8/13/21, aboard the California Zephyr
“Hey, james, hope you are well enough. What length do you like to cut sticks to simulate knives with the hockey gloves?”
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“[Pic of short sheath knife] I helped my buddy who is a knife maker to create this. Basically a clinch pick. Small enough to fit 2/3 of the way into the coin pocket of my jeans. Easy to conceal and draw.”
-Gutjam Sam, by text, 8/12/21
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Gutjam, you are a man after my own cold heart. With all of the hand breaks I have had, some while knife sparring, and the fact that I can't open a folder with one hand, has compelled me to go with a yank draw from the front right pocket for self-defense.
This is ideal for offense and for defense so long as you use the left hand for checking. I only intend to use such a draw if I am being beaten or grappled by larger, more numerous younger men, or arrested by PIGs.
Now, for knife sparring, to avoid the hand breaks I had experimenting with various gear sets, I recommend a fencing mask and groin cup for all knife sparring. The following hand gear and knife sparring types are ideal:
-For Bowie, Arkansas Toothpick, etc.: 12-16 inch stick ½ inch thick, with hockey gloves
-For butcher knife, roll-folded, 8 and1/2 inch by 11 inch paper circular, dollar store coloring book or magazine, with any hand gear.
The two profiles above help you train the use of a rolled magazine or hand umbrella against the knife.
The profiles below are for training with the classic combat knife profiles available on polypropylene for the FMA daga and the Jap tanto and other combat knives with 6-9 inch blades. Such blades will break your fingers and require lacrosse gloves or WEKAF mitts and can still be dexterously used with hockey gloves. These Sharkee brand knives tolerate the widest ranges of hand gear for protection and agility.
Warning: Rubber knives have steel handles and can beak hands and crack skulls.
Smaller knives that are light, like dull trainers of light metal and wood, especially those which fold, can be used at full contact with batting gloves, work gloves, and WEKAF mitts. Be warned that MMA gloves offer no thumb protection here. With carved wooden trainers stab lightly, and not with a lunge,a s they might penetrate the body.
With such lighter blades be careful about stabbing the chest on the upward as it can slip under the fencing mask neck guard and hit the throat.
Also, if he has an ice pick grip and you have a traditional grip and you go for a side or gut stab, his counter could come down and break your thumb.
Have fun, Gutjam Sam!
