© COPYRIGHT 2010 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – August 2010 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
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THE System of knifework that we developed many years ago derives from two key methods: Primarily, the Fairbairn/Applegate System, and secondarily the Biddle/Styers System. In addition, it contains a substantial amount of material that we personally originated (such as "neck traps", and certain other niceties). What it does not contain or include is an emphasis upon knife vs. knife fighting, or "dueling". Our students do learn how to handle a situation (very, very unlikely) in which — knife in hand — they confront an enemy who is also in possession of a knife in his hand; however, this sort of thing practically never actually happens. And attempts to prepare students to use a fighting knife in self-defense or hand-to-hand combat by having them square off and play "blade tag" with each other, is absurd.
The use of duels as a means of developing a high level of ability in the art of knife fighting is in our opinion (as it was in the opinions of Fairbairn, Applegate, Sykes, O‘Neill, and others whose methods were war-based and produced as a result of actual combat studies and experiences) foolish. Unfortunately, with the exception only of a portion of the doctrine which it espoused, we must relegate the Biddle/Styers System to this category, as well. Some of Styers‘ material is excellent and makes perfect sense; but the whole idea that one may anticipate the likelihood of encountering a knife-wielding adversary against whom one will proceed to employ one‘s own knife is based more upon the influence of Anthony Biddle (a fencer, and Styers‘ mentor) and NOT upon reality. During WWII Biddle even introduced bayoneted rifle dueling(!!!) which — thank goodness — the USMC had the good sense to dispense with shortly after being exposed to it!
We remember, during one of our countless conversations with the late Col. Rex Applegate, discussing knifework and how it really goes down in a close combat encounter. "I have never heard of one single incident in all of WWII when a knife vs. knife fight occurred," he told us. "Fairbairn had the same view," he continued. "Knife vs. knife is for criminals who fight with each other in bars, and for the movies. Soldiers, police, and civilians who use knives in self-defense don‘t need to concern themselves with that sort of thing."
Okay. Years before even meeting Col. Applegate, we were a student of Charles Nelson. And while he never went into the matter at great length with us, he definitely expressed the same idea that Applegate did. Charlie had been a combat marine during WWII, had bunked with John Styers, and had learned ju-jutsu ("combat judo") under, among others, Col. Anthony Biddle. Nelson became a combat judo instructor, himself. "Nah," Charlie had told us, "ya ain‘t gonna see no knife 'fights‘. All that happens is one guy attacks the other with a knife — and one of 'em gets killed during the fight."
And that is pretty much it.
If, for example, I have a knife in my hand, I am NOT going to give the other guy an opportunity to draw his (if we assume that he possesses one, and that I know about it). Nor will "the other guy" give me a chance to acquire my fighting knife, in any hand-to-hand situation where his knife is in his hands, and it is his objective to kill me. Possibly a complete FOOL will pause and caution his target-victim to draw a blade; but anyone with the brains that is possessed by a handful of gravel will not!
So why is knife dueling a part of many "knife fighting seminars", popularly taught courses, and DVDs? Why, also, are the utterly asinine histrionics that are inevitably taught to students of the bali-song folding knife offered as legitimate knife fighting fare? Very simply because it attracts and appeals to students who do not know any better; and it makes for an interesting and "fun" instructional period for teachers looking for a way to retain those students. It‘s dramatic, and it has all of the excitement and fun of sparring (something else that is absurd in close combat and self-defense training, but that is another story).
To become proficient in real world knifework what is required is, first and foremost, a mindset enabling you to attack and to kill another human being with a sharp blade. This is a hell of a lot harder for many people than one might at first believe. It is one thing to shoot a man at a distance with a firearm. That is, for some people, an agonizingly difficult thing to drive themselves to do; but it is, to a degree, "sanitized". One can shoot someone and not feel him die, so to speak, or "get your hands dirty" (read: bloody). Knifework is hand-to-hand stuff, and very personal. It takes a measure of physical strength in most cases (expecting your enemy to "let you do it" goes beyond optimism!), and you must go for the vital target areas with fierce determination and speed. Often, some basic unarmed combat must accompany the knife actions, in order to get to the enemy‘s vital points and dispatch him.
If we assume the right mindset, then simple technique is called for. We are not going to describe it here, but we will say that it bears no relation to the nonsense that is being vomited out by so-called "experts" in their dramatic seminar presentations. The only point we want to make — because we see that it is necessary to make it — is that proper knifework does NOT involve training to duel.
From the standpoint of defending against knife attacks, you can learn a great deal if you study realistic knifework, yourself. You will realize that a determined knife assailant is quite often impossible even for an expert to defend against. You will also learn why nearly every single "knife defense" that is taught amounts to little more than unusable nonsense.
The knife is a fabulous weapon in hand-to-hand combat. Learning its proper use should be high on your list of priorities. Respect the knife. No matter how expert you become, it is NEVER certain that you will be able to defend successfully against a knife attack. And for heaven‘s sake don‘t train in knife dueling. Not only will no one be likely to give you the opportunity use that which you acquire; you will be deluding yourself, and acquiring nonsense, instead of practical, viable skill in knifework.
With the knife — as with the stick, as with the handgun, as with any hand-held weapon, or with no weapon at all — ATTACK. Leave all "duels" to the Three Musketeers.
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