In 1998, in support of my experience-based and interview-based knife research, which become the book The Logic of Steel, a friend of mine, Chuck Goetz, and I, began sparring with knives after work, three days a week. This was because I was finding no evidence of knife-on-knife violence and wanted to develop an understanding of the possibilities.

By September of 1999, the project was over, but we were really enjoying the dueling. I was now well into researching The Broken Dance series of ancient boxing books and had noted that the archaic Greek boxers used boxing stances that were identical to their spear and shield guards, and also that Egyptian boxers also fought with sticks. I asked Chuck about stick fighting, as we had already begun dueling with bamboo shinais [kendo sticks] and oaken wakisashi [side arm] short boken [shaped wooden sword].

Chuck said, “Beat each other with sticks? Why not, we’re already stabbing each other!”

For the first two years our stick-fighting was horrible, simply blade-based stick fencing. But by 2001 we were truly beating the piss out of each other. The research aspect did help with the ancient form deductions. But that soon paled in our cracked rearview mirror as a thin excuse for fighting.

I have never regretted stick-fighting for a moment—though my right index finger has other feelings about it.