15 votes
Accepted

Targeting arteries / tendons in knife fights?

Just to add to the discussion, I trained in escrima back in college from a student of Danny Inosanto's and someone who went to Dog Brothers gatherings. We did a very simple exercise to show how knife ...
Steve Weigand's user avatar
11 votes
Accepted

How dangerous can an untrained knife assailant be?

Knife fighting is something a lot of people don't really understand, both being the one with the knife and the one defending against someone with a knife. Someone with a knife, whether they're trained ...
Steve Weigand's user avatar
10 votes

Targeting arteries / tendons in knife fights?

If you are in a 'knife fight' the first thing to realise is that this is an extremely high stakes fight. One or both of you are probably going to die. Unlike unarmed combat it doesn't really matter ...
Huw Evans's user avatar
  • 3,380
8 votes
Accepted

What are generally non-lethal stab areas on the body?

Erm...it is really hard to stab someone once so that it is lethal within, say, 30 Minutes. People can go on fighting with 10+ stab wounds for quite some time and the rib cage is quite a good ...
Philip Klöcking's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

How to defend from Karambit attack

My background is penjak silat, which uses a lot of kerambit. Yes, they're good combat knives...however, the way you're framing this makes them sound like magic super knives, which they are not. ...
Bankuei's user avatar
  • 8,373
7 votes
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Historical esgrimas de navaja technical manuals

If 1849 is recent enough, there's the Manual del Baratero. I've only found a partial translation available for free, but there are a few ones for sale such as this one. Excerpt from the free online ...
Macaco Branco's user avatar
6 votes
Accepted

Is there a way to carry a knife in your teeth without hurting them, or is it just hollywood?

To answer your question as stated; While, it is possible to carry a knife in your teeth without injury there is no method by which you can do it safely. The teeth are formed in such a way that they ...
link_sen's user avatar
6 votes
Accepted

Third Party Defence from Knife

My problem with these internet demonstration videos is that they always feature at least semi-willing accomplices, who know that the purpose of the video is to demonstrate how effective the technique ...
JohnP's user avatar
  • 4,659
6 votes
Accepted

Is "taking off your jacket" still recommended as the go-to strategy for knife defense?

I have not encountered this strategy in seminars or regular training of Krav Maga. This involved personnel with extensive experience in law enforcement and military training as well as bouncers who ...
Philip Klöcking's user avatar
5 votes

How do you turn a knife attack back onto the attacker?

Maybe this has a name in some martial art, but to me, this is pure Hollywood fantasy with no real-life value as a technique. Just consider what is needed for that to function: You have to bend the ...
Philip Klöcking's user avatar
5 votes

Which type of knife is the best to carry for self defense?

The most important factor certainly is that you have to choose the weapon you are most comfortable/trained with. The best knife is worth less if there is another type and size of knife you are used to ...
Philip Klöcking's user avatar
4 votes

Targeting arteries / tendons in knife fights?

With the caveat that I never did any substantial knife training, and most of it in traditional martial arts like Escrima, you are unlikely to have the opportunity to really target anything because it ...
Macaco Branco's user avatar
4 votes

Apache Knife Fighting System

The history to this is through the Apache "survival" and "fighting". The knife, tomahawk, bow and arrow, and then later guns were utilized as they served the needs of the people. The knife was a ...
mutt's user avatar
  • 1,110
4 votes
Accepted

How did the Nazi toy shop owner (acted by Kenneth Tigar) turn the knife on Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman)?

This does not in any way reflect reality. Don't read too much into movie fight scenes. It's very rare that they actually have realistic martial arts techniques. There are moves that will reverse a ...
Huw Evans's user avatar
  • 3,380
3 votes

How to defend from Karambit attack

A karambit isn't inherently any more dangerous than any other knife of a similar size. The biggest practical deference when defending against someone wielding a karambit (versus more traditionally ...
Zen_Hydra's user avatar
  • 1,693
3 votes
Accepted

How useful is a Karambit for Everyday Carry - noncombat

Would this be a useful tool to carry in the woods, or just use as a utility knife? Yes and no, but mostly no, at least in my opinion. If your primary concern is going to be bushcraft and similar ...
Dungarth's user avatar
  • 2,225
3 votes
Accepted

How can you — on the ground lying on your back — defend against an enemy on top trying to knife into your chest?

In this situation, Downard is kneeling beside Prentice, not even putting weight on his body. Prentice should try to rotate his body to his right, scoot his body away from Downard and push Downard's ...
Richard Metzler's user avatar
3 votes

What is the difference between a sword and a knife? Which are machetes?

It's dependent on context. Sure, knifes are smaller, swords are bigger. A clear line does not exist. A bronze age sword can be a puny thing compared to a Grosses Messer. In using it as a weapon it ...
Klaus Kuplen's user avatar
2 votes

What is the purpose of Baguazhang deerhorn knife having some of its blade protruding/pointing inside?

Won’t it hit/stab the wielder if knocked/pushed in? If you are engaging force-on-force, you are making a fundamental bagua error. Circle walking and palm change training is all about changing these ...
mattm's user avatar
  • 14.3k
2 votes
Accepted

How do you turn a knife attack back onto the attacker?

A similar move is possible, but neither video shows the correct techniques. The trick here is to actually pull the arm holding the knife past you as though you are attempting a standing arm bar. Both ...
Huw Evans's user avatar
  • 3,380
2 votes
Accepted

How to defeat a stronger opponent, on top of you, trying to knife into your chest?

Learn Martial Arts Dealing with a knife attack is something addressed in many martial arts. This is not the place to learn this skill, so seek out a teacher to do this in real life. I assume this is ...
PipperChip's user avatar
  • 1,290
2 votes

How to defeat a stronger opponent, on top of you, trying to knife into your chest?

(As has been pointed out by MattM, my earlier comment is probably better placed as answer. I have added some more detail below). Others may disagree, but I don't think this forum is the right place to ...
Futilitarian's user avatar
  • 3,031
2 votes
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Recommended grip for a small knife vs a standard knife

I will answer from a military/self-defense perspective. Kali is a very limited bubble within (or maybe even outside of) realistic knife fighting. It is used in media a lot because it looks good, not ...
Philip Klöcking's user avatar
2 votes

Which type of knife is the best to carry for self defense?

This is something I recently asked a group of my martial arts friends. They all agree on one type of knife, which I'll get to in a second. It was just after I had a situation come up whereby some guy ...
Steve Weigand's user avatar
2 votes
Accepted

How do I stop trying to be unbeatable/invincible?

A Misunderstanding Martial Arts, in a very broad generalization, isn't about an "ultimate technique" or a single "perfect move." Being a "what-if monkey" and desiring a ...
PipperChip's user avatar
  • 1,290
2 votes

How do I stop trying to be unbeatable/invincible?

The best way to get rid of this mindset is, IMHO, the humility that develops through being beaten despite giving all you got and having tried anything possible, ie. experiencing the futility of this ...
Philip Klöcking's user avatar
1 vote

What is the difference between a sword and a knife? Which are machetes?

This is just based on ~30 years of research, swinging swords of all weights, with some training. I practiced cutting on objects extensively when I was starting out. What distinguishes a sword is the ...
DukeZhou's user avatar
  • 3,149
1 vote

What is the difference between a sword and a knife? Which are machetes?

"Knife" and "sword" exist on a spectrum, with some things definitely falling on the "knife" end, some definitely on the "sword" end. This means that there's no ...
Vatine's user avatar
  • 285
1 vote

What are generally non-lethal stab areas on the body?

For superficial cuts, the easiest answer is to go outside. There are arteries running through all of your body but for the most part, they are protected by bones. Outside of the arm or leg, a slice ...
Breck's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote

What is the purpose of Baguazhang deerhorn knife having some of its blade protruding/pointing inside?

As I noted above, I'm not a practitioner of Chinese martial arts, so feel free to take this with a grain of salt, but this fellow has a treatise on using the weapons that suggests they're not that ...
Macaco Branco's user avatar

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