Self Defense With a knife - for adults only

lots to think about with a knife, why you carry what you will do etc...then you have to think fixed blade, folder sheath belt clip on and on...then you have to train with it...

<<I mostly practice diagonal cuts with the kukuri.>>

It has 6 directions at any given time just from the still position
 
Dan - perhaps you should consider a thought why did you actually started this thread.

Azis, Spectre - if martial art means warlike then anything you can use for war is also martial. To stop plain dialectic - I dont care what is martial art or not and I dont say a word "master" with capital M.

There are some people in the genre I honour, and alot of these I do not.

I m interested in shooting and what I gather is all about how the eye focuses and how the brain perceive the information. The thing is that you will most probably hit the thing you are focusing on.
People look either at hands or face.

As for word "pistolero" I know some respectable shooters who use it and I dont find nothing wrong about it.
The knife being the weapon of choice - I dont care, the electric iron is about as good weapon as any other if youre just ironing and being atacked. :)

Me being martial artist or no - the thing I do will cripple me for sure if I screw up on any repetation of technique. Other consequences of not doing it right are also interesting. I dont know any other martial art like this.

If I really wanted be martial or warlike or ninja, I would probably joined SAS or marines and become real one, its that simple.

With respect leaving.
 
DannyinJapan said:
Well, I think Bill said that the favorite "defense" khukuri was a 12" sirupati under the jacket in Nepal.
Is that correct?
(My memory is fuzzy)
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DIJ, don't remember that but he did say that Yangdu carried a small, 9 inch I think it was, khukuri taped to her thigh when she rode the night bus to where ever it was she was going.
Bill also said, that when some guy started being amorous that Yangdu would say, "Do you want to pull back a stump?" or something to that effect. Needless to say that simply ended that.:)
 
Runs With Scissors said:
It seems odd how we get stuck on words and nuances in these discussions. "it's not self defense! if you're "defending yourself, you're already fixing to lose!" "It's not a knife fight, only thugs and crooks "fight" with knives, and I'm neither!" etc, etc.
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At the potluck, I like to bring my offering, then go load up my plate with goodies and munch on them. Sometimes it's fun to watch the old ladies arguing over whether the spagetti is better than the egg salad.
 
Azis said:
RWS....nice post


so any chance of talking about the use of khuks? (it is the khuk forum) or do we need to do some more posturing first?
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Uhmmm...thanks...I think? as long as the second sentence wasn't directed specifically at yours truly?


I'd like to hear more about khuks for the purpose of self protection. It's one of those areas where I know absolutely NOTHING.

I have learned that my eighteen inch Sirupati is actually a very useful blade for thrusting, and actually pretty quick, maybe it has to do with the more relaxed wrist angle? I don't know that other khukuris are "bad" for thrusting even if they are a bit blunt, that's a big ole wide edge that's gotta freakin' hurt and create alot of blood loss, even if it is a shallow wound overall. May be able to get through ones guard if slashing is ineffective. Considering the weight of alot of khuks, though, it seems it could also be a grand way to have the knife removed from your possession if one were too expansive in such movements.

If I had to use one now, as I sit, deaf dumb, and ignorant on the topic, I think I'd favor an off angle vertical snap cut, not because of any really smart tactical knowledge, but because it's the way I've chopped thousands of limbs, trees, and tall weeds while beating through the woods with everything from machetes, to axes, to khuks. If I can sever a 3 inch sapling that way at the end of a long hike, maybe I could take a wrist out the same way?

it seems that a 12 or 9 inch khuk would do pretty well for defense. I'd imagine one would pick a rig like that for concealment as much as anything. seems it might be manageable in reverse grips as well as forward. I remember being amazed at the potential of my Bilton when I got it. Kinda like a poor mans Szabo UUK or Spydie Ayoob, without the mean nasty tactical stigma attached. As far as target zones I guess I'd go for what is easiest to put out of commission. a horizontal slash across the torso would certainly have effect, but I'd be more comfortable trying to cut areas that I know how to put out of commission: cut bicep and they can't retract an arm, cut tricep and they can't extend it- cut brachial artery and they bleed very, very, very rapidly. 'bout the best I can do is combine my wood cutting skills with my EMT knowledge, and what I've learned from reading. God help me if I ever need to practice what I speculate. :(

Someone really should make a khukuri self defense training tape. I think it makes sense! Like James Keatings ABC's it's fun to learn first of all, also the bowie techniques taught in that series can be applied to other every day things, umbrellas, rebar, a tire iron, large screwdriver, etc. And I think Khuks could be the same way. Even though none of us usually wander our towns and neighborhoods with a 20 inch Ang Khola on our hips, they're still in our trucks, our houses, and out on the camping trail with us. Could be an especially good thing for folks who hike where they can't carry a firearm. I know I've met alot more scary people out on hiking trails than I've ever met scary moose or bear.

Of course, "self defense with a Khuk" leaves tons of room for interpretation with all the tons of different shapes and sizes out there.

Someone who knows what the heck they're talkin' about please hear my cry!! :D

Shuttin' my piehole and listening from now on. :D

I
 
Howard Wallace said:
At the potluck, I like to bring my offering, then go load up my plate with goodies and munch on them. Sometimes it's fun to watch the old ladies arguing over whether the spagetti is better than the egg salad.
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Brilliantly phrased and point taken. Thanks! :D
 
We're working on volume two of the khukuri DVD's right now, but with so many friends passing away over the last 6 months I just havent gotten around to finishing it.
I did write down all of the scenarios you guys requested and Ill do my best to get them all done.

We could discuss some of the foundation stuff, though.

First off, how do you carry it?

Frankly, it probably doesnt matter how you carry it as long as you can reach it and get it out safely and quickly. Out of reach is not useful for defense.
Don't be too quick to dismiss using the scabbard, though.
IF you cant get the knife out but the sheath will come out of the frog, just leave it on and use it the way it is. God know those chapes are sharp enough to cause injury, the bad guys' knife may get stuck in the wood and leather, you can sling the sheath at him (which clears your blade) and if you strike hard enough, the khukuri will cut through the sheath and into him anyway.
Or you can use the sheath in one hand and the khukuri in another.
Poke him in the eye with the chape if you have to.
Keep you mind open to many possibilities...
 
The HI scabbards, especially for the larger khuks, are quite heavy and sturdy on their own. I've had several people tell me that they'd make a serviceable club if nothing else. If I ever tear one up badly enough I'll test it for failure in the impact weapon mode to see how it does. I would not trust one to stop a sword or the larger khuks but against the smaller khuks, and most other knives, they'd probably work for that too.
 
I have thought about some videos, I have written a book on fighting but no solid deal on publishing it yet.


RWS...not at you ..at all of us

I would offer that many people limit their thinking when they start to look at a khukuri they often see the knife...One thing is to not limit what a khukuri is. its a knife, ax, hammer, club and so on so you have several weapons in your hand at the same time.
From any type of strike the backward movement is almost natural, something simple as chopping left also flows backward right as a club ( just look at how thick the steel is).

In a couple of simple moves you can very quickly see this blade as far more than a knife...an example someone throws a straight punch at you...you hook over their forearm with the inward curve...trapping and controling, from there the back of the blade strikes the face....now shape your hand and arm to look like the blade do the same thing...empty hands...it only just gets started from there.
 
Azis, I practice 9 directions with most blades. I tend to concentrate on 4 with my kuks which are very intuitive, anyway. Unlike my other blades, I actually do *work* with my kuks, so I know a lot about how to chop stuff with them, how to keep the blade in motion to conserve energy, etc.

Hawkwind, what is your native language? I think we may have a communications barrier. In any case, yes, in the original meaning, martial is anything having to do with war. Also, "ninja" refers to a member of a specific ethnic and cultural group, so joining some elite SMU no more makes one a ninja than joining the LAPD makes one a samurai.

Danny, I heartily agree with you that it's good to know lots of ways to use our tools- more tools in the box, so to speak. At my skill level, I'm more concerned with just stopping any threat that's presented, and for me, a kuk is kinda a point and click interface. Big bladed thing cut, slash and chop. I can do those, and I'll leave more extensive training for something I would actually *choose* to use as a weapon, like a firearm.

John
 
Spectre...I use the 9 directions as well, ( like the wheel of life) however as I stated before the Khukuri in still position has 6 directions foward (tip) backward(butt) up (top) down (da sharp side) side R (full faced) side L (full faced)
 
One final thought from me, and then I'll clam up:

There's nothing wrong with studying an art for its own sake. We live in a society where we have enough free time to do this - let's take advantage of it.

I'm not expecting to be involved in a knife duel anytime soon. Nor am I expecting a swordfight in my immediate future. Studying these things are paths, not goals, and the ultimate benefit is in walking them.

That, and chopping stuff up is a lot of fun.
 
Azis...thank you for stating. As I stated, "I tend to concentrate on 4 with my kuks..." If you're trying to advance some point that I do not agree with, please state it, so I can get on with talking about kuks and things that go bang. :D

John
 
No, I am stating that I use the nine angles of defense offense/defense much like kali arts, and that the weapon itself has 6 potential directions it can go from the stance position.
From these directions, come the variations of how to use the blade i.e. chop, slice, thrust, impact, slap, hook, deflect, reverse, blunt impact etc… This in itself is a lot to become proficient with. From there the traps deflections and other controlling g uses are many.
What is the important issue and what makes the khukuri so unique is the weapon can be set down and with empty hands you can do almost all of the same moves and you have a very effective fighting style. IE Kukri martial arts
 
Azis said:
What is the important issue and what makes the khukuri so unique is the weapon can be set down and with empty hands you can do almost all of the same moves and you have a very effective fighting style. IE Kukri martial arts
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I went through a similar evolution with the short staff many years ago.

I wonder if you open any book to any page, and study it intently, if you will discover deep secrets of the universe.

It's like going up to a tree, mushing your face close to the bark, and looking at the tiny world. Or dropping to the ground and exploring what is happening in 1 cm2. Then when you come back to normal perspective things look different, and you are aware of things that you were not before.
 
I think your right and maybe thats what it takes, to become one with your sword is something you here many artist say but they don't always tell you how to do that.

I have only listed some very surface issues, perhaps enough for most people but there really is so much that it takes almost a life time to get.
 
Azis said:
I think your right and maybe thats what it takes, to become one with your sword is something you here many artist say but they don't always tell you how to do that.

I have only listed some very surface issues, perhaps enough for most people but there really is so much that it takes almost a life time to get.
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Maybe they don't tell because the important parts sound silly.

One of my key learnings with the staff came after many weeks of study in the dojo. I was doing just ok. Then one day I sat down by myself in a big grassy field. I plucked a piece of straw and started exploring the ways the staff could move, manipulating the little straw with my big clumsy fingers. I spent a couple of hours sitting there with that straw. Next time I returned to the dojo and started working with the staff my sensei asked me "what happened, what did you do?"
 
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John
 
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