In reading this article it made some good points. How can we trust knife fighting “experts” if most have never been in a real knife fight?
Can we really trust most knife fighters techniques if most knife fight instructors (in the US at least) don’t have any real world life or death knife fight experience?
I’m a pretty good firearms instructor.
I’ve never shot anyone, although I have been shot at.
I’d trust Michael Janich. He’s been around.
Knife fighting experts could study known knife fights and report on what was successful even if they’re never been in a knife fight themself. Some of it is a matter of physics too.
I’d have a tendency not to trust someone who has a lot of experience in actual knife fights. They’re either very bad people, or not smart enough to avoid knife fights.
Because drilling with a rubber knife still lets you know what the outcome would have been without all the blood ,screaming, and insurance paperwork…
This. There are very few legitimate lifestyle choices that produce individuals with experience in killing people with knives. Even Delta/SAS/superninjacommando types prefer to use guns.
Man, if we can’t trust knife fighting experts, who can we trust? What is this world coming to? I weep for the children!
Hah! I laughed out loud!
I have actually met Animal, the author of the linked article in the OP. He is an amazing man who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, has been there, done that and turned his life around.
If he says it, it is wise to listen.
I read once from a knife fighting expert that most knife fighting trainers teach you how to basically fight in what would be a highly illegal knife duel. But historically most experts in blade weapons get that way through rigorous training with blunted weapons and etc. The first time a knight fought on the battlefield he was still going to be pretty good at using his sword, moreso than a recently mustered man-at-arms who didn’t have his years of practice flights. He wouldn’t be the equal of a grizzled veteran, but training with blunted blade weapons can still teach you the principles…
That is one long ass article. Interesting read but long as hell.
I’m not a knife fighting master so I have no position.
My new motto.
You can’t trust knife fighting experts really, the same way you cant trust “martial arts” instructors who have never actually put any of the techniques they teach to use. This is the weakness of non-competitive martial arts, bad techniques don’t get removed because you don’t use them to know they’re junk in practice.
This isn’t anything new, with the fall of the Feudal Era in Japan, it was noted that suddenly there were CRAPLOADS of sword schools opening up and eventually peace-time samurai who didn’t know about war were also teaching swordsmanship without having ever even been in a duel. Of course, there has to be a balance between practicality (You can’t really challenge people to knife fights to the death to learn if you’re good). I have both heard some ridiculous claims from martial arts instructors, and idiotic claims and techniques from friends who took martial arts. They believed some stupidly flawed techniques would help them win fights.
Simple rule is, everyone gets cut in a knife fight.
I honestly had no fucking clue knife fighting was a “thing.” I thought a “knife fight” was basically some thugs come up, overpower you, and stab you and steal your shit.
That is a real knife fight. A duel where two guys agree on mutual combat and pull their own knives at the same time happens about as often in real life as simultaneous orgasms. 
You should always trust a knife fighting expert.
Because he might stab you for doubting him.
Rule #1 for a knife fight: bring a gun.
On the other hand: Mythbusters on bringing a knife to a gunfight.
Briefly: The guy with the gun should not get cocky.
Haha, me too, drew. Me too.
I’m quite certain that I would wet my pants if faced with a knife fight, so all the experts in the world wouldn’t do me much good, no matter how trustworthy they might be.