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"How many knife fights have you been in?"
"I've trained in kali for ten years ..."
"No, how many knife fights have you actually been
in?"
"I'm trained in five different knife fighting systems
..."
Knife Fighting
A Reality Break
On this page:
A reality break |
Amateur vs. Professional knifers|
Cost of knife use |
Dueling vs. Survival |
"Expect To Get Cut" and Other BS Taught About Knife
Fighting |
Fantasy Self-Defense |
Other Instructors |
This Isn't a Sparring Match |
Use of Lethal Force |
What If Monkeys
When the conversation quoted above starts to head down that direction, I begin to feel an overwhelming urge to put my forehead into my hand and shake my head, because I know I am about to get a long dissertation on how great of a knife fighter this guy is. Yep, he's a knifefighter alright ... his business card even says so. And I *know* that I am going to be regaled with awe inspiring tales of all the knife fights that his instructor -- not only survived --but gloriously 'won' using this awesome knife fighting system that studmuffins now knows.
Not to put too fine of a point on it, but thinking that training is the same as doing is like a virgin telling me he knows everything there is about sex because he's studied porno movies.
The only people who are going to be impressed are other virgins. And all the cocky arrogance the world about his deadly training isn't going to change the fact, that such a person is still a virgin -- therefore NOT a knifer, much less a "knife fighter."
When it comes to knife work, let me state right now:
I don't give a fuck what you think
"self-defense" with a knife is.
Nor do I give a rat's ass about
what your instructor says is
justified use of force (as he teaching you all
these killer kung fu
commando deadly knife moves).
I also don't give a tinker's damn
about all the macho huffing and
puffing about "If I ever had to use this I'd..." BS
that so many
wanna-be 'knife fighters' repeat endlessly on the internet (or
the
ignorant chanting of "I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried
by
six" mantra)
I say this because about 99% of what is out there about 'knife fighting' will either get you killed or put you into the prison showers.
Your problem is this: if you use a knife according
to a lot of the training that is out there,
you're going to be in trouble. No matter what your guru
told you, some knife fighting ninja on a forum told you
or you convinced yourself
1) A knife is a lethal
force item
2) As such its legal/moral/ethical
application is narrowly allowed
3) 'self-defense' is a
legally defined term.
And it is up to you to meet that standard, not that
standard to change because you felt you were 'defending
yourself.' It's very easy to allow your
emotions to carry you away,
pull and use a knife when it is
not justified --
either legally or in
actuality. Knives are like power tools, mistakes
happen a whole lot faster.
Now you may think I don't know what I'm talking
about ... except for the fact that my bank account is a
whole lot bigger because
attorneys call me when they have a case where knives
were used. This should interest wanna-be knife fighters
for three reasons:
1) I have personally survived several knife incidents
and I've seen a lot
more first-hand, so I know how
knives are commonly used.
2) I know the dangerous and illegal fantasies that are
commonly taught
in the 'knife fighting'
business -- and most of it is NOT
self-defense.
3) I prefer to work with the prosecutors.
So basically you have a choice, you can listen to me now, or you can listen to me in court.
And if you listen now, hopefully you'll stay out of court. If you end up there, you'd really rather have me on your side explaining why you didn't do what you are being charged with. Add to this that if (despite this warning) you choose to listen some so-called knife fighting expert who promise that you'll-be-a-weedwhacker -of- death-after-you-study-his-deadly- system, don't be surprised to see me testifying against you you use that system.
A Reality Break
The reason I'm so harsh about what is being taught as knife combat is
NOT to get you to come and study my "ultimate knife fighting
system." I'm trying to save lives ... either yours or someone else's.
This ain't no game and it ain't no fantasy, so let's get some perspective on
the subject of so-called
"knife fighting."
Amateur vs. 'Professional' Knifers
What are the difference 'ways' you will be attacked with a knife? Clearing
up an unfortunate choice of words about how a 'professional' and an
'amateur' will
attack you with a knife.
The Psychological Cost of Knife Use
Unlike many "experts" on the subject of knife fighting, I have used knives
in the street. This is not a brag, it a statement of fact. The reason it is
not bragging is that I have also experienced the psychological, psychic and
moral hell that resulted from the experience. This is a letter to a young
man who seemed too eager to carry a knife to defend himself in the streets.
It addresses the real
costs of using a blade.
Dueling vs. Survival
Most so-called "knife fighting" training that is currently taught has very
little to do with how knives are commonly used in violent situations. This
is because much of what is being taught is predicated on what can only be
called "dueling." The mindset, physics, strategies and attacks that occur in
dueling situations are radically different than the many other ways that
violent people use knives. Dueling is only one aspect of knife work, to
survive you need to
know the others as well.
"Expect to get cut" and Other Lies Taught
About Knife Fighting
There are a lot of "macho myths" about knife fighting, here are some of the
reasons they are
dangerous misconceptions
Fantasy Self-Defense
There is a lot of fantasy-element in the so-called "knife fighting" world.
Much of it having to do with the idea of it being a knife fight at all. But
before you can start to winnow out the fantasy from the reality, you have to
understand a little about the nature of fantasy and the politics that so
often plague groups and organizations. Issues that will seriously affect
what you learn regarding knife work -- and if you end up in prison for
murder if you do
what your "teacher" told you.
My thoughts on other instructors
What about other knife fighting instructors? Are they worth
studying with?
This Isn't a Sparring Match
There are a lot of people who have gone to a few seminars, maybe even
attended a camp who are going back to their school and hanging up shingles
about their knife and stick fighting credentials. Furthermore there are many
of these people's students who think they now know something about knife
work. This is a
very dangerous misconception
Use of Lethal Force
The bottom line is that in the eyes of the law, using a knife on
another human being is using "deadly force." There is a very narrow spectrum
where the
use of lethal force is allowed, and if you don't know it you will end up
in prison, losing everything you own to litigation -- or both.
What If Monkeys
It seems that no matter what seminar you go to there is always someone
asking "What if it doesn't work?" Although this page is important for
students to read, this page is by and large written for instructors,
giving them advice on how to handle
WIMs


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Knives, Knife Fighting and Related Hassles
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The Combat Perspective: A Thinking Man's Guide
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