For Shooter, Black Jack, and Water Dragon- here are a few of my "unorthodox" opinions on weapons.

- People are more intimidated by knives that what reality dictates. Blade wounds have a low percentage of lethality. Most people who are cut/stabbed with a weapon do not die.

- Blade disarms will usually not work unless you are actually holding onto the blade.

- You can hold the blade without getting cut.

- "Softening up" your opponent with strikes before attempting a disarm is not a very smart strategy. Landing strikes should be incidental, if not accidental, to the disarm (the opposite of what is commonly taught).

- If you know ground fighting and understand some basic principles of weapons, being on the ground is the best place (other than not being there at all) to be against an opponent who has a weapon.

- If you are going non-edged vs. non-edged weapon, your best bet is to use the weapon to close the distance, ditch your weapon, take the opponent down, disarm his weapon, and finish him off with his own weapon.

- European long and medium length blade work is generally superior to Filipino and Indonesian long and medium blade systems.

- You cannot learn weapons effectively unless you spar full contact, 100% against opponents who are doing the same.

- Weapons techniques do not transfer to empty-handed striking techs.