July 4th

Happy July Fourth to all of you. Reverend Wright you got it wrong. May God Bless our great nation, guide us, and watch over all of our servicemen and women!

Reference Material

I realize that there is only so much that you can learn from books or other media outside of the dojo or training hall. Still they are an invaluable resource. I have not included on this list any of the books pertaining to my studies of the rennaisance or medieval eras, sticking mostly within the 19th century. You may want to copy and paste this into a word doc and print it out.

Anyway, here is a brief list of Books and/or Videos I have bought and read and feel were worth the money and time I spent. The more asterisks the higher rated they are.

Cassidy, William L. Complete Book of Knife-Fighting*. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1975.

Cody, Mark Edward, Filipino Combat Systems: An Introduction to An Ancient Art For Modern Times, AuthorHouse, 2005

Echanis, Michael. Knife Fighting, Throwing for Combat***. Burbank: O’Hara Publishing, 1978.

Echanis, Michael, D. Knife Self-Defense***. Burbank: O’Hara Publishing, 1977.

Fairbairn, William Ewart. Get Tough*. New York: D.Appleton-Century Co., 1942.

Fairbairn, William Ewart. Silent Killing. 1942. Introduction Bradley J. Steiner. Seattle: Bradley J. Steiner. 2001.

Galang, Reynaldo S. Masters of the Blade*. Arjee Enterprises, 2005

Hockheim, Hoch. Unarmed Versus the Knife**. Ft. Oglethorpe: Lauric Press, 2001.

Janich, Michael D. Knife-fighting A Practical Course. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1993.

Janich, Michael D. Street Steel, Choosing & Carrying Self-Defense Knives*. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1996.

LaFond, James, The Logic of Steel***, Paladin Press, 2001, Boulder CO

LaTourrette, John, M. Warriors Guide to Knife-fighting***. Medford: Sports Psychology Publications, 1988.

McLemore, Dwight, C. Paradoxes of a Deadly Myth**. Yorktown: Dwight C. McLemore, 2000. (This has been published under a new title, “Bowie and Big Knife Fighting”, by Paladin Press)

McLemore, Dwight C. Advanced Bowie Techniques, the Finer Points of Fighting with a Large Knife*** Paladin Press, 2006

Ryan, Richard. Master of the Blade*. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1999.

Sanchez, John. Blade Master*. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1983.

Sanchez, John. Slash and Thrust*. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1980.

Steyer, John. Cold Steel**. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1974.

Tarani, Steve. The Naked Edge, The Complete Guide to Edged Weapons Defense. Burbank: Unique Publications, 2002.*

Walker, Greg. Battle Blades, A Professionals Guide to Combat/Fighting Knives*. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1993.

Training Videos-DVDs

Dan Gum Sul, High Art of Knife Fighting: Michael de Alba, de Alba Productions

Hwarang Do Weapons: Michael de Alba, de Alba Productions

Kosho Blade: Vol 1& Vol 2: Hanshi Bruce Juchnik, SKSK International Productions

Weaponry #1: Hanshi Bruce Juchnik, SKSK International Productions

Unarmed and Dangerous: Vols.1 & 2: James Keating, Comtech, Paladin Press

Comtech Drawpoint Vol. 1: James Keating, Comtech, Paladin Press

Reverse Knife Fighting Techniques: James Keating, Comtech, Paladin Press

Legacy of Steel Vol 1 & 2**: James Keating, Comtech, Paladin Press

Hockheim Journeyman series: Hoch Hockheim, Scientific Fighting Congress

Junsado Knife Defenses:
Fundamentals: Master Hanho, Turtle Video
Advanced: Master Hanho, Turtle Video
Expert: Master Hanho, Turtle Video

Lameco Knife Fighting: Vols. 1 & 2: Threat Response Systems Co. Felix Valencia

Modern Knife Volume 1-8**, Kautz, Pete

Comtech ***: Keating, James, A, Volume 1-3

Crossada ***: Keating, James, A,

Crossing the Bridge ***: Keating, James, A,

Secrets of Silat; Knife Fighting Techniques of Silat and Kuntao:**** by Steve Gartin

Know How To Use It

Item number three:

Do you know how to use that knife? That may sound exceedingly arrogant but when we are talking about using a knife tactically or in a self-defense situation your truthful response may mean the difference between life or death. You may or may not agree with what I am going to say. That’s ok, we can disagree and no harm is done when all that is at risk is some words and opinions floating across cyberspace.

Most of you know the old cliché,’ God created man, Samuel Colt made them equal. A knife has a similar equalizing effect when it’s brought into a conflict. It doesn’t need to be a big knife or an expensive custom knife. A friend of mine recently told me about answering a call where a man died from one thrust from a “two dollar steak knife.” (This friend just bought one of our Cobras for concealed carry.) There is another saying that is germane to this topic; a sixteen year old with a knife equals a black-belt with sixteen years experience. Or something to that effect. You get my point.

I have found that the concepts and techniques in our book, The Rhythm of One, stand up pretty good during randori, or free style sparring. (The photo is from our book) You’re right that doesn’t mean they will work every time on the streets or parking lots. A lot depends on how often you train and how seriously you train. I can tell you for sure what won’t work, and that is 90% of the techniques taught in strip mall martial arts schools. Why do I say that? Because I learned those techniques too and then I spent time figuring out how to counter them. Luckily I had teachers like Bob Cook sensei and others who went beyond the BS techniques to teach us serious edged weapons.

You need to find a teacher or school that is based in fighting/defending with edged weapons not just pie in the sky unarmed defenses. Real knife work is not pretty, it’s not Politically Correct. It is gritty and if you always win in class against the armed attacker, it ain’t real! It may be flowing and graceful or it might resemble a bad case of blunt force trauma, but given the statistic that the average knife fight lasts three (3) seconds, you cannot spend a lot of time waltzing around shifting grips and stumbling-bumbling around disarming your compliant “attacker.” If your teacher, or one you are considering, doesn’t approve of offensive knife training go somewhere else. What might be helpful is if next week I post a listing of books or videos that I feel are truly of value. I put this list in the appendix of our books but I’ll pare it down to the best of the best and share it with you. Maybe it will save you some money (because there are a lot of terrible books and videos out there) and maybe even save your life. By the way don't believe everything you see on Yu-Tube, there are a lot of strange things out there in cyberspace.

Oh yeah and one more thing. You might be the biggest, baddest knife fighter in the world, but if the SHTF and you aren’t carrying, you’re just another appetizer on the bad guy’s menu.