Attack from a knife

[Davison]

depends on the attack.

[Synaesthesia]

One point which hasn't been stressed much is the use of enviornmental weapons or shields. If I couldn't or was unwilling to escape(primary tactic) I would certainly attempt to minimize the advantage of the knife wielding assailant.

 

I used to be confident about that sort of thing (being the fool I am) but having done some rubber-knife sparring, I realize that I simply don't have the skill to take even a weak and slow opponent with such a weapon.

[theswarm]

if I had space and a little time i'd remove my jumper/shirt (or use my bag) and wrap it around my arm to use as a shield - this would be my leading arm and my blocking arm - i'd try and create any distractions or use any surroundings to my advantage. It's not hard to use your jumper as a distraction even if it's around your arm just have the arm dangling out so you can whip them in the eye, it's longer than their arm and your arm and longer than the knife. If at any point i had considered my opponent distracted then I would start a chain of attacks and I certainly wouldn't attack in a straight line - I'd be aiming for lower limbs - what's a knife attacker most likely going to expect from someone who challenges them? someone going for the knife arm or knife - so i'd be using groin kicks knee kicks and as fast as I could front kicks (hell i dont want that fermory artery cut). I think the whole thing for me would be based around trying to disorient the attacker THEN going for the disarm, disarm straight off to me seems like suicide (then again if you don't have the time or space removing your jumper is kinda suicidal).

[JerryLove]

And of you stay within arms reach but not close enough to smother, all he has to do is get twitchy and stab whatever your bring to hit him with. If you are close enough to knee, imagnie the effect of him cutting at your groin or stomach... rememner, if you can get apulse, it's less thatn 1/2 inch to teh artery.

[Synaesthesia]

someone going for the knife arm or knife - so i'd be using groin kicks knee kicks and as fast as I could front kicks (hell i dont want that fermory artery cut). I think the whole thing for me would be based around trying to disorient the attacker THEN going for the disarm, disarm straight off to me seems like suicide

You disarm whenever you have the opportunity, but I think there is something to be said for trying to neutralize the knife as fast as possible.

 

Low kicks are obviously useful, but remember that even as you kick someone, they can make powerful swings at your leg. Being hamstrung with a knife wielding nut standing over you is not where you want to be.

[kle1n]

i would take the knife of of him

[theswarm]

i know this is imagined but wouldn't an unexperienced knife handler just be aiming for mid section swings and thrusts? I dunno i guess I just can't imagine someone leaning down to strike you in areas low.

 

But as you can probably tell with my posts - unless i had some surroundings i could use i probably wouldn't survive a knife fight, not to say i wouldn't try

[JerryLove]

It seems to depend on the persons nature. A person who is very nervious seems to use it well (put it in fron to them and stab at anything that scares / get's near them) and an angry person seems to do well (repeated and very fast ice-pick stabs towards the center of mass).

 

Generally, it seems, the one's who do poorly are the ones who are neither very scared nor very angry, or have bad training.

Edited June 19, 2003 by JerryLove

[WhiteBelt]

I just had a class on knife-defense and we did the forearm out thing too. Used them to parry and control the knife hand. Mind you this is pretty low level stuff as I have many years still ahead of me. Most of the techniques involved slapping away the attacks, until a parry was possible and then take it to grappling/ground. Steal the knife and finish them off.

 

"So how exactly did he stab himself?", the police ask.

 

"He fell on it"

[granmasterchen]

be prepared to get cut, block with the arm and at the wrists, remember getting the arm cut is better than getting that knife in the face, neck or chest, yet this can still be done with out getting cut, I have been in several knife fights and teach seminars and classes on it here in japan, i have been cut in the past but most of the time anymore i don't get cut, it is all in staying calm, training to know what to do as a reflex and instinct and doing it fast.