mdauben said:I've admired the P'Kal and seen several videos of trained users demonstrating the proper technique. It appears to have the potential to be a devastating close-in weapon. My only reservation is that proper technique with the P'Kal seems somewhat more "un-intuitive" than a "normal" blade. In other words, it could be a great choice for a trained practitioner but perhaps not for a newbie. Of course proper training makes using any blade more effective.
Actually it's really not that hard. I personally don't believe in the efficacy of any knife fighting "system" for modern real world self defense that teaches 12, 16, 72, 128, whatever, number of angles, and so on. I also think there is a lot of lore (like "defanging") that is misapplied, and was originally intended for bigger weapons like the Golok, etc. And a lot of the Western bowie stuff was designed for a "fair" duel.
IMO if you are not using a golok, a bowie, or other big knife, and your goal is not scoring some enemy ears or dueling while nailed to a log or whatever, you should look into a simpler system.
The type of pikal/pakal fighting advocated by Southnarc for real world applications is about 10% skill with the blade, and 90% skill with your body. What I mean by that is that a "knife fight" is not a "knife fight"...it's a fight! So your priorities are the same in any fight: maintain mobility, maintain consciousness, survive! Fixating on the knife as a tool that immediately ends the fight (or a handgun for that matter) will lead to overreliance on a mindset that will fail against (a) determined attacker(s).
I can sum it up quick and dirty like this...keep your feet planted but don't go back on your heels; nose over toes; keep the elbows tight and compact and the hands in front of the face in a "compressed high fence" (SN credits Geoff Thompson here); don't "give up your hips" (meaning don't blade even to a slight degree) - in fact you want to encroach your opponent and "T" his hips - this is more of a BJJ/wrestling/MA concept really; use the pikal grip and stab, then pull the knife back to the starting position; if anything gets between your target (the legs or torso, preferably not the stomach though) you shear it (pull the knife toward you and, incidentally, cut the offending appendage).
Like I said, 90% of the technique is involved in footwork, zoning, and position of upper and lower body. The stabbing part is easy. Does anyone really honestly believe that a trained master of the knife arts is that much more dangerous than a prison shanking inmate or a crazy person with a kitchen knife?
Here is a more in-depth explanation of Pikal technique, but if you want my opinion, take some boxing and BJJ and practice deploying your knife - the other stuff will come naturally once you dial it in and is not really necessary to practice.
http://www.shivworks.com/PSP/An Expression of Pikal.pdf
One other thing to keep in mind is that SN teaches two ranges. One is arm's length or so, the other is in a clinch. The arm's length technique involves more footwork/zoning and knife play, and the clinch work is more about positioning. Most MAs teach the arm's length stuff ad nauseam and don't really do clinch work...