Reply from Sensei Tom Huffman

Hey Autrelle,

Did you read what I sent you? We handle "Psycho Stabs" and "Slashes" regularly. Also one of my senseis Nishimoto Sensei liked the knife held back along the wrist. It is much different to handle. My advanced students are getting pretty good at handling them. I don't advocate anyone going to "test" them for real. I think that would be stupid!! And, if you do that, you deserve to get stabbed.

Elizabeth has brought in an interesting attack knife that looks like a parrot's beak that is sharpened on both sides and has a twirling ring for a finger on one end. There is only one thought of someone carrying this type of knife, and it is purely to attack people. We are going to develop take-aways for this knife.

I will be stressing to people that this person does not deserve the "We don't injure people." response. I tell her that the Ai Ki in this case is for the good of the rest of society. The person who is carrying this knife should be seriously debilitated so he has a long time to consider the error of his ways.

I don't see any reason to learn knife to knife techniques. How many people in society carry a knife of any size. Not many in America. Therefore, it is better to focus on how to handle the armed attack when you are disarmed.

And the knife against a sword or jo is just stupid on the part of the knife attacker. The knife attacker is so out ranged that the knife attacker's chance at successfully disabling someone carrying a longer range weapon is probably less than 5% or 5 out of 100 attacks. The knife attacker will loose OFTEN.

Tom Huffman Aikido of Gainesville, Florida

There are some great points of interest here. I have to do some homework and wrap my brain around my own response. Huffman Sensei's input here is much valued.