If you carry a knife for personal defense, you need to think about the effects of clothing, especially if you live in, or travel to, cold climates. They aren’t kidding when they say, “Dress like you are going to meet your worst enemy today.” Many traditional knife systems originated in tropical climates where light clothing was the norm. That meant there was typically only a single layer of clothing between you and your knife draw, and your attacker’s clothing rarely offered much protection against your knife’s edge. Collectively, that kept things pretty simple.
When you transplant those knife systems to cooler climates, however, t-shirts and shorts give way to long pants, heavy jackets, and multiple layers, all of which can have a profound impact on your ability to use a…
