The Stuka

The Stuka

The Stuka was a short piece of wood that is kept in the palm of the hand allowing for an end to protrude on each end of the hand. Essentially you would make a fist holding the stuka in the palm of the hand. Primarily the design took into consideration the fact that if the primary form of attack was going to be by knife then you would have to get inside the attackers personal space to launch and effective counter attack. It is a common misconception that to keep a knife wielding attacker at bay you must have a longer weapon. In actual fact the best way to keep a knife wielding attacker at bay is by running away. We had a saying before receiving a deployment order, “just not the desert because there is no place to hide”. A knife attack is very much the same, without a superior weapon or superior training there is no effective way to repel or defend against a knife attack. Knife movements are fast and erratic. There is no way to predicting its path. Cutting motions are a lot easier to predict. Western stabbing methods are also easier to predict. Western stabbing and cutting methods have delayed movements that are a lot more thought through and deliberate. It has a more standardized delivery and recovery.

The Stuka gets its name from an improvised hammer. This is exactly what the stuka is used for, to jab and strike or to apply pressure it can only be used effectively in close quarters situations. When using the stuka we try to never move in a linear fashion. Move left or right then forward. Defense is also done off the centrifugal axis. This done by suing a method called redirecting. By using the attackers own momentum you can redirect attacks away from you much like Aikido or Tai Chi. It becomes very effective in conjunction with the stuka.

The stuka was carried by the Jchoster. He was an underhanded fighter, he always had a trick up his sleeve, and this is very much like the malicia we find in capoeira. The stuka was beneath the Skull Busters and they would never carry in them. Skull Busters considered themselves honourable fighters. They were up front about everything they did. They made the brazen attitude work for them. No 3 or 4 men would ever dare attack a single Skull Buster, they would always try to get more fighters to help them.

The Stuka was made from a length of round wood three fingers longer than the palm. It was molded by way of witling. Most Stuka’s had a round ball on both ends looking like a knob. It was common and later the norm to make them from broom stick handles. Many cultures use this very effective weapon. There is a Japanese version known as a yawari stick or a pummel stick. Cold steel has recently brought a compound plastic version to market called a Koga stick.

It is interesting to note that when the wood of a stuka became brittle and it was no longer good to use as a weapon, the Jchoster would burn it to make charcoal and use the grinded charcoal as ink for tattoos. In the 80’s the word Stuka became popular again to mean GANG TATTOO.

Next we have to dispel with a myth that civilian contractors are training elements of the SAPS and Special Operational Forces. We will also look at the Bicycle chain and odometer cable as weapons. If anyone in the Johannesburg area is interested in a method of self defense training please contact me on my email address or leave a message for me on Face book.

Thanks Ray