The following statement is taken from a victim of a knife assault that we interviewed as part of an empirical study on street attacks;

 

 

This disgusting incident happened last year on the streets of the UK and highlights the reality of how an edged weapon attack works and illustrates the rapidity of someone well versed in street knife tactics.

 

Now you don’t need me to tell you how lethal an edged weapon assault can be – do the research, go on the internet, books, magazines, etc. It’s all there for you to see – all the gory images of cuts, slashes and blade insertions. It’s visceral and in your face and only the most naïve of us don’t know what happens when sharpened steel meets skin – SKIN takes the damage - ALWAYS!!

 

Much of the material in the self protection genre is devoted to empty hand skills for countering weapon attacks, but there is also an argument for using an edged weapon as a defensive tool against armed, larger or multiple predators intent on causing lethal assault. Now this will not be palatable to everyone, but should the occasion warrant, it can be one option in our self protection toolbox.

 

 

TRADITIONAL VERSUS PRACTICAL

 

This article deals with the “reality” of how a “knifer” works. If you train in an art that teaches knife skills, well that’s good even the most basic skills can have merit.   Don’t think that you have to be a “master of the blade” in order to use a knife effectively. It’s a simple device and using a knife needs minimal skill. It is easily accessible and easy to use – slash and hack away – and that’s why it is the tool of choice by the majority of street gangs and criminals.

 

Our philosophy is to keep techniques to a minimum but apply it with a combative attitude. And yet by having relevant and realistic training it can literally give us the edge over a violent attacker!! An important factor of this is to introduce plausible and reality focused scenarios into our training.

 

A little over a year ago we were running a series of private lessons for a group of security professionals who were detailed to be deployed to a high threat overseas location. It was our 2 day CQB (close quarter blade) training program that is geared towards the high-risk operator.

 

On the first day one of the guys asked what style of flow-drill and opponent duelling we would be going through. He had a background in various Asian systems and was an accomplished martial artist. But sometimes even professionals, whose lives depend on weapons for a living, can’t always separate the application of an art and the application of reality.

 

Flow drills? Do you think the local barrio “crackhead” knows about flow drills? Duelling? Forget it!! The chances that you will be in a duelling type situation, with both of you drawing your chosen weapon at exactly the same time is not impossible, just not very probable. That’s not the way these situations pan out. Code of honour, rules, fair play – unfortunately they don’t exist on the street.

 

For the street predator it’s irrelevant as his sole purpose is just to stick a pointy metal object into you anywhere, anyhow. He will not be restricted by drills, forms or katas. He’s NOT playing that game – this guy will be working to his own agenda by using the old SAS (speed, aggression, surprise) to dominate – at the same time he’s sticking you.

 

He’s probably never set foot inside a training hall, been to any seminars, and probably doesn’t train very often (if at all) – he’s not impressed by grades, belts or certificates. The tool he carries and uses is just that a tool, a means to an end. The end result being either your wallet or, potentially, your life!

 

So are traditional knife skills irrelevant for the modern age? Well as we do with self protection and traditional martial arts we sometimes need to separate them into there own spheres. The same applies to knife fighting/duelling versus street knife combatives.

 

As with any combative situation we need to take the base skills and apply them to how violence occurs today. We deal with practicalities and realism. The days of people “duelling” are long since over, no one ties a rope to his own wrist and one to his opponents and goes at it with knives in a “Cord of Death” scenario, and as for people standing toe to toe and running through FMA style knife fights – please come on, its fantasy. I can’t imagine the scenario on the street that THAT belongs to!!! Basically you are standing in front of a whirling propeller blade - being chopped to pieces.  I don’t think many people would sign up for that!

 

A street attack works on the principle that you are unaware of the growing threat, and once the knifer decides to launch he will go at you with full speed and violence until you are subdued or dead. On the assumption that you do actually SEE an edged weapon (and from the research that we have conducted over recent years, victims testimonies state that many do not) will you be able to draw your own edged weapon? Probably not - and certainly not if you don’t train for it. The best you will get is to use unarmed skills to strike and create space until you can either get away or find an equaliser.

 

 

DEFENSIVE BLADE SKILLS – THE EQUALISER

 

If the above examples leave you feeling despondent – then quite right too so they should!! I make no apologies for that, violence is an unpalatable situation for a normal person to have to deal with. The reality is raw and uncomfortable.

 

However, the defensive use of the knife does have merit. Aside from its obvious application of slashing and stabbing, an edged weapon can also deter an attacker and inspire confidence in its user. As a personal combat weapon it is a great equaliser –especially for a smaller person against a larger attacker. 

 

A female client of ours was such a case. She had been on our female self protection program and her combative skills where starting to advance nicely, but she still felt less than confident when dealing with the padded man attacker during rape attack scenarios. After several private lessons in concealed knife skills this small and slightly built woman was transformed. Put a blade in her hand in the right context and her confidence and general combative attitude towards a grievous assault was altered dramatically. In short she was much more able to “deal with it.”

 

Now should a weapon have been her first choice. Absolutely not – awareness and avoidance are the main principles that we adhere to. A weapon, especially a knife, is extreme lethal force and should not be used lightly.

But for her, because of her unique working conditions (working in rural and isolated areas of the Third World), it would have made a practical every day carry tool as part of her job. By good fortune it would also have served her well as an escape or “cut-out” expedient weapon should she ever find herself in a situation where lethal force WAS required, say a sexual or violent assault situation. A knife creates its own kinetic energy with very little effort on the part of the end-user, whilst having a devastating pain effect on a larger attacker.

 

 

OFFENSIVE SKILLS

 

Accessing the weapon should be an integral part of any training – if its not (and many aren’t) then question the knowledge of the instructor. Just like we wouldn’t walk around every day in a combat stance nor do we walk around with an edged weapon open and at the ready. Yet many trainers start from that point? Once out it’s the easiest thing in the World to use. Not so when it’s still in your pocket and you’ve got an eighteen stone man-monster raining down “haymakers” at your head. Can you access your weapon then? 

 

Think it’s easy? Then please try this drill. Place a training knife (or a short cut-off piece of wood) in your right front pocket. Have a training partner don a pair of focus mitts. Turn your back to him and on the whistle have him launch into you with strikes to the head, stomach and arms. Have him push your hands away from your pockets – in short have him try to overpower you. Can you access that knife smoothly and quickly – if so that’s great…..but keep practising. If NOT – then keep practising, practising, practising. Remember in a real time confrontation you’ll only get one shot at accessing your weapon.

 

If you do have reason to use an edged weapon my advice is to find an instructor that will give you what you need rather than what you want – find the guy who teaches the practical techniques over the fancy drills. Also, and this is an important note, pick a responsible instructor that doesn’t just teach any Tom, Dick or Harry that walks through his door! There are far too many “tactical knife instructors” whose only thought is about the cash register ringing rather than the proliferation of lethal skills to “unknown” persons. He should build up both a working relationship with you and more importantly a requirement of WHAT you need and WHY. If he doesn’t, then question his integrity and possibly his expertise.

 

The most realistic knife combat training I ever received was from an individual who had never formally trained in ANY traditional systems. His training had come from military service and from working all over Europe in various security jobs, many of them in some very rough establishments. I doubt anyone could find these techniques in a traditional syllabus – they were formed from real time study of situations and applications. I call them the “Dark Arts” of knife combat. They are dirty, underhanded fighting techniques, no doubt similar to those that the “hoody” on the street corner uses to intimidate, assault and maim his targets. Ugly but effective!

 

 

COMBATIVE APPLICATIONS

 

So for the UK citizen where would they be able to use these skills for self protection purposes? Well lets first start by saying it is an offence to carry any weapon on the streets of the UK (concealed or otherwise).

If you do opt for edged weapon training ensure that you familiarise yourself with the use of force laws and your options regarding the use of a weapon to protect yourself. Even if you think you have right on your side and you acted with reasonable force – you may still have to justify your action to a court of law.

 

With that in mind I would like to offer two basic scenarios where you may need to apply a knife for defensive use.

 

One would be in various overseas locations such as high-threat countries with a soaring crime rate. However check country and local laws before you decide to carry overseas. I have carried overseas, often whilst operating in such diverse locations as Mexico City and parts of North Africa where the knife culture is prevalent amongst the indigenous populace, and the best advice I can offer is to choose a compact and easily concealable weapon that attracts not a second glance and that adheres to local legislation as much as possible. Leave behind the custom designed “Hawk the Slayer” type gizmos for the fantasists and knife “gurus.”

 

The other is a home invasion scenario where the only thing between your family and a rampaging attacker or mob is you and a sharpened implement. Think it doesn’t happen – unfortunately the news reports will prove you wrong. But even in this extreme situation you must do everything in your power to mitigate the attack such as barricades, verbal warnings, calling for assistance, and as always the use of lethal force is a LAST option. Will you be doing the advanced techniques that your instructor showed you as this maniac is trying to force his way into the room….NO WAY…in confined space room combat you’ll be just throwing that blade out there, trying to keep him at bay!!!

 

The use of combative knife for personal protection purposes is not something to be used lightly – and has been stressed it is used to buy you time to make good your escape and not to engage in a fight any longer than necessary. But providing you have the right tool for the job, workable and easy to retain techniques practised in a variety of practical scenarios and coupled with regular practice, you will have a grounded skills base to work from.

 

But when you train – train for reality!! Don’t train with the mindset of one cut and the fight is over – it’s not - far from it, especially if your opponent is well motivated or “coked up” he probably won’t even feel the first few cuts. That’s where our mental combative attitude comes into play – keep going and you’ve got a better than average chance of surviving. Stop and you’re a dead man walking. Don’t switch off – STAY in the fight!!

 

American knife combat expert Bob Kasper once wrote this sage advice that I have carried with me for years and serves as a good benchmark of how combatively we should be thinking;

 

“When you draw out that knife to defend yourself it means you are in fear for your life and deem it necessary to use deadly force. Otherwise keep it out of play. But if you do draw it out, do so with all the violence and fury you can muster up because anything less may not be adequate to stop the violence perpetrated against you and/or your loved ones.”