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Copyright © 2003-2004 Phil Elmore, all rights
reserved.
Tiny Knives for Self Defense
By Phil Elmore
WARNING! Knives are
inherently dangerous. Do not carry illegal knives and do not attempt
to use a knife for self-defense if you are not trained in its use.
The Martialist cannot be construed as legal advice. The staff of
this magazine cannot be held responsible for any misuse of or errors made
with knives.
Firearms columnists have defended “mouse guns”
more than once on the grounds that a pocket-pistol in your pocket is
more effective than a .45 automatic locked in your safe. A diminutive,
small-caliber firearm may be the only handgun you can carry concealed, these
columnists argue, making these less-than-ideal, underpowered popguns far
preferable to the unarmed alternative. Critics of this view have
countered that large handguns can be concealed with a little ingenuity
and foresight. Why carry a tiny gun firing a puny cartridge, they
demand, when a .45 can be concealed under a loose shirt?
That debate is moot where knives are concerned,
specifically because — with rare exceptions — restrictions on handguns
aren’t based on the dimensions of the gun. To “stay legal,” a handgun
owner rarely needs to consider the physical proportions of the weapon.
He or she is more concerned with licensing for the firearm as such.
Knife owners know, however, that their blades
are restricted often based purely on blade size. We are assuming, for
purposes of this article, that you cannot or will not carry a firearm for
whatever reason, or that you desire a knife to use as a backup weapon.
We will further assume that you have selected the knife as a defensive
implement as well as a utility tool. Finally, we will assume that you
work in an environment that demands the discretion of a “mouse knife,” or that
you operate under legal restrictions on blade length that leave only
tiny knives as options.
How does one get the most defensive use out of
a very small knife? You must recognize it for what it is: a
cutting implement that, regardless of blade length, can slash, sever, and
lacerate to the depth of its cutting edge.
Hock Hochheim, in his
The Knife Fighting Encyclopedia, describes an incident
in which a man was killed by another man armed with a two-inch pocketknife.
The blade pierced the victim’s heart just far enough to be lethal. This,
however, is the exception rather than the rule. Generally speaking, the
larger your knife, the more effective it is as a fighting tool (up to a
point). That’s just a fact. No sane person would choose to fight
with a two-inch blade when a five-inch blade was an option. It stands to
reason that thrusting techniques are increasingly less advisable, then, as
your blade shrinks in size.
For that matter, the design of many small
knives precludes thrusting. No, for our “mouse knife” defensive theory,
we must focus on cutting, slashing techniques in recognition of the small
knife’s design limitations.
We
won’t get into drawing and cutting too specifically here. Your small
knife could be anything from a neck knife to a Spyderco Cricket. It
could be a fixed-blade or it could be a folder. No matter what it is or
how you carry it, practice deploying it. Practice opening tiny folders
and gain an appreciation for the challenges of opening and holding securely a
very small knife. If your little blade is slippery to the touch, apply
grip- or friction-tape. You should also practice palming the knife
(concealing it with your hand) and deploying it from that position, if
applicable.
Tiny knives are excellent tools for giving you
an advantage in tight quarters and at close range. Think of them as a
means of growing claws. Fight as you would normally fight at close
range, but know that each strike with one of your “paws” will rend flesh and
draw blood.
The way you grip your small knife will depend
largely on its design. I prefer the “modified saber” grip for a knife
like my Cricket, which is wide and flat and lends itself to this
thumb-stabilized grip.
The Spyderco Cricket, great for discreet office
carry.
The specifics are really up to you and your
individual fighting style or system. Armed with a tiny knife, you must
keep in mind that you have almost no additional reach and cannot perform
thrusts to much effect. Tailor your responses to these limitations.
Given what I’ve just said, I will now admit
that there is an exception to the rule. If your small knife does not
facilitate slashing (the most utility can be gained by choosing one that
does), you can still use it to deliver rapid poking attacks. Picture
being stabbed repeatedly with a pencil stub. It might not kill you,
depending on its length, but you would find it… deterring.
Small punch daggers, neck knives, and other short thrusting tools can be
jabbed like mad into an attacker’s extremities. The defender pumps his
or her arm like a jackhammer in executing the technique.
Diminutive Cold Steel push dagger.
Small knives are not ideal for self-defense and would be few martialists’
first choices. They have a surprising amount of power, however, and may
be the only equalizer available in some situations. Do not dismiss them.
A tiny knife is still a knife and must be
treated with respect.