Axe or Blade? Which is "best?"

I believe that any weapon can be a superior depending on the one that wields it .
My fencing teacher could take any one in class with an inferior foil .
When you live with a tool that is your only defense and make you self a proficient with it as possible the deception of having what appears to be inferior can have a great advantage .
Having a superior weapon and unskilled in using, it is no advantage at all.

 

I would choose a knife for everyday use, cooking, carving and everyday use but if I was going looking for a weapon, I would choose an axe. I think defensive wise an axe is better. Every for securing your AO, you can use the axe to chop down trees to block access.

 

The ax the vikings and others fought with had long handles in the way of 3 or more feet. It was a two handed weapon with a reach and was used in conjunction with other weapons. The fighting ax came into its own against armored horsemen by the use of the back side having a hammer or spike.

Bowie knife is much better for close in work and can be used for thrust and parry but it is best in the upswing for it is quick and deadly but against a ax with a four foot reach you'd be out gunned.

It really depends on what your aggressor has and an ambush is always better than a frontal attack.

The Bowie is a large double edged knife specifically designed to slash or use on the upswing to cut muscle of the enemy. It will work for hacking but it really is best for cutting of muscle.

Never give a sucker an even break.

Yup I'm up right now trying to figure out some lame brain's idea of reinventing an accounting system where they too are trying to reinvent the wheel.

Use what you carry and make sure you have enough blade.

My real world experience is from a ER and that was always the loser's body parts.

Yes I still remember a loser's Granma coming into the ER and telling the kid " I told you not to carry that knife." As she broke the blade while she stepped on it and pulled up. We shipped him out to a specialist to rebuild the cut muscles and ligaments.

Seldom are there winners in a blade fight, only the less injured.

 

If you have ever encountered a predator in very close proximity on the trail and realized that it could have jumped "on" your instead of "in front" of you ,and the rifle you carry may have been knocked out of your hand in the event, having a substantial knife means a whole lot more. Thiis happened to me.
Several year later a good friend was walking His dog ( a 200 # Doberman) and it turned on him.
The dog was over top of him .one arm locked in the jaws of the dog and the other trying to get free with his legs around the dogs abdomen trying to crush the chest . My friend only weighed 120 lbs.
A neighbor came an shot the dog to get him free.
He had completely forgotten the fixed blade knife at his side during the event. Having the tools and neglecting to learn and develop the will to use them is to one's own shame.
When your practicing at the range , what makes you think you have the will to take a stand?
Nothing makes a predator drop back on his heals more than one willing to wade strait into the fight with rage . there's nothing wrong with being afraid , what's wrong is showing it.
I have faced off mountain loins, bear, and a pack of wild dogs; not looking wide eyed and fearful, but narrow eyed and aggressive . I can't out run any of them, and I'm not giving them my back side.

 

I use both when camping and or hunting...
Each tool has its own use...and while either may be able to do a task , that the other does....
As a general rule...one will do a specific task better....
Some of my most used knives and my camp axe....
Andy

 

From a purely psychological point of view, the axe seems to have a greater "Scare" factor than a knife... with images of body parts being loped off. Most of this is as a result of Hollywood and series like the "Vikings" ... Unless you look toward Japanese blades such as the Katana, and Wakizashi...

The damage expectations of your opponent will definitely have an impact on how and if he wants to fight....

YMMV

 

Psychologically, I'd recommend the machete.

Rural people and hispanics see the machete as a deadly tool in capable hands. To Hispanics there's also a visceral cultural reaction.

Urban whites don't know a machete from a kukri or a sword. It's dangerous looking. There's no telling what unrealistic dumbass response you may get from Urban whites. Anything from panicked flight to a liberal harangue to a request for landscaping work.

Urban blacks visualize it as horror movie bat shit crazy dangerous. Urban Black culture is unnerved by crazy. Never pass up an edge.

I'm a Bowie guy but have a hawk and machete in the car.

 

I couldn't figure out how to make it sound better. Keep in mind I'm describing different urban cultures not genetic bases.

The rural population around here is a good racial mix although similar in cultural style. Thus I merely lumped them together.

Sorry if I came off negatively.