Sharp as a knife

A lady comes back from work in the evening, kicks off her shoes and goes straight to the kitchen to make herself a nice salad.
In fact, a nice salad and half a glass of wine was all she was dreaming of all day.
As she draws a chef’s kitchen knife out of its wooden base, she hears a sound that brings chills up to her spine. She was supposed to be on her own that evening and that sound was coming from very near, right behind her.

Among all choices and scenarios of what could be next, one thing is for sure. Instinctively, out of purpose, or both if you like, she takes a tighter grip at her knife. The chef’s knife turned from a tool to a weapon…

This action, or reaction, goes as far back in time before recorded history. Man made his first knife out of stone, and when he put it on the top a stick (transforming it into a spear) he changed his destiny for ever and became the ruler of this world.

Today, thousands of years later, can you think of even one house around the world without a knife?

Please give it some thought when I tell you that it is a pure Martial Art act (one of a Master’s degree) the day you have no choice but trust your children for the first time with a knife!
Because at this moment, you absolutely don’t want to hurt anybody, but at the same time you pass on the prime weapon of all times. And this is exactly the same, when one teaches a Martial Way like Aikido!

Nevertheless, I would like here to take the opportunity and go a bit deeper into a Martial part, seeing the knife strictly as a weapon.

Imagine that you have in front of you every possible weapon that man has discovered, and that he can carry on him.
The one weapon that crosses the line between being armed or unarmed is the four inches blade (give or take).
And there is no way that you could compare any open knife with a folder.
Retractable blades, of any kind, have half the size, can be carried concealed and are secure in their handle that serves as a scabbard…
They are usually very slim and can cut like a razorblade.
Only a human mind can be sharper…

It’s wrong to say that you carry a blade, you wear it! And if it is constructed well with a good clip and has light weight, you totally forget about it…
The next phrase would be… “until you need it” but the point is to make absolutely sure that you’ll never ever need it!
As I said before, all of folders characteristics balance on a thin line between armed and unarmed, very thin line I tell you!
It’s not accidental that in some states you are legal with it, and on some others you’re not (talking about the US) and something similar is going on in other parts of the world.
They practically don’t know what to do with it.
Regardless of what is said by many, it is better (so to speak) to confront someone armed with a gun than with a knife. Knives don’t run out of bullets and don’t burn the wounds as bullets do.
A tactical blade (as they are called) cuts straight through the skin, tissue, veins and nerves, separating them for good. You bleed from the inside, you hurt terribly and it’s very difficult to heal.

Keep in mind that Aikido’s specialty is disarming and neutralization techniques. So, if you are practicing “next man’s weapon” is even better!

"The best knife is the one you always have at hand”

September 1, 2006