Only way to hold a knife in a knife fight

[.zerocool.]

Don't go anywhere without my fixed blade combat knife on me. Sure it might seem excessive, but so are some of the nuts running around in the city these days. It also helps to know how to use what you carry. Remember, blade down, edge forward is how you knife fight, not the "hollywood" blade up slash style. It's both ineffective and pointless. NTM will make you seem like a jackass in a fight.

Outside of protection I use the blade for everything. Even opening letters in the mail (why reach for the letter opener when I have a blade on me side).

 

[JShirley]

It also helps to know how to use what you carry. Remember, blade down, edge forward is how you knife fight, not the "hollywood" blade up slash style. It's both ineffective and pointless.

Um...I just want to be sure I understand what you're suggesting here. As you saying "icepick" inverted grip with the spine of the blade near the underside of your forearm? Or are you saying, just use a relaxed saber/natural grip to drop your blade tip?

John

 

[JShirley]

Waitaminute....zerocool, you're saying you never go anywhere without a combat knife?!

 

[hso]

It also helps to know how to use what you carry.

Makes sense.

Remember, blade down, edge forward is how you knife fight, not the "hollywood" blade up slash style.

Doesn't make sense.

I hope you aren't saying that reverse grip/edge out is the only way to grip a knife for self defense.

 

[.zerocool.]

"Um...I just want to be sure I understand what you're suggesting here. As you saying "icepick" inverted grip with the spine of the blade near the underside of your forearm? Or are you saying, just use a relaxed saber/natural grip to drop your blade tip?"

I'm saying have the knife pointed towards the ground, not up in the air. Basically inverted. In other words, sure, holding it like an ice pick if you must, if that's what I'm thinking you mean. Tis a reason a lot of ergonomic military grips (no not the KA bar, but more like the Benchmade Marc A. Lee "Glory" knife, or the Fox FKMD Ruko Predator knives). They are all set for the proper form of Military type knife fighting.


This is what I am talking about. This is taught in Krav, Kali, TKD, Hapkido, Akido, by the US Army etc.


To add : you can hold the knife anyway you want in defense, but chances are if your going against someone who is a trained knife fighter, you will most likely need to use the proven ways as well. Blade up or down, it's up to the user in the situation to choose, but odds are, someone using blade up will get cut up quite a bit faster.

Here is a good post about the Kali aspect of it.
http://forums.skadi.net/showthread.php?t=33238

 

[docnyt]

As Bruce said:

"In memory of a once fluid man crammed and distorted by the classical mess.
"

More than one way to fight...

 

[.zerocool.]

eek doc that is one evil post count you have


And yea, always more than one way to skin a cat, but statistics always have play. For me, I like anything that will increase the odds of walking away from the ordeal. But heck, you can just throw the damn thing at em if ya have the skills. That's probably the best way to knife fight. Or just bring a gun.

Always perfectly normal to carry a pocket knife. Always good to teach your youngsters the safety of one also. I guess it's a matter how how you were brought up.

 

[hso]

Better to avoid hijacking someone's thread and this might be amusing.

 

[VT Deer Hunter]

Yah Doc make another post! And holding a knife in combat or fight you hold it the way you feel best holding it. For me id hold it forward with the blade toward the person or away from you.

 

[kurioryu1013]

The way you hold a knife is of little importance. The sword of the samurai was held in scabbard cutting edge up. What is of importance is the concept of fighting. The concept of circle, water, and harmony. What is also of importance it the belief in one's self. As a warrior with over 40 years experience, I promise you, the element of victory is belief in one's self. I teach students how to break 10 concrete patio blocks with their hands, not because that is important in realistic combat, but because belief in themselves is.

There is nothing I can do if you do not believe what I am saying, but an infinite amount that I can do if you understand.

A pleasure talking to all of you.

 

[451 Detonics]

Anytime a statement starts with "only way" you know it is the start of an argument. There are many different schools and all teach something different...there is no "only way".

And given the number of states that have CCW laws and the number of criminals armed with firearms I think bringing a knife to a gunfight is very likely. A knife is a last ditch defensive tool for me...after I run through the ammo for the multiple handguns I carry.

 

[hso]

Forward grips have been used by real warriors for over a thousand years of warfare in both the east and the west. Reverse grips have been used by real warriors for probably as long in the east and south Asia.

Plenty of poseurs have as well.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Im gripping my Safe Keeper III all kinds of wrong then.

 

[Lslite]

Mall ninjas

 

[Mitch from LA]

Where are you cats finding trained knife fighters and kung-fu block breaking dojos? Sounds like a rough neighborhood.

 

[Owen]

I'm pretty sure when I was dabbling in daga y espada, we used a tip forward sabre type grip... Those renaissance guys didn't seem to think much of tip down.

 

[SniperStraz]

There are almost as many fighting styles as there are blade styles. There's no "one way" to hold anything.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Don't go anywhere without my fixed blade combat knife on me.

Up here in AK that would tend to get cops called about you a lot, if openly carried, and, if concealed, would invite arrest if you were found with it in your possession. Laws vary from place to place, but fixed blade fighting knives tend to be frowned on even more than pistols most places.

This is what I am talking about. This is taught in Krav, Kali, TKD, Hapkido, Akido, by the US Army etc.

The US Army combatives program isn't really something to cite as a positive, since MACP has some serious problems as anything but a stress innoculation program. On the battlefield it's primarily a great way to get yourself killed.

Anyway, I'm a fan of the icepick grip, but then the only knife fighting I was even taught was deploying a knife from the front of my vest to immediately regain the initiative when fighting for control of my long gun or to derail an pending ground-and-pound session if taken to the ground by an opponent (and even with that I'm not claiming to be an expert). Icepick just reflects the way the knife is carried for quickest deployment -- for anyone who discounts alternate grips besides the icepick, I'd note that convicts have been killing each other Fulsome Prison Sewing Machine style very, very well for a very long time . . .

Where are you cats finding trained knife fighters and kung-fu block breaking dojos? Sounds like a rough neighborhood.

I think a lot of them hang out at the arcade down by the Orange Julius . . .

 

[shiftyer1]

I really don't see many uses for a combat knife other then combat that can't be done with a 3 or 4 inch blade. Unless my definition of a combat knife differs from yours, something the size of a kabar. It's also alot more legal here.

I've learned a couple things about knife fighting here and there and the grip used for the few moves i learned is the one pictured above. Although I doubt it's the ONLY way.

When I was 15 I was in a disagreement with a schoolmate. He didn't hold his knife anything like that and he did just fine If it works for you great but don't limit yourself by thinking it's the ONLY way.

 

[Grunt Medic TXARNG]

Remember, blade down, edge forward is how you knife fight, not the "hollywood" blade up slash style. It's both ineffective and pointless.

Interesting. So you're saying the fighting systems based on iaito/Japanese sword arts/Tanto Jutsu are useless because they teach both forward and reverse grips? Considering that special operations forces from all the military branches have paid to receive training in this style of use of the blade, I believe your statements above to have no merit.

 

[shiftyer1]

I think a lot of them hang out at the arcade down by the Orange Julius . . .

I knew there was a reason I stay away from the food court!!!

 

[Cosmoline]

Up here in AK that would tend to get cops called about you a lot, if openly carried, and, if concealed, would invite arrest if you were found with it in your possession.

I'm not sure where you're getting that from. What code forbids concealed knives here?

 

[HorseSoldier]

Here in Anchorage it's a violation of AMC 8.25.020 (subsection A, para 2, specifically), for which I've arrested people.

Statewide it would MIW 5 with the usual requirements for that law (i.e. only a crime if you forget to mention it to officers immediately when contacted by police -- my experience has been that the sort of people who carry concealed fixed blade knives tend to be the sort who also don't tell police about them, but my sample size is limited).

 

[BRad704]

See... if this guy had been holding his with the blade down, he might have done better...

 

[hso]

I think we've dealt with this adequately.