A stroke with the edges, though made with ever so much force, seldom kills, …. On the contrary, a stab, though it penetrates but two inches, is generally fatal…This was the method of fighting principally used by the Romans.
Vegetius

Even if you can defend against eighty percent of the knife attacks, the remainder will get you killed. A lot of defenses are not realistic because the knife can twist around.
Wong Shun Leung

If you get into a knife fight, expect to be stabbed.

One of my goals for this site is to do my part to correct some of the misconceptions about the martial arts people have gotten from watching movies, playing video games, and talking with their friends.

There are a lot of fantasies about fighting floating around out there, fantasies fueled by testosterone and the desire for respect and reputation.  In short, people talk a lot of shit who don’t know what they are talking about.

This goes for some “high level” martial arts teachers with schools and websites.  Lets talk about knives for a second.  You see many elaborate knife defenses.  We have complete knife systems, like Escrima and Kali.  Many Filipino teachers (such as my friend Max Pallen) have experience and understand the truth about knives and some people have talked about it so long and trained with compliant partners without ever being on the wrong side of someone with a blade they have forgotten they are discussing theories.

Such people need to put on a white t-shirt and then train with someone holding a magic marker who is not cooperating with them and see if they can pull off their defense.

Let me be clear – I have never been in a knife fight.  But I have a scar on my leg from a carelessly thrown broken bottle.  That guy wasn’t even trying to hurt me really – he just threw it to scare me and it accidentally cut a chunk of my leg out. Its surprisingly easy to get cut when sharp objects are involved.

A sharp knife doesn’t require any expertise behind it for it to be deadly dangerous to even the highest level martial artist.  Show me a martial arts master facing someone  carelessly wielding a knife and I will show you someone who is probably going to get cut.

It doesn’t take any structure to inflict deadly wounds with a knife.  It doesn’t even take much skill.

Watch this – it starts off slow but ends with a striking demo that you will never forget.