A Lynchburg, VA man was walking to a local Wal-Mart late one evening when police say the man had to defend himself when three assailants attacked him.
Officials say Anthony Eagle, 30, of Lynchburg was walking near the Wal-Mart when he was surrounded and assaulted by three men who were unknown to him.
As police responded to the attack, Eagle told them he had pulled out his knife and began defending himself until he was able to get away from his attackers.
Initially, police had few leads to track down the unknown criminals since it was late in the evening and no one witnessed the attack. However, police later learned that the three attackers who allegedly assaulted Eagle were at Lynchburg General Hospital with stab wounds.
According to police, Thomas Tanner, and Dominique Saunders were charged with malicious wounding, and malicious wounding by mob after being treated at the hospital for a stab wounds to the shoulder.
In addition, the third suspect, Jonathan Reynolds was being treated for life-threatening injuries, and charges were pending. They say Eagle will not be charged in this incident since it was a case of self-defense.
Obviously, a quality knife should absolutely be part of your everyday carry gear. Whether you are out in the woods, in a survival situation, preparing to go into dangerous places, or simply going grocery shopping a knife can be used in many life saving instances.
Now, there are many different options when it comes to carrying a knife but one knife that can give you an advantage in those life or death moments is a boot knife.
Boot knives, commonly referred to as a gambler’s dagger, are typically a small fixed-blade knife that’s designed to be carried in or on the outside of a boot.
Usually, a boot knife is worn under a pant leg and they generally come with a sheath that includes some form of a clip to attach to a boot.
Most have double-edged blades that range from 3 to 5 inches making them easily accessible and quick to draw.
One of the biggest benefits of a boot-concealed knife is how discreet it is. What I mean is a boot knife’s strength is that no one has to know you have it.
In a dangerous situation, an attacker may think to check for a gun, but few would remember to look for a knife in the boot.
This would give you the element of surprise in a self-defense situation. Oftentimes it may be more comfortable to carry a boot knife rather than having a knife on your waistband where it is more likely to easily been seen.
On the other hand, you know the drawbacks of carrying a gun in an ankle holster and the same issues generally apply to carrying a knife on your boot as well.
Depending on your positioning, accessing the knife can be slow and requires you to bend over or otherwise get a hand near your ankle.
Of course, you have to keep in mind that you need to defeat a pant leg but this comes with carrying any concealed weapon.
The fact is a boot knife can be ideal for survival situations, or when you may be walking into dangerous places and need to conceal your knife.
Plus, even when simply going camping or in a bug out situation I would definitely consider carrying a boot knife since it could be your back up weapon in a last ditch effort during a life and death struggle.
Most people wouldn’t think you would carry a knife in your boot and most attackers will focus on disarming your weapons that you have on your waist.
Carrying a knife as part of your EDC gear is critical and a boot knife is a nice back up option in case you ever lose your primary weapon.
Considering this, I want to share with you my favorite three boot knives that could come in handy when your life is on the line.
Buck Knives Ops Boot Knife. Made in the USA and equipped with a lifetime warranty, Buck’s Ops boot knife is one of the best fixed blades for concealing in a boot. It’s made with 154CM stainless steel and an injection molded reinforced nylon handle.
The overall length is 6-1/4″ with a 3″ blade and a weight of 2.5 oz. The full tang construction makes the knife very strong, and durable for heavy use. The Buck Knives Ops sells for around $100.
Schrade SCHF21 Drop Forged Boot Knife. The SCHF21 is made with a high quality, SEA-1070 spear point, double edge, carbon blade that is designed for hunting, camping, fishing, and any kind of survival need. It is 9″ in total length with a 4.5″ blade and weighs on 2.4 oz.
Plus, it has a dagger style design and round shape grip handle that feels made for your hands. It comes with a nylon sheath with adjusting clip to protect your body when concealing the knife. The Schrade SCHF21 sells for around $75 new.
Gerber Strong Arm. This fixed blade knife is made with a ceramic coating, and full tang 420HC high-quality stainless steel. The handle is rubberized and includes a striking pommel on the end of the handle to break glass in an emergency.
Overall, the length is 9.8″ with a 4.8″ blade and it weighs 7.2 oz. The full tang, fixed blade design features a serrated edge and fine edge, plus it comes with a glass-filled nylon rubber over mold sheath. The Gerber Strong Arm sells for around $75.
Boot knives are perfect for a survival situation when you want to be prepared for anything or simply want to have a back up weapon that is discreet.
While a boot knife may not be the best option for everyday carry they can do any task as simple as opening a letter, to skinning off the pelt of a deer.
Carrying a small boot knife is a simple option to equip yourself to deal with a whole range of situations and challenges.
