NYMike,
Knives *are* less lethal than guns. I know some people are screaming right now, but hear me out...
Lots of things *can* be lethal. Pencils, rocks, cars, cigarettes (eventually), etc. Something being more or less lethal does not mean it cannot actually *be* lethal. So what does "more" lethal mean? Kills someone multiple times? Makes the 'deader'? I would propose the following criteria:
1) Lethal at what distance utilized? A knife is most often lethal when used hand-held. It may be thrown, but the skill involved in killing someone with a thrown knife is higher (you can say how much) than doing so with it in your hand. Bullets, on the other hand, can kill from point blank range all the way out to 2,475 m (thank you, Corporal Harrison).
2) How easy to kill? As it has been mentioned, killing someone with a knife is not simple. You have to be good or lucky to cut the right spot at the right depth to cause a quick death. Else, a trip to the hospital can cure many knife wounds. While gunfire is survivable if you are lucky, it is much easier to kill someone with a gun than a knife. You hear about accidental deaths due to gunfire on the news. How often, by comparison, do you hear of accidental stabbing deaths?
3) How often is it used? According to
Gun violence in the United States by state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (I'm not a fan of wiki, but this looks legit), homicides are conducted via guns more often than via knives in 47 of the 50 states (and 10 times more in Louisiana).
4) What other used can it have? Knives have hundreds of uses. They can be used to spread butter and cut a roll, clean a deer, cut a rope, dig a pebble from a shoe, open a package or envelope, cut a steak, or kill animals (including people). Guns...are used to kill animals (including people). I never draw my gun unless it is to fire it. Not threaten, not maim, but kill. This may be a deer or someone breaking into my home. Firing at the range is practice for the kill. Oh, and I guess guns can be used by the ski patroll to safely create preventive avalanches in the mountains.
You may have other criteria to use here, but these speak loudly.
In these regards, guns are "more lethal" than knives.
Jason Seiler