don.102 that . One hundred percent true. If . I have . A blade. And I am standing with in arms length. That’s. Definitely time to . Press the trigger. Because . Up close . A knife is. More than likely going to . . End any one with a edc. That saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Is bull crap. 
never let a . Bad guy get any where near you . If at all possible . ! You know this . Give them the lead . With extreme .prejudice. . As soon as you see the blade. !! . If someone has a blade and they are coming . That’s definitely time to . Stop the threat. And . Don’t let a little blade . Cause you too let your guard down .!! . We.are older now . And we . Just can’t afford to. Be over powered by a younger stronger . Enemy. . The terrorist. On. 9/11/2001. . Only had box cutters. And They . Shower . Us all . Defend your self at all times!!. I am getting old . And I .just don’t . Have what I used to …the ability .to compete. . Now I slower… and weaker. And … these young guys . From across the River . Look like military . Do you see them thei had everything but uniforms on. !! That was scary to watch . Every single one was 20. To 30. And they were in shape. For walking a thousand miles. My opinion . They were. The enemy was. Just walking straight into the United States . In formation. And they LOOK . Seriously FIT. After a . Very long trip. That was disturbing. !! That was A. Wake Up Call 
. That .Brother was … thousand of Military . Troops. With iPhones new clothes and. New Nike shoes … brother Don102. That . Was not asylum seekers.!! Ya think???
Doug.101. And them very BROTHERS . Are what made you the. MAN YOU .We are today. Great . BLESSINGS . To be sure Love Bobby Jean. 
Amen:100:
I am old and the odds are a confrontation will be very close and very personal. I am not trained in martial arts. I often carry a heavy walking stick an have been training with it. I have small fixed blade CRT Bear Claw sideways on my belt. It can be pulled with either hand. I was carrying a 38 revolver but have been carrying a Hellcat lately. Too many multiple assaults recently. Important part is I practice point shooting up close with 2 silhouette targets. Muscle memory. I was taught step forward not back. It throws the assailant off balance. A left hand sweep preferably with the knife will give you room for a draw. I can put 2 shots into the A zone of both targets very quickly without sights. Revolver works better as it wont go out of battery but you are limited to 5 shots. Unless they are down you will not get a reload. Hellcat holds 12 rounds. A threaded barrel that protrudes from the slide has a good chance of not going out of battery.
These days Brother (12) is better’n (5) ! (and another (12) on your belt/pocket)…
Just my humble opinion.
I think it’s very important to pick the right pocket knife, I folding knife is my preference but it need to be operatable with one hand, S&W makes a good one that can be opened right or left handed with 3½" blade. Again practice is the key to everything.
Love my S&W folder!
In particular, I love that the clip is all the way at the top of the knife, meaning the whole thing is in my pocket and won’t catch on anything!
Almost the same knife, it also have a glass breaking tip. Yes the clip is useful and installed in the right location.
If you use your firearm, make sure you keep it close to your body so you’re not giving it away. If you use a knife, make sure you know how to use it in combat and always train with both so you’re not caught off guard. It would depend on the scenario so I can’t give a definitive answer.