Category: Knife/Machete/Sword

Misconceptions about knives

There are a lot of misconceptions about knives and blades.

One thing I find frustrating is that people often believe purely aesthetic decision choices, or features that might improve everyday quality of life for the weapon, actually make a knife more lethal.

In reality, two pointy metal objects with a sharp edge, of a similar size and shape, will have a very similar injury profile. If you stab someone to the neck with a butterfly knife, it will have the same practical effect as the blade on a pair of scissors.

Ultimately, this means two things:

  1. All sharp, pointy metal objects are lethal and must be treated that way; police, for example, are equally justified in using lethal force whether the subject is armed with a balisong or a pair of scissors.
  2. Banning particular kinds of sharp, pointy metal objects does not make the street safer, because they can be substituted for other sharp and pointy metal things which are equally lethal (balisong -> kitchen knife or scissors for example).

Kitchen knives are used in many fatal stabbings. They are just as effective as knives “designed” for killing.

Most knives are small, simple, easy to use, easy to conceal, fast to deploy, and very effective. The qualities many people worry about are superfluous to their function, or merely improve quality of life and comfort. Much of it is about style and aesthetic concerns.

Scissors were used during infamous fatal stabbing in Fortitude Valley

Scissors were used during infamous fatal stabbing in Fortitude Valley

A jury has been told Seyram Kwami Djentuh stabbed Lauie Tagaloa in the neck with scissors he bought minutes earlier for $3.90.

The two groups had been “eyeing each other off” and were keen for a fight, before Tagaloa punched a man in the other group and stomped at his head.

The confrontation continued before Djentuh stabbed Tagaloa once in the neck with scissors. Tagaloa died within moments.

Link to Brisbane Times article

This raises three issues:

The futility of the death

The situation was entirely preventable. These are young men seeking to prove themselves to their peers by showing bravery and demonstrating their prowess and composure in a fight. They were seeking confrontation, with one man arming themselves when they knew a physical confrontation was about to kick off.

We can minimise this kind of outcome by providing opportunity, role models, purpose and discipline to young men, and an outlet to prove themselves and achieve self-worth. Suppressing competitive behaviour in boys and denying them these opportunities is how you amplify toxic masculinity. Their energy has to be directed into productive and benign pursuits. If they aren’t provided a positive group of peers and role models, they will find their own who may be antisocial in nature.

Scissors are lethal weapons

Secondly, this demonstrates just how lethal any type of blade can be. The next time you hear about police shooting someone after they attempted to stab someone with scissors, go back and watch this video, and remember what just a pair of scissors can do.

Bans on specific types of blades are fruitless

Where I live, we have banned the following types of knives:

  • Flickknife
  • Ballistic knife
  • Sheath knife
  • Urban Skinner
  • Trench knife
  • Butterfly knife or “balisong”
  • Star knife
  • Zombie Knife

Any object made of strong material with a point can be used to stab, and any hard material with an edge can be used to cut.

Banning any type of blade only results in the use of blades which are not prohibited, especially kitchen knives. Kitchen knives are typically made of steel, have a long sharp blade and a point, with a full or partial tang, and ergonomic handle.

These attributes make kitchen knives more effective as weapons than many of the banned knives, which are mostly designed for their appearance.

Knife designs can increase reliability and practicality, but they are all lethal, including cheap scissors purchased from a late-night corner store.

Laws which prohibit the carrying of blades and other weapons in a public place have more merit and real effect on outcomes, depending on the area and cultural context.

Police officer stabbed to death moments after arriving on scene – Las Cruces PD

Body Cam Video
CCTV Video

A stark and horrifying example of two things:

  1. The danger posed by knives, even when we are armed with a gun – you CAN bring a knife to a gun fight and win if you’re close enough.
  2. Not all situations involving mental health issues can be de-escalated verbally. Police have often been criticised in the media for shooting within seconds of arriving at the scene – this incident demonstrates the kind of situation which can lead to that happening.

Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez was stabbed to death while responding to a trespassing call at the 300 block of South Valley Drive in Las Cruces.

A witness to the stabbing shot the suspect while another witness called 911 for help.

Officer Hernandez was transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center where he died from a knife wound to his neck.

The subject had a lengthy criminal record and mental illness.

Officer Hernandez had served with the Las Cruces Police Department for two years. He was survived by his wife and two sons.

Officer Down Memorial Page

Defense against blunt and edged weapons – a basic guide
Knives vs guns, why police shoot, and why they don’t “just shoot the legs”

Defense against blunt and edged weapons – a basic guide

Click here to watch video on Youtube

REDDIT DISCUSSION

This video covers unarmed defense against both blunt and edged weapons, highlighting the importance of understanding range to either deny attackers their advantage or impose our own.

Yes, you should never fight someone who is armed, and running away is a good idea. However, there are some scenarios where evasion isn’t an option and hand-waving comments like “just run away” do not help. Strategic positioning, range management and movement are the foundation of dealing with weapons.

We start with understanding the nuances of unarmed striking, the significance of maintaining an appropriate stance for mobility and reaction, and the concept of “lunging distance” which is critical for both offense and defense.

Then we move on to managing distances to either escape harm or close in, underlining that effective defense involves being either out of reach or too close for an attacker to utilise their weapon effectively.

The guide also touches on the specialised considerations for dealing with different types of weapons, from long and short blunt instruments to edged weapons, stressing the need for speed, control, and tactical awareness.

Some of the clips used in video

And here’s an extra:

Also, check out other videos categorised under weapon disarms on this website

Dutch security guard stops armed attack with strikes

At a supermarket in the Netherlands, a 34-year-old man was removed from the store by security for attempting to steal a bottle of alcohol. He returned and attacked guard with a broken bottle neck, resulting in injuries to both. The man was arrested and hospitalised overnight, so he obviously came out of the ordeal in far worse shape then the guard.

He faces charges of attempted manslaughter or serious assault and will appear in court on February 14 2024.

The actions of the guard were considered self-defense.

Dutch article covering the incident here.

Although not a knife, a piece of glass can cause serious or potentially fatal injuries. There’s certainly the risk of losing an eye, the way this man was attempting to slash at the guard.

The response of the guard demonstrates how effective distance management, footwork and striking can be against edged weapons. These are not the typical wrist-grabby techniques we often see taught by “self defense” instructors, but fundamental methods from empirically developed styles such as Muay Thai and wrestling.

This could easily have resulted in the guard suffering far more serious injuries had there been an inch or two of difference, and I have shared these scenarios on the site before.

My point here is NOT that learning a martial art will guarantee success, however:

  1. The chance of surviving an attack from someone armed with an edged weapon increases the greater the difference in skill/size/strength/etc.
  2. The methods we see working in reality are consistently the same fundamentals we observe in other fights, including combat sports.

Jewellery store robber stabbed by defender

An attempted robbery at a jewelry store in Chapadão do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The employees, including the owner’s daughter, fought back against the two armed robbers. One of the criminals was stabbed several times by the daughter during the struggle and was later hospitalized and arrested. The security camera footage played a crucial role in identifying the assailants, who along with an accomplice, faced charges for the armed robbery.