Spear Robert K Military Knife Fighting

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MILITARY KNIFE
FIGHTING
You may never need to fight for your life with

aknife, but... wouldn'tit be nice to know how
if you do!
by
Robert K. Spear
Dedicated to those who need an extra edge
to survive. May this fit their needs.
Designer, typesetting, editing, and illustrations:

Robert K. Spear
Photography: Jay Carey

Models: Robert K. Spear & Patrick K. Spear
UNIVERSAL FORCE DYNAMICS
410 Delaware
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 682-6518
ISBN: 0-9622627-6-5
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:
Copyright 1991by Robert K. Spear

All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER
EES
Please note that the publisher and author of

this instructional book are NOT RESPONSIBLE
in any manner whatsoever for any injury or death
which may occur by reading and / or following the
instructions herein.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A fifth-degree black belt, Mr. Spear is con-

sidered an American pioneer in the Korean street
fighting art of Hapkido. In 1975, he was the first
American in Korea to attain a third-degree black
belt and instructor's certification with the Korea
Hapkido Association. He is now the chairman of
the United States Hapkido Federation's Board of
Examiners. He also oversees the Hapkido aspects
of the Midori Yama Budokai Jujitsu Association.
A former U.S. Army Intelligence officer,
Mr. Spear has taught combat fighting and self-
defense to soldiers, security forces, and civilians
throughout Europe, the U.S., and Korea since
1974.
An internationally recognized martial arts
theorist and author, Mr. Spear has presented
papers on martial art research to such august
bodies as the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Scientific
Congresses. He has been published in interna-
tional scientific academic journals and in such
magazines as Soldier
of Fortune and American
Survival Guide. His previous books include:
¢ Survival on the Battlefield
¢ Hapkido: The Integrated Fighting Art
e Surviving Hostage Situations (coauthor)
* Close-Quarters Combat For Police and
Security Forces
Mr. Spear is a career civil servant for the
U.S. Army. He presently writes the Deception Op-
erations concepts for the Army's Combined Arms
Command at Ft. Leavenworth, KS.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword 1
Chapter 1: Birth of a Fighting Knife 11
Chapter 2: Fighting Grips and Stances 19
Chapter 3: Targets 39
Chapter 4: Blocks and Counters 51
Chapter 5: Serial Attacks 73
Chapter 6: Parallel Attacks 83
Chapter 7: Knife Grappling 87
Chapter 8: Sentry Kills 93
Chapter 9: Knife vs Bayonet 103
Chapter 10: Knife vs Entrenching Tool 109
Chapter 11: Knife Throwing 115
Chapter 12: Training Hints 121
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FOREWORD
FOREWORD
If you received this book as part of your

purchase of a Field Fighter Combat Knife, con-
gratulations! You now own a wonderful fighting
weapon which was human engineered specifically
for fighting yet will also double as an excellent
general purpose camping or hunting knife. This
manual was written to show you how to get the
best performance out of yourselfand your weapon.
If you bought this book separately from the
knife, don t worry. The principles also apply to
most other combat knifes and will provide you
with an excellent approach to knife fighting. If
you would like to purchase your own Field Fighter
Combat Knife, queries should be sent to:
Ek Knives
601 N. Lombardi St.
Richmond, VA 23220
1-800-468-5575
MILITARY KNIFE FIGHTING
There are many books written about fight-

ing. Some are good, some aren't. Those written
specifically for knife fighting represent the same
wide variety of quality. None, however, address
the special needs of military and para-military
personnel. This book has been written to fill this
glaring gap. The techniques contained herein
have been designed to safeguard the knifefighter
while providing the tools to take an opponent out
as quickly as possible. The techniques are easily
taught to a large class of students (which is impor-
tant for military training requirements). The
fighting style suggested is not fancy or flashy, but
it is effective.
With so many hucksters tauting their books

on fighting, a discerning reader might question
the validity of the materiel presented. This author
spoke with a man once who claimed the writer of
a very popular book on how to use poisons to kill
was only eighteen-years-old when he wrote it. One
can’t help but wonder what kind of credentials and
experience the lad had. Perhaps he should have
submitted his name to the Guiness Book of Rec-
ords as the world’s youngest assassin.
So, OK, Mr. Spear, put your money where

your mouthis! What makes you anexpert on knife
fighting? How many people have you maimed or
killed? Which street gang did you join? Where
have you served prison time? To answer these
questions, I must tell you what Iam and what Iam
not.
FOREWORD
WHAT I’M NOT
First, I can’t claim to be a macho, studly
super athlete anymore. Although I used to be fit,
strong, and fast, those days are behind me now.
Today I am on the higher side of my forties. I’ve
lost a lot of my hair. My knees, ankle, and lower
spine are crippled by deteriorating cartilage and
osteo-arthritis. I’ve had four operations on my left
knee, two on my right ankle, and one on my right
knee. Since I can no longer run, kick, or even walk
very far, my weight has climbed alarmingly. Al-
though my reactions are still quick, my body cer-
tainly isn’t. Pain has been my constant companion
since 1978, but I still manage to function, and I
still teach my beloved Hapkido classes. If nothing
else, I’ve learned how to put pain on the shelf, out
of the way.
I was never a member of a street gang in the

barrio or ghetto. I grew up ina lower-middle class
neighborhood in Lafayette, Indiana (which seemed
at the time to be the most boring community in the
world). We kids fought for fun, for something to do.
In our quest for excitement, my friends and I got
into some fairly exotic stuff. Knife throwing be-
came a passion. We used to play the game,
“stretchem”. Two guys would stand face-to-face,
toe-to-toe. They would take turns throwing a knife
so it stuck in the ground within 6-12 inches of the
other guy’s foot. If it didn’t stick, you lost your
turn. Wherever it stuck, the other player had to
move his foot over to touch the knife, reach down
to pull it out, and take his turn at throwing. The
3
game ended when one player couldn’t stretch any

further; or, when the knife accidently got stuck in
a player’s foot, as happened to me one time.
We also thought it a challenge to play catch

with knives. We would stand about 25 to 50 feet
apart and underhand a hunting knife back and
forth to one another. The idea was to catch it
without getting cut or stuck. This took a keen eye
and a sense of timing.
Our variety of play was significantly im-

proved when Captain Kingsberry moved in across
the street. An Air Force ROTC instructor at
Purdue University, he taught us how to fence with
the saber and how to fight with the quarter-staff.
He had learned these ancient skills at West Point
before the Air Force had its own Academy.
We would go out into the woods, cut sap-

lings, and whale away at one another for hours.
The concept of protective gear, gloves, padding,
etc., never even entered our minds. Instead, we
relied on our own reactions and self-control to keep
the injury rate down.
When I was ten, another neighbor taught

us how to braid bullwhips and how to crack them
properly. Using a cloth shoelace “cracker” tied
onto the end of the whip, we would execute front,
rear, “S”, and circular cracks which could be heard
blocks away. We then tied rawhide bootlaces on
instead of the cloth ones. With these cutting
crackers, we used our whips to cut water melonsin
two and to cut cigarettes out of each other’s mouth.
4
FOREWORD
It wasn’t long before this escalated into “Lash
LaRou” type whip fights. I still bear scars on my
arms from whip cuts.
Later on, we cut TV antennas up to make

blow guns. We used to insert the “eye” end of a
sewing needle into the end of a kitchen match.
Then we wrapped cotton around the match until it
just fit freely into the tube. We were then ready to
conduct our own style of drive-by shootings— a
dart to the butt of a guy from another neighbor-
hood as we peddled by.
In all, [had a normal boyhood filled with all

the usual crazy, aggressive, daredevil fun which
male adolescents of the 50s and 60s were prone to
have.
The only time I’ve been behind bars was as

the result of teaching dozens of college business
courses for a couple of community colleges in three
of Leavenworth, Kansas’ five prisons. Many con-
victs and guards have shared war stories with me
about shanks, shanking, and the cult of prison
assassins; however, I never had the misfortune of
participating in such an event myself (although, I
once had a World War I French bayonet stuck
through my arm in a mock battle at the age of
fourteen.)
For three years of enlisted service, ten

commissioned service, and over ten years of civil
service with the Army, Inever marched into battle,
fired a shot in anger, or slit a sentry’s gullet. My
duties always revolved around electronic warfare
5
and signals intelligence. Still, I identified very

closely with the special ops mentality. In fact, I
ran a semi-covert operation for about a year;
however, there was no immediate risk to myself or
my men.
WHAT
I AM
So, what makes me qualified to write a book
on military knife fighting? In addition to all the
crazy things I did in my youth, I wrestled all
through Junior High and High School. During my
freshman year at Indiana University, I fought 34
intramural fencing matches and lost only one.
I played judo in college and in my early

Army years, to include training in Germany’s
Olympic training center in Frankfurt with in-
structors who had studied at the Kodokan Judo
University in Tokyo.
In Korea, Iimmersed myself in the study of

Hapkido for almost three years— sometimes prac-
ticing 4-5 hours per day, four days a week. This
was where all my previous combative experiences
and skills came together. Hapkido was such a
multi-faceted art. Although there are no formal
katas, Hapkido is considered one of the most
complex of the martial arts with literally thou-
sands of technique combinations. Free sparring
was full go with no protective equipment. Weap-
ons such as short fighting sticks, walking canes,
Bo staff, bamboo kendo swords, ropes, and the like
were also used. The reflexes and control I had
6
FOREWORD
gained in my childhood experiences came into play
constantly in these sessions.
Hapkido is a very smooth, flowing type of

art. It uses both soft and hard, circular and
straight-line techniques. It seemed so natural to
couple its flow with my love of bladed weapons.
Back in the early 1970’s, when Palladin

Press was still kind of an underground, word-of-
mouth resource, I acquired a copy of Bob Loveless’
knife fighting book. Much of what he taught made
considerabe more sense than all the works I had
seen previous to that time. Using his conservative
fighting style as a foundation, I added the theories
and flow of Hapkido stick fighting.
For thousands of hours over the years, my

students and I have experimented with many
knife fighting styles. Shunning rubber knives as
too soft and unrealistic, we used hardwood tanto
practice knives. These bruise and scrape, but
leave no permanent damage. They do hurt like
heck, thus creating a healthy respect for the weapon
and its use.
I might add, most of my students have been

military intelligence analysts and operatives,
military police bodyguards, and special operations
troops. They came to me to receive the type of
realistic personal combat training they craved but
rarely saw in their military units.
Why did these highly intelligent, profes-

sional soldiers come to me for additional instruc-
7
tion? What did a partially crippled, fat old man

with no real-life combat experience have to offer?
Perhaps the same thing that short, fat, old Angelo
Dundee had to offer his world champion boxers.
One common theme in my life has been the

the ability to analyze and integrate many factors
into something useful. Many things contributed
to this: involvement in an advanced science pro-
gram in high school; six years as a professional
musician, composing, arranging, and playing for
bands and recording studios; military intelligence
analysis training and experience; and the test and
evaluation of highly complex electronic warfare
systems. The mental skills required in all these
endeavors are the same. In fact, Iused these same
tools to conduct martial art research since the
early 1970’s. Asamartial art theorist, my goal has
always been to take a fighting concept and deter-
mine its feasibility and application for the street or
battlefield. My philosophy is similar to the Physi-
cians’ Hippocratic Oath (Never cause harm to a
patient.): Never cause harm to a student by
teaching an inadequate technique or approach.
The techniques portrayed in this manual

are based on common sense. There are no guaran-
tees because fight environments are too complex
to predict consistently; however, the techniques
have been designed to provide the best chance for
successfully surviving and winning an edged
weapon confrontation.
Remember this proverb my old Hapkido

instructor, Major Song Ho Jin of the Korean
8
FOREWORD
Marines, said: “Lots of sweat in the dojang (gym),

little blood (of your own) on the street!”
The author demonstrating a Hapkido flying

front kick/inside crescent kick combination
in Korea in 1975.
10
THE BIRTH OF A FIGHTING KNIFE
CHAPTER 1
THE BIRTH OFA

FIGHTING KNIFE
It was September, 1990. Soldier of Fortune

magazine was holding their fifteen anniversary
SOF Convention at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas,
Nevada. I had been back Stateside a little over a
year, returning from Munich, Germany, where I
had been working as a civil service technical advi-
sor to the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade. While
I had been stationed there, my first two books,
Survival on the Battlefield: A Handbook to
Military Martial Arts and Hapkido: The Inte-
grated Fighting Art, had been published by
Unique Publications out of Burbank, California.
Although I had toured Europe, doing author
signings for the Stars and Stripes bookstore sys-
tem, nothing had been done to promote my books
in the U.S.
Unique, a martial arts specialty house which
11
produces such magazines as Inside Kung Fu and

Inside Karate magazines, just didn’t have the
familiarity with the military market which my
books needed. Since I was doing the only real
promoting anyway, I figured, “What the heck, I
think I could probably do this.” I returned from
Munich to pick up my third book from the printer,
Surviving Hostage Situations, written with
Special Ops officer, Major Mike Moak, the first
which I had published myself.
The SOF Convention was my first chance to

make an appearance giving me good exposure to
the people for whom I wrote my books. What a
great time that week was! Many stopped by our
table to buy our books, but more importantly,
there was the chance to meet people who were
interested in what I was doing and who proved it
by giving my titles positive reviews over the next
year: John Coleman, editor of SOF, Denny
Hansen of SWAT magazine, and Scott Stoddard
and Jim Bensen of American Survival Guide.
Another fortunate meeting was with Ernie

Franco, a highly respected, West-Coast based hand-
to-hand trainer who was giving seminars at the
convention. Ernie was familiar with Survival on
the Battlefield and liked it. He suggested I
contact Greg Walker of Fighting Knives Magazine
about writing for him.
One of the nice aspects of the show is the

display area for all the vendors. What a toy
collection! There were so many goodies: from
machine guns to camo garb to knives, knives, and
12
more knives. I felt especially drawn to the custom

knife makers. Although there were many good
ones at the show, one man’s work was particularly
interesting.
Don Mount, a security guard at one of the

nuclear test sites near Las Vegas, had turned a
knifemaking hobby into a significant sideline.
Don’s knives were distinctive. The designs were
original and well executed. I was particularly
impressed with one feature he incorporated on
several of his creations. He soldered a male snap
onto the knife guard and fastened the female
portion to a leather sheath. Thus the knife had a
positive fastening to the carrying sheath. Al-
though it was not conveniently placed for my pur-
poses, I feltit demonstrated he wasinnovative and
willing to try something new.
After we became acquainted, I mentioned

to Don that I had never seen an ideal fighting knife
which could also be used for camping and field
purposes as well. During my thirteen years of
active duty, I had always carried a Gerber Mark II
for fighting and any one of a number of hunting
knives for field work. Don said, “If you have a
particular design in mind, I'd be glad to make it for
you.” I gave Don a copy of Survival on the
Battlefield and asked him to read the chapter on
military knife fighting.
That night in my hotel room, I jotted down

on a small hotel note pad a long laundry list of
features I felt an ideal fighting knife should have.
The next day I approached Don and handed him
13
the list. He said, “I read your book last night and

it makes good sense to me! This list does too. Let
me draw out a design and you tell me if it’s what
you want.”
A couple of weeks after the show, the first

set of drawings arrived in the mail. After several
_minor alterations and some phone calls, I sent
them back. Within a month, the first prototype
arrived with four different guards and a couple of
handles. Don fashioned the knife so it could be
taken apart and several different combinations of
parts could be interchanged. I had two or three
different improvements to suggest and then
shipped the set back. Don then produced four
beautiful prototypes which I sent around to vari-
ous magazine editors to see their reaction.
The prototype, shown in figure 1, repre-

sents the design criteria I had given Don Mount
plus the adjustments we agreed on afterward:
¢ 440 stainless steel to insure ease of main-

tenance— just wash with dish detergent, wipe
dry, and spray with a silicon-based spray, then
wipe dry. Itis also easier to sharpen 440 stainless
than it is to sharpen some of the more exotic,
harder grades of steel.
e Grey finish (the result of glass bead

blasting) to cut down on reflectivity. A shiny blade
is not desirable for military applications. It might
reflect light at the wrong time.
14
<<
¢ Bottom edge sharpened on its full length

for maximum cutting area.
¢ Top edge sharpened from the point back

to the top of the blade to allow enough cutting
surface for effective back-slashes, yet not too much
so that the arm would be endangered when hold-
ing the knife in a ninja grip.
¢ The point begins to taper only over the

lastinch or so. This increases its strength similar
to a Japanese Tanto design.
¢ Blade-catching angles at the base of the

blade at the guard to allow the possibility of
catching and twisting an opponent’s weapon out of
his hand.
15
e The giant brass guard— this feature,

more than any other, makes this knife unique.
The one feature I had always wanted on a fighting
knife was adequate protection for my fingers and
hand. I also wanted something to act as a stop for
my thumb when I held the knife in a modified
saber grip so my hand wouldn’t slip down onto the
blade if the knife point hit a bone or body armor.
It’s important that the guard be of a softer metal
than steel so an opponent’s blade might catch onit.
The forward pointing brass guard, coupled with
the blade-catching angles on the blade gives the
best possibility of catching and twisting an
opponent’s knife out of his hand. The guard also
brings the handle out away from the sheath just
enough so that one can get a full grip on the knife
as itis being drawn.
¢ The blade should be long enough to reach

any vital organs. Its balance should be slightly
forward to allow for easier slashing and hacking.
¢ There should bea blood groove to allow for

easier extraction from a deeply stabbed body.
Blood grooves help break the blade free from a
natural vacuum or suction which will often takes
place in these conditions.
e The knife should be heavy enough to

provide strength and weight for both fighting and
camp work.
¢ The longer than usual grip allows enough

room for wide hands and pommel strikes.
16
° The indented grip next to the guard allows

the forefinger and thumb to rest beneath the top
edge of the guard for their protection.
* In the knife picture, the handle is made

out of roughened micarta. The production models
of the Field Fighter series use a rubberized handle
for a more positive grip, especially if it is wet or
bloody.
These are the more important features of

the Field Fighter Combat Knife series. Whether
you have the 9.5-inch bladed Field Fighter I or the
6-inch bladed Field Fighter II, these features are
incorporated. Enjoy your new knife!
For those who want a custom made knife of

the highest quality, contact Don Mount. He’s
retired from the nuclear test site guarding busi-
ness and is making knives full time in Missouri.
Queries should be addressed to:
Don Mount
800 Nellie Ave
Scott City, MO 63780
314-264-1287
17
a anal
The author's Hapkido students in Munich,

Germany performing plyometric exercises
which develop explosive power in their arms
and legs. The use of cutting-edge training
methodologies is Mr. Spear's trademark.
18
FIGHTING GRIPS & STANCES
CHAPTER 2
FIGHTING GRIPS AND

~~ STANCES
The correct manner in which to hold a knife

depends on what you want to do withit. Aperfectly
good case could be made for holding a knife like a
hammer in some situations; however, in others it
might be terribly wrong. Much depends on whether
the knife will be slashing or stabbing. Will it be
used defensively or offensively or both? Are you
walking into an uncertain situation under poor
visibility, or is it a down-and-out knife brawl with
everybody well aware of what’s going on? What if
you have a knife and your opponent has something
else— such as a rifle and a bayonet, a club, or an
entrenching tool. What if youre trying to take out
a sentry as quietly as possible? What if you’re
faced with assassinating a guerilla leader in a
densely packed urban environment and need to
stick him and get away before anyone really no-
tices anything’s wrong?
19
Certain grips and fighting postures favor

specific situations. In this chapter, we will ad-
dress the strong and weak points of these different
ways for holding your fighting knife and the situ-
ations for which they are best suited. The grips we
will demonstrate are:
e Hammer Grip
¢ Ice Pick Grip
e Ninja Grip
e Saber Grip
¢ Modified Saber Grip
The stances we will cover are:
The “Fencer”
The “Classic” Military
The “Hollywooder”
The “Berserker”
Ninja style
Street Assassin
Sentry Stalk
20
GRIPS
Hammer Grip
The Hammer Grip as shown in figure 1 is
one of the strongest grips for thrusting a blade
deep into an opponent’s body cavity. If deep, low-
line penetration is what you need, the hammer
gripisa good choice. Itis the grip favored in prison
assassinations using the home made stabbing
instrument called the “shank”. It is not unusual
for such an assassin to stab deeply into his victim’s
body ten, fifteen, even twenty times until all signs
of resistance and life have disappeared.
Figure 1
21
Its disadvantage isin the slash since itis too

limited in directions of attack and too difficult to
change the angle of attack in mid-movement or for
follow-on attacks. Its strengths, a rigid wrist and
strong hand-hold, cut back on its mobility.
It is extremely useful, however, when used

as a grip for a pommel strike, as shown in figure 2.
Used in this fashion, the pommel, if heavy, can
easily crush an opponent’s temple, nose, or the
area in back of the skull where the neck vertebrae
join with the skull. The pommel may also be used
to temporarily numb muscle and nerve points if
your intention is to take prisoners rather than to
produce casualties. Figures 3 and 4 show a num-
ber of excellent target points for pommel attacks.
Figure 2
22
Ice Pick Grip
The ice pick grip shown in figure 5 is good
for stabbing downward strongly. One can get
excellent penetration of the chest or thorax by
stabbing deeply downward into the upper chest,
back, or base of the neck. It is also excellent for
stabs to the body or back when it is in a horizontal
position. Like the hammer grip, the ice pick grip
is meant for sheer power and deep penetration.
Likewise, it has the same lack of mobility disad-
vantages for the same reasons.
Figure 5
24
Ninja Grip
Favored by many martial arts instructors,
this grip is really a modified ice pick grip which
allows the blade to rest against the underside of
the forearm. This grip is best used for a surprize
attack. It hides the blade from view (figure 6) and
allows vertical (figure 7), horizontal (figure 8), and
back (figure 9) slashes. The reverse of any slashis
a stab on the return trip. Used with speed, power,
and suddenness, this can be an effective fighting
style. It does, however, have some limitations.
Figure 6
25
CLARE
Figure 8
26
Figure 9
Once the opponent realizes that a “Ninja”

style attack is happening, this grip’s strength
becomes its weakness. You don’t have to keep
track of the blade, just start slashing fingers and
arms. The blade and point are back, relatively out
of the way. Only the reverse stabs lead with the
blade or point. This leaves the attacker’s hand and
arm rather vulnerable to counters. Of course, if
you get surprized by any type of attack, oh well!
To change direction of a slash or stab with

the “Ninja” grip, one must change the angle of the
entire forearm. This does not provide ideal mobil-
ity for attacks or counters. When the whole fore-
arm must move, the movement becomes much
easier to read and to counter by an opponent.
27
Saber Grip
This grip gets its name from the sword grip
used on the knife’s much larger cousin and is
common among knowledgeable fighters. It allows
good mobility of the wrist and a good reach in
terms of range to the opposing fighter. Almost all
fighting knives are set up for the saber grip in that
their guards are designed to protect the fingers
when the blade is in the vertical orientation as
shown in figure 10.
It is a good grip with only two shortcom-

ings— the vertical orientation of the blade makes
it difficult to puncture through the rib cage and the
wrist is not as completely free as it could be.
Figure 10
28
Modified Saber Grip

This grip (figure 11) is the most versatile,
allowing maximum freedom of movement for the
wrist and a horizontal blade orientation for thrusts
into the chest area. The blade is more likely to
enter between ribs. Even if you hit a rib, itis more
likely to split, allowing penetration into the chest
cavity.
The issue of wrist mobility is extremely

important when fast changing attacks, counter
attacks, and blocking must be involved. The grip
is strong and flexible. Most fighting knives, how-
ever, do not allow sufficient protection for one’s
Figure 11
29
fingers, thumb, and hand when held in this posi-

tion. Nor do they provide a stop for your thumb to
prevent your hand from sliding down your own
blade in case your point hits a bone or body armor.
The Field Fighter knives, however, have been
designed to allow maximum protection for the
hand regardless of what grip is used. That is why
the guards are so large and extend around the
sides.
30
STANCES
The “Fencer”
The fencing stance (figure 12) used to be

advocated by trainersin World WarsI & II. It was
thought that ifit worked for swordsmen, it should
work for knife fighters as well. Unfortunately,
they ignored the added protection of range which
automatically resulted from the sword’s longer
length. Knife fighters place themselves in peril
when they hold the knife out in front as seen here
in figure 12. There is great forward and backward
mobility in this stance; however, there is a much
greater probability that you will be countered
effectively as you close with the enemy.
Figure 12
31
The “Classic” Military
Figures 13 & 14 demonstrate a much more
conservative stance which keeps the knife back
out of the range of an enemy’s kick, grab, or slash.
Weight is evenly distributed and the knife is held
back out of the way. The opposite arm is used as
a screen and a shield.
“What?”, yousay. “You want metoleavemy

arm out in front where it can get cut?” In one word,
yes!
If you think you are going to come out ofa

knife fight completely untouched, youre not being
realistic. It’s better to take a couple of cuts on your
arm if they allow you to counter attack and win.
Figure 13
32
Figure 14
This author was talking with the writer of
two top notch books on sword and knife making at
the 1990 Soldier of Fortune convention in Las
Vegas. Before he became a talented blacksmith,
he worked as an undercover Drug Enforcement
Agency (DEA) agentin the Los Angeles barrios for
twelve years.
“Yes,” he said. “You’re absolutely correct!”

He proceeded to hold up a left arm which was
crisscrossed with the white lines of knife scars.
“T’ve been in many knife fights to the death as a
DEA agent. My arm may be scarred, but I’m still
here to tell the story!”
This stance allows good mobility forward,
backward, and side-ways. It also gives good stabil-
ity on uneven terrain.
33
The “Hollywooder”
Figure 15 shows the knife being held loosely
and out in front in a taunting position. Sometimes
this kind of fighter will even toss the knife back
and forth from one hand to another in an attempt
to dazzle and befuddle his opponent. This is a very
weak stance. It brings the knife forward within
range of a kick or a slash and demonstrates the
lack of meaningful fight experience. The trade off
of showing off isn’t worth the danger to the knife
wielder.
Figure 15
34
The “Berserker”
The berserker tries to use the combination

ofastrong grip suchas the hammer orice pick with
a totally aggressive, all out attack, driving ever
forward. Although not a finesse strategy, it can be
dangerously intimidating and effective. The key
to countering it is side-ways movement and rapid
slashes to the attacker’s hand, arm, and legs to
slow him down and to take away his strength and
speed.
~ Ninja style
This is a good stance for surprise attacks. It
is mobile in all directions and hides the knife. Its
weakness is that it forces the user to lead with his
bare hand or arm instead of the blade for most
slashing attacks.
395
Street Assassin
Figure 16 shows this technique’s similarity

to the Ninja grip. In this case, one walks past the
intended victim (figure 17) and plants the knife
backwards in the victim’s kidney (figure 18).
Then, keep on walking rapidly away from the
scene. This works well in crowded urban environ-
ments. Its origin is British WWII Hand-to-hand
trainer, Captain Fairborne, who had seen it used
in Shanghai, China when he was a police officer
there.
Figure 16
36
Figure 18
37
Sentry Stalk
Figure 19 shows the proper way to stalk a
sentry. The free hand is out and forward in
preparation for a grab. The knife is cocked back in
anticipation of a thrust. This will be covered in
more detail in Chapter 8.
38
TARGETS
CHAPTER 3
TARGETS— SECONDARY
AND PRIMARY
There’s an old saying about the best weapon

to bring to a knife fight being a gun. There’s a lot
to be said for that philosophy; however, you may
not always have that luxury. Guns can run out of
ammunition. Situations can developrather quickly
on the battlefield when the enemy comes over the
wire and starts closing in hand-to-hand combat. If
you're forced into a knife fighting situation, it
would be wise to know how to use your weapon as
well as possible. This chapter addresses the areas
of an opponent’s body which are most vulnerable
to slashes and stabs. They are broken down into
two main groups:
e Secondary Targets
e Primary Targets
39
The two means of attack are slashes and
stabbing. Slashes tend to cause a burning sensa-
tion and will cause light shock and moderate to
heavy loss of blood. Slashes are excellent as
counters and follow-on attacks. Stabs tend to hurt
much more and cause deep shock as well as having
amuch greater potential to cause significant harm.
They are also more dangerous to execute because
they generally require more commitment of
movement and body positioning.
Secondary Targets
Secondary targets are those points which
may be attacked to disable or maim. These are
generally safer to attack. By attacking them first,
you may be able to cause the enemy to surrender.
Also, by attacking them first, you may be able to
slow him or impede his movements in such a
manner as to allow you safer access to the more
critical primary targets. The secondary targets
are:
40
TARGETS
Figure 1. The fingers / thumb. Cutting these

may cause him to drop his knife. At least, his
blood will make his grip less sure.
Figure 2. The inner wrist or forearm. A good

chance for an artery or the tendons which
control the hand’s closing.
41
Figure 3. The tendons on the back of the

hand. These control the fingers’ ability to
grip tightly.
Figure 4, Anywhere on the arm holding the

knife. This may cause general weakness of
the limb and gives his blood a chance to run
down into his grip.
42
TARGETS
Figure 5. The forehead. Cuts above the eyes

will cause stinging, salty blood to run down
into the eyes, impairing his vision.
Figure 6. Slashes to the body may have a

general weakening effect over time due to
shock and blood loss.
43
a
Figure 7. Slashes to his quadriceps may

cripple his leg and slow him down.
Figure 8. Slashes to his hamstring tendons

can cause his leg to collapse.
44
TARGETS
Figure 9. Slashes to his Achilles tendons will

cause his foot and leg to collapse.
45
Primary Targets
These are target areas which will cause the

opponent to die immediately or within a short
time, or will cause him to be too injured to fight
effectively any longer. They include:
Figure 10. Slashes or stabs to the throat area.
46
TARGETS
Figure 11. Slashes or stabs through or into

the eyes.
Figure 12. Thrusts into the thorax or chest

area from front or rear into the heart or
lungs.
47
os
Figure 13. Thrusts downward into the sub-

clavian artery area (behind the collar bone
and in front of the trapezius muscle).
r pe
Figure 14, Thrusts into the diaphragm area,

angling upward into the heart and lungs.
48
Figure 15. Thrusts into the body cavity’s
internal organs and intestines.
Figure 16. A deep slash or stab to the femoral

artery inside the thigh (a 3-minute bleed-to-
death).
49
Figure 17. Thrusts into the kidneys from the

side or rear.
In addition, there are some specific assassi-

nation targets which we will cover in more detail
in Chapter 8: Sentry Kills.
50
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
CHAPTER 4
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
The best way to block an incoming attack

from a bladed weapon is to use sharp steel against
flesh. The next best method is to use steel against
steel. The third method is to block flesh with flesh.
The least desirable method is flesh against steel.
We will examine examples of all four meth-

odsin this chapter. We will also show how to follow
a block with a counter attack. These are merely
examples. Once you have the hang of it, you will
be able to work out many similar techniques for
yourself.
51
Steel Against Flesh
Figure 1. The assailant lunges straight in

with a thrust.
52
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 2. Block his arm to the outside while

you step 45° forward and to your right.
Figure 3. Slash across his torso and then

retreat.
53
Figure 1. The assailant slashes down and

across.
Figure 2. Block upward, across against his

arm or fingers while stepping under his arm.
04
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 3. After slicing through his arm, slash

his hamstring tendon as you go by.
55
Figure 1. The assailant attempts a backhand

slash.
Figure 2. Slash his hand tendons or wrist.
56
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 3. Continue the circle to slash his

quadriceps as you step on by.
57
Figure 1. The assailant attempts a horizontal

ninja slash.
Figure 2. Step in and slash block his wrist

or
arm.
58
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 3. Reverse your knife into a throat

slash, ora
Figure 4. Pommel strike to the temple.
59
Figure 1. The assailant tries to plunge his

knife into your belly.
Figure 2. Step back and slash dow

nward
onto his hand.
60
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 3. Slash his forehead or eyes and

retreat.
61
Steel Against Steel
Figure 1. The assailant thrusts for your eyes.
62
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 2. Meet his blade with yours at the

guards.
Figure 3. Try to twist your hand so that his

knife is wrenched loose from his hand.
63
Figure 1. The assailant attempts a backhand

slash.
Figure 2. Cross blades at the guard

and
64
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 3. Push him away.
65
Flesh Against Flesh
The primary weapons you should use for

countering is the knife edge of your guarding hand
or the wrist and forearm bones extending up the
arm from the knife edge of the hand. They will
generally be used against the assailant’s inner
wrist tendons. Hard strikes to this area by these
weapons can cause temporary paralysis of his arm
and hand, and may even cause him to drop his
weapon.
Figure 1. As the assailant thrusts forward ...
66
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 2. Step in and block his arm outward

while thrusting your own knife forward into
his torso.
67
Figure 2. Block outward and

stab him in the
throat.
68
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 1. The assailant tries an ice pick stab

downward.
ee es
Figure 2. Perform arising block up under his

arm and thrust your knife up into his dia-
phragm.
69
Flesh Against Steel
The least desirable (and therefore the few-

est examples), this alternative may be used as a
last ditch move. It’s for those occasions when
there’s no time or place for any other alternative.
Figure 1. Your assailant surprise atta

cks
with a thrust.
70
BLOCKS AND COUNTERS
Figure 2. You grab his blade with your hand

to prevent it from entering your belly and
counter thrust as hard as you can.
71
Figure 1. The assailant slashes your guard-
Figure 2. Try to slash his fingers as he pull

s
back.
72
SERIAL ATTACKS
CHAPTER 5
SERIAL ATTACKS
The previous chapter on blocks and count-

ers leads right into this next important concept.
Movements, be they blocks, counter attacks, or
attacks, should flow from one movement to the
next, to the next, and soon. Each movement sets
up possibilities for another one. This is what we
mean by the terms “Serial Attacks”. If you begin
to think and practice along these lines, you'll be
amazed at how smooth and fast a fighter you can
become. It’s sort of like a giant chess game. Novice
players only think about one move at a time, their
next move. Master players think about six moves
ahead with all the potential combinations, antici-
pated reactions, and play/ counter plays.
The same goes for really good martial art-

ists with a slight exception. They think ahead at
an instinctive level most of the time, instead of
thinking consciously. The reason for this is pri-
marily driven by the high speed requirements. It’s
73
kind of like excellent racquet ball players who

somehow always manage to end up near the ball
for their next shot. They know the angles so well,
they can anticipate the action just enough to gain
an edge. Soitis with world class fighters. The neat
thing is that it’s not that difficult to do in fighting
if you train yourself to do it consistently.
This is where Katas or martial art forms

tend to fall apart as a training mechanism. Forms
are a great way to teach a series of movements to
a large audience. They are less effective when it
comes to teaching the flow and endless range of
possibilities of combat. What does work very well
is the use of slow motion walk-throughs of possi-
bilities.
Work with a training partner. Start out by

announcing yournext move. “Here comesa straight
thrust at your belly! (Remember to do it slowly.)
What can you do about that?”
Your partner says, “I’m going to block it

with my blade and counter with a slash to your
torso. What are you going to do about that?
“I’m going to block your slash attempt with

my guard arm and knee you in the groin.”
Well, you get the idea. You may want to

stop from time to time and talk about the relative
virtues of other possibilities in the middle of a
series of movements. This forces you to look for
openings, create your own openings, and begin to
develop instincts for tactics and strategy. It defi-
14
SERIAL ATTACKS
nitely enhances combat flow.
Gradually pick up the pace. You'll beamazed

how quickly this will improve your skills. Change
training partners from time to time so you both
don’t get too accustomed to one another’s moves
and styles. This will help you to keep from becom-
ing stale.
This approach to training will also drive

home the importance of never making only one
movement when three, four, or five can be easily
connected. This is a way to think to, through, and
beyond your objective. It’s great to block a threat-
ening attack. It’s much better to block the attack,
and getin three counter attacks before your assail-
ant has even realized it. Connecting movements
will give you that sense of flow and will pick up
your effective speed incredibly. There will be
fewer wasted movements and you will be able to
use excellent economy of motion. Try especially to
walk through moving into and out of the danger
zone while making connections with various tech-
niques. This forces you to involve your whole body.
Before you know it, openings will begin to appear
like magic.
The following illustrations are used simply

to give you an idea of how all this works. Remem-
ber, there is no single best solution. Fight dynam-
ics are incredibly complex. However, some things
work better than others. That’s why it’s important
to train with partners to get fresh viewpoints.
75
Figure 1. Cut at his hand. Use a rolling wrist

motion forward and downward.
Figure 2. You may or may not cut him;

however, he will react by drawing his knife
back, which sets up the next move.
76
SERIAL ATTACKS
Figure 3. Try for a forehead slash. He should

jerk his head back.
Figure 4. Continue your slashing motion

down and around toward his knees or legs.
V7
Figure 5. As he tries to pull his legs back, his

upper torso may come forward, giving you a
great shot at a thrust for the throat or upper
chest area.
See how each move set up the next one.

Notice also that the opponent was constantly
having to react to you. You were in control of the
fight from the very first move. That’s great, keep
the pressure on him all the time! It’s much easier
to remain on the offensive and to keep him react-
ing.
78
SERIAL ATTACKS
Figure 1. Spitin his face, causing him to close

his eyes.
Figure 2. Follow-up immediately with a stab

to the throat.
79
Figure 3. Withdraw and come back around

and down for a pommel strike to the top of
his head.
Figure 4. Bury your knife in his heart.
80
SERIAL ATTACKS
Are you starting to see the possibilities
here? We could give examples all day long, but it
will be better if you get out there and start practic-
ing and developing them on your own. You’ll find
this type of training to be exciting and fun!
81
82
PARALLEL ATTACKS
CHAPTER 6
PARALLEL ATTACKS
Serial attacks mean to make one move after

another. Parallel attacks means to make multiple
attacks or moves at the same time. Many people
tend to forget their whole body can be considered
asa weapon. Sometimes, we become fixated on the
fact that we have a knife, club, or pistol in our
hands. When this happens, we ignore opportuni-
ties for exploitation with other means of attacking.
For example, I might try to break an opponent’s
knee with a low side kick while I’m going for a
finger cut.
In parallel attacks, I may use my guarding

hand to strike at an opponent’s face or to grapple
with his knife hand while I use my knife against
some other target. In other words, use all the
weapons in your arsenal. Here are some examples
of how this approach might work:
83
Figure 1. Stomp on your opponent’s instepin

an attempt to break his foot and to freeze it
in place while you ...
Figure 2. Slash his femoral artery.
84
PARALLEL ATTACKS
Figure 1. Grab his knife arm while you thrust

for his body.
Figure 1. Block his backhand slash with your

blade, while you try to take out his knee with
a stomp kick.
85
Again, there are thousands of ways in which

one can use multiple attacks. Try out a number of
them in practice to discover what works best for
you.
86
KNIFE GRAPPLING
CHAPTER 7
KNIFE GRAPPLING
It has been said that eighty-five percent of

all street fights end up on the ground. With the
uncertain footing of the battleground, this may
also be a common occurrence in hand-to-hand
fighting. In fact, some opponents, who may be
large and strong, may actively seek this kind of
situation. They will quickly close and try to use
their superior strength and size in the best man-
ner possible. This chapter addresses the environ-
ment of grappling with knives, both when on one’s
feet and on the ground.
First, the last thing you want to be involved

inis a wrestling match. You will want to get your
blade free and doing damage to him while you
contain his blade. Don’t stop trying things until he
is past all resistance! The following examples give
some insight on how to do that.
87
Figure 1. Both of you tie up while trying to

obtain a belly thrust.
Figure 2. Don’t play strength games! Use

your blade to cut free from his grip.
88
KNIFE GRAPPLING
Figure 1. Both of you tie up while trying to

stab one another’s chest.
Figure 2. Again, cut your way out.
89
Figure 1. You’rerolling around on the ground

and he ends up on top.
Figure 2. Cut your way out and go for

a...
90
KNIFE GRAPPLING
Figure 3. thrust into his side or back.
Figure 1. You’re on top.
91
Figure 2. Use your forehead to butt him in

the face as a distractor.
Tk al |
dik
PAY
Figure 3. Wrench your wrist free and slash

his throat.
92
SENTRY KILLS
CHAPTER 8
SENTRY KILLS
The taking out of a sentry without making

too much noise is much more difficult than the
movies would have you believe. In real life, the
sentry is not an actor going by the script which
says at this point your character must die. A real
sentry is going to fight for his life and fight to get
a warning out. Once he hears you or you touch
him, he will transform from a man into a raging
beast. This means you are going to have to give it
your all while still trying to keep the noise level
way down. The following techniques are designed
to aid youin this; however, they are not fool-proof.
Both skill and luck play important roles in sentry
neutralizations.
In making your approach, stealthy stalking

will be required. This means you should step heel
to toe, taking care where your feet go. Don’t place
them on twigs which might snap. Don’t scuff
through dead leaves. Slowly and quietly are the
93
watch words. Try to work with the environment,

not against it. An excellent way to train for
stealth, is to take up bow hunting.
In terms of methods and targets for killing,

we are seeking those which help assure silence,
provide rapid effect, and minimize the amount of
struggle. Figure 1 shows the most vulnerable
parts of the head and neck which we will use as
targets.
Figure 1. High Payoff Targets
ao ee
& Jugular Vein
-- @ aS Sa sie
Subclavian Artery
94
SENTRY KILLS
Figure 1. Clasp his nose and mouth in one

hand while thrusting your knife deeply into
his kidneys. This will cause him to gasp
deeply with sudden shock and pain.
95
Figure 2. Immediately withdraw your blade

from his back and plunge its point deeply
into the side of his neck to cut the carotid
artery and jugular vein. They will drain into
his windpipe, drowning out any screams he
might make.
96
SENTRY KILLS
Figure 1. A much messier alternative is to

hold the knife in a ninja grip and cut his
throat as you come across it. Blood is going
to spray all over the place. This is not a
recommended method.
97
Figure 2. A better way is to stab deeply into

the subclavian area and wrench the knife
back and forth, seeking to cut the subclavian
artery and vein or the aorta of the heart.
This will result in rapid loss of blood pres-
sure to the brain.
98
SENTRY KILLS
Figure 3. Another way is to drive the point of

the blade up under the ear into the brain
case and wrench the blade back and forth to
scramble all the brain connections perma-
nently.
Figure 4, Afinal way from the rear is to drive

the blade point into the base of the skull and
wrench it back and forth to sever all the
spinal column and brain stem connections.
100
SENTRY KILLS
Figure 1. One way from the front is to cover

his nose and mouth while ramming the point
through the front ofhis throat. Again, wrench
it back and forth for maximum damage. You
may have to withdraw the blade and slam it
up through his diaphragm into his heart to
finish him off.
101
102
KNIFE VS BAYONET
CHAPTER 9
KNIFE VS BAYONET
Nothing is ever fair on the battlefield. The

object is to win and live to tell about it. No one is
going to say, “Gentlemen, choose your weapons!”
People are always going to use the best tools at
hand. In aclose quarters situation, you might find
the only weapon available to you is a knife. What
are you going to doif the enemy comes at you with
a bayonet on the end of a rifle?
First of all, don’t panic. A bayonet is not the

most graceful weapon in the world. Most of us who
spent hour upon hour practicing its very rudimen-
tary moves and positions in military Basic train-
ing can attest to that. The darn thing is just
awkward! It is, however, much heavier than a
knife. Given that, cheat! Use your guarding arm
and hand to help support your counters. Remem-
ber, the bayonet and rifle are only as strong as the
fingers and hands which are holding them! Here
are some techniques youcan use. Remember to try
to stay fluid and maintain your mobility.
103
Figure 2. Step outside its line of attack whil

e
slicing at his forward fingers and hand
, or...
104
KNIFE VS BAYONET
Figure 3. Step inside its attack line, pushing

it outside with our guard hand and slashing
his throat with your knife.
105
Figure 2. Step inside the line of att

ack and
try to sever his front hand off his arm
.
106
KNIFE VS BAYONET
Figure 1. The assailant attempts a horizontal

butt stroke at your face.
Figure 2. Perform a rising block with your

guarding forearm, and ...
107
Figure 3. Bury your knife in his belly.
108
KNIFE VS ENTRENCHING TOOL
CHAPTER 10
KNIFE VS ENTRENCHING
TOOL
“Why would he write a chapter on that?”,

you may wonder. Well, after conducting research
on foreign armies, I discovered at least two major
potential foes (plus all their surrogate forces) train
extensively with the entrenching tool (fold-up camp
shovel) as a weapon. The Soviet airborne forces
sharpen the edges of their shovels and practice
throwing them and using them on a bayonet as-
sault course.
The North Koreans have even developed

Katas for the entrenching tool. I have seen movies
of them in training. These two threat armies train
more Third World forces and terrorists than any
other nation.
“Ah so,” you say. “Now I understand!”
109
Yes, its a real threat. The entrenching tool

can be a formidable weapon. U.S. Medal of Honor
winner, Master Sergeant Benjamin F. Wilson,
killed four enemy soldiers on June 5, 1951, near
Hwa Chon Myon, Korea, with one.
In fact, this weapon presents a much more

dangerous threat to a knife fighter than does a
bayonet. The entrenching tool is shorter, lighter,
and much more maneuverable than the bayonet.
It’s similar to an Aztec or Mayan war club.
Do not attempt to block the entrenching

tool with your arm or knife. It will blow right
through puny defenses such as these. You’re going
to have to try to out-maneuver your opponent and
get way far away or get inside where he can’t hurt
you as much as you can hurt him.
110
Figure 1. Try to lean back out of the way,

then ...
Figure 2. Close in as it goes by.
111
Figure 2. Try to step inside the swin

g.
112
Figure 3. Grab his arms with your guarding

arm and knife the heck out of him. You don’t
dare play games with this character.
113
A potentially lethal weapon, the entrench-

ing tool.
114
KNIFE THROWING
CHAPTER 11
KNIFE THROWING
I think most of us have heard a Drill Ser-

geant say, “Never throw your knife! It’s a cowboy
stunt and just too uncertain.” And, he is abso-
lutely right, with one exception. What if the
enemy is standing twenty feet away? What if he’s
getting ready to shoot your sorry self and you've
just run out of ammo? Whatifall you have is your
knife?
In that case, what the heck? You might as

well throw it at him. Maybe it will help buy you
some time or give you an edge (sorry for the pun).
He may flinch or blink. Who knows, you might
even be lucky enough to stick it in him.
For these reasons, I will address this sub-

ject briefly, even though whole books have been
dedicated to knife throwing. As I mentioned in the
Foreword, I’ve been throwing knives for a very
long time. Though I have occasionally been fairly
115
good with one, in general, knife throwing is usu-

ally pretty inconsistent. This is why Drill Ser-
geants make the statements they do.
There are two ways one can throw a knife,

by its handle, or byits blade. If you throw it by the
handle, it will stick whenever the knife makes full
revolutions. For example, it will stick on the first,
second, third, and so on revolutions. If you throw
it by the blade, it will stick on the half revolutions,
such as 1/2, 1 1/2, 2 1/2, etc. All you have to guess
is how many exact revolutions it is to the target.
Weapon balance plays a role in this as well.

It is better to hold it by its lightest end, since that
will give the throw more force. The Field Fighter
throws best from its handle. My Gerber Mark II
throws best from its blade. If the knife is truly
balanced in the middle, it doesn’t matter so much.
The way one throws it is also important,

because that can control the spin speed of the
knife. All throws are best done with an overhand
pitch. If you stiff-arm the throw, the spin will be
very slow. If you add lots of wrist motion to it, the
spin will be very fast. The manner in which the
knife is heldis also important. If you hold it at the
tip, it will spin faster. Ifyou choke up onit and hold
more of the knife, it will spin slower. So, what
should you do? It depends on the knife, the
distance, and the situation. This requires thou-
sands of hours of practice to consistently guess the
exact right combination of techniques for a given
distance. When the exact distance is unknown,
116
KNIFE THROWING
and the situation is Panic City, it’s going to be darn
hard to be right on the money with the spin. For
instance, I can stand at a distance, say three
meters, and consistently stick the point using
several combinations of these throwing technique
variations. But, then I knew the exact distance. If
I don’t and I’m real rushed, sticking the knife
becomes pure luck.
There is one consolation. If this is a battle-

field situation and you're going for broke anyway,
aim the throw for the base of his throat. If the
points sticks, you're going to ruin his whole day. If
the knife butt strikes, it may crush his larynx. If
the flat of the blade strikes, it certainly can be a
distractor. What have you got to lose?
117
Figures 1&2. A stiff-armed throw

KNIFE THROWING
Figures 3&4. A wrist flip throw.
Figure 6. Choking up.
120
TRAINING HINTS
CHAPTER 12
TRAINING HINTS
Well, we’ve pretty much covered the water-

front in terms of type threats and fighting ap-
proaches. Nowit’s time to put them to use in your
practice sessions. Here are some suggestions
which may make your training more meaningful:
e Practice safety first; however, don’t be

afraid to use wooden training knives for realism.
¢ Train with partners or groups for variety.
¢ Talk through possibilities and rehearse
them. Try to always think in terms of combination
moves.
e Start slowly, then gradually pick up the
training speed. Walk before you run.
¢ Constantly seek additional applications
of the theories addressed in this book.
e¢ Practice with unequal weapon types to
better prepare for reality.
e¢ Try fighting in a melee of numerous
people and different types of weapons.
121
One source of interesting practice I have

discovered recently is the Society for Creative
Anachronism (the S.C.A.). This is an interesting
bunch of medieval recreationists who don metal
and leather armor and flail away at one another
with rattan weapons. It sounds hokey, but it
makes for some very serious stuff. Although
rattan is bulkier, it has about the same weight as
an equivalent length of steel weaponry. The stuff
bruises, even through the armor. Their fighting
activities will teach you a respect for edged weap-
ons more than anything I know. It is really
interesting to discover how hard itis to fight in full
armor on a hot day.
These people are fanatical about their sport

/art. They even travel thousands of miles to
participate in wars with several thousand people
on a side. I have served as a fight coach to the
Baron of our local shire for the past year and a half,
and have found this to be a real eye opener. It’s
interesting that the only way one can become King
of a Regional Kingdom, is by winning its Crown
Tournament. These people practice what they
preach. You might try it for kicks. Local baronies
can usually be found around most large college
campuses. For further information contact:
The Office of the Registry

Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
P.O. Box 360743
Milpitas, CA 95035-0743
(408) 263-9305, M-Th, 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Pacific Time
122
INQUIRIES
Mr. Spear is available for consultation on

training programs, weapon design, or as an
expert witness specializing in appropriate levels
of force cases.
Inquiries may be made directly through

this publishing house. Contact:
Universal Force Dynamics Publishing

Attn: Barbara Sharp, Customer Relations
410 Delaware
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 682-6518
123
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THE ULTIMATE KNIFE
FIGHTING MANUAL
During Desert Shield, Saudi Arabian troops

laughed at their G.I. counterparts because every
American soldier conspicuously carried a big fighting
knife, yet none had ever been given formal training on
how to use them correctly.
Robert K. Spear has filled this training gap |,

| with a manual which goes far beyond the usual. His
practical approach to knife fighting covers all the
areas needed plus a few most people never think
| about,for instance having to fight assailants with un-
equal weapons such as bayonets on rifles or entrench- |
ing tools.
| Easy to do yet effective are the trademarks of |f_

| Mr. Spear's unique training methods. No military or |
| tactical police personnel should be without this title
in their reference library. Written as a universal
approach to knife fighting, this manual especially
enhances the use of the Field Fighter Combat
Knife series developed by Mr. Spear for military ap-
plications. AY
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1xw-6
\|
NAL
ATN
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ISBN: 0-9622627-6-5 yew
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Digitized by the Internet Archive

You may never need to fight for your life with

Designer, typesetting, editing, and illustrations:

Photography: Jay Carey

UNIVERSAL FORCE DYNAMICS

Copyright 1991by Robert K. Spear

Please note that the publisher and author of

A fifth-degree black belt, Mr. Spear is con-

abit seeingap: Ylenoimeiaar As.

¥ ‘sbulant ean Past

de ak tana bone BAP Ree

If you received this book as part of your

There are many books written about fight-

With so many hucksters tauting their books

So, OK, Mr. Spear, put your money where

I was never a member of a street gang in the

game ended when one player couldn’t stretch any

We also thought it a challenge to play catch

Our variety of play was significantly im-

We would go out into the woods, cut sap-

When I was ten, another neighbor taught

Later on, we cut TV antennas up to make

In all, [had a normal boyhood filled with all

The only time I’ve been behind bars was as

For three years of enlisted service, ten

and signals intelligence. Still, I identified very

I played judo in college and in my early

In Korea, Iimmersed myself in the study of

Hapkido is a very smooth, flowing type of

Back in the early 1970’s, when Palladin

For thousands of hours over the years, my

I might add, most of my students have been

Why did these highly intelligent, profes-

tion? What did a partially crippled, fat old man

One common theme in my life has been the

The techniques portrayed in this manual

Remember this proverb my old Hapkido

Marines, said: “Lots of sweat in the dojang (gym),

The author demonstrating a Hapkido flying

THE BIRTH OFA

It was September, 1990. Soldier of Fortune

Unique, a martial arts specialty house which

produces such magazines as Inside Kung Fu and

The SOF Convention was my first chance to

Another fortunate meeting was with Ernie

One of the nice aspects of the show is the

more knives. I felt especially drawn to the custom

Don Mount, a security guard at one of the

After we became acquainted, I mentioned

That night in my hotel room, I jotted down

the list. He said, “I read your book last night and

A couple of weeks after the show, the first

The prototype, shown in figure 1, repre-

¢ 440 stainless steel to insure ease of main-

e Grey finish (the result of glass bead

¢ Bottom edge sharpened on its full length

¢ Top edge sharpened from the point back

¢ The point begins to taper only over the

¢ Blade-catching angles at the base of the