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There are thousands of knives that are designed for self-defense on the market today. But almost none of them are designed specifically for women as the intended user. A shame for sure, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t knives that would work very well for this purpose.
Women have very different needs than us guys when they are considering buying a knife for themselves for self-defense. Mainly, the pockets on women’s jeans are absurdly small and often non-existent. So a traditional pocket knife probably won’t be carried that way very often.
Fixed blades can solve that issue, but many women, my wife included, don't want to carry a big heavy knife around everywhere they go. Not to mention how fixed blades are actually more dangerous to children if they get hold of them. Additionally, women don’t usually like the same blacked out, tactical, and rugged aesthetics that men do. So finding a knife that fits these criteria can be hard. I have done the searching for you and compiled a list of great options for the best self-defense knife for a woman.
Key Takeaways
- The Best Overall Self-defense Knife for Women is the Kershaw Outlier.
- The Spyderco Matriarch is the Best Manual Folding Self-defense Knife for Women.
- The ESEE Candiru is the Best Self-defense Fixed Blade for Women.
- The Best Automatic Women’s Self-defense Knife is the Boker Kalashnikov Dessert Warrior.
- The CRKT Minimalist Dessert Warrior is the Best Self-defense Neck Knife for Women.
- The Best Non-metallic Self-defense Knife for Women is the Kershaw Electron.
Top Picks
- Best Overall: Kershaw Outlier
- Best Folding: Spyderco Matriarch 2
- Best Fixed Blade: ESEE Candiru
- Best Automatic: Boker Kalashnikov Dessert Warrior
- Best Self-defense Neck Knife: CRKT Minimalist Dessert Warrior
- Best Non-metallic: Kershaw Electron
Best Overall Women's Self-defense Knife: Kershaw Outlier
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The Kershaw Outlier is a fairly new entry into the self-defense knife market. The Outlier launched at a very competitive price, and coupled with the great build quality, it has caught a ton of attention. The Outlier is not specifically designed for women, but it works very well for this purpose. For just $45 you get a medium-sized, highly capable, and easy-to-carry self-defense knife with a very easy-to-operate design. The Outlier feels well balanced in hand, and the spring-assisted action makes it especially easy to actuate the blade via the thumb stud or flipper tap.
Another great reason that I chose the Outlier for best overall self-defense knife for women is the history of the Karambit-style knife. This famous blade design was originally intended for agricultural use but was used as a weapon during war times mainly by women and children in Indonesia and the Philippines, because of its small size and damage-dealing characteristics. I think that these traits carry on to this day and make the Outlier a great option for those less trained in hand-to-hand combat.
Best Folding Self-defense Knife for Women: Spyderco Matriarch
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The Spyderco Matriarch shreds a hole in the self-defense knife market. The Matriarch is a full-sized manual folding knife intended to be an extremely effective tool for delivering maximum damage to a threat, whether that threat is an attacker or that new Amazon box that just arrived on your front door step. The Matriarch is rich with features such as an aggressive hawkbill style blade, a fully serrated blade for maximum cutting power, and an easy-to-operate thumb hole for opening the blade. It probably won't disappear in your pocket if you wear women’s jeans, but it can be comfortably carried in a bag or on a lanyard, allowing you to take it with you anywhere you go.
Best Fixed Blade Self-defense Knife for Women: ESEE Candiru
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The Candiru is my top choice for a women’s self-defense fixed blade. Sure, there are plenty of other potentially more effective blades out there, but the Candiru just has something to it that I think makes it great for women – specifically, the color choice.
This version of the Candiru is bright purple. It’s not something that I would carry, but my wife liked the color and informed me that a lot of other women would, too. In typical ESEE fashion, the Candiru was intended to be highly utilitarian and capable to withstand hard use in any scenario imaginable. I think that it is actually perfect for emergency use because of its small size. Making a knife that is easy to carry and something she would want to take with her is the most important part here.
The 1095 steel isn’t the best steel, for sure, but it will do the trick. Additionally, the sheath is what makes it such a great self-defense fixed blade. You can either carry the Candiru as a neck knife for easy portability or attach it to a belt or other piece of clothing easily. Although fixed blades are great, they can be a little intimidating for those who are less experienced in carrying bladed weapons. The ESEE Candiru balances this issue pretty well, in my opinion.
Best Automatic Self-defense Knife for Women: Boker Kalashnikov Dessert Warrior
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This is a category in which I would normally recommend a high-end, hard-hitting, tactical knife of some sort. But I think that women are bored with those knives. So my recommendation here is one with a big pop of color and fun graphics.
The Boker Kalashnikov series of knives have been around for a while, and none of them have reached the level of fame that the Blade HQ Exclusive Dessert Warrior has achieved. The somewhat outrageous pink donut theme caught the knife world by storm a few years back and has been a huge hit for women in particular.
It makes a “scary” automatic tactical knife look fun, cute, and like something that women would want in their bag. The Kalashnikov Dessert Warrior takes all the great things we’ve all come to love about the Kalashnikov series and blends it with a delicious, fun, and unique look that you simply can't find anywhere else. You still get the same hard-hitting automatic action that the Kalashnikov family is known for, but now in a much brighter and significantly sweeter package.
Best Self-defense Neck Knife for Women: CRKT Minimalist Dessert Warrior
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We’re doubling down on the donuts here, because why not?
The CRKT Minimalist covers all the bases for what a great self-defense knife needs: great ergonomics, solid build quality, and good price. If you are considering a neck knife as a good self-defense option, then I think you'll love the CRKT Minimalist. It has a lot of great characteristics that are great for women’s EDC, like a small size, comfortable ergonomics, and a dazzling pink sprinkled donut paint job.
This makes the Minimalist feel as great as it looks to use. The 8Cr13MoV steel isn’t the greatest steel in the world, but it keeps the cost down, and it will cut. Overall, the CRKT Minimalist is the best neck knife for women's self-defense, and I highly recommend that you check it out.
Best Non Metallic Self-defense Knife for Women: Kershaw Electron
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Kershaw makes some really fantastic knives for almost any use case. As this is quite a niche topic, I have some explaining to do. The Electron comes in at a whopping retail price of $12 and features one of the most singular blades on the market, Polymer.
Now why would you ever want to carry a polymer knife for self-defense? Great question! Here’s the rundown. If you are looking for a basic self-defense tool that weighs next to nothing and is safe to have around children, that will still be effective for inflicting damage and delivering pain, then polymer-bladed tools are the best thing. The Electron weighs about 0.3 ounces, so it's basically unnoticeable in day-to-day life.
And this can be carried in a variety of ways. It is not sharp in the same way that a steel blade would be. But it still features a very fine point that will definitely do some damage if you need it to. Pair this with the well designed handle on the Electron and you have one heck of a last ditch self-defense knife.
Please note that the Electron is not 100% polymer; it has a metal “core” that helps maintain rigidity and ultimately will stop it from passing through metal detectors.
How To Choose The Best Self-defense Knife for a Woman
Choosing the best women’s self-defense knife comes down to a few things, mainly personal preference and how you intend on carrying the knife. If you are looking for a knife that you can carry in your pocket, then make sure you pick one that will actually fit in those miniature pockets that plague women’s fashion.
If you are wanting to carry a knife around your neck or in a bag, then a fixed blade may be the best option for you. Once you have a good idea of your intended use for your knife, it all comes down to price, materials, and color choice, to match it to your lifestyle. There are so many good self-defense knives out there right now, and any knife on this list will work great for you.
Why Trust Us
I’ve had the opportunity to work behind the scenes for many EDC knife brands and distributors during the last four years. I’ve carried, tested, handled, and purchased many knives from basically every brand on the market. I have extensive experience in EDC pocket knives especially, since that is what I carry mainly on a day-to-day basis.
I’ve distilled my personal experience and preferences into a solid list of many great budget EDC knives that I would trust day in and day out. I will never recommend any knife that I haven't either personally carried or have some form of hands-on experience with.
Final Thoughts
My personal preferences will most likely vary from yours, as I am a man who has regular sized pockets. But I do believe that this list is a great starting point for anyone looking to buy their first self-defense knife. The important thing to remember is that buying a great EDC knife can be confusing. Just find a knife that fits in your budget range and appeals to you and your lifestyle and try it out.
FAQs
Question: Are knives good self-defense for women?
Answer: Yes, knives are an extremely effective self-defense option for women, especially for those women who can’t, or don’t want to, carry a firearm. Knives can be easily concealed and help deter and stop a threat very quickly. However, getting some practice and training is still a good idea when planning on using a knife for self-defense to minimize injury to yourself.
Question: What style of knife is best for self-defense?
Answer: Any knife with a sharp point, as the main purpose of these knives is to pierce and stab. Ideally, a good self-defense knife is one that can be concealed, carried, and easily accessible during emergencies.
