Hank Reinhardt's Book of Knives: A Practical and Illustrated Guide to Knife Fighting Read Online Free Page A

method involves a certain element of risk. If the thumb contacts the edge and moves along it, the result is a nasty cut. This is not only painful but it plays hell with the tough, macho image that should go along with the movement.
    It is, however, possible to contact the edge with the thumb and not get cut. This requires that the thumb roll across the edge, exerting only a minimum amount of pressure and no forward movement at all. But it’s tricky and I certainly don’t advise trying it. Better to practice opening it with the thumb, putting pressure on the side of the blade and not contacting the edge.
    One definite advantage to this style of opening is that it can be done quietly. By doing the movement slowly and gripping the knife very tightly, you can muffle the sound so that it can hardly be heard.
    The third way to open a knife one-handed is also the easiest to master.

    Third one-handed method.

    Here, the knife is gripped by thumb and index finger, but the pivot point is jammed back against the ball of the thumb. The little finger is hooked on the side of the knife and presses down quickly. This can be done with no movement of the hand at all, only the fingers. The only disadvantage is that the knife must be shifted forward to get the hand off the blade.
    Many of the people I’ve known to use this method also ground off the edge from about an inch back of the point. They don’t need to shift the grip then because all they had was a small sharp sliver of steel an inch long. They really never wanted to kill anyone, especially by accident. They just wanted to “cut ’em up a little.” (I had some really nice people for friends when I was young.)
    I’ve saved the most practical and worthwhile method for last. You simply hold it with one hand and open it with the other. And you don’t make any mistakes.
    KNIFE LENGTH
    Now let’s talk about knife length.
    Most states and cities have ordinances regarding the blade length of knives. Length regulations vary from place to place, often within the same state. Even the way the blade length is measured varies. In some places, it’s measured by cutting edge alone, while in others, it’s measured from the pivot point of the knife.
    Generally, it’s considered illegal to carry any blade designed for offense or defense. I don’t know all the laws, not even in the city and state where I live, so I’m not going to give any legal advice at all. What I will talk about is the comparative effectiveness of blade lengths.
    There’s a popular expression you can run across in many books: “The longer the knife, the bigger the punk!” Well, buddy, don’t you believe it. The longer the knife, the more dangerous it is to face. It’s not difficult to understand this, either. If their knife is longer than yours, they can cut you before you can cut them. A six-inch blade is vastly superior to one that is three inches long. But a six-inch blade is hurting when it’s up against one that’s eight inches long.
    Having said that, I here have to say that the whole question of length is pretty nebulous. Somewhere in that range, length becomes less and less critical. It’s largely a matter of taste. It depends on where you carry the knife, whether it’s a folder or a fixed blade, and even how big you are. After all, a big man can more easily conceal a big knife.
    What you have to keep in mind is the fact that a longer blade is just plain tough to go up against. This doesn’t mean you’re going to lose if the guy has a five-inch knife and yours is only three inches. It does mean you have to work harder to keep from getting hurt.
    OTHER STREET WEAPONS
    Knives aren’t the only things used as street weapons. Man is a pretty inventive animal, and if there’s one field where he really excels, it’s in the field of weaponry. Baseball bats, chains, sticks, bricks—all of these have been used, and it’s wise to remember them in case the need arises.
    Although they are not really effective