17Aug06

Oops!

"I was practicing drawing and deploying my Cold Steel Vaquero Grande yesterday. Like you, I consider a good blade vital, but useless if you don't practice. On completion, I folded the blade, but did not visually check that it was indexed completely inside the handle. Of course, the inevitable happened. I

stabbed myself in the meaty part of my left palm just below the thumb, sinki ng the point to the bone. Man, those Cold Steel knifes are sharp!

This injury has emphasized important points:

When handling weapons, don't disengage your brain while your body is still in motion! In other words, don't relax too soon. This not only counts for tactical encounters, but for every time you handle weapons. When you say t o yourself, 'Whew; glad that's over,=80=99 watch out! It a in't.

A robust and seriously sharp blade is a must. That's why my first c hoice is Cold Steel. This blade entered my skin with just the barest pressure. Had I been fighting in a weakened state, or with a poor attack angle, my razor-sharp blade would have made the difference between a glancing blow an d a ruinous, fight-winning cut.

Sharp blades cause copious bleeding! This wound bled and bled, and then ble d some more. Causing your attacker to bleed profusely, even from a minor wound, can grievously impair his will to continue fighting, which is one of the ' four Ds.'

When working with blades, expect to be cut, sooner or later! Be prepared fo r that stinging feeling and the rush of blood. If you're not unconscious, it

means that you can still fight."

Comment: My friend is absolutely right! As with guns, blades will bite you

when you're careless. However, for warriors, they are an inexorable part o f our lives and very being. The risks associated with having serious weapons

around must be balanced against the risks associated with not having weapon s around. Life is meant to be exciting, not relaxing!

/John