There is a whole world of “Knife Experts” from every martial art, many of whom have elaborate disarms and cool takeaways.
Today I want to look at the knife in brief detail and tell you what works.
What makes me different from most all other supposed “Knife experts” is that I train with a live blade EVERYDAY!!! So many of the people perpetuating the standard knife tactics are people who spend little to no time in full contact, high pressure live blade training.
The secret to a knife is this real life stress inoculation.
Almost any “Knife defense” can work when the “Attacker” is given one angle and a fake knife.
Even if they are given a real knife, as long as the “Attack” is predetermined and done in a “Safe” training environment, anything can be made to look good.
Just the other day I was talking with a sometime student of mine who also takes at other schools when he told me a Krav Maga Expert showed him some really cool disarms for a knife.
My first and only question was: Did he allow you to use a real knife and come at any angle.
In my certification and subsequent training, every trip I must go against a real knife and real intent.
The instructor would never kill me, but I and many people over the years have bled on the mats to discover our knife defense was knife stupidity.
First off, make sure you always – and I mean always – have a knife on your person and you are proficient at getting that knife deployed.
Make sure your knife is a good tactical knife and not a standard low-grade knife that many people carry.
There are many fine choices out there, and the type of knife you use will determine your fighting tactics, as every different type of knife demands that different attributes be emphasized in the fight.
With the realization that I cannot give you a customized detailed fight plan without seeing you and the type of knife that you will deploy, I will give four main pointers to surviving an encounter using a knife against almost any weapon.
Kodger’s Knife Kreed: Rule #1 Keep the blade in close: This is done so that you do not over extend yourself and expose vital targets.
We want to cut the hand, wrist or arm holding the weapon, the closer to the wrist the better.
Rule 4: RUN!!!! as soon as your attacker drops the knife, and he will drop the knife once you cut his hand, wrist, or arm.
If for some reason your first cut was not ideally placed and he has hold of his weapon, cut again.
Once he does drop the knife, assuming this was a one on one… RUN!!!!! Better yet RUN!!!! Before the fight gets going.
Even if you have a knife too, as soon as he brandishes his knife or other edged weapon, let’s be real here, any weapon at all… RUN!!!! If possible.
