Knife class

My Work keeps getting in the way of my teaching knife fighting. I’d love to retire and just teach Japanese swordsmanship and knife fighting but my Social in-Security and my tiny work Pension won’t cover the bills. Somehow my employer can support 17 vice presidents globally and only fund me for $239/month after working for them 35 plus years. Maybe the socialists are not completely wrong after all? While I was in Houston teaching compressors and engines my heart was in practicing knife techniques. I took along a bunch of Pete Kautz and James Keating DVDs and a Bowie Knife and Trainer. I also laid out a plan for our next class and it is advanced and comprehensive. Now I hope we get a Friday to work on it. The holidays are upon us and free time will be even more stressed. Well we do what we can and hope for the best. I have picked up a couple really nice Bowies and sold a few other knives to help finance them. My most recent purchase is an Iron Mistress style by Voorhis. He makes very nice knives for a reasonable price. Of course I bought it off Ebay™. Hopefully it will be here next week. Voorhis’ knife work reminds me a lot of the knives made by DeLeon. Both make quality knives that are well designed and constructed.

So, in our advanced class I want to cover the “basics” of George Silvers Small Sword techniques. Also included I have plans to introduce some Filipino concepts and terminology. It is not necessary to one’s survival to remember the words, but it sure makes for a more educated fighter. It’s easier to work together if I can tell the student to perform a “punta mandrita” instead of “ you know, the high sort of round house thrust coming from your right shoulder to your opponents left side.” Or if I can tell him to assume a “seconda” guard instead of “place your knife held parallel to the floor, out to your right side, with your palm facing downward.” If you are learning an Art why not learn the language? We will work some more on the different modes of stepping and the male and female triangles used by escrimadores and other fighters.

Consistently I hear the concern about carrying a large (ie illegal) knife for defense. I base what I carry on three things:
1. Probability of getting stopped and checked
2. Probability of being attacked, hi or low
3. The practicality and comfort of the knife I plan to carry

Anything you can do with a small knife you can do with a large one, often better. The opposite is seldom true. A small knife gives you some advantage over empty-hand but also sometimes gives a false sense of security. If you are attacked, and end up cutting or stabbing someone, you are most likely going to end up in court. Why not show up with fewer wounds than your attacker?