The phrase, “the pen is mightier than the sword” is most often attributed to the playwriter, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. He used these words in 1839 in his historical play Cardinal Richelieu. The character Richelieu is a priest who discovers a plot against his life but feels he cannot take up a sword to defend himself. Nevertheless, he is determined to overcome the threat against him by using his words and his writing to move the minds of the people and gain support.
There is much truth to this old adage. It is understood in a modern context that the “pen” and “sword” are metaphorical. The pen represents words, speech, or the ability to convince and persuade others. The sword represents physical force or different forms of violence used to coerce, intimidate, or pressure others. The context in which both tools are applied is in the pursuant of gaining power, support, resources, or other goals.
With that said, the pen is mightier than the sword as a greater instrument of change. It is widely understood that convincing people to support a cause by appealing to them is more productive and also more successful than trying to force them to do something through violence or coercion. The pen inspires cooperation or friendly competition whereas the sword instills animosity and fierce resistance. It also takes more time and effort to build than it does to destroy, so finding peaceful and harmonious solutions to get people to work together is beneficial to everyone involved, especially long-term.
While few would contest the truth in the phrase, there are some who do, and I would be remiss not to share some insight from the other side of the spectrum. Firstly, it is often those who wield the pen exclusively who subscribe to its mightiness. It is all they know, for they cannot or do not know how to wield the metaphorical sword. Of course pen-wielders would say the pen is mightier and would defend that sentiment most ardently, crafting grandiose narratives to endorse it and convince themselves of it more so than others. Secondly, there is the issue of the pen not having much affect against the techniques of the sword when push comes to shove, so to speak. Sword-wielders tend to be in power, and they can have pen-wielders under them who operate at their behest.
What do I think? Well, I think the truth, as it often is, lies closer to the middle. I do understand the points from both side, which is why I try to explain that the strengths of the pen and sword are different. As such, they are not always directly comparable. However, there may be a greater tendency of the pen to have might if the message is delivered successfully. This is why I advocate for knowledge to wield both the metaphorical pen and sword, as is the namesake of this blog. It is better to be able to wield both than one or the other. Foolish is the writer who thinks their pen will always save them, as is the warrior who thinks their sword is all they need.
What do you think? Do you agree with the common perspective, or do you feel more inclined to believe the sword is actually mightier? Feel free to share your thoughts. Also, please share and stay tuned for next week’s post.
This is an AABB poem I wrote that contemplates the new year on the horizon and how every day is a blessing from the Lord. Each day brings with it new opportunities to serve the Lord in all we do. Also, we are called to always be ready for calamity and hardship, both in season and out. For we never know when calamity may come upon us, and the Lord teaches us it comes like a thief in the night to those who are unprepared. Yet, to those who follow the Lord, no hardship comes as a surprise. For the man following the Lord knows he is promised trouble throughout all his days, and any respite is but a fleeting moment.
One year's end marks another's start So begins another chance to chase God's heart For chase as one might on this side of life There is not to catch but a bit more strife
For never are we done with that grueling race The task set before us upon the earth's face We run till we die and are called home Only at our last breath do we then cease to roam
A new year unto us is as a new day A blessing we recieve each in its own way For each new day is yet a chance to do good And with each year God endures more than He should
For the Lord is patient with those of the world Wanting each to be spared from His wrath unfurled Thus, He waits long for each one to repent Until the day comes when He can no longer relent
Thus should we be as patient as our Lord Not being so quick to draw out our sword But being ready for battle when the day comes On the day we are called by the Lord's war drums
And no man does know when that day shall be For the Father reveals it not to anyone's plea Thus always must His warriors be ready to fight So the day shall not come as a thief in the night
We approach this year's end as we do any others Ready to do good to ourselves and our brothers May we test not the Lord with inaction or pride For then in vain would His Son have died
The first snow falls are a magical time
When all tranquility comes down
The winds start to sing through silver chimes
As the world dons it ivory gown
A quiet peace fills all the air
A sense of calm that stills all thoughts
Cold washes the earth in a lucious white glare
Meditation it beckons and exhorts
Some moan and complain this time of year
They grumble against the Lord
They see not why this time is most dear
Nor why it is a blessing long stored
For it is a time of great peace and joy
When the birds have flown away
All the bugs have died that used to annoy
Wintertime keeps all nuisance at bay
It is a time for reflection and thought
A time to remind us of ourselves
A peace always sought that can never be bought
A change of mind it compels
A change of mind, it does demand
Yet still do we choose what it shall be
Not all who it calls do understand
Not all touched by winter choose to be free
All seasons are a blessing from the Lord For He is the author of all creation Each time is crafted with unique rewards Unseen by those apart from salvation
Earlier this year, I started studying the use of the knife. I have carried one for as long as I can remember; twice as long as I have carried a gun. It was during some of my earliest memories when I first picked up the weapon, as knives are cheap and readily accessible. However, I never committed any time to serious training and study of its use. Instead, I focused entirely on training unarmed techniques during my early childhood and adolescence, and then on the use of a firearm during my early adulthood.
For a long time, I reasoned that my grappling skills would carry me in the use of a knife. I thought it would be more important for me to focus on training my unarmed and firearms skills since those were more likely to be used in my mind. This, I realize from further study, was a foolish assumption. However, I was a child looking for excuses – something I have been trying to humble myself of as of late.
There are situations where unarmed techniques and firearms would not be useful or effective, such as against multiple unarmed attackers or a drug-enhanced enemy who has closed the distance. In those situations, hands are insufficient; and a firearm can be dropped, jammed, or prevented from leaving the holster by the nature of hand-to-hand encounters. Thus, skill with a knife is not only important but absolutely essential.
Differing Teachings
One thing that puzzled me for a time was the seemingly contradictory information given by different teachers who had written on the subject of knife combat. I had read from men who certainly had the experience to speak confidently on the subject who also claimed that a forward grip was better than a reverse grip and that the knife hand should always be in front. Meanwhile, I read testimony from experts who swore the opposite; that a reverse grip was superior and that the knife hand should be kept in the back, using the support hand in front to distract or trap the enemy.
This confounded me at first. I was left wondering how men who have the experience to speak with authority on the topic of knife combat could assert things that were blatantly contradictory. If they were engaged in the same activity, should they not come to the same conclusions? Was one group of teachers right and another wrong? If so, then who, and how to determine this?
In retrospect, the reason for differing expert opinions is obvious. Of course, different experts have different backgrounds, experiences, preferences, and priorities. As one would expect, in the realm of concise statements and articles stripped down to the bare details, these different perspectives can come off as lacking in appreciation for the products of dissimilar experiences.
Some Examples
If one prefers blades three inches or less in length, he will probably prefer a reverse grip. This is because you cannot cut effectively with such a small blade and will be limited to thrusting. Thus, there is not much point in holding the knife in a forward grip, as you can put more power behind thrusts with a reverse grip.
If one prefers blades four inches or greater in length, he will probably favor a forward grip. This is because a forward grip allows good thrusts while also enabling the user to cut effectively. Thrusts will not be as powerful with a forward grip, but this matters little. A sharp knife unimpeded by armor will thrust through a human just fine, provided the user knows how to bypass bone structures like the rib cage.
If one finds it more important to train for edged weapon versus edged weapon scenarios, he will probably find a knifehand-in-front stance to be superior. This allows one to keep the blade in between him and his enemy, and so the enemy must come through the blade to get to him. The goal in such encounters is what is sometimes called “defanging the snake,” meaning one attacks the weapon hand of the enemy from the furthest possible distance away. If successful, the enemy’s use of the edged weapon is disabled while remaining outside the range of his attacks.
If one finds it more important to train for using an edged weapon against multiple unarmed attackers, a more powerful attacker, or attackers armed with blunt weapons, etc., then he will probably find a knifehand-in-back stance to be superior. This is because there is less concern about a blunt weapon or firearm causing immediate damage upon contact. Blunt weapons need momentum, and firearms must be pointed at the target while firing. Thus, the goal in these encounters is to neutralize the enemy as quickly as possible, and the support hand can be used to obstruct his weapon’s movements with less fear of being hurt compared to an edged weapon.
Additional Lessons Learned
One important takeaway from the differing perspectives of supposed experts is the necessity of empathy. That is, understanding why a man says what he says and not just what he is saying. It can be easy to fall into the trap of one’s own biases and assume someone of a different perspective to be wrong, yet this may be an error if that alternate perspective is well-founded. If we can understand why that person came to a different perspective, we may discover something useful for ourselves. However, if we close ourselves off from that possibility altogether, we become victims of our own overconfidence.
That is not to say it is never the case that someone has a different perspective because he is wrong. Of course, this can happen often, especially if we are doing our due diligence in assessing information. That is why we must test such persons to see if what they assert is good or not. Assume neither, but test fairly. Find what works for you and why, and let it be what does not.
Some Truths to Be Acknowledged
Opinions of different experts aside, there are some truths I did unravel from studying their competing viewpoints.
Firstly, a competent martial artist will acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches, as well as the relevant scenarios where each would be favored. As mentioned, there are ways in which a forward grip outperforms a reverse grip and vice-versa, and there are situations where each is preferable to the other. A wise martial artist understands this and speaks accordingly. A foolish one will likely try to sell you the idea that his way is best and any other is invalid. Nevertheless, the foolish martial artist may still have something to teach you. Being foolish in one way does not necessarily imply foolishness in others. Thus, it is always prudent to listen.
Another important thing I learned from all this is the value of carrying multiple weapons for different scenarios and training for the application of each. This is paramount. A forward grip may be superior in most circumstances due to its greater reach and sufficient thrusting capability. Yet, you still may be forced to use a reverse grip by the circumstances. One may need to switch from a back stance to a front stance mid-fight, or vice-versa, if the enemy changes his weapon of choice. Therefore, these are all scenarios one should train and prepare for, since failing to be trained and prepared for them, if and when they do happen, could mean the failure to respond appropriately. You may find an improvised weapon in the area that is suitable to your needs just as you need it, but you also may not.
Lastly, a longer blade is better overall, except in one aspect: deployment. Shorter blades are more reliable to deploy from their sheaths, but you should use as long a blade as you can deploy under pressure. Four to six inches (~ 10 to 15 cm) is recommended. If a blade is shorter than four inches, it may not be able to instantly incapacitate an enemy. That inability could cost you your life against a group of attackers, or against one enhanced by drugs. However, if the blade is longer than six inches, it may require extra space you don’t have to deploy it from the sheath. A blade under six inches can be removed from the sheath even if you are pressed up against a wall with no space to move.
Obviously, folding knives require fine motor skills to deploy, and fine motor skills are severely diminished under stress. Thus, they are not recommended for counter-ambush scenarios that typically characterize self-defense. I still carry a folding knife every day for utility purposes, but not for counter-ambush. Any competent martial artist will recommend you carry a fixed-blade knife, as it can be deployed using gross motor skills. If you live somewhere you cannot carry a fixed-blade knife, that is a major red flag and you should probably move. Don’t set down roots in a place where the government may become your main enemy in the near future. Get out while it’s still easy.
Glory to God
As in all things, I give thanks to God for the chance to glorify Him in all that I am. For all that exists was created by Him and was given to us for the purpose of glorifying Him (Romans 11:36). With that in mind, I give thanks to God for the training of my hands for war and my fingers for battle (Psalm 144:1). For the Lord is my strength and my defense (Exodus 15:2). It is a blessing to be able to study and learn the skills of a warrior. For we are called to emulate God (1 Corinthians 11:1), and God is the greatest warrior of all (Exodus 15:3).
I have been working through my commentary on the book of Psalms. It is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and the one I have found to be the easiest to commentate on. After all, it is essentially a commentary of David’s on the events of his life. This poem is modeled after a common thread I noticed running through many of the Psalms. David would inquire of God, asking where He is and why He is waiting to act. Then, David would request the Lord’s aid in battle, praying for God to vent His wrath upon our enemies. Ultimately, David would always finish his prayer with praise and by yielding to God’s will, regardless of what the Lord decided.
How long must we wait, oh Lord? We wait for your justice to rain How long shall the wicked be ignored? How long must we fight in vain?
The wicked reign from their towers on high Wreaking havoc on the righteous with their schemes How many more innocent by their hands must die? How long will you endure our screams?
Rise up and strike them, my Lord Crush the teeth in their mouths Lash their backs with your heavenly sword Smash them all into a rout
Lead us, oh Lord, into righteous battle Let us ride against the enemy together May your victory be ours in total For we are your warriors who serve your pleasure
We await your beck and call, my Lord We patiently wait for your appointed time Our obedience is your reward For You, my Lord, are eternally sublime
No matter how long we wait, my Lord Our patience in You shall never waiver As long as it takes to hear you roar Each day of pain only makes us braver
Each day refines us more and more Until we are ready to be called Sanctified, we are put in store Until the day of heaven's assault
Today is American Independence Day again. We celebrate this day each year in remembrance of the Declaration of Independence – the document dated July 4th, 1776. So long after the event, it is not uncommon for participants to contemplate what this time means to us today, and why it is important to remember. In so doing, I recall God’s promises throughout Scripture about the blessings of obedience to His Way; the curses for disobedience; and the restoration for returning to Him (Deuteronomy 28:1-30:10).
God tells us He will leave evil in this world so His people may be tested to see if we will follow His Way (Judges 2:20-23). Through these experiences, each generation comes to know suffering, hardship, and war. Each generation is tested to see if it will turn to the Lord, or from Him. Thus, each generation of Americans has been tested in its own way. From the Americans who fought against the British and their proxies in Canada and the Native tribes. To the Americans who fought against the Muslim slavers of the Ottoman Empire’s client states, and the Confederate slavers of the anti-Constitutionalist South. To the Americans who fought against a unified Germany, and against the communist schemes of the Russians and Chinese. To the Americans who still fight against socialist subversives at home and abroad to this day, we are all tested in one way or another.
To me, this day is a reminder that the walk with the Lord is a way of constant struggle. When one evil power is vanquished, another rises to take its place. Thus, each generation must be prepared for when the day comes to answer God’s call. For we never know what tomorrow will bring, and victory belongs to the vigilant. This poem orates my thoughts on this day, and what it beckons me to remember.
All fall short of God's glory And thus all deserve to pay To suffer eternally Never knowing one good day
To sin against God on high An eternal crime for sure All of us deserve to die There is not one who is pure
Yet God is full of mercy His temper is slow to rise And His grace grants clemency A hope that brightens our eyes
By His side we are renewed Lifted up and made to fight All as He would have us do To stand as beacons of light
Then God's wrath is turned from us After we have turned to Him No more are we treasonous No more shall we be so grim
His wrath now holds our foes still Cutting them down with the sword We are agents of His will The instruments of our Lord
The path to Him is fearsome
Not traveled by the weary
At times it can be lonesome
But leads to times most cheery
Happy American Independence Day to all. A blessed day to those who live in America and share in its defense, and to our friends abroad who stand by our side and in the shade of our shield. May we all stand strong together against the enemies of the Lord, whenever and wherever they come. For standing alone, we may be overcome one by hand, divided and conquered by the Adversary. Yet standing together, united as one, we shall weather any test God gives us (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.
It’s been a while since I’ve done any creative or scholarly writing. I hadn’t felt any inspiration or compelling motivation for the past few months to write anything outside of work. However, I attended some live music a week ago, and that seemed to be all I needed to get my ideas flowing again. This is an ABAB poem inspired by a specific verse from the book of Exodus chapter 15, verse 3: “The LORD is a man of war; JEHOVAH is His name.” As I wrote this, several other notable Scriptures naturally worked their way in.
The Lord is a man of war And Jehovah is His name Forever He will endure Never is He mocked or shamed
Blessed is His great nation We answer with faith and trust Our Lord of all creation He who made us from the dust
Though the devil plots and plans Satan's schemes so unending The righteous are God's firm hands Never do we cease fighting
Though weary we may become Always shall we find our rest United we are as one The Lord calls for nothing less
The devil gives rest to none His people are run ragged They spurn all the Lord has done In their sin they fall rabid
Praise the Lion of Judah He rules with an iron rod Our commander, Jehovah Praise to our Almighty God
Blessed be the Lord, my strength Who teaches my hands for war For Him, I go any length Just to hear His mighty roar
Being so busy recently has reminded me of how fond I am of simple days where not much happens. Those times when life is predictable are often more rewarding than days filled with excitement. After all, excitement brings with it uncertainty, and thus, fear. But certainty gives a sense of peace. The significance of that feeling is not lost on me.
This poem expresses my contemplation of the sweetness of simplicity and how those uneventful days can be the most rewarding. It trailed off into other associated thoughts of why this might be. That led to my realization of how I long for what I do not currently have. After all, I have craved the opposite before, and I wondered why that was. Thus, this poem turned out to be more of an exercise in free association than anything focused on a specific theme.
Great peril do some hearts consume
The rush of hazard and challenge
The relief of escaping doom
On the edge of danger's talons
But what a way is that to live?
To barely keep one's grip on life
Unsure of what each day will give
Each morn delivering new strife
The simple days I find the best
With peace aplenty to be found
The sweet touch of a good day's rest
The drums of doom silent and bound
Respite from our woeful story
All the sweeter is peace reclaimed
More than the taste of victory
Or are the two one in the same?
For what is peace if not reward?
Reward for battles fought and won
Is not peace what triumph affords?
The gift earned for a job well done
All I know is for what I long
And that oft does change day by day
For rest can again make us strong
Yet strength unused does fade away
Oh, how I long for simple days
When it seems they do elude me
What the heart misses, it does praise
So sweet is that we do not see
I have finally made it to 100 posts on the Pensive Warrior, and it is a fitting time for the occasion. I wonder if it is just a coincidence this milestone was met with the new year just around the corner. I always seem to be finishing or starting something big just as the year comes to an end. Perhaps it is only natural that a sense of finality hangs in the air come the new year, as it is a symbolic time for ends and beginnings.
I am quite pleased with how this blog has come along. I have been quite busy over the past few months and have struggled to put out content as consistently as I have before. However, that is a good thing for me, as it is always a blessing to be busy. Also, if I were not so busy, my 100th post would not have come right on the eve of the new year! And if that had not occurred, I might not have been in the right mood or mind for such a post. As such, I think things worked out just as they should’ve, and I certainly wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Earliest Days
When I first started this blog, I was an unbeliever, but also an empiricist. I did not have faith in God because He had never proven His existence to me. However, I did believe in empirical evidence; pattern recognition. I still do. Thus, I always recognized the Bible would not be something people held to be true across time and space; across cataclysms that defined separate eras where culture was disconnected from one end to the other if there was not something truthful to it. If it were untrue – nothing more than a creation of man as an unbeliever would typically assert – then it would have fallen out of favor across cultures as all man-made philosophies do that clash with objective truth. That which is true, or hints at the truth somehow, stands the test of time.
And having been familiar with Biblical theology from a young age, as well as studying the theology of other major religions to compare and contrast them, I always maintained I agreed with the teachings of the Bible since they stand up to the scrutiny of a natural-law perspective where others don’t. And even when I was an unbeliever, I maintained I wouldn’t want to live in a world filled with people who don’t believe in or follow God. Morality cannot exist a priori – meaning it cannot be deductive and thus requires a lawgiver, lest morality devolve into a matter of opinion and defeat the purpose of its existence. Thus, a world where belief in a lawgiver such as God is lacking – a world of unbelief – invariably becomes a world characterized by a ruthless disregard for all that is good. History shows this play out time and time again in a neverending repeat of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (e.g., Ancient Persia, Ancient Rome, Revolutionary France, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Communist China, etc.).
With my background in psychology, I understand the concept of socialization. That is, people learn and acquire behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs from those they socialize with. We model ourselves after the models we surround ourselves with, or are surrounded by. In wanting to ensure I socialized others around me to be and do something valuable with the talents they possess, I sought to use my talent for writing to create something both enjoyable and valuable for others pro bono. That way, through no expectation of anything in return, I might give something out to the world worth giving. Somewhere along the way, I discovered my faith in God after delving deeper into His Word and establishing a relationship with Him. Since then, my desire to give something worthwhile to the world with the gift of writing God gave me has only grown. To that end, I have no plans to cease.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Moving forward, I do expect my writing career to get even busier. Nevertheless, I do still plan to post here indefinitely and as often as possible. Though, whereas I was able to post every week consistently in the past, I doubt I will be able to continue doing so without changing things a bit. I have been hesitant to post poetry regularly in the past because I do still enjoy posting articles about history, important figures, and other ideas; and I didn’t want to seem repetitive. I posted poetry often when I ran out of time because it is quick and easy to produce.
From now on, I will seek to post something once a week as intended. However, I will not be shy about posting poetry multiple weeks in a row anymore. I do want to keep original content posted regularly on this blog, and that means I will have to scale back on the articles I post here as I take on other writing responsibilities in my career. I think I shall focus more on hybrid article-poems like this blog post I wrote about the actions of John Paul Jones at the Battle of Flamborough Head. I enjoyed the style of briefly covering the events and then transitioning into a poem about them. This combined the quick turnaround of poetry-focused content with the intrigue of history and tradition.
With that said, here’s a poem I wrote contemplating the future and how we keep moving forward day by day in spite of great darkness all around us.
Every day tests our will and heart Our will to survive and push on And the heart's resistance to pain We lie in longing for the dawn
What is it that drives us onward? To reach for new heights never reached? That urge to always be greater And breach all those bounds not yet breached
It is the Lord our God in us Working through us with His Spirit To live the life we were made for A life defying death's limit
Christmas is many things to many people, with an origin story not many know. As I know it, Christmas is the time we celebrate the birth of Jesus (Yeshua) the man whom the Angel of the Lord manifested for the eventual purpose of shedding His innocent blood on the earth for the atonement of sins. With the eternal innocent blood of the God-man, people from all over the earth have a viable sin offering to call upon into eternity. The act of the Son of Man having been born to die for others embodies the act of selfless gift-giving. In turn, we are called to emulate this act through our own selfless giving of gifts to others.
God calls upon us To live our lives as He would To be holy men
For what is life made? What is the purpose of man? If not to live well?
And how to live well? What sets man apart from beast? What makes a good life?
To give of oneself Without wanting in return This does make a man
For a man does give He gives all he has to give So others may have
As God gave His Son To a people unworthy So we may be saved
So too do we give Without wanting in return On this Christmas day
Everyone knows it is essential to keep weapons clean and well-maintained. Saying it can seem like beating a dead horse, so to speak. Although, there are some nuances that bear discussing and some critical points which may be lesser known. I know for myself, cleaning and maintaining the weapons I own is something that can be easy to overlook. If for no other reason, it will be a good reminder to myself of the importance!
Firearms
As we all know, when a firearm is discharged, carbon deposits build up inside the gun. Those deposits will harden and impede the function of the gun. As such, it is necessary to take the gun apart and remove the deposits with a solvent. It also helps to lubricate the moving parts with oil where there is metal-on-metal contact. This will make the parts last longer by preventing wear and tear. Oil also protects the metal from corrosion and rust. These are all the obvious reasons to keep a gun clean and well-maintained.
Cleaning and maintaining a firearm can be seen as a chore. Thus, it fosters a certain level of discipline, as well as respect for one’s equipment. If you have to actively take care of something, you will come to value it more so than something which does not require care. This transfers to other areas of life and makes one a more responsible individual when the performance of the chore becomes habitual. Also, it may be a lifesaver one day to know how to clean and maintain one’s own weapons rather than relying on someone else for that simple task.
Knives
It is true that one should not bring a “knife to a gunfight,” so to speak. After all, combatants armed with only edged weapons generally do not perform so well against combatants armed with ranged weapons, barring a few exceptions. What are those exceptions? Well, close-quarters situations, of course. When grappling with an opponent, a firearm can be a much less reliable weapon compared to a short knife.
Thus, even when carrying a firearm, a knife is important as well. And all but the most high-end steel knives have to be cleaned and maintained. Some modern steels are very corrosion-resistant, although most steel still needs to be protected from the elements. A wet knife can become a rusty knife, and a rusty knife can be very brittle. Therefore, knives should be kept clean, dry, and lightly oiled.
Of course, sharp knives are safe knives. Dull knives will require more force to use and thus are more likely to drag and slip during a cut. If that happens, you may cut yourself, something, or someone else you did not intend to. Some knives are easier to sharpen than others, although knives that are easier to sharpen generally do not hold an edge as well. Thus, knives that are harder to sharpen generally need less sharpening. This can be a bonus to longevity because sharpening removes metal from the blade and thus reduces its lifespan. Also, if it is possible to tone the edge of a knife instead of sharpening it, this may increase the lifespan. Though sometimes sharpening is necessary.
A few last thoughts. Folding knives require more maintenance than fixed-blade knives. This is because they have more parts to their construction and they have moving parts. Folding knives may have to be taken apart o be cleaned and maintained. The benefit of a folding knife is obviously its lack of a separate sheath, as the folding knife folds in on itself. It is one piece, which is very convenient. Though this convenience tends to be the only advantage, coming at the cost of reliability and functionality in every other respect.
Final Thoughts
When I first started carrying weapons for self-defense years ago, I viewed having to clean and maintain them as a chore. It was something I knew I needed to do, but I was not fond of it. Recently though, the activity has grown on me. So, perhaps it is an acquired taste. Although I also suspect I did not enjoy cleaning and maintaining weapons when I was still learning how to do it and I had to often stop what I was doing to check reference materials, ensuring I was doing everything correctly. Now that the process has become second nature to me, I do not mind it so much. In fact, it can be quite enjoyable.
So, if you are the kind of person who does not like to clean your guns or whatever you carry for protection, I would just say to not give up on it. You have to do it anyway, and it pays to know how to do it yourself. Also, it may just grow on you too.
The Pensive Warrior 