Protective Arts

ARMORY

There is no substitute for a live edge when it comes to understanding how a weapon will act in the hand and to learn how the hand should employ the blade. A serious martial artist will need to own and use the weapons he purports to train and teach. (And must know the proper etiquette for handling them.) Selecting the appropriate equipment is important. Fortunately, the Portland, Oregon metro region is home to several great companies and artisan makers.

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Knife Makers In Portland

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Portland benefits from numerous and quality knife makers all in close proximity. Gerber, CRKT, Benchmade, Kershaw, and Leatherman all headquarter in the metro area. Arguably, Coast Cutlery was the start in 1919. Twenty years later Joseph Gerber started Gerber Legendary Blades. Joseph Gerber was the founder of the Gerber advertising agency and founded Gerber Legendary Blades after giving away carving knives made by David Murphy as presents to clients at Christmas time. Gerber has served as the training ground for knife makers to later start their own companies. Al Mar, a designer at Gerber, left the company in 1979 to start his own company, Al Mar Knives. (Chris Clarke was married to Al Mar’s daughter.)

In 1974, former Gerber employee Pete Kershaw left to form his own company, Kershaw. And, in 1994 Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT) was formed by Paul Gillespi and Rod Bremer, both former employees of Kershaw. As companies grew, so did the number of local parts suppliers and machining companies, offering a reliable and skilled vendor base to the industry. As a result, several companies like Benchmade — founded in L.A. by Les de Asis — moved to Clackamas in 1989. There are also good independent knife artisans, like Murray Carter, who lives just outside Portland, and served as an apprentice to the Sakemoto bladesmith family in Japan. We also have established local resources for traditional Japanese sword fittings: Fred Lohman

Selecting a weapon is a very personal endeavor. Ultimately the blade in hand must feel right to you. Pricing usually correlates with quality and the type of steel is a large component of price. There are no end of opinions on weapon selection, but two very well-developed perspectives are Bill Bagwell‘s and Hank Reinhardt‘s.

Armory

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JAPANESE

Katana

Paul Chen version – Practical Plus katana and wakizashi

The Practical Plus Katana is forged and differentially hardened in the traditional claying method to produce a prominent hamon. The tsuka is wrapped in same (rayskin) and leather. The tang is long and double pegged. The fittings are of Japanese Dogwood with a dragon menuke. The tsuba is an iron sunburst.

I failed to record the details on this purchase – the brown cloth wrapping on the handle and heavy blade construction should make it easy to identify.

Jutte

The jutte on the left is from Meirin Sangyo is made from solid iron and wrapped with ito on the handle. This jutte comes straight from Japan via Bugei. The jutte on the right is by Paul Chen, but is no longer in my collection.

Manriki gusari

The manriki gusari is a chain weighted at both ends developed as a self-defense weapon but with considerable offensive capabilities. It is small, easily concealed in the palm of the hand. It is associated with Masaki Ryu. Masaki Toshimitsu Dannoshin was a guard at a Buddist temple in Edo during the 1600s who created the manriki-gusari so he could defend the gate without spilling blood and founded the school that teaches its use. These examples are both relatively short in length. Historically a manriki could range from 3 to 12 feet in length. The chain is called the kusari and the weights are fundo. Links >here<

I no longer own the version on the left which is readily available on line – the second is more accurate and better constructed.

CHINESE

Qi Jian

Perhaps my favorite, this Hanwei sword is no longer in production. The Qi Sword’s name originates with the Qi Nation, one of the many warring states that eventually formed modern China. Legend has it that Feng-Xuan, one of the Qi people, used the ringing sound of his one piece sword to seal his relationship with Lord Mengchang. The whole sword from pommel to tip, is forged from a single billet of steel. It is a functional sword of unparalleled strength and balance. The sword emits a clear bell-like tone when lightly struck.

EUROPEAN

Ceremonial Mason Sword

Not a functional sword but a family heirloom. This was Fred Lucas’ Mason sword after he had mustered out of the Army having served in the Civil War.

Long Sword

Medieval Knight Sword from 1275-1340 AD, Oakeshott Type XIV blade, based on the original in the Royal Armouries, Leeds and is the quintessential sword of the medieval period. This one from Darksword Armory. Also has the accompanying dagger (not shown).

Saber

These examples below are originals purchased from I Sell Swords.

1882

Picket weight 1822 infantry officer blade. It bears the cipher of Victoria, making it a late example of a pipe back blade and a few faint etchings remain visible on the blade which is moderately pitted; mostly at the point.

The grip is missing some of its wire and the guard has a sectioned branch. It is equipped with a leather liner inside the guard, which rarely survived.

MODERN KNIVES

Folders

Ernest Emerson’s karambit and trainer. This model purchased before the reinforced tip model that is currently available.

Doug Marcaida and Lad Mendiola developed the DART which is produced by Fox Knives in Italy. These are available >here< and are much lighter in weight than the Emerson blades.

The Spyderco Endura is a classic every day carry option. The trainer is readily available so you can train with what you carry! The live blade has the Emerson wave opener for fast deployment straight from the pocket. The Delica model (not shown) is a slightly smaller version of the Endura.

Brian Hoffner developed a carry-legal blade with a unique handle designed to facilitate a an extended grip range. A clever way to gain reach advantage. The carry method also makes a point down, reverse grip deployment fast and easy for quick shielding.

Benchmade knives. Great knives period. The axis lock affords a tight lockup and fast blade deployment. This was my EDC for years. The red aluminum scales makes it light, strong, and less threatening. But cost to replace this Warren Osborne designed knife made me nervous so I replaced it with a Kershaw.

My first Benchmade and it is well-worn from years of every day carry. An older Osborne variant with liner-lock and a thumb-hole on the blade for deployment.

An assisted opening folder. Another Benchmade but one I have never used for EDC. A Mel Pardue design.

A non-locking razor design, this was a gift. Musashi is engraved on the scales.

Cold Steel makes a great knife for the money. This is a larger Vaquero folder – one useful in cold climates when cutting through multiple layers is likely. While I am not overly fond of serrated edges, the cutting power of this knife is undeniable!

The Frenzy II from Cold Steel is designed by Andrew Demko and is inspired by the kabutowari. The spine is thick with a slender blade and needle-point. The steel is S35VN with a satin polish. The blade is 5.5″ with a 6.75″ handle and 12.25″ overall length.

Fixed Blades

One of the most recognized knife designs, the Ka Bar marine fighting knife is featured in Cold Steel by John Steyers.

Gerber’s Mark II was introduced in 1966 designed for the Vietnam conflict with clear influences taken from Fairbairn and Applegate. One of the best-selling knives of all time, the Mark II has a the double serrated blade for maximum piercing capabilities and an exaggerated bolster for confident grip, with a 6.5” 420HC steel blade.

Cold Steel’s Tai Pan is an amazingly well balanced dagger

V42 Stiletto based on the Fairbairn-Sykes commando knife.

Ontario Knives survivalist Bowie design. A well-constructed and versatile knife. This is my go-to camp knife.

I picked up this John Greco Tactical Fixed Blade at one of James Keating’s Riddle of Steel format seminars. A heavy leather sheath fits the knife tightly and the thickness of the blade is surprising, making for a fearsome weapon.

James Keating’s Crossada design: trainers in both the Bowie and the dagger variations.

James Keating’s Crossada dagger design by Bob Dozier complete with kydex sheath and quillions.

Cold Steel Laredo Bowie. The weight of this blade and its durability are commanding. A good Bowie, but not nearly as quick in the hand as the Bagwell series from Ontario. But the Ontario series is discontinued and are difficult (expensive) to find.

Ontario Bagwell Fortress. The blade is just over 10″ with a coffin handle providing a 16.25″ overall length. The steel is QS13 proprietary which lends to its exquisite balance and speed. A true dueling Bowie.

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An armory and library are essential to the cultivation of a developed spirit

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[1] Rockwell rating for steel hardness HRC – a quick overview >here<

KOTEGAESHI to IRIMINAGE: Circular Dissolves

Although I have tried to stick to the basics and teach to the test, this morning I broke the theme – and re-introduced concepts. It was a small class so the deviation probably did little damage. Techniques are in many ways easier than concepts because they are discrete and short, composed of a few beats only.

We continued to explore gyaku hanmi kote gaeshi. As a contact exercise, gyaku hanmi limits the variables. Look at the initial cut over, the hand extraction: from the initial R-L arrangement, nage uses the back hand to cut the grasped hand free while the grasped hand simultaneously breaks against uke’s thumb and index finger to extract the hand. Simple beat.

Add complexity – introduce a half-beat: the hand that was initially grabbed by uke (and remember uke only arrested that hand because it had a weapon), once extracted hits uke in the abdominal/floating rib region before using the hit’s rebounding energy to capture uke’s front hand. We have moved from a cut/capture sequence to a cut/hit/capture.

The more facile we become with the basic movement (kihon waza) adding beats becomes an exploration of atemi (strikes). While not typically explained or explored in the ‘non-violent’ context of Aikido, we need to be aware and informed as martial artists to recognize openings and exploit vulnerabilities. The first atemi should then start a lined chain of subsequent hits that ride up the arm to the head.

Thus a technique that may begin as kotegaeshi can readily become irimi nage. Nage’s back (cut-over) hand that frees the grasped hand – allowing it to strike, then check uke’s elbow – allows nage’s back hand to flow-strike uke’s chin/face: irimi nage omote, direct. This is the power of half-beats. Each linked strike keeps nage in control of the encounter, each reset of the OODA loop gives nage the initiative to act, allowing continuity of motion.

Kote-gaeshi as a technique is limited to a ‘wrist-turn.’ Kote-gaeshi as a concept is much more powerful. What is kote-gaeshi as a concept? The turning action (gaeshi) is the key, the starting point at the wrist is just a reference point. We start at the kote (wrist/hand) because it is the distal point.*

As a training exercise stand facing your partner – and allow him to grasp for the basic kote gaeshi. Once the hand starts to turn, nage’s back hand adds the impelling force. Examine the action of that back hand – the rotational spiral is a conical entry. At the wrist it is kote gaeshi, at the elbow it is shihonage, at the neck it is irimi nage. All of these discrete techniques are nothing more than an application of a circular dissolve principle at different points on the opponent’s body.

Remember: circles dissolve lines but lines bisect circles. Ruminate on that simple observation.

o sensei diagram — Chew on martial geometry – reminds me of Destreza

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*The finger is of course the most distal point but Aikikai Aikido does not incorporate finger locks in its curriculum. Finger locks – Wally Jay and Chin Na well describe possibilities

EXCELLENCE

There is a great quote, often wrongly attributed to Aristotle, but is actually from Will Durant (who is very well worth reading) in his discussion of Aristotle (The Story of Philosophy, 1926):

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation: we do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have these because we have acted rightly; “these virtues are formed in man by doing his actions”; we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.[1]

And the terse corollary: Practice doesn’t make perfect – perfect practice makes perfect.

But what will constitute perfect practice? Time on the mat is a scare resource and can be squandered. Shioda sensei commented about the state of Aikido:

Today’s aikido is so dimensionless. It’s hollow, empty on the inside. People try to reach the highest levels without even paying their dues. That’s why it seems so much like a dance these days. You have to master the very basics solidly, with your body, and then proceed to develop to the higher levels… Now we see nothing but copying or imitation without any grasp of the real thing….

…and he died in 1994. I fear that little has changed to correct that trend.

And so, with Durant’s reminder and Shioda sensei’s admonishment, as we focus on the kihon presentations, let us be mindful to practice rightly.

Practicing rightly does involve paying ones dues: a convenient short-hand for serious and vigorous training. There is a need to use one’s body to its fullest, both aerobically and muscularly to ensure that we can actually do what we train. That requires respectful testing of each other’s abilities in athletic competition: tease out our limits in order to transcend them.

These posts constitute my attempt to promote excellent training. Ultimately I cannot provide an excellent training environment that must be created by the dyadic agreement among each pair of students as they train with each other. A teacher can only provide context, inspiration and information. Excellence will only be achieved by doing, movement and repetition. And that requires that each of you jointly and severally compact with one another to train honestly.

The results of honest training are martial excellence.[2]

But ironically – to ensure honest training, the training concepts and structure must ultimately refer to a martial context. So how are we to identify a martial context? Master Keating suggests (with some hyperlink embellishments):

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The Curious Case of Identifying Things Most Martial:

Quien es mas macho, quien es mas martial? Ha Ha Ha!

Human movement is all ANY of it is. You may call it this or that, any style or name is good. After all most of us are a polyglot of crap from all over. Longgg gone are the days of anything “pure” or original. Replaced with the mad mix of many martial methods. At times these hybrid arts are really cool. But so often they turn out to be garbled train wrecks of confused, non-related pieces of combat. Lost in the swamp of too much martial. Gone are their primary values. Gone are guts of why and how. Dumbing down has happened everywhere.

Saying this I shall no doubt incur the wrath of many men who shall think that i am belittling their efforts to create a “super-system” like none before. (Right like no has ever thought of that before eh – LOL). Nothing could be farther from the truth though. Such men are always seeking some kind of conflict to bring attention to themselves (desperate). I applaud the work of many who improve and define the systems they teach, created and respect. But not all are equal. Know that and proceed with caution.

It is mainly theory you see, theory on how one should turn, act, snap to and respond. No matter what system you may currently use or be in love with it is all predicated upon the same motion base. IE: HUMAN MOTION. So now it becomes all about the thinking and contemplating parts of the method and art more so than it’s physical components. Let’s take an angle #1 downward diagonal strike. No matter empty hand or weapon, same action. Same path of travel. But then the secret philosophy aspects of the art kick in. (Are they practical for training or for fighting? Is about self-development? Is simply the crushing of an opponent)? Ok, let’s add some spice!

1.When making the action draw it back as you descend

2.When doing an angle one make it strike smartly with a snapping action

3.As you strike throw your body weight forwards into it, pushing the blow.

4.To make more power add torque, just roll the strike or blade upon impact

So it seems we can add things ad infinitum in order to “make it ours.” Each time we do it then adds one more layer of miserable martial mystery (confusion). These added MYSTERIES are then what make a style. The old sales pitch of “learn these three simple moves” and win any fight comes full circle. Since there really are no three simple moves to assure you of winning anything in real life it comes back to personal theory and systemized cult-like behavior. Why is my style better than yours? That is easy to answer, because it’s better. Boom, done! Such blanket belief systems and cults of non-reality always go hand in hand. Walk proud, head in a cloud, walk on, walk on lost warriors …

There is no human being, office worker, fighter, scholar or physician that does not employ human movement each hour, every day of their lives. We as martial men merely use our HUMAN MOTION for purposes of resolving conflicts (fighting). Other men employ the exact same motion base as we: e.g., tennis and badminton players always turn out to be great stick fighters. Same actions but different intent behind them changes the sport into martial art simply by how we think – our intent lends to those actions (all in the intent & theory).

Styles create division, ranks create division – sometimes this is good: I know who is a General, I know who is a Private. But in our normal world we are not in a martial situation. Thus such stuff has no real bearing on us other than to create a negative type of separation between people. This divides us both mentally and physically from not only others, but most of all from our selves. It dims the voice within. We are duped into allowing it to happen. Indoctrination is no vacation, but know your place, learn your station. It is all so pathetic, so sad to see conflict growing by leaps and bounds in the fighting arts. Yet, respect and understanding are left behind, old world values have no place here in the savagely stupid terrain of social media magicians and pundits of personal gain.

Razzle your dazzle motherfucker, LOL!

I shall leave thee with this: Make your best effort to grow up. Become a human being. Your dedication to your style etc is mere misguided loyalty. Open your heart first. Your mind will follow. It only works this way. Embrace yourself with humble appreciation of the creator’s handy work. This world, you yourself, your pet and all you see – all part of the great architect’s plan. Stop using “blinders,” see things for what they are. Avoid style, dodge the bullet of bias, be what you are. You are HUMAN. Not a dragon, cat or pony. Just accept what you do and what other species do. There is found balance. Now discover the miracles that are yours alone. See them across the spectrum of all things in this world. Recognize your original face. Martial arts are not about blindly following as some would have ye think. Nay friend, martial arts are the road to personal understanding and true freedom of the self in a world of slave-like obedience and mob rule. Fuck that shit straight up. Awaken! Once again I ask thee- yes, YOU AMIGO – AWAKEN and see clearly the world. Add a dash of maturity to your martial methods, grow up. It will be frowned upon by some children. Be the adult. Strong, patient, calm. Many of us are counting on you. YES YOU! You are the future. Many tomorrow’s await, ye can’t be late, do not hesitate. Go forth and enter the gate.

James Albert Keating

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I use Master Keating’s admonishment of “Don’t let others judge you by their shitty standards” as a reminder that their training failures should never limit your development and continued drive to excellence.

Keep training!

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[1] I enjoy making mercurial connections – so in thinking about moral excellence as a habituated practice, listen to the RadioLab podcast How to Be a Hero. Listen to RadioLab in general! The ancient Greeks labeled right behavior, moral excellence and practical achievement arête – excellence.

[2] On what a martial art dojo should be like – here is an interview with Takamura sensei.

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Update

The Art of Manliness has a good post on motivation over discipline as a means of developing excellence. One-sentence summary: remove barriers and distractions and do what you like to ensure constant motivation that leads to creating excellence!

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And the reminder that Excellence is not evenly distributed – work to be the outlier!

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Will Durant