Well, giving someone a good bollocking is always a good response - excepting that vanishingly small percentage of the male population that are resistant to such.
In ref to grabbing the attacking hand - well, opinions differ. Some say disabling or controlling the weapon hand is essential to knife-defense; but the same people often say “Expect to get cut”. Others (notably Bruce Lee) say that anyone attacking with a wepaon is at a disadvantage, because they are thinking only of the weapon, while an unarmed protagonist has all his/her weapons available - hands, feet, knees, elbows, head…and whatever else you may have. Personally, i’d rather not try to grab the hand an edge weapon is in - rolling your wrist to bring the edge onto a controlling forearm is a pretty simple counter-counter.
As to whether that particular sequence might feature in training…who knows? there are so many schools and instructors, i’m sure someones probably teaching it…
I’m not saying that controlling the weapon hand is the best solution - it probably isn’t. I’m saying that out of fear you’d probably instinctively grab it anyway out of pure animal instinct and so its interesting to look at your options from this position.
I’ve also heard that the guy who has the weapon is thinking only of the weapon and to some extent this is probably true and therefore an advantage…but he also has a weapon which is an advantage - so it balances out I guess.
Actually, mine was a response to Ilsa_Lund (sorry, should have quoted), but i agree with training to complement your instincts - especially using gross motor skills…but in this case, i personally would rather train myself out of this - just for the simple reason that knives can only hurt you when they’re close - so maintaining distance is a good defense.
I’m also not 100% in the “anyone using a weapon is at a disadvantage” camp - i’ve been in the unfortunate situation, and i certainly wasnt thinking “Woohoo! Hes got a lead pipe!! I own his stupid pipe-weilding butt!”…
Out of interest R-Con, you mentioned the whole ‘gross motor skills’ thing, which sounds like you know what you’re talking about i.e. the physiological effects of the adrenal dump you get in a confrontation etc…what’s your martial arts/self defence background?
Oh, and someone else mentioned a cane. I imagine you mean a waist height, turn-of-the-century style one, as opposed to the candy-cane (heh) shaped ones we know today. Are they effective as weapons? At hte very least, you look mighty cool.
Started boxing when i was 6 (my dad is/was a trainer), progressed to Uiechi-Ryu karate when i was about 9 - trained there for about 3 1/2 years. Messed around with Judo and a little wrestling after that, but not seriously. Fenced for a couple years, then Mauy Thai, then started reading and off-and-on study in Jeet Kune Do. Dabbled in Filipino MA, Tai Chi and a few seminars in close quater combat - which is mostly gross motor skills stuff, and i’m well impressed with how quickly and easily i’ve been able to apply those gross-motor techs in randori. I’ll definately do more, but there aren’t any full time schools in my local area.
I know a little. I have the pleasure of knowing some guys who are legitimate bad-asses. Me, i’m just an ass…
Given the way the discussion around here’s been going around, that’s probably the worst way you could have phrased that question.
You should have noticed by now that if you ask an open-ended question like that you’re going to get a thousand different answers.
Unfortunately, the “right” answer to your question is: “I dunno, you tell me.” The idea being that while it may work well for whoever, it might not be the best thing for you (this is the standard martial arts response to anything. Don’t worry I got punked down for it before too…).
Eventually, though, you’re going to have to actually start training. The best thing for you to do is check out all the different selections of schools in your area and visit each for a couple of classes to see what you like. No matter what anyone around here says, asking this question will always turn into a pissing contest.
The answers to “what works” and “what is best for you” will come once you start training. Well, hopefully, the “what works” won’t ever get answered (that is, you never get attacked), but, you know.
Blake, you misread my post but that okay. As green_dragon states, my point was when fighting against a knife, not with a knife, prepare to be cut. Comparing the effectiveness of a knife to a fight is interesting but not really relevent to the OP. Interestingly enough, under 15’, a knife and pistol are nearly equivalently deadly to one another, statistically speaking. Only when the pistol user is trained in its proper use in self defense does it start showing clear superiority. (See “Collected Police Reports” & “Interview With the Criminal” both circa 1991, although I’m not sure if it is actually commonly available to the public). My own studies have confirmed the statistics and other information in these studies. So, I’m afraid Blake, that you are seriously underestimating the effectiveness of the knife, consider even the history of weapons development and the truth will become obvious. The earliest primitive weapons were large blunt rocks and small sharp pointy rocks. Even our earliest ancestors recognized the advantage of a sharp edge to pierce and cut the enemy. Early weapon development focused purely on enhancing the earliest edged weapons, because they are quite effective at doing what they do, killing the person in front of you. But this really is tangental to the OP so back to that.
Suggested Reading:
Ewart Oakeshott’s “The Archaelogy of Weapons”
Yang Hong’s “Weapons in Ancient China” (good book that follows development through several stages although very China-centric and is focused on the interaction of the weapons with China’s development)
A whole bunch of people “Weapons: An International Encyclopedia from 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D”
Again tangental… so back to the OP.
I feel obliged to point out that although the knife is effective it is not a weapon-of-instant-death-and-woe-be-to-any-who-dare-stand-before-me. But in the hands of somebody ever moderately trained it tips the scales in your favour. As always it is important not to have any delusions. If you count on your knife to save you, your a fool. As foolish as those who think having a black belt means they’re indestructible warriors of an ancient tradition. It is BS, pure and simple. Don’t be fooled and your training, whether it be empty handed or with a blade will serve you well.
I really came back to this thread to post the following.
Suggested Reading:
Marc “The Animal” MacYoung’s “How to Survive a Real Knife Fight”
