CZ75daddy0405
New member
Your opinions please.
Straight blade or Curved blades for defense?
- Thread starter CZ75daddy0405
- Start date
Cowdogpete
New member
I took a defensive class that concentrated on empty hand, impact weapons and edged weapons.
With what I was taught, stabbing is not good tactics. Most wounds inflicted if I do my part will be slicing type cuts.
My choice of knife to carry every day is a S&W S.W.A.T. It will do both if needed.
With what I was taught, stabbing is not good tactics. Most wounds inflicted if I do my part will be slicing type cuts.
My choice of knife to carry every day is a S&W S.W.A.T. It will do both if needed.
Matt Wallis
New member
I suppose it depends on what you mean exactly by a "curved" blade. Even straight blades (as in straight down the spine) can have a bit of curve to the edge. I mean, would you consider a bowie knife straight or curved? And I also assume you're talking knife not sword.
Anyhoo, just wanted to point out that you can slash effectively with the tip of an accutely pointed knife. And also that straight blades can certainly cut well too.
And to answer your question, I feel that straight blades (down the spine) generally are more versatile than blades with a curved spine.
Matt
PS. I hope no one here is going to argue that Katana are superior cutters because they're curved!
M
Anyhoo, just wanted to point out that you can slash effectively with the tip of an accutely pointed knife. And also that straight blades can certainly cut well too.
And to answer your question, I feel that straight blades (down the spine) generally are more versatile than blades with a curved spine.
Matt
PS. I hope no one here is going to argue that Katana are superior cutters because they're curved!
M
Hate to say it depends, but it depends.
Summertime, someone in a t-shirt, you can slash the exposed bare skin of a forearm with a curved or straight blade. BTW, by curved, I take it you mean a blade with some "belly," as opposed to a tanto-style blade.
In the wintertime, people wearing heavy coats, you may have to resort to some "sticking," where I believe a tanto style blade helps.
In the one knife class I ever took, we were taught defensive slashing techniques to the back of the hand and forearm of the attacker to, as they say, "defang the snake." But those were always followed up with stabs to the upper abdomen (armpit/upper rib cage), temples, or a straight stab to the solar plexus region. Then beating feet.
The instructor carried two 3" folding knives with "curved" type blades, like the Benchmade mini AFCK.
I carry either a full-sized AFCK or an SOG Night Vision, which has a tanto-style blade. I feel confident with either. Just keep the blades sharp! Nothing worse than a dull knife blade...
Summertime, someone in a t-shirt, you can slash the exposed bare skin of a forearm with a curved or straight blade. BTW, by curved, I take it you mean a blade with some "belly," as opposed to a tanto-style blade.
In the wintertime, people wearing heavy coats, you may have to resort to some "sticking," where I believe a tanto style blade helps.
In the one knife class I ever took, we were taught defensive slashing techniques to the back of the hand and forearm of the attacker to, as they say, "defang the snake." But those were always followed up with stabs to the upper abdomen (armpit/upper rib cage), temples, or a straight stab to the solar plexus region. Then beating feet.
The instructor carried two 3" folding knives with "curved" type blades, like the Benchmade mini AFCK.
I carry either a full-sized AFCK or an SOG Night Vision, which has a tanto-style blade. I feel confident with either. Just keep the blades sharp! Nothing worse than a dull knife blade...
If you are competent at knife fighting, the curvature of the blade really means nothing.
I prefer the tanto style blade, probably for no other reason than that was what I was taught on. However, theat does not mean that I would be at a disadvantage with any other style blade. The second type of knife fighting I learned was the "butterfly".
I prefer the tanto style blade, probably for no other reason than that was what I was taught on. However, theat does not mean that I would be at a disadvantage with any other style blade. The second type of knife fighting I learned was the "butterfly".
What do you mean, Gryphon, by the statement that "if you are competent at knife-fighting then the curvature of the blade means nothing"?
Do you mean that in the same manner that you would mean that an expert with a handgun should be able to pick up any handgun and do well with it or do you mean that a competent knife-fighter doesn't need a curved blade?
My take on the original question...or what I've been taught, anway, is that a slash is more damaging than a stab and a stab is more damaging than not cutting at all. If you ever practice on a piece of hanging meat that is not frozen (like a deer or hog strung up to bleed out), then you will find that a slash will open up more area and cause more damage FAR more easily than a stab. Not to say that a stab isn't worthwhile, but a slash is better. On said piece of meat, you will also find that a stab is not as easy to do as many people believe. There is more resistance in the muscle and bone to penetration than most people will understand until they try it. I haven't ever tried it with a double-edged blade, though, so it might be (probably is) a lot easier when you are cutting with both edges rather than forcing the blade in with only one edge opening the way.
Richard Burton (not the actor) wrote an excellent treatise on the sword (called simply, "The Book of the Sword") that explains the pros and cons of different techniques. This is a book by a man who is not just a guy who practiced with weapons but who killed several men in combat with edged implements and made an extensive study of the fighting styles of many cultures. It is, however, a hard read.
Do you mean that in the same manner that you would mean that an expert with a handgun should be able to pick up any handgun and do well with it or do you mean that a competent knife-fighter doesn't need a curved blade?
My take on the original question...or what I've been taught, anway, is that a slash is more damaging than a stab and a stab is more damaging than not cutting at all. If you ever practice on a piece of hanging meat that is not frozen (like a deer or hog strung up to bleed out), then you will find that a slash will open up more area and cause more damage FAR more easily than a stab. Not to say that a stab isn't worthwhile, but a slash is better. On said piece of meat, you will also find that a stab is not as easy to do as many people believe. There is more resistance in the muscle and bone to penetration than most people will understand until they try it. I haven't ever tried it with a double-edged blade, though, so it might be (probably is) a lot easier when you are cutting with both edges rather than forcing the blade in with only one edge opening the way.
Richard Burton (not the actor) wrote an excellent treatise on the sword (called simply, "The Book of the Sword") that explains the pros and cons of different techniques. This is a book by a man who is not just a guy who practiced with weapons but who killed several men in combat with edged implements and made an extensive study of the fighting styles of many cultures. It is, however, a hard read.
What I mean is that it is the operator, not the devise, that makes the knife, handgun, weapon of choice useful. A person who knows what they are doing needs little more than a 3 inch blade to kill someone quickly.
Just like in hand to hand, a guy/lass may be able to strike hard, but if he does not aim his shots, or connect with them, what good is all his power doing him?
There is a fine line between natural ability, technique and power. Those who know what to do when and how will fair better in the long run than those who are only good at one of the three.
I agree that a slash may open up more surface area, but it very well may take more time than you have for the BG to bleed out. whereas a well placed stab can cause incapacitation/death within 30 seconds or less. Each have their place and both stabbing and slashing are useful. I still stand by my original statement in this reply that it is more the operator than the weapon.
Just like in hand to hand, a guy/lass may be able to strike hard, but if he does not aim his shots, or connect with them, what good is all his power doing him?
There is a fine line between natural ability, technique and power. Those who know what to do when and how will fair better in the long run than those who are only good at one of the three.
I agree that a slash may open up more surface area, but it very well may take more time than you have for the BG to bleed out. whereas a well placed stab can cause incapacitation/death within 30 seconds or less. Each have their place and both stabbing and slashing are useful. I still stand by my original statement in this reply that it is more the operator than the weapon.
Hmmm...
Straight. The deeper you penetrate, the more liable that you are to
bust an artery, which would therefore be more liable to stop somebody.
Also, a straight blade can bat aside a ball bat or other club-like weapon.
There have been several cases of those who have brought curved blades
to such fights and have lost, badly.
Straight. The deeper you penetrate, the more liable that you are to
bust an artery, which would therefore be more liable to stop somebody.
Also, a straight blade can bat aside a ball bat or other club-like weapon.
There have been several cases of those who have brought curved blades
to such fights and have lost, badly.
Arizona Fusilier
New member
I agree with Matt above. Most purpose built fighters have elements of both straight and curved blades. The bowie in its various forms typifies this (and maybe that's what made it such an effective and "revolutionary" weapon).
Joe Talmadge
Inactive
I, too, think it's highly unlikely that moderate changes in blade shape on a folding knife would have any real impact on the outcome of a defensive situation -- though I'm thrilled to pieces to argue about blade shape.
I tend to use thrusts and hooking, both of which favor straighter blades. For me, basically, straighter is better. A sharp point is also advantageous -- which means, BTW, that the Americanized tanto as usually made is not a good choice. Though again, hard to believe that would make a critical difference.
For slashing, the standard view is that curved blades are better. But Mike Janich claims that, for the kind of strikes you see in a knife defense situation, with a small blade, a straight edge actually penetrates better for slashing. Hence the Spyderco Ronin, with its straight edge. I find that for long controlled slashing/cutting (i.e., not the type typical of a defensive situation) curved works better, but for defensive use where you'll have minimal time of contact, and the slice is very uncontrolled, and contact may occur at a non-optimal part of the stroke, a straight edge may very well be the better choice for the slasher.
Joe
I tend to use thrusts and hooking, both of which favor straighter blades. For me, basically, straighter is better. A sharp point is also advantageous -- which means, BTW, that the Americanized tanto as usually made is not a good choice. Though again, hard to believe that would make a critical difference.
For slashing, the standard view is that curved blades are better. But Mike Janich claims that, for the kind of strikes you see in a knife defense situation, with a small blade, a straight edge actually penetrates better for slashing. Hence the Spyderco Ronin, with its straight edge. I find that for long controlled slashing/cutting (i.e., not the type typical of a defensive situation) curved works better, but for defensive use where you'll have minimal time of contact, and the slice is very uncontrolled, and contact may occur at a non-optimal part of the stroke, a straight edge may very well be the better choice for the slasher.
Joe
L.I.N.E. training
back when i was taught a little knife fighting we were taught both fencing and ice pick style grips. our killing technique consisted of a stabbing motion to the vulnerable blood supply areas on the body but increased the damage by opening up the wound while still penetrated. i lov ethe knife i carry daily. it is semi curved back, 1/3 serrated benchmade mchenry and williams designed folder with the cool axis lock up. solid baby!
back when i was taught a little knife fighting we were taught both fencing and ice pick style grips. our killing technique consisted of a stabbing motion to the vulnerable blood supply areas on the body but increased the damage by opening up the wound while still penetrated. i lov ethe knife i carry daily. it is semi curved back, 1/3 serrated benchmade mchenry and williams designed folder with the cool axis lock up. solid baby!