Knife "Fighting" - and other suicidal fantasies.

"The jawbone of an ass is just as dangerous a weapon today as in Samson's time." -- Richard Nixon

• Do you know how South African knifers hold a knife?
• Do you know how, in the execution of a violent crime, knives are actually used?
• Do you know the footwork, body & hand movement patterns that real knifers use?
• Do you know how blade use in South africa differs from that overseas?
• Are you aware of the reasons why this is important?
• Have you or your instructor really faced a knife, or used one?
• Do you know the psychological impact of your fear on your ability to respond?
• Are you aware that trapping and limb restraint are poor strategies?
• Do you know *where* the majority of local stab victims were cut, and why?

For those who are exponents of "reality fighting", define that reality for me. Is it training with contact? Is it training with a resisting opponent? Is it going 5 rounds in the ring? Is it single-leg takedowns on a padded mat? A rubber knife...? All of which sounds to me suspicously like the reality of contact sport.

Or is it perhaps learning why and how criminals and violent people (people under the influence of adrenaline) actually fight? From criminals and violent people, since knives are seen as a thug's weapon.

You see, sport is not reality. It's sport. Now, how do we get real with a blade?

Let me state, there is no such thing as knife fighting. There is such a thing as a knifing, there is being stabbed, there is being threatened with a knife, there is armed robbery - but there is no such thing as 3 rounds with a blade. You cannot and do not want to knife "fight".

The peculiar idea of a knife fight is based on the assumption that you will draw your weapon when you see his, since you are threatened from a distance which gives you some time.

Another strange assumption which follows this is that this is a duel. We each have our knives out together and we go for it, the knife fight is on. Then we have the concept that knife arts are about long flow drills and knife stripping.

Let me be blunt: that's bullsh*t.

In prison the knife is an assassin's weapon, their victims are taken by surprise. Warders who are assaulted are attacked without warning, with no chance of meeting the assault on equal terms. Policemen who are knifed have fractions of a second to respond, as the weapon is employed at very short range as a surprise attack.

People who are mugged with knives usually don't see it coming till way too late. If you still imagine that these scenarios are duels then your wheel's spinning, but your hamster's dead.

Within aspects of South African culture knife on knife combat does occur. The combatants are either warring gang members who got into a close-in skirmish, or one of the participants (a chosen victim, an assassin's target, or someone with weapons who got into an argument over a beer) is from a community that is conversant with blades and expects their use, by him and against him, as a fact of life. In other cultures this is less likely to occur on the scale that it does here. For most of us (middle class urban dwellers) the likelihood of blade to blade encounters is low.

If you are learning flow drills and knife stripping then your opponent is not trying to hurt you. He's not trying to kill you, he's co-operating with you for the sake of fun or aesthetics. Professionals who know the score try to end the altercation, not prolong it, they know the risks.

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People who use knives know how deadly and effective they are at close range, thus they use them to provide an overwhelming advantage. If your knife did come out while he was setting up the attack the assailant would not have the advantage, thus defeating his plan. Your achieving an equal footing will have one of two consequences, cause him to abort or make the violence escalate once more. He would be forced to go for a better weapon or have his backup do you harm from your blind side.

Criminals and gang members who have experienced knife assaults prefer to escalate the conflict by getting a better weapon with greater range, or just running for it - now if they don't want to go toe-to-toe with a determined knife-wielding assailant who means to do them harm, why is it that you would want to?

I learned about knifings from people who've used them on others, people who've gone to prison for their trouble. They may know the truth of knife attacks - perhaps you might listen to them.

Here in South Africa the knife method is very different to and lesser known than the popular Filipino methods, which are designed for what happens within that culture (and were spurred in their development by their conflict with the Spanish). However the Filipino method does not and cannot prepare you for what happens here locally, it being designed around a different set of movements and attacks. The Filipino systems I have seen have often been described as flowing, artistic and great fun for the whole family. The S.A. system of knife use was born in our prison system and when practised it is called murder.

You might tell me that your instructor is an expert with a knife. Hmmm... He has a prison record and comes from the gangs - actually having used knives on people*? He works as a butcher or a chef? He's a fisherman? He's an armed robber? These people have expertise with knives.

*This would give an altered definition to the term resisting opponent

There is one other category of expert with a knife - they're called instructors. They're found teaching, not fighting.

The people who are very good and very intently lethal with blades are not martial hobbyists, they are not there to fight you when they do decide to use a knife - they have decided to kill you.

Another strange facet of knife training is this one: going it empty hand. Deliberately going empty hand against a blade is just plain stupid; "you're not an ape - use a tool" (quoted by a U.S. Special Forces soldier). Empty-handed against an armed aggressor you lack the advantage; and you don't "fight" an armed assailant, you survive.

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These are your likely options when you face a blade:

1. Statistically and practically speaking the most effective countermeasure, one that violent people and gang members use, is the hockey defense (i.e. get the puck out of there). It may not be cool to you, but they understand the danger they're facing. Issues like pride, wounded ego and hurt feelings fade into the distance once the blade has sliced open your cheek and split your eyelid, leaving a lifelong scar. Of course, you have to have the awareness to recognise the danger signals, and know the signs of a knife being drawn or being concealed, ready for use. We hope you weren't unaware enough to eliminate this as an option.
    
2. Knowing the specifics of when and how the knife is employed under the circumstances you are most likely to face it, you do something effective to end it immediately on his preparation to attack, or as the attack is just beginning to launch.
    
3. a) Avoid the initial attack, b) get some distance/time and c) fight back. Getting to c can be tricky, there's a lot of maybes inbetween..
    
4. Retaliate hard and hope for the best, assuming you weren't overwhelmed and sliced badly or disabled initially. We don't even step into the ring at a tournament without preparation, but you'll give this a shot with your life at stake?

Be aware that attempting the last three options might rob you of your ability to use option 1, which is also known as the Nike defense.

Knives as used by knifers are used completely differently from the way you train in the dojo or gym. Those easy-to-handle straight arm and overhead stabs are the stuff of movies, not South African reality. The Filipino knife work is designed for the Philippines. You're not likely to face that here, however it feels safe for many to have a solution for unlikely threats. Or worse, amazing solutions to fantasy problems.

Another silly notion about engaging someone with a knife... Exponents of various knife systems will speak of how deadly/lethal/disabling those methods are. However, there is the idea that when fighting blade to blade or hand to blade that one should "expect to get cut". Somehow this makes the assault with a legally acknowledged lethal weapon seem a minor inconvenience when you do get cut. Expect to be more than inconvenienced if there is great intent and/or skill behind that blade. Of course, there is the assumption that *your* blade skills are going to stop the bad guy cold.

Reality in this regard means learning what has happened to people who've been knifed in your culture. Then learning about the scenario in which it took place so as to learn the danger signs and circumstances. Then learning what methods were used, and what is likely to happen. Then it means training for what is likely to happen to you so that you can handle what is likely to happen. Visit a local trauma unit one Friday or Saturday night - you'll soon know why you'd rather not tangle with a blade-wielding assailant.

Training with a 'resisting' middle-class suburban opponent who's never stabbed anybody in his life, holding a wooden knife in his hand..? Get real.

For pictures of a knifing (the perpetrators are father and son), demonstrating the unlikelihood of one decisive killing blow, and the damge one can suffer, please click the link below. Not for the faint of heart. www.swordforumbugei.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/000087.html

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