In researching my second book, The Logic of Steel, I found that all uses of edged weapons or shanks held in the reverse or ice pick grip fall into the following categories:
1. Back-stabbings by smaller people
2. Pursuits of unarmed or gun-armed individuals by men
3. Spontaneous murder attempts initiated at extreme close range, most of which featured the picking up of a weapon that was laying round rather than the drawing of a weapon carried by the user.
The ice pick grip is the basis for entire systems of knife fighting that are far beyond the scope of this article. Since The Logic of Steel is out of print I thought this issue should be addressed again and found two videos that each illustrates one of the most common uses of the reverse grip.
When employed by a trained knife user the reverse grip is used either for concealment, rip slashing or ‘sentry removal’ type ambushes.
When dealing with the untrained knife user be mindful that you will likely not see the female knifer until after you have been stabbed, and that the man holding a knife this way is prepared to kill, and to pursue, pursuit not being a common tactic for knifers holding the weapon in a true grip.
The cop with the assault rifle in the Mexican video was dead as soon as he raised the butt of his weapon to this man, who I respect for taking some pork to hell with him.
Above all, know that the man holding a knife in a reverse grip will pursue you, and will be able to stab you without breaking his stride and even continue stabbing you while you run along together.
As for the second video. If you guys ever see a woman with eyes like that, be advised that she's married to Satan and get a-way!
One of the problems the cops in this country have now is that they are becoming reluctant to use their guns on account of the political fallout that will inevitably come their way if they should shoot a knife-wielding minority suspect ("It was just a knife!"). Such as in this case: policemag.com/channel/patrol/news/2014/12/08/chased-by-man-with-knife-officers-show-restraint-due-to-recent-incidents.aspx
Two officers arrived on scene and encountered a shirtless Martinez holding a large butcher knife and threatening to kill them. Martinez began chasing the officers around parked vehicles as they yelled at him to drop the knife, and one of the officers even indicated that she was "beginning to wear out from the running," before Martinez finally dropped the knife and was arrested.
The officer later told investigators, "that this was the most frightening experience she has had as an officer," and "both officers indicated that they were thinking about the recent incidents locally and nationally at the time of this incident."
Fortunately the responding officers in the incident described above were in better shape than the perp. Otherwise they might have ended up like the policemen in the first video.
Thanks for the link, Jeremy.
Things are getting ridiculous with the antigun hysteria.
Anyone who moves toward you with a knife is about to be in position to kill you, and have demonstrated the intent to do so by closing distance. Cops or armed civilians should be able to drop them on the first forward step—particularly an able-bodied man.
Unbelievable -
Surviving a paring knife or a guy who's "ice-picking" is basic survival training where I came from. I watched the video and thought "What a bunch of dumb-asses".
Butt stroak that jerk with your rifle and shoot that dead beat. He's armed and dangerous—to the point of killing!! But they didn't get it. End of match...and a couple of bleeding/dead cops to prove it.
San Francisco- 1987
A wild-eyed coyote rushed me from an alley at approx 0700 one morning. I was on my way to the Greyhound bus stop to go visit cousins in Silcon Valley. As he charged, I pulled out my 10" boot knife and polietly asked "What's up?" while zeroing the knife in on his throat. Turned out he only need a "fix", but I had him dead to rights and he knew it. I could have skinned him out like a muskrat.
Cops need to be smart when dealing with guys handling blades. Blades are quick, deadly, accurate, cause damage, and will plain fuck you up when handled by a person who knows "what's up".
Ben Rumson
These cops did seem utterly unprepared for this situation.
In my experience Greyhound/Trailways bus stations and environs consistently rate high on the skank-index.