As a man, when someone says the word “Tactical”, there are a few images that pop up in my mind. I would guess most of us men would probably picture something similar: soldiers in combat formation, or that lone beast mode soldier who is armed to the teeth a la  “The Exependables”.

But what we are learning from our awesome customers is that tactical sometimes looks like this:

We are happy to introduce you all to Amanda. Amanda is one of our loyal and happy customers and a close friend of the company. Amanda is a wife, mom, registered nurse, Zumba Jammer and AFAA certified group fitness instructor specializing in dance based fitness programs.

Amanda lives a normal and busy life, just like most of our wives, sisters, and female friends. She has made a decision to carry a weapon for her and her family’s protection and peace of mind. Her weapon of choice also just so happens to match her nails and is also great for battling the anti-theft measures of Barbie dolls. There is nothing wrong with your weapon also being a tool.

I asked Amanda to share her story in her own words. Here is her story:

“In Arizona, a person over age 21 may legally carry a concealed firearm or deadly weapon without a permit within the state, except for certain prohibited locations, and must disclose the fact to a law enforcement officer if questioned. I carry the Raven Crest Tactical Nemesis because it gives me peace of mind to know that I could defend myself if necessary. Arizona doesn’t follow daylight savings, so it’s dark here by 6:00. I live in a very safe community, but the reality is – a lot of evenings, it’s me with my kids, walking out of the gym after 8pm in the dark to my vehicle. I’m grateful to have the security of the knife I carry in my purse. Thank you Raven Crest Tactical for making sure I can be my own knight in shining armor!”

Why Carry a Weapon as a Woman?

I can’t speak for every place out there, but I know that here is AZ there is no lack of questionable individuals who will come right up to you while you are pumping your gas or getting your kids in the car. In the perfect world we would be able to consider these people down on their luck and of no threat. But we do not live in a perfect world, and the fact is that we do not know the intentions or issues of these people.

We are not suggesting living in fear or getting defensive with every single stranger that wants to talk to you, they may just want to say “hello!”.  What we are suggesting is that you be prepared for the worst case scenario that you hope to never face.

This especially goes out to the ladies. I could quote stats all day long on how carrying a weapon will greatly reduce the chances of a crime being committed against you. That Fact of the matter is that most criminals target what they consider “weak prey”. If a would-be criminal realizes that their prey wasn’t so weak, chances are they will move on. 

Here are some simple tips that could help women stay safe:

1. Be Aware of your Surroundings : Maybe the dark alley with the cigarette smoking “hoodie” guy standing next to it isn’t the best route for you to take. That is a very exaggerated example, but in all serious being aware of your surroundings and who is in your surroundings could be your first line of defense. This is preventative defense. If you can avoid the bad scenario or person then there is no need to use or display a weapon.

For example, here is a scenario that comes up all the time: there is a questionable individual lingering or loitering in an area that you need to be. What do you do? If possible, try to avoid that area or go around it / them if possible. However if avoidance is not possible, then go back in to the business you were at and let them know that you do not feel comfortable walking to your car alone. All businesses now-a-days will send at least one person out there with you if you make that request. There is definite strength in #’s.

In the perfect world every bad situation would be like the easy to read examples I gave above, but sometimes no matter how self aware you are, trouble will come your way. And sometimes bad people are hanging out in places where there are no business owners or no other people around at all. For that, we recommend moving to Step 2.

Here is another scenario, someone approaches you and makes you feel uncomfortable. You may even feel pinned down because you are getting gas, loading groceries, just pulled money out of the ATM or you got a flat tire and a stranger has stopped to “help” ..What do you do? To me this is very simple, if verbal rejection of the person’s request or presence does not immediately make them leave you alone. move on to Step 2.

2. Carry a Weapon : Find a weapon you feel comfortable with, get trained on how to properly carry and use that weapon, and then carry it with you wherever you go.

3. Quick Access is Key : I am speaking to women here, ALL of the women I know would have a hard time finding something fast from their purse or bag. In a survival scenario, this could be the difference between becoming a victim or a defender. When you are walking to your car, pumping gas, loading your groceries, etc.. know where your weapon is, and be confident that you can get to it if needed. That could mean holding it in your hand while it is in your purse, physically holding it in your hand in the open, or having it in a easy access pocket or belt. The key is being able to deploy and engage fast.

3. What do you do if you Feel Threatened? This is where you stop caring about what people around you think, and you start thinking about survival. You are threatened, and as a woman that gut feeling should be followed. You need to make a loud and noticeable gesture to not only draw attention to your situation, but to also let the person threatening you know that you are not weak prey. Take a few steps back, try to get out of the “grabbing” range of the individual. You want to stay outside of their grasp. Display to them that you have a weapon, take a defensive stance, and then start talking really loud. What should you say? “PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE”, “I SAID I AM NOT INTERESTED”, “YOU ARE MAKING ME FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, PLEASE GO AWAY”, “PLEASE STOP”, etc… The point of this is to draw as much attention to your scenario as possible. When people see or hear a women in distress is draws attention. People who want to do bad things do not like attention.

Here are some examples of defensive stances with both guns and knives. Either of these stances will intimidate.

“But It’s Not Feminine to Carry a Weapon…”

FALSE!!!! It is not only smart for a woman to know how to protect themselves, but ask any guy out there and they will tell you that a woman who knows how to handle a weapon is a woman of great interest. Here is a fantastic video put out by Glock firearms. It shows a regular woman conducting her day, while also protecting herself from becoming a victim. This video is awesome:

The Bottom Line

We hope that our customers never have to use our knives in a defensive manner, even though they were designed for that purpose. We hope that people use our knives as tools to better their lives or make them easier.

Please, whenever, wherever, however you use your knife / weapon, do it safely and wisely.

How to get a custom knife like Amanda:

Click the image below and you can build your own custom OTF knife: