# Buy our martial arts gear, get a free... utensil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147 "2004-07-14T21:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/1 "2004-07-14T21:36:10Z")
I went to buy an escrima bag and a wooden knife earlier today, and as I was leaving the guy offered me a barbecue fork. I took it, but it seems a really strange item to give away at a martial arts supply store. Maybe I have to practice my Q-Fu to understand. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/2 "2004-07-14T22:22:44Z")
That’s quite peculiar. Maybe it’s Phillipino Awareness Week and he wants you to learn more about…Phillipino grilling? ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/3 "2004-07-15T06:11:15Z")
He certainly wasn’t Filipino. Korean, maybe. But they have barbecue too, so Q-Fu would apply there also. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/4 "2004-07-15T14:06:29Z")
What the heck is an escrima bag? I understand the sticks, but I can’t figure out what you need a bag for. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/5 "2004-07-15T14:27:48Z")
Huh. Last time I bought any MA gear (sparring gear, online), they chucked in a free DVD. “The Legend of the 8 Samurai”. Mine’s more thematic. Yours is more useful. And also, maybe he’s trying to start a new martial art? Barbeque-do? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/6 "2004-07-15T14:45:09Z")
It only _looks_ like a barbecue fork to the untrained, undisciplined neophyte; when you are truly ready, you will _know_ what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/7 "2004-07-15T16:24:47Z")
> [@Exgineer](#): > > What the heck is an escrima bag? > > I understand the sticks, but I can’t figure out what you need a bag for. It’s to put the sticks in silly. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/8 "2004-07-15T19:03:02Z")
I don’t now nor have I ever been a student of the martial arts (marital arts, yes - martial arts, no) but even I figured out the connection here. The utensil is used as an open indication that your opponent has been vanquished. In other words, stick a fork in him - he’s done. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/9 "2004-07-15T19:10:21Z")
> [@Exgineer](#): > > What the heck is an escrima bag? > > I understand the sticks, but I can’t figure out what you need a bag for. If you get into a fight in an alley and the cops show up, you shove the bag at the other guy and take off. Then he’s the one left holding the bag. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-our-martial-arts-gear-get-a-free-utensil/255147/10 "2004-07-15T19:32:27Z")
Heh.