[Chesten_Hesten]

But for the record I'd like to add, that the usefulness of "knife training" other than for the fun maybe a bit overrated.

For one thing, like the guy in the Nononsense self defense article listed in this thread, the vast majorities of altercations with knives in this Country are Murders. Someone gets the drop on someone, and kills them; basically an ambush. No great technique about it just a down and dirty slaughter. There aren't any duels anymore, and they're illegal anyways. Somebody that's going to use a knife on you sure as shit ain't gonna stand there and let you pull yours out, providing you even have one and test his skill against yours. Their gonna ambush you. A one way street.

Secondly there are no more Master knife fighters than there are Master Swordsman in the real sense; the life and death sense. Unless they're on death row. There are some great sport swordsmen, and sport knife guys, but their really just playing.

Knife training whether you want to call it Kali etc etc etc is something you most likely do because its fun. Its play. Sometimes serious play but still just for play.

In sparring with rubber knives you're basically playing the game of hit without being hit. This is a fun game. Its great for honing your timing, working out what distance is, what's close, what's not, what's doable, and what's not, you get to spend time reading body language and seeing all the little nuiances as an attack is about to begin. You can put those skills in your bag of tricks for other Martial Arts games you play. And fuck its fun!

Unless your aim is to join the Navy SEALS or something like that; to become a professional Soldier and goto shit holes where its a warzone and people are being killed You'll likely never really use any of this stuff, (Other than in Play) and that's really nice if you think about it, cause for the most part our Country is a nice safe place. You don't have to carry a knife. I don't.

And last if you wanted to learn a weapon for the sake of saving your neck, in this Country I'd advise a Gun anyways if legally possible.. Gives you more options. A knife is deadly force just as a gun is, but you'll get more mechanical advantage from a gun, than a knife, and that's what its all about - stacking the deck in your favor, not the other guy's.

That's it.