Knife Fighting 101: Fact vs Fiction

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 3/5/20 | K Sipmann

[w1n1]

Have you ever noticed how everyone seems to be an expert on something these days? Whether it be geopolitics, food, parenting, guns, knives, survival techniques, self-defense, basket weaving … you name it and someone can tell you all about it online in a two-minute YouTube video. Well, knife fighting is not immune to this. There are many untruths, myths and opinions about knife fighting, also known as edged-weapon defense. I can’t address them all in this short article, but let’s try to separate a few facts from fiction.

I am a knife enthusiast, and I openly admit that I am no expert in knife fighting. So, to help educate myself on the subject, I reached out to a professional instructor of edged weapons defense, Fred Matison of Force Options Tactical Training and Security, to research the topic further and learn from an industry expert.

Probably the most well-known thing about knife fighting is that you don’t want to bring a knife to a gun fight – you don't want to be that guy. Also, another thing that Fred Matison discussed in his class is that it’s important to know there really is no such thing as a knife fight. He feels this is something Hollywood has invented to sell action movies, and I basically would agree with him. As a martial arts instructor myself, I understand that actual street fights can last several minutes, where many techniques may be used to subdue an opponent. When a knife is deployed for self-protection, there is only one technique needed to end the aggression, and it very well may end up in a death.

Many of the YouTube experts and internet-forum gurus would argue that you need a large tacti-cool knife to defend yourself in "battle." First off, a large knife is not practical in most every day carry (EDC) situations. If you live out in the desert on a ranch, a large knife probably is okay, but it isn't going to work out well for you at the office. You do not need a big tactical knife to defend yourself; but you do want a quality knife, so do your research and find the blade that fits your need. Read the rest of knife fighting 101.

[Hot Tabasco]

I prefer an automatic knife (aka switchblade) and currently carry a Boker......

[TalBlack]

The knife that is hidden until it is actually needed at the moment of striking is the most effective. Wielding a knife at an attacker is most effective if you are using the knife as a distraction to facilitate another and completely unexpected strike. If you really mean to use the knife the malevolent knows the exact direction of your attack.

[IronJack]

Most of the training I got was on defending against a knife attack, not attacking. But I was told that it's better to stab than to slash, because a thrusting movement is harder to deflect than a swinging or cross-body movement. Our defenses focused on neutralizing stabbing attacks, with a little slashing defense included.

We were also told that the fight isn't over just because you disarmed the assailant. You were perfectly justified in killing him, although you didn't want to take his own weapon to do it. It was too risky.

The key to the defense was to control the knife. Forget everything else; just take away his freedom to use the knife effectively. It's your only chance.

[IronJack]

The way I heard it put was, one’s leaving via ambulance, one via hearse.

[Big Red Badger]

YoJimbo 2,
Looks XLNT!
Thanks.
.
I’m carrying a
Spyderco now.

[marktwain]

Knife fighting and edged weapon defense are not the same.

[GBA]

If you like the black DLC blade coating, there are sprint versions of this knife that are very cool, including a new 2020 model.

You might also enjoy this with the designer: Michael Janich.

[Oil Object Insp]

“like the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark,”

Want you to know, all the people around me are wondering what possessed me to spew my drink and nearly choke while guffawing at that line. Missed my laptop but the restaurant table didn’t fare as well.

Thanks for making me laugh, it’s been a while I had such a good laugh.

“like the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark,”

ROFL COPTER

[Grimmy]

A knife fight is a real good reason to have a firearm handy.

[Dutch Boy]

The people I have known that were in an actual knife fight never knew they were in a knife fight until they got cut. They never saw it coming. It’s very hard to defend yourself when you are the last to know. The newspaper said one of the guys that got that got jumped was stabbed 17 times before the fight was over.

[BDParrish]

I told a retired Drill Instructor that “my Daddy taught me how to fight with a knife.” Dad was a corporal in the III Amphibious Corps Signal Battalion, and landed on Okinawa. I gave some detail of what I had learned.

The DI laughed and said, “Your Dad did NOT teach you how to fight with a knife. He taught you how to kill a man with a knife!

So true...

[wbarmy]

Glad to provide a moment of levity during your day. My daughter gave me the teenager look when I used that line on her.

[lgjhn23]

“...The DI laughed and said, “Your Dad did NOT teach you how to fight with a knife. He taught you how to kill a man with a knife! So true...”
Yep....they were some real bad asses back then. Tough as nails and outright mean as a rattlesnake. They didn’t call em “Devil Dogs” for nothing. Mine was a PFC, BAR rifleman, 1st Marine Division, G2C. He suffered for years after the war with PTSD but no one knew what it was back then...they just thought he was half crazy. I do know this: you didn’t want to piss him off...don’t ask me how I know, LOL. He has passed now, and I miss him dearly. He never talked too much about the war, but about a year before he passed, the Marine Corps sent a couple of stenographer types to interview him for a couple of days regarding his experiences. He fully opened up about it probably for the first time in his life. Some of the stuff he was describing made them just stop and question the validity of it, some of it made grown men just about cry...it was pretty bad.
But besides all that, he taught me a lot: how to fight/defend myself, how to shoot, hunt, fish, how to live off the land, how to tie rope, respect for our flag & country, respect for others, especially elders and the list goes on. Looking back now, I could never thank him enough for it. Even with all his faults, I couldn’t have asked for a better father.