Rolling Stone's Keith Richards has revealed that he carried guns when he went to buy drugs at the height of his addiction

Rolling Stone's Keith Richards has revealed that he carried guns when he went to buy drugs at the height of his addiction to protect himself.

And even today the reformed Street Fighting Man admits to always carrying a four-inch knife tucked in his belt to deal with muggers.

"You make a cut across the forehead - doesn't hurt," News of the World quoted him as saying in an interview to publicize his explosive new autobiography 'Life'.

"All the blood comes down, and then you kick the f****r in the balls. It's a very efficient way of dealing with problems," he said.

Keith has been off cocaine after suffering a blood clot in his brain during his tree fall in Fiji four years ago.

The guitarist says he took no chances when buying heroin on US streets where everyone has the right to carry a gun.

"The first one I bought was a Luger I picked up in the East Village in New York City," he said.

"After that I went into Kieth Richards the guitarist affectionately known as "Keef" has revealed that he frequently carried firearms when copping heroin at the height of his addiction in the 1970s. He said, "The first [gun] I bought was a Luger I picked up in the East Village in New York City. After that I went into rifles for a bit just because they go further."

He continued, "I've carried a piece or two now and again -- most of that was to do with the heroin business and being involved in, like, scoring. Especially in America, it bodes you well to be armed.

"A .38 Smith and Wesson Airweight revolver -- that is the f---ing gun. No safety [catch] on it."