Is knife fighting irrelevant?

[Ranger2]

I saw on Mail Call that Kukris are supposed to be excellent knives, have any of you ever used one?

I still have one from the Thai Rangers, they would make them out of leaf springs. I traded it for a pair of BDUs....gotta love the barter system.

I use mine all the time in the mountains to hack away brush when we set up in a hide.

I have one too. I can't remember what I traded for it. I have never used it just kept it for remembrance more than anything. I only had Gerber tools for most of my time, I also had a 4 inch buck knife that my Dad gave to me for hunting as a kid. But like said above if Rangers are using knives to fight with they are already overrun and have much bigger problems.

I didn't hear about much knife fighting in BlackHawk down and that was as probably as close as Rangers will get these days.
You always have your weapon or etool that is a much better weapon and longer.

I probably have more knives now that I use for hunting than I did as a Ranger.

Ranger2

[ChipOnShoulder]

For all of you that think the Fighting knife and bayonet are worthless, take a look at Col. Lewis Millet's Medal of Honor citation and Bayonet Charge in Korea. He is also in the Ranger Hall of Fame, and if I am not mistaken he has a bayonet course named after him at Benning. As for knife fighting, how about taking a morning off from the Megadeath Ranger 5,000 mile PT run once a week and practice how to fight with a knife, bayonet, E-tool, improvised weapons etc.. Could'nt hurt. As far as hand to hand combat is concerned I always carried LOADED 1911A1 heater in the bottom of my aidbag(combat proven in the past) backed up by a Randal #1 (combat proven in the past) or an antique WWI knuckle duster (combat proven in the past) just in case if we went somewhere where shit could go bad. Yeah, there is lots of other shit to learn but I believe that it is a good thing to learn and practice basic fighting skills sans firearms and close air support. I am sure that our Fathers, Grandfathers, and Greatgrandfathers carried these kind of weapons for a very very good reason.

[HQMaggot]

My all-time favorite movie quote:

"Don't you teach 'em knife fighting. Teach 'em to kill. That way, they meet some sonofabitch who studied knife fighting, they send his soul to hell."

The movie was some silly thing starring Val Kilmer, but that quote stood out.

[Carpe Noctem]

Knife fighting--stick it in, pull it out, repeat as necessary...kinda like...wait a minute...

Like Ranger Mick Strider said one time..."ya just jam it into their fucking spine from the front!"


All the fancy moves are fine for the movies. NOT when I'm wearing an assload of gear, ammo and other shit. Fuck that noise...

[rangermatt]

Just my opinion: Knife fighting, stick fighting, E-Tool fighting or pick-up-a-rock-and-bash-his-head-in fighting is all very relevant. Anything that builds your skills as a warrior is something that you can learn from. Miyamoto Mushashi said that to learn to fight with a sword, learn to paint. Sounds kinda fruity, but what he's saying is that any experience can be used as a learning tool to make you more effective.

[EvilCouch]

I usually have an ASP somewhere near me. Not quite the same as a quality knife, but I like the reach it gives me.

However, over in Iraq, I carried an 18" Cold Steel Kukri. Never had to use it on a person, but I'm fairly confident that a blow from it would have been a fight-stopper.

Knives are absolutely invalueable. There's always something that needs cutting in the field and it's one more weapon that can be carried into combat.

I'd rather hit someone with a bullet, but when that's not an option, I'd rather cut someone than have to rely on my hand to hand skills. I'm damn good at hand to hand, but I'm not so full of myself that I don't recognize that there are better fighters out there. I'll take every advantage I can get.

[The Holmchicken]

I tend to think shooting someone is a lot better than cutting them. I guess if you had to, a K-Bar or an Air Force survival knife would be all you need. Better yet, a small survival axe!

[Nomad]

Myamoto Musashi? Book of five rings? Anyone?

CrashKill had me read it while I was in Najaf with him. Read it twice in three days, sat down and read it again about once a quarter since. That book explains a lot about how to approach anything conflict/combat related.

You wouldn't believe it looking at the book, but that was his point - no filler.

Amazing man, great life and excellent way of passing on his way of thinking to generations for as long as we are a civilization.