There is no weapon as noble as the blade
This quote was coined by Bretasaj a 12th century swordsman. What he left out is that the blade is messy and very personal. In Ghamjistu the knife features very strongly. The KNIFE is a very formidable weapon but it must be used correctly because as much as it is deadly to your opponent it can be very dangerous to you. You could end up cutting yourself with deadly consequences for you. Knife fighting is all about posture and aggression it thrives on mind games. If you cannot sell the fact that you know what you are doing then your opponent will take you apart. So you must know your blade, become familiar with the movements that will accompany your blade. I also believe for any stabbing attack you must adjust curl strikes, forward and side lunges. You must be aware of your surroundings. I am reminded of the guy who claimed to be an operator and was used as a contact for an Away Team the objective was to extract an asset from behind enemy lines. Because of overwhelming enemy number the rules of engagements where weapons locked which meant no shooting. The team went in with batons and 7 inch Kabar and Gerber knives. The team entered the building which appeared to be an active dwelling. This meant vases and picture frames all over the place. The guy in question did not observe the correct method for extended weapon proximity and knocked a vase from the table causing it to shatter on the ground and team was compromised. All because he did not know how to use the weapon. Moral of the story if you don’t know ask and learn and you will live longer.
A fixed blade knife is by far the best knife to use in my opinion. There is no chance of the blade closing on you. I however coming from a military background and in my line of work most of the time there was no need for concealment and a fixed blade would offer that very nicely. It might be different for you. Columbia River Knife makes a large range of virtual fix blade knives like the Special Forces S13 tactical folder. These knives are very strong and a better fit for me than the Cold Steel range with the exception of the Prolite Model and the Recon model. Large folders are usually a good choice because you can conceal it as easily as a cellphone in your pocket and when they open up you have a serious blade to persuade your attacker to rethink his plan.
How to use your knife.
I don’t believe in cutting. I believe you only get one first strike and if you make your first strike a cut without knowing how to do it correctly then you are in trouble. Your first strike communicates your intent and your level of aggression. In other words your first strike lets your opponent know exactly what the hell you came here for. In Ghamjitsu there is a method of stabbing known as Penzja. This method allows you to stab and to flick the wrist at the same time. It is also known as gutting. Penzja strikes are made at the soft fleshy parts of the body like the belly, the sides below the ribs, the genital area and the neck. These strikes are usually meant to fatally wound the opponent. Satra is a different stabbing method. It is more direct and it is design to penetrate deep into muscle tissue. The primary use for this stabbing method is to incapacitate the opponent. For example when an opponent makes a through strike in a punching motion toward your face you would guide the punch past you, allowing the attacker to move under his over extended momentum. You would then, depending on your position drive the blade into the back below the shoulder blade. You would then cut or hack at the lateral muscle cutting it away from the rib rendering that arm useless. You now have the physical advantage and you can break the attack off. This move is however a very last resort and in my book and is right up there with shooting a guy when you don’t really have to. Certain attacks can seem brutal but especially because it is with a knife and chances are you will also be covered in blood. If you know how to perform the attacks and defenses then you will know why we do it and you will be able to explain it. Being able to explain the method and the why goes a long way to proving that it was not a rage filled, emotional attack but a bonafide defensive move and designed to break off the attack as soon as possible. Nobody wants to see their own blood so any strike that draws blood will almost certainly break off the attack because your attacker will want to see the extent of the damage. He wants to save himself. A strike that I favour for women is a facial strike. It is one of the few cutting or slashing strikes I teach only because it is intended for bear skin. When you are attacked from the front and you have been able to get your knife out chances are that the attacker will try to grab you and subdue you. He will charge you and when he does you raise both your arms above your head keeping your arms straight up in the air. He will now have to grab you around your chest or waist. When he locks his arms around you drop your non knife arm under his chin forcing him to look up. This will make it impossible for him to tuck his chin in. He will not let go of you because he would be too busy trying to either squeeze or to look down. You ram that arm under his chin into his throat try to get him to gag. Then take the knife and put the blade just above the bone on the eye socket which marks the beginning of the forehead and with all your strength drag it across the forehead. There is a series of veins just under the skin that will allow for what might seem like phenomenal blood loss. The bleeding is superficial but to the attacker there is no way of telling this because he cannot see the wound. He can see the blood as it runs down his eyelashes and into his eyes and by this he assumes the worst. He will, more than likely break off the attack at this time.
Again this is the only cutting method I will teach because I think that forms like Amok are out dated and does not work in South Africa. I think AMOK is perfect in Asia because the humid weather encourages that light clothing be worn like sarongs and light cottons. In South Africa we wear denims and leathers and processed silks and triacetates these materials are not as easy to cut as light cottons so I think cutting is not a viable primary defense. Pyper and Ghamjitsu are indigenous to South Africa and very, very well tested over 200 years.
Cape Coloured gangs made the knife the most feared weapon even Police with handguns are afraid to confront a Cape Coloured Gangster. The motorcycle gang The Cape Coloured Bastards where responsible for 2379 stabbings between June of 1998 and January of 2000. This tells me that there are no other experts in knife violence with regard to South Africa than the Cape Coloured gangster. Understanding the violence and how it works and wanting to take that knowledge to learn how to use for you own survival does not make you violent. It makes you prepared and it says that you are not prepared to place your safety in the hands of the SAPS but that you take responsibility for that safety. Crime does not personally affect the SAPS because it is an organization with a mandate. It does not lay awake at night thinking about the poor lady down the road for was attacked in her home as she returned from church. It changes shift and hands over to a new group of individuals who are desensitized to the violence and senseless killing.
But I don’t want to turn this into a blog to complain about the lack of ability within the Police because I also believe that they have their own cross to carry.
What I am a very strong proponent of is fighting back. When enough of us fight back more criminals will rethink their position in the food chain. We have to learn to become predatory again.
In the next blog I want to talk about the development of organised gang structures in South Africa and their place in South African History and society.
This quote was coined by Bretasaj a 12th century swordsman. What he left out is that the blade is messy and very personal. In Ghamjistu the knife features very strongly. The KNIFE is a very formidable weapon but it must be used correctly because as much as it is deadly to your opponent it can be very dangerous to you. You could end up cutting yourself with deadly consequences for you. Knife fighting is all about posture and aggression it thrives on mind games. If you cannot sell the fact that you know what you are doing then your opponent will take you apart. So you must know your blade, become familiar with the movements that will accompany your blade. I also believe for any stabbing attack you must adjust curl strikes, forward and side lunges. You must be aware of your surroundings. I am reminded of the guy who claimed to be an operator and was used as a contact for an Away Team the objective was to extract an asset from behind enemy lines. Because of overwhelming enemy number the rules of engagements where weapons locked which meant no shooting. The team went in with batons and 7 inch Kabar and Gerber knives. The team entered the building which appeared to be an active dwelling. This meant vases and picture frames all over the place. The guy in question did not observe the correct method for extended weapon proximity and knocked a vase from the table causing it to shatter on the ground and team was compromised. All because he did not know how to use the weapon. Moral of the story if you don’t know ask and learn and you will live longer.
A fixed blade knife is by far the best knife to use in my opinion. There is no chance of the blade closing on you. I however coming from a military background and in my line of work most of the time there was no need for concealment and a fixed blade would offer that very nicely. It might be different for you. Columbia River Knife makes a large range of virtual fix blade knives like the Special Forces S13 tactical folder. These knives are very strong and a better fit for me than the Cold Steel range with the exception of the Prolite Model and the Recon model. Large folders are usually a good choice because you can conceal it as easily as a cellphone in your pocket and when they open up you have a serious blade to persuade your attacker to rethink his plan.
How to use your knife.
I don’t believe in cutting. I believe you only get one first strike and if you make your first strike a cut without knowing how to do it correctly then you are in trouble. Your first strike communicates your intent and your level of aggression. In other words your first strike lets your opponent know exactly what the hell you came here for. In Ghamjitsu there is a method of stabbing known as Penzja. This method allows you to stab and to flick the wrist at the same time. It is also known as gutting. Penzja strikes are made at the soft fleshy parts of the body like the belly, the sides below the ribs, the genital area and the neck. These strikes are usually meant to fatally wound the opponent. Satra is a different stabbing method. It is more direct and it is design to penetrate deep into muscle tissue. The primary use for this stabbing method is to incapacitate the opponent. For example when an opponent makes a through strike in a punching motion toward your face you would guide the punch past you, allowing the attacker to move under his over extended momentum. You would then, depending on your position drive the blade into the back below the shoulder blade. You would then cut or hack at the lateral muscle cutting it away from the rib rendering that arm useless. You now have the physical advantage and you can break the attack off. This move is however a very last resort and in my book and is right up there with shooting a guy when you don’t really have to. Certain attacks can seem brutal but especially because it is with a knife and chances are you will also be covered in blood. If you know how to perform the attacks and defenses then you will know why we do it and you will be able to explain it. Being able to explain the method and the why goes a long way to proving that it was not a rage filled, emotional attack but a bonafide defensive move and designed to break off the attack as soon as possible. Nobody wants to see their own blood so any strike that draws blood will almost certainly break off the attack because your attacker will want to see the extent of the damage. He wants to save himself. A strike that I favour for women is a facial strike. It is one of the few cutting or slashing strikes I teach only because it is intended for bear skin. When you are attacked from the front and you have been able to get your knife out chances are that the attacker will try to grab you and subdue you. He will charge you and when he does you raise both your arms above your head keeping your arms straight up in the air. He will now have to grab you around your chest or waist. When he locks his arms around you drop your non knife arm under his chin forcing him to look up. This will make it impossible for him to tuck his chin in. He will not let go of you because he would be too busy trying to either squeeze or to look down. You ram that arm under his chin into his throat try to get him to gag. Then take the knife and put the blade just above the bone on the eye socket which marks the beginning of the forehead and with all your strength drag it across the forehead. There is a series of veins just under the skin that will allow for what might seem like phenomenal blood loss. The bleeding is superficial but to the attacker there is no way of telling this because he cannot see the wound. He can see the blood as it runs down his eyelashes and into his eyes and by this he assumes the worst. He will, more than likely break off the attack at this time.
Again this is the only cutting method I will teach because I think that forms like Amok are out dated and does not work in South Africa. I think AMOK is perfect in Asia because the humid weather encourages that light clothing be worn like sarongs and light cottons. In South Africa we wear denims and leathers and processed silks and triacetates these materials are not as easy to cut as light cottons so I think cutting is not a viable primary defense. Pyper and Ghamjitsu are indigenous to South Africa and very, very well tested over 200 years.
Cape Coloured gangs made the knife the most feared weapon even Police with handguns are afraid to confront a Cape Coloured Gangster. The motorcycle gang The Cape Coloured Bastards where responsible for 2379 stabbings between June of 1998 and January of 2000. This tells me that there are no other experts in knife violence with regard to South Africa than the Cape Coloured gangster. Understanding the violence and how it works and wanting to take that knowledge to learn how to use for you own survival does not make you violent. It makes you prepared and it says that you are not prepared to place your safety in the hands of the SAPS but that you take responsibility for that safety. Crime does not personally affect the SAPS because it is an organization with a mandate. It does not lay awake at night thinking about the poor lady down the road for was attacked in her home as she returned from church. It changes shift and hands over to a new group of individuals who are desensitized to the violence and senseless killing.
But I don’t want to turn this into a blog to complain about the lack of ability within the Police because I also believe that they have their own cross to carry.
What I am a very strong proponent of is fighting back. When enough of us fight back more criminals will rethink their position in the food chain. We have to learn to become predatory again.
In the next blog I want to talk about the development of organised gang structures in South Africa and their place in South African History and society.
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