Knifefighting - Sure way to win, or one way ticket to prison?

[Ryu]

One of the things I accomplished with the JKD instructorship I had was gaining some functional experience in the Filipino arts of knifefighting.

First let me say (thankfully) that I have NEVER had to use a knife in any defense situation. However even though this is the case, I do carry tactical folders, etc.

My post is not necessarily on knifefighting itself. The way to get good is to put on gear and spar it, and to understand that real knife fighting is incredibly difficult to do, and skill does NOT necessarily mean success.

With that said, my question is whether you think knifefighting can ever be seen as just to the law? Obviously if someone has a gun, or is trying to kill you, etc... but what if the guy is not armed and you simply cannot win? Is it lawful to use a knife? :( Unfortunately, I think I would.
If I was getting beaten up, and I had no idea what he would do if he knocked me out (my step-brother had a guy rip open his face after he was unconscious on the ground...) I would use a knife to win.

Also, knife fighting is extremely dangerous if the person does succeed in getting the knife away from you. You've given him the incentive to take your life.
But what would you do? If I was being out grappled by a better grappler in a real fight, I would use a knife...

This is very serious stuff, as it really related to law and prison time. Knifefighting is almost ALWAYS looked down on with the law I think...

Is it worth it to be a "knife fighter" then?

Ryu

http://judoinfo.com/images/kimuraosawa.jpg


"One who takes pride in shallow knowledge or understanding is like a monkey who delights in adorning itself with garbage."

[Waidan]

Hard to imagine a jury ever looking mercifully one someone who carved up an unarmed opponent...even in self-defense.

honestly though, if you think your life is in jeopardy, do you really care about the legallities of the situation?

of course if you DON'T think your life is on the line, you're better off rolling the dice and taking your licks.

[straight blast]

In the life-or-death situation anything goes. This may sound a bit gross, but I once got cornered by 3 guys after school. They were in year 11, I was in year nine. I don't know why they wanted to fight, probably never will. Anyway, one of them (the biggest one) grabbed me in a front bear hug. Thankfully the other two decided to watch, not join in. He picked me up off the ground and was going to slam me back onto it. So I used the only weapon I had available against a bigger, stronger opponent who already had a clinch advantage against me.

That's right, I BIT the motherf***er.

I bit him on the cheek hard enough to draw blood. He screamed, dropped me and grabbed his face. While his 2 boyfriends came running over to see if he was alright, I ran away. I got it deep s**t over that, almost got expelled, but it was worth it. :D
He never bothered me again.

Actually, I think I looked kinda cool with the blood all over my mouth and face!!! Forgot to wash it off before I went home. Much explaining required. ;)

"Through strength, learn gentleness. Through gentleness, strength will prevail"

[AbraxasXIII]

I would use pepper spray before a knife. It's a good contact breaker.

"Dad, I dont think I'm gonna do Hamster Style anymore." - Ben Chapleski

[Kristoffer]

fighting is never right I think.. But biting is cool :D look out for aids or something though. HIV maybe? Herpes..? whatever :rolleyes:

on the knife thing.. well, i dont know if I would feel good about myself if killing someone with a knife! :eek: I mean, Thats serious stuff!!

~K~
"maybe not in combat..... but think of the chicks man, the chicks!"

[Taomonkey]

very loaded question.
I would say that if the attacker was unarmed that the law would look very harshly at you for using a knife. Also, Filipino knife techniques would look to the untrained observer as defensive wounds, like the attacker was holding his arms and hands up to protect his body etc. I would hope that before you chose a knife that you would have the training on how to use it, and when to use it. If some guy is just pickin' a fight and I pull out my knife and cut the guy up real bad, teh law would consider ot excessive force, however same situation if he just had a few cuts, mabey they would look at it different.
Either way there's going to be paperwork. I try to teach my students to avoid paperwork, (if they can) it will ruin your day for sure. We dont always have to kill ants with hand grenades.
I also think that if you kill an unarmed guy and the cops search your house, which they are sure to do, what will they find, martial arts weapons, rank certificates, seminar certificates, videos? Be aware that in that case they will hold you accountable, since you were obviously trained, you must have known the outcome of the technique.
I have often been in class, started out with something simple and as it evolved noticed that if I were to complete the technique in my mind that the only way to explain it is.. so if you want to kill somebody. I know the outcome, if I know the outcome of a technique so would the law. Would it be murder? Hope you get a good judge.
I stoped carrying my knife a few years ago, however, times are different since 9-11. The Taliban are training in knife fighting, are you? I have one sstudent who is about to ship off to boot camp, so I felt a need to have some privates with him with the knife, stuff I thought I would never show, but how times change.
enough of my rant!

[Badger]

Wouldn't a stick/club/impact be better?
I mean think about what are your choices with a knife cut him, he bleeds,he's mad,you have to kill him or he kills you. A stick:Knock his sorry butt out,break his knee cap,control techniques,kill him ONLY if you have too.

Badger

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[Water Dragon]

Ryu, e-mail me. I have a couple things I'd like to discuss with you.

lzolper@hotmail.com

Most actions of men can be explained by observing a pack of dogs. Not wild dogs, just neighborhood dogs who all scurry under the fence on the same night and set off together to reclaim a glimmer of the glory their species possessed before domestication.

[Taomonkey]

Badger
Yeah Buddy, thats what I'm talkin about. As my teacher says "everything is a stick"
Mabuhay ang Arnis :D

[JWTAYLOR]

I think that this falls under the "better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6" rule.

It depends on the law of your specific land, but here in Texas, God bless it, you have to prove that you were afraid for you life to use lethal force.

But it's all a decision you have to make long before hand. "Can I really do this" is not the question to be asking when you've only got 2 seconds to decide.

JWT

If you pr!ck us, do we not bleed? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that the villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. MOV

[Badger]

"I think that this falls under the "better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6" rule. -JWT


I def.agree with that!
If you are gonna carry a deadly weapon wouldn't a gun with a concealed weapon permit be much better.Then you can use your gun when that kind of force is necessary.Use a stick type weapon for less lethal type situations.like Tao Monkey said"sticks are everywhere"ˇ ;)


Badger

Support The Economy. Buy A Gun.

[shaolinboxer]

I don't carry weapons. If you use a weapon on someone it give them or their friend license to use weapons on you.

[yenhoi]

I carry nunchaku sometimes wooden with a cord, occasionally metal with a chain.

The law in Nevada allows this, it also very plainly states that if your 'know how to use them' that you can 'get in trouble.'

Im sure if you were losing a fight, and whiped out a knife, given that you have training, you could use it in such a manner as to not kill or seriously maim the opponent.

If you are fighting ("really fighting") and you whip out a knife, and the opponent is unarmed, and continues to fight, then you cut him, if he continues to fight after you cut him, then you start using more (justified) deadly force. I think.

At least those are the steps I have thought of when considering an encounter where I eventually get to (am forced to :D ) use the nunchaku.

strike!

[Nutt'nhunny]

many people call it "prison rape" I prefer to call it prison love. There is nothing like having 50 sweaty men take turns making love to you, as long as they arent too rough. Its for this reason that I knifefight. Besides, if prison I can learn the martial art of 52 blocks and gangsta locks, when I'm tired, I get gifts of jing from just about every inmate in my block. Its like the modern day shaolin. You may say, "where is the buddism" well prisons let buddist monks teach meditation. I made amazing progress. Truly the American prison system is the modern day shaolin.

If you are truly flexible and desireless, prison can be fun. Without taking a step out of my house, I know the whole world.

Ordinary men hate soliture, but a sage makes use of it.