Modern Knife Combat

by Greg Walker; Paladin Press, 1995 (108 pgs)

Subtitled, The Training of a Knife Fighter, this profusely illustrated, oversized hardcover would make a great politically incorrect "coffee table book!" But seriously, even though roughly half of the photos are of instructors, group photos, the author posing with friends, or disembodied knives, the remainder (of which there are many) clearly show proper (as well as improper) technique far better than mere text could ever hope to. You could learn a lot simply by looking at the pictures!

Mister Walker is a 14 year veteran of the Army Special Forces, has written articles for every major cutlery publication, is the executive editor of Fighting Knives magazine, has trained under the top knife instructors in the world, and has probably seen every book and videotape pertaining to the subject matter. As a result, he is eminently qualified to instruct others in the proper use of the blade as a weapon — something which a great many underqualified (and often delusional) martial artists wrongfully claim to be (and sometimes even get their books full of misinformation and speculations published, as a result of said claims). Simply stated, Mister Walker knows his shit.

A few of the chapters (13 in all) include: Knife Manipulations and Grips, Mobility and Range, Stance and Targeting, and Making the Cut. Every important point Mister Walker makes is clearly illustrated with either a photograph or a diagram. Although this volume is rather slim, it is literally crammed full of useful information. However, I would not recommend it as an introduction to the subject of knifefighting — its information is more geared towards intermediate level students, and would be better appreciated by those already familiar with the basics. For an introductory text, I favor Knives, Knife Fighting, and Related Hassles by Marc "Animal" MacYoung, with Slash & Thrust by John Sanchez being an excellent choice for one’s next lesson (both are currently available from Paladin Press as well as Loompanics).

A few significant excerpts from my favorite knifefighting textbook follow:

"ATTRIBUTES OF THE MODERN BLADESMAN

Deception

The Element of Surpise

Adaptability

Going with the Battle’s Flow

Visual Perception

Seeing the Unseen

Guts

The Core Element of Courage

Aggressiveness

"Just Win, Baby"

Emotional Detachment

Professionalism

Pain Acceptance

Both Giving and Taking Thereof

Attack Line Familiarization

Making the Hit

***

Restraint and Mercy

What Separates Man from Animal" (p. vii)

"The blade arts must not be confused. They are not a sports game! It is about life and death! When you look at a blade on the flow of traditional angles, the movements are very beautiful. Once they are used in actual combat or in use for real, they turn dark, very dark. It could be a very beautiful art, if you look at it that way. Just hope that you don’t have to use it or call on the dark side." — Sonny Umpad (p. ix)

"Knife training for self-defense truly becomes an art form. As such, it demands self-discipline, physical sacrifice, and hours of study in order to refine one’s mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical attributes." (p. x)

"Armchair knife fighting experts abound in today’s cutlery and martial arts world, and all too often their pontifications on the subject are less than satisfactory." (p. 14)

"Slashes require a razor-sharp edge on the knife in order to be fully effective. A slash, or series of slashes, is meant to cut the surface of the target area through sweeping motions of the knife-holding hand/arm. Slashes can be executed anywhere from close to long range during a confrontation.

A slash (or cut) can be long and deep or short and shallow, depending upon the bladesman’s skill and the flow of the confrontation. Contrary to popular thought, slashes can be every bit as lethal as a thrust depending upon the target area affected. In most cases, however, the slash is meant to soften up the opponent through mental shock from being cut and physical trauma brought on by bleeding. Filipino knife philosophy offers a thought process of "three strikes and the man is down." The slash may commonly be used as the opening strike in such a scenario, with a second slash followed by a thrust completing the equation, or with a thrust inserted between two slashes.

Again, targeting is the key to effective slashes, and such slashes are only as effective as the sharpness of the knife involved." (pp. 19-20)

"(It) is a common trend with most of today’s "knife fighting experts". . . that when you meet them, they simply aren’t in possession of the category or kind of blade a knife fighter leans toward. Oh, he or she may be able to offer you a Spyderco Cricket hung from their keychain or even a Swiss Army knife with its multiple blades and other gizmos. However, those who train in the art will be found carrying self-defense-oriented cutlery on an everyday basis, period." (p. 24)

"The reverse/back grip is preferred for those ranges (distance) referred to as trapping and grappling. These are extremely tight quarters where the knife must be kept maneuverable in order to be of serious use. In kicking and punching ranges, the hammer/front grip serves as the more effective grip, although the reverse grip can come into play without warning." (p. 32)

"Mobility is the ability to quickly and smoothly move from one position to another. Range is defined by distance, not weapons. The ability to effectively use a weapon depends greatly on the spatial relationship between combatants." — Richard Chen (p. 40)

"No-one fights with a knife this way, so these techniques won’t work on the street. Knife fighting is fast, with the knife popping in and then being retracted. To attempt a disarm using empty-hand techniques or to use traditional karate blocks against a knife fighter is suicide!" — Paul Vunak (referring to commonly taught nonsense) (p. 40)

"The knife fighter’s intention is to "defang the snake," or to cause the opponent to lose control or drop his weapon upon being wounded. The target zone is the hand/wrist/forearm area." (p. 43)

"Balance is the ability to maintain center of gravity, coordination, and structural integrity through all phases of mobility and stability and through any type of environment and terrain." — Richard Chen (p. 46)

"The knife is second only to the handgun as a lethal form of self-defense. Those who downplay this truth only exhibit their ignorance on the subject and do a great disservice to those seeking a viable option to firearms carry and use." (p. 48)

"The untrained or poorly skilled knife user will stab and slash at anything offered him in the hope of seeing success. Any idiot can pick up a knife and engage in a free-for-all cutting spree. The expert knife player studies human anatomy with the intensity of a surgeon. The right strike at the right point is his goal. A fight can be concluded with a single shallow cut if it is delivered properly." (p. 52)

"The key point of an effective slash is in the amount of contact made with the sharp edge of the blade. Conversely, the main point in thrusting is to have maximum power in the stabbing motion." — Michael De Alba (p. 58)

"Self-defense skills are tools, and as such they are subject to how we use them. Any concept or physical item can and often is abused by the individual in today’s society. Fighting skills are without form or impact unless given a physical body to train or execute them. What that body does with the skill is the individual’s responsibility. Likewise, the knife is no more than a tool, and like any other tool it is subject to the same use/abuse parameter. Remember, screwdrivers are the leading cause of "knife" attacks, according to the FBI." (p. 64)

"The knife fighter stays up on the balls of his feet much like a boxer in the ring. This increases mobility by a substantial margin and ensures you won’t get caught flat-footed by the opponent (if you’ll pardon the pun). From this position, the combatant can move in any direction or change gate levels in an instant.The chin is tucked to protect the throat, with the knife hand’s shoulder rolled slightly forward to protect one side of the neck and the live hand acting as a shield for the opposite side." (pp. 70-71)

"Neutralize the opponent by robbing him of his will to continue his aggressive actions. Pain and injury are the primary means of sapping an attacker’s energy to continue fighting, and the knife fighter seeks to inflict only enough pain and injury necessary to accomplish his goal." (p. 80)

"There is no excuse for taking a man’s life, for life is precious. Any man can take a life, but no man can give back a life. Killing is then a matter between a man and his own personal conviction and conscience. It is a matter of your own personal belief of right and wrong. It is therefore important to train the mind before training the body." (p. 85)

"Those skilled with a knife do not strut around the town square with "Old Bloody" hanging out in plain view." (p. 106)

"The knowledge and ability to execute a single technique properly is far more valuable than knowing 100 techniques but being unable to use them when called upon. Train properly safely, and with good intention. By doing so the knife maintains your respect and will only be used for the most worthy of reasons." (p. 92)

"Knife training for its intended purpose is deadly serious business and requires the highest order of understanding and self-control. As I have mentioned earlier, both the knife and its skilled use can be misused, but this is true of any thing human beings come into contact with. To fault the instrument or the teachings is simplistic and often a ruse meant to mask far deeper problems in one’s society." (p. 108)

This is a great book, and one you cannot fail to be impressed by. You will learn a great deal from it, and it is well worth the substantial retail price of $34.95 (whereas most other books on the subject average between 15 and 20 dollars). If you are training at knife combatives, Modern Knife Combat is a mandatory purchase! It is a wise investment.