Dagger Defense Techniques [help]

D

DeWinter

Joined
Jun 15, 2000
Messages
1
First, let me apologize if this post is in the wrong forum...this place is a bit large and this looked appropriate enough.

Here's the deal.
I'm female, studing law, living by myself for the time being.

My Father brought be a Cold Steel Scottish stocking dagger and a Butterfly tonight.

Which is excellent. But I'm looking for information on dagger handling and defense techniques. The only thing stranger to me than daggers is the internet and I was wondering if you all knew of any good sites that would show me how to use one of these things.

Much appriciated.

+DeWinter+
 
Ms. DeWinter,

Welcome to bladeforums.com. We're always happy to have new members.

There are separate forums that discuss combative use of knives, but I think (I hope) you'll get one response: knife combatives are not something you can learn off the internet or from any book or video. You really need a qualified instructor who can teach you and then watch what you're doing to detect and correct mistakes and you really need an assortment of training partners to work with. There's just no substitute for trying the techniques out on real opponents.

Fortunately, there are classes offered in one system or another in most larger cities. Personally, I am partial to the Filipino systems (variously known as Kali and Arnis). There's a whole forum to discuss these vary topics right here at bladeforums
http://www.bladeforums.com/cgi/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=Filipino+Combat+Arts+Forum&number=34&DaysPrune=2&LastLogin=

You'll be interested to know that Donna, the friendly moderator, is a woman. Donna Barnas and the rest of the folks there can probably direct you to a school in your area.

Now, if by butterfly you mean a knife with two handles that counter-rotate around the tang, they're known as balisongs, and we have a special forum for those too.

I'm sorry to have to give you a non-answer answer, but I really do feel that urging you to seek out a class in your area is the best response for you.



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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
 
DeWinter,

Check your state and local laws on carrying a dagger (by which, I presume you mean, a blade sharpened on both the top an bottom) or a double edged knife. In Michigan, for example, a double edged fixed blade would need to be carried in the open, whereas you can conceal a double edged folder. Laws often make little sense, as I'm sure you are learning.

I highly recommend Bob Kasper and his KNI-COM class, (http://www.ghca.org) which my wife and I both attended. It is designed for someone without martial arts skills and it really does impart usable skills in just a weekend of work (though it is hard work!).

Bob Kasper is highly respected in the knife defense community and is one of the very few instructors who knows, and can teach, the fundamentals of the highly effective WWII hand-to-hand combative techniques.

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Cameron Reddy
 
If you don't mind purchasing training materials, here is a good site: http://www.fist-inc.com/

Also, if you want something dagger specific, look for "Applegate" and "knife fighting" in at Infoseek.com . This Applegate fellow designed some fighting knives we are all familiar with from Boker and Gerber, but he also wrote at least one book on knife fighting. His knife (a dagger) was designed around his training.
 
Let me echo what has already been said regarding knives and the law: CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS before carrying ANY knife, and under no circumstances should you carry or conceal an illegal weapon.

If you do wish to do a little reading on the topic, here's a list of books, most of which are available from http://www.paladin-press.com , http://www.amazon.com , or http://www.delta-press.com :

Combat Use of the Double-Edged Fighting Knife, by Rex Applegate

The Complete Book of Knife Fighting, by William L. Cassidy

Cold Steel by John Steyers

Knives, Knife Fighting, and Related Hassles, by Marc MacYoung

Military Knife Fighting, by Robert K. Spear

Warrior's Guide to Knife Fighting, by John M. LaTourrette

Slash and Thrust, by John Sanchez

Blade Master, by John Sanchez

Put 'Em Down, Take 'Em Out: Knife Fighting Techniques from Folsom Prison, by Don Pentecost

The Balisong Manual, by Jeff Imada

The Advanced Balisong Manual, by Jeff Imada

Balisong: The Lethal Art of Filipino Knife Fighting, by Campbell, et al

Knife Fighting: A Practical Course, by Michael Janich

Street Steel, by Michael Janich

The Knife Fighting Encyclopedia, by "Hock" Hochheim

Military Knife Combat, by "Hock" Hochheim

Battle Blades, by Greg Walker

Modern Knife Combat, by Greg Walker

Modern Combat Blades, by Duncan Long

Master of the Blade, by Richard Ryan


Razor

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AKTI #A000845
And tomorrow when you wake up it will be worse.

[This message has been edited by Razoredj (edited 06-15-2000).]
 
Hi DeWinter,
Glad to have another woman on board and especially another who carries a dagger. I also carry a dagger. Please come and visit the FILIPINO COMBAT ART FORUM here on bladeforums, and there others can let you know if there is training in your area.

Let me first say that when it comes to the laws that my survival comes first and the laws are secondary.

On daggers, they are awesome for self defense for a few reasons. They are hard to disarm. As a matter of fact, a trained person can cut the hell out of someone attempting to disarm pretty badly with a dagger. You will still cut that person with a single edged blade but the techniques are much more effective with a dagger. And the second edge adds another cutting edge so that no matter where the knife stikes front or back, it will cut.
 
Countess, welcome to the forum and congrats on getting a culloden a very nice knife. One of the bst things you can do for a while is just hold your knife all the time and get used to it. Also, practice drawing it from any position and either hand. You don/t have to be an expert knife fighter to survive in an attack just be quick on the draw and strike leathal and hard (ie throat, eyes, groin etc.) If someone attacks you it's not time to play around and just try to scare him off with it THAT WON'T WORK. You MUST stick him and do it fast before he even knows yor armed. It's him or you. I hope this helps. Mykl

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Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.
 
Also, make a habit of reading the tactical forums here, and The Tactical Lady forum on www.knifeforums.com.

If you don't actually desire to become an expert knife fighter, you can learn enough to put a blade to use in your own defense by going to a good one day or weekend seminar and practicing accessing your knife an hour or so a week.

Awareness of your surroundings is something you have to practice all the time.
 
Howdy,

My favorite defence move against a dagger wielding nut bag, is applying the SQUEEZE COCKER on my P7 m8 and then depressing the trigger..... 8P

my .02 allen
 
What's up with the affinity between balisongs and P7s? I meet more balisong fans (Allen and I have talked about 'em) who, like me, carry P7s than one would normally expect given the rather rarity of both balisongs and P7s.



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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
 
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