What's the best way you've ever dealt with a bully? Here's mine

I've been very skinny all my early life, fragile, with big ears and no money for cool clothes I was the obvious target kids would pick on. Around age ~14 it was at it's worst: regular beatings, they pushing my head into the toilet then flushed during lunch break, threw rocks till I bled and more.
Essentially not because I was the only foreigner, but because my dad wasn't there. All kids had dads that would defend them, provide some "don't mess with me or my dad will have a little chat with you" safety.
I didn't have that, they knew it, teased me for it until i cried, over and over in public took advantage of this.
So after a couple years I had enough. Every morning we'd take the bus to school, most were dropped off by parents at the bus stop. Good, I wanted as many as possible to see. I sneak up on the leader of the assholes from behind (he was about 30 cm / 11 inches taller than me), I put this huge switchblade to his throat, make him get on his knees to apologize. In a small peaceful european village with ~2k inhabitants this was unheard of. All were going to tell the story of how he cried and apologized. I was well prepared: had dulled the blade with a stone to the point where no harm could come from blade+skin, but he didn't have to know that. Also I applied it from the opposite side for extra safety, 2-3 mm (0.2 inches) broad. My only intention was to humiliate, never to harm. The little shit that had beaten me up so many times while his friends laughed was now crying, all saw it. Good.

So a couple hours later in school I get sent to the dean to explain, he can't do anything since it was outside school, I'm informed a police report was done. Cops will be at my home when I get back.

I realize mr. shitface has not learned his lesson, I must escalate. Hide my backpack to run faster the 3km (1.8 miles) to the bus, it was a 45 min ride, I had to be there first - no chance to win in a fair fight. I hide behind a seat, let the enemy pass me, put my forearm around his throat, drag him to the floor and kick his face hard.

Again this big tall guy that mobbed me for years is in tears for all to see, I clarify why I had to, explain this is what they'll get if I'm not left alone.

Once home my mother in a stroke of genius when asked by the cops shows a much smaller, harmless knife than the one I used, downplays the incident, the police report is retracted. I'm left alone. I move to another city eventually and make normal friends.

I was 13 or 14 years old, It was the first and also last time I attacked someone. I'm a peaceful and respectful guy, but glad that I did what I had to end years of major abuse. I know this may sound strange in the US, with your social services, lawyers and what not. This was >20 years ago in a shitty southern european village, things were different, you were on your own.