[Ubergopher]

Originally Posted by SGT-MILLER

Nope, COD4 fan.

Figures.

In all seriousness though, great pics and training info.

[hydrashok]

Originally Posted by SGT-MILLER

I am not the guru as far a bladed weapons go, and I tend to take the very simplest approach as far as using them as a defensive tool. My first preference is to use a sidearm if at all possible. Bladed combat is tricky, and you usually have to strike many, many times with a blade before you stop the threat (prepare to be injured yourself).

With that said, I believe it's still important to incorporate a blade into your defensive practice routine in some shape or form.

I doubt this will happen often, but I strongly disagree with you.

Using a blade with a side arm means you're contemplating letting the bad guy get close enough to you to NEED a blade. The closer the bad guy gets to you, the harder it is to kill him.

In LTC Dave Grossman's (Ret.) book, "On Killing", he described killing with a knife as being at "sexual distance". When you kill someone with a knife, you are in contact with the knife that comes in contact with the bad guy. You FEEL the vibrations of the stabbing or slashing resonating from the blade through the handle. You are penetrating another human body, not for sexual gratification, but to kill them. The psychological aftermath of having to defend yourself in this manner is greater than the detached method of shooting them. Even after living through the ordeal, living WITH the ordeal is a whole new burden to face, and possibly for the rest of your life. Killing someone with a knife will have a greater psychological impact than strangling someone to death because of the personal physical penetration.

Knives are a brutal form of self defense. The real danger that lies within using a knife is the probability that you won't have the intestinal fortitude to go through with using it. It takes a particular psychological trait to be able to do so, and that trait usually belongs to the bad guys, and your own knife will be used against you.

Hollywood can make it look easy, but leave the knife fighting in the movies. When it comes down to it, there's nothing sexy about it.

[IGETEVEN]

First of all nice pics SGT. Keep the training aids coming. Second, with all due respect Hydrashok, I am going to have to agree to disagree with some of the rational and conclusions you have toward knife fighting and defense from a book. That's just one man's thoughts and opinions on killing with a bladed weapon. Not all people that have used a knife or bladed weapon for self defense and killed someone, has to have the psychological traits of a bad guy.

Your descriptions of what it feels like to penetrate the flesh are somewhat accurate, but most times you do hit bone or cartilage and that does vibrate through the handle with abruption. Your main objective using a bladed weapon is to end the fight quickly and usually as quietly as possible, depending on the situation. Slash and penetrate all soft tissue areas, main objectives, throat and under the sternum or through it to the heart or under the arm through the armpit. You are not there to play with your foe, you are there to kill him, period.

Do not make a general assumption that every person that has the ability and skills to use a bladed weapon on someone else and kill them is a bad guy. You are grouping a whole bunch of disciplined, well trained and skilled people in that assumption. Some feel no different killing someone with a knife as to killing with a gun, the latter is only easier and less physical.

Jack

[dynastyofnext]

Nice tutorial as always. Pretty soon you'll be able to release a Defense book.

[WDB]

Originally Posted by IGETEVEN

First of all nice pics SGT. Keep the training aids coming. Second, with all due respect Hydrashok, I am going to have to agree to disagree with some of the rational and conclusions you have toward knife fighting and defense from a book. That's just one man's thoughts and opinions on killing with a bladed weapon. Not all people that have used a knife or bladed weapon for self defense and killed someone, has to have the psychological traits of a bad guy.

Your descriptions of what it feels like to penetrate the flesh are somewhat accurate, but most times you do hit bone or cartilage and that does vibrate through the handle with abruption. Your main objective using a bladed weapon is to end the fight quickly and usually as quietly as possible, depending on the situation. Slash and penetrate all soft tissue areas, main objectives, throat and under the sternum or through it to the heart or under the arm through the armpit. You are not there to play with your foe, you are there to kill him, period.

Do not make a general assumption that every person that has the ability and skills to use a bladed weapon on someone else and kill them is a bad guy. You are grouping a whole bunch of disciplined, well trained and skilled people in that assumption. Some feel no different killing someone with a knife as to killing with a gun, the latter is only easier and less physical.

Jack

Sgt as always a good post and I expect the knife is a secondary tool.

Iget, Hydrada made the point well. Few ninja's about these days. To attack a man with a firearm with a knife is at best movie stuff. Ever heard the term "don't bring a knife to a gun fight"? It's true enough, Most knife stirikes are less than leathal and giving the other person has a firearm it will be a short fight. I could argue the point but best to make it simple, how many recent servicemen have had to result to a knife to protect themselves. Most LEO's don't carry a blade as a defefensive or offensive tool. The way of the ninja has passed by the advent of the firearm.

[Gojubrian]

I'll either have a knife in my hand or a gun, never both at the same time.

[IGETEVEN]

Originally Posted by WDB

Sgt as always a good post and I expect the knife is a secondary tool.

Iget, Hydrada made the point well. Few ninja's about these days. To attack a man with a firearm with a knife is at best movie stuff. Ever heard the term "don't bring a knife to a gun fight"? It's true enough, Most knife stirikes are less than leathal and giving the other person has a firearm it will be a short fight. I could argue the point but best to make it simple, how many recent servicemen have had to result to a knife to protect themselves. Most LEO's don't carry a blade as a defefensive or offensive tool. The way of the ninja has passed by the advent of the firearm.

I respect your opinion, but I was implying the use of a knife in defense when there is not a gun present or you take it away from an assailant. And you are right, not many recent service men would use a knife for primary protection, it is a backup weapon for most and last resort. Usually only specially trained service men who are required to utilize it as a weapon in "unconventional" tactics to silently kill an assailant and/or defend against another knife attack would deploy this. There is no Hollywood involved in that, just specialty training.

Let me edit and add one more thing, most men do carry a pocket knife or utility knife of some sort on their person. If at last resort, faced with a life-threatening situation, they will indeed probably use it to defend themselves, if no gun is involved. Human nature.

Originally Posted by Gojubrian

I'll either have a knife in my hand or a gun, never both at the same time.

Indeed, nor I, the SGT was showing a defensive posture to combat an attack, using the knife as an more damaging extension of his hand to block an aggressor.

[SGT-MILLER]

In no way am I advocating using a knife against a firearm as a primary means of defense.

This thread was due to a request from dynastyoftext that I post something with a little knifework involved. This is also just a little visual to help people answer the question "If I wanted to employ a knife in close quarters, how do I do so?"

This is mostly an exercise in tactical thinking (How much possible damage can I cause in order to stop the threat as quickly as possible?).

[Gojubrian]

Originally Posted by SGT-MILLER

In no way am I advocating using a knife against a firearm as a primary means of defense.

This thread was due to a request from dynastyoftext that I post something with a little knifework involved. This is also just a little visual to help people answer the question "If I wanted to employ a knife in close quarters, how do I do so?"

This is mostly an exercise in tactical thinking (How much possible damage can I cause in order to stop the threat as quickly as possible?).

I wasn't criticising SGT. Good job once again. I probably just pointed out the obvious,lol.

[Benning Boy]

I don't believe that we skipped this option.