Self Defence - advice wanted in regards to knife armed attackers

The best defense from a knife, short of a gun, or sword, is a four foot length of steel reinforcement bar. It gives you reach advantage. Any successfully delivered blow will break bone. It intimidates, it blocks and counters with a minimum of practice or forethought required.

It's a real crowd pleaser too! You can hold off a whole circle of opponents, and take more than one with you when you go.

reply to post by fred3110




That's the problem with muggers these days, no balls! Any decent 19th century footpad would knocked you unconscious first and then relieved of your wealth. We live in such poor times. Modern muggers give knavery a bad name!

Most gentleman's canes of the 19th century had brass or steel blunted to 1/4" round tapered point and a handle or pommel that was metal and heavy. Being jabbed by those blunted tips was quite painful especial to the face or gut. A blow to the head with a brass pommel would crack a skull. Some actually had a gun built into them. The sword cane was also quite popular. Londoners and other British cities had more handguns prior to the 1920's but far less gun crime than it does today.

reply to post by crgintx


Quite right Crgintx! My suggestion would be to craft or retrofit a nice walking stick with a length of rebar inside. Stylish, legal and formidable!

Unless you know with 100% certainty that you or a loved one are about to lose your life there is no reason whatsoever to get into a physical altercation with an individual wielding a knife.
I have 20+ years of martial arts and hand to hand combat experience recieved from civilian life and military service and I realise that whatever you know is really pointless when it comes down to an actual chaotic fight.

If you decide to fight an attacker with a knife you must be prepared to take injuries, they are guaranteed. However since you are not a soldier in a combat situation the liklihood that you would to confront someone involuntarily is astronomical at best.

I have been attacked on three seperate occasions with improvised stabbing weapons while at work, Im a correctional Officer now and only one of those occasions was a cutting weapon a guy made from his razar and a toothbrush handle, I got cut really good across the top part of my arm and shoulder, the other two times were simply stabbing weapons made from expanded metal and another one was an ink pen.
I came away unscathed in those two incidents, partly because I had fore warning.
All Im saying is that when you are faced with a friut loop that means to do you harm cooler heads do prevail. Stay calm do what he wants and only attack if you are truly in danger.
There is no be all and end all of defense against knife attacks, though steven seagal seems to think differently.

Originally posted by foremanator

Take it for granted that you are going to get stuck no matter what accept it.

That to me is rule number one. Accept that if you get into this situation the odds are you will get stuck or cut. All you can do is accept it and fight like your life depends on it because most likely it does. If you are into it with a blade wielding opponent and have time take your shirt or jacket off, wrap it around your hand that isn't your strong hand this will provide you with some protection from the blade if used as a sort of shield.. That is of course if you have the time.
Also you can look for objects in the immediate area that can be used as a weapon.(bricks, trashcans,things that can be picked up and used)
In any event the best advice that can be given is if you can avoid the confrontation do so. Unless you're just as armed or better armed than your attacker.


I would do all I could to avoid the whole situation first. Better to lose a little cash than to lose your life.

[edit on 7-7-2008 by Simon_Boudreaux]

Let me re-emphasize what others have said before me: running away is a perfectly acceptable option when confronted with superior odds. You will probably not know if an attacker is some street punk who barely knows which end of a knife to hold, or some hardened maniac who is good at killing. So always assume the worst until you are sure of the best.

All of the fighting techniques here are good, but remember that you are not trained. Training makes the moves an act of instinct rather than a conscious decision, and therefore makes them much quicker and more effective. A good karate class would do wonders if you're really concerned.

That said, there are plenty of areas that will cripple/kill a person quickly. The easiest is the knee, the weakest joint in the human body, and the one that is easiest to break (and the most painful when broken, so I've heard). The bridge of the nose works great (with enough force) as it will temporarily shock and blind your opponent. Of course, there's the eyes if you have a clean accurate shot with a pen, a key, or just a finger. If he can't see, he can't fight. And don't forget the crotch!

Just be careful. Fights can get bloody pretty quickly, especially when weapons are involved. Oh, yes, and remember the first rule of fighting: there is no such critter as a 'fair fight'

TheRedneck

I second that FACT there is no such thing as a fair fight.
Anything goes, whatever you can do to put the odds in your favore.

There' s a hell of a lot to be said for running like the clappers and shouting at the top of your voice to raise the alarm...

The last time it happened to me, a group of three lads ran up from behind me on a suburban street in Manchester, I heard the rapidly approaching footsteps, looked over my shoulder and saw scarf-and-baseball-cap masked figures closing on me fast, I took off as fast as I humanly could whilst screaming at the top of my lungs "somebody help me, I'm about to be mugged"...at that point several people appeared, and two burly looking guys took off in hot pursuit of my would-be assailants, whilst an elderly resident of the street I found myself on made me a cup of tea, and helped me calm down...there's a lot to be said for asking...or should I say screaming...for assistance from your fellow citizen for help when you least expect to need or get it

im no expert but i thought i might try to add something, have you ever played with a dog and put up one hand, they go for it, then thats a free strike with the other hand. same thing with most people, most of us react to the very first threat. so if you have to defend yourself, always keep that in mind.......great posts everyone....this has been most beneficial for me as well. take care

Well in the UK...RUN! Here in Texas I would say get your CHL, and double tap the knife attacker. 2 rounds center mass from a .45 will end any "knife fight". As much as I HATE to say this ...Tom Cruise had tons of training for the movie Collateral. When he pops the bad guys in the alley it is damn near text book self defense as it applies to the US. My only other advice would be to stay in shape and get a ASP collapsing baton. Take a few weeks of class with one, and you will be much safer. God it must suck to live in the UK


Edit... Ok...If you can't run and MUST fight.. Grab the knife blade with your non dominant hand. You are in survival mode, and the first rule of knife fighting is YOU WILL GET CUT. Better a hand than a vital organ or artery. With your other hand slam your fingers into the eyes of the attacker. If there is a pause in the fight throw blood or smear it into the eyes of the attacker. That hurts like hell. As soon as possible run like hell and scream for help. Blood brings attention fast. That is the best I can come up with.

[edit on 7-7-2008 by TXMACHINEGUNDLR]

RUN!!!

Make a lot of noise and scream... chances are the would be assailant wants to keep the attention to a minimum, the more people who look at them, the more likely they are to back away.

If cornered aim for the groin or knee with a low kick.
If you have to punch then aim for the nose or any other sensitive area such as the eyeball or throat. Don't be afraid of using makeshift weapons such as pens, bricks, sticks, keys etc...

But in all honesty, if someone is waving a knife around I don't think they will use it, it's more of a psychological threat.

The biggest worry is when you don't even see the knife and the next thing you know you are lying in the gutter bleeding from a gut wound.

It's the one's who don't show the knife that you have to worry about.

Seriously the best option is to run, only fight if trapped or cornered and then you have absolutely all the right to defend yourself.

Personally I think the best defensive weapon is something like a pen or a bunch of keys and aim for the throat or eyeball.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have to fight or possibly be killed, kicked the attacker in the knee with everything you got with the intention of breaking it, then leave the area asap.

As a recipient of a knife attack (I do not like the term victim), the best advice I can give is just be vigilent. My attacker hit me and I never knew he was there. I lived at this place for 5 years and became complacent.

As far as using a handgun remember this. If your attacker is in front of you even as far as 20-25 feet and charging, the chance you could pull your weapon and fire an aimed shot is almost impossible. In this case your best option is to be proactive and try to get them off balance. It is unexpected as well as dangerous.

i just hope it never happens.

The best advice I can give is to attempt to avoid the situation to begin with by learning situational awareness.

Baring that, if you know your attacker has a knife, stay as far away as possible, keeping out of reach of the knife. If you can not because of being cornered, etc, the next best advice after this is to pick up anything to utilize as a shield. You can even take off your shirt and wrap it around your hand as an improvised shield of last resort.

I know more stuff to say as well, but I'm not suggesting it because I'm not willing to put it out there for the general public as well as being responsible for someone doing it, and getting hurt by accident or on purpose.

Good luck, and always scan your sectors.

I'm a huge fan of Krav Maga. Simple and brutal method of self defense. Check it out....

youtube.com...

Run and scream is the best advice. But if you have to fight, a small squeeze bottle of gasoline and a lighter is a good idea. I bet you wouldn't have to do more than flash the lighter.

Pray for this knife wielding individual. Pray that he get better, that his sickness abates. For as you do it to the least of us, you do it unto yourself.

Also as you walk about, visualize yourself and your loved one's in a sphere of blazing white light. The white light can protect you from physical as well as spiritual attacks.

May i genuinely suggest Bas Ruttens Street Fighting techiques, its been a around a few years now and if youre a rapidshare or torrent user you will find it no problem.

Klaus,

Move to a country where English common law is still practiced and self-defence is allowed, the US. You not only can own guns and knives and pepper spray, you can actually use them to dispatch bad guys without any real fear of repercussions from the 'so-called' law.

It's no wonder my ancestors left that God-forbidden rock and came here and when they followed us over and started bugging us my ancestors politely told where to get off and we killed a bunch of them until they left us alone.

What in the h#ll happened over there in the last couple of hundred years. I think it's the close proximity to Europe that has caused this decline. It's insane to have to live in a place and not be able to defend yourself, family or property. Not my cup of tea, so to speak.

Take up some serious hard-core full contact martial arts, do not be a victim. Utilize every available option you have under the law, but plan on getting the heck out of that place. It is not conscienable to be forced to cow-tow to politicos and crazies who will not allow an individual the 'God-given' right to self-defence.

I know the political system over there allows you only certain rights and that personally is an affront to me. No government, including our beloved US Gov't has any rights other than those we the people confer upon them and consent to be ruled by. We somehow have forgotten our roots and the foundation which led to this great moral and political divide just a couple of hundred years ago, it's disgusting.

Good luck my friend.

GO buy a beer or iced tea. Whenever I am heading into a neighborhood where I don't feel safe I stop into a convenience store/grocery/deli and buy a beverage in a glass bottle. Don't open it or drink it, expecially if it's alcohol. Just carry it in the small plastic or paper bag they give you and keep your hand on the bottle.

If a situation occurs you can club someone with it and if it breaks you have a slashing instrument . You can also whip it with the bag as your handle or simply throw it right into someone's face and run. Just don't miss. Most people will be pretty unhappy getting blunt instrument trauma to the head, especially if it comes with some broken glass wounds. A few cans in a plastic bag (double-bagged is best) works well too.

The best part is it is perfectly legal. If you just bought it, no one can claim you were carrying it as a weapon. It will just look like you bought a beverage and then used it to defend yourself in a life or death situation. No one will blame you for that. You can carry it anywhere.

And if nothing happens, you have a nice cold drink when you get where you're going.




(edit: This is not meant to imply you should fight first using a glass bottle as a weapon. It is not a great choice against a knife, but it will give you a slightly better chance than if you are unarmed. Running is a good first choice if you can. And this will not get you into legal trouble like the people recommending canes/rebar/pipes/chains/sword canes/etc.)

[edit on 8-7-2008 by CallMeMaury]