This Week: A few simple knife defense drills… Protection for an 84-year-old… Getting an air rifle… The new James Bond movie gets it right… And, why people get an NFA Gun Trust.

 

I love guns and always try and have one on me. However, if I’m traveling overseas I’m not bringing a gun, but I can easily bring a knife. And, if for some reason I don’t bring a knife with me, I can go to the country’s equivalent of Wal-Mart and quickly pick up a knife there.

 

My point is, for many folks, it’s a lot easier to get your hands on a knife and to carry a knife daily. That’s why, every day, I keep a knife clipped to my pants pocket, but this knife is mainly for opening boxes and mail.

The knife I carry that’s used for survival and self-defense purposes is a fixed blade knife. I’m a big fan of fixed blade knives for protection because you don’t have to waste time to open them like with a folding knife and they’re typically better built, which means you don’t have to worry about them breaking or them suddenly closing on you.

 

But like all weapons, you’ve got to spend some time training with your knife so you have a good chance of staying alive in the event you ever have to use it. One of the best ways to do this is by using a foam trainer and “fighting” with a partner who also has a foam trainer.

In other words, both of you have foam knives and the first one who gets a solid cut on the other person wins. This may sound simplistic but once you’ve experienced this you know what good training it is.

 

None of us like to lose so when you’re squaring off against another person you take it seriously and you don’t want to get “cut.” You also get to see what a real knife fight might be like. (If both of you have knives it’s a lot of dancing around and taking your time before you strike.)

 

Another good way to train and appreciate just how dangerous a knife can be is to hang a large piece of beef somewhere and to stab and slice it. We do this at the knife course we teach and you’d be amazed at how little force it takes to open a piece of meat (or a person) up. This “beef drill” is also a great reminder of why you want to avoid a knife fight at all costs.

In addition to the “beef drill”, you need to train on what to do if you have to draw your knife and a criminal grabs your knife hand to try and stop you from defending yourself. Put simply, you can slap their hand off of yours with your other hand and then strike them when your hand is free. (See the pictures below so this makes sense.)

 

The bottom line is, a knife is one of the most important survival and self-defense weapons and few people spend enough time doing any type of knife training. So, if the knife interests you, at the very least, buy some inexpensive foam trainers, find a partner, and begin increasing your skills to defend yourself.

 

The Mailbag

 

From Rick U: I signed up with you because I wanted to know where I could find a gun or what ever I could take on the airplane with me. I was a Major in the Air Force and a retired Captain from Delta Airlines. Where can I buy the item you are talking about? I just want something for protection. I am almost 84 years old.

 

A: You would be referring to the Tactical Pen. I’ve flown all over the world with mine. You can get a Tactical Pen right here.

 

From Cesar G: Hi Jason, maybe you could help me out? Two questions. Have you ever heard of a “gun trust”, a legal entity that owns firearms for you? And two, what’s your professional opinion on the Girandoni Air Rifle?

 

A. You would want to create a gun trust if you were buying NFA firearms such as a suppressor (silencer) or a short-barreled rifle. The gun trust allows you to easily transfer these firearms to a loved one without having to do a ton of paperwork. As for the gun, I’ve never shot the Girandoni rifle, but air rifles are good for training and can also take down small game. I still have my Crosman rifle from when I was a kid.

 

From Chris R: If you don’t know already, James Bond in the new Spectre movie, performs your zip tie escape. Thought you’d like to know.

 

A: It’s good to hear that Hollywood is paying attention and doing something that actually works in real life. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but plan to check it out soon.

 

Bob C: I lost my the email that had the link to log into my account, can you send that to me?

 

A: You can login to all of your online training by either by going to our website www.SpyEscape.com and clicking on “login” at the top of the page, or go to https://spyescape.customerhub.net/.

 

Scott P: Where can I get ink refills for my Tactical Pen?

 

A: You can get them at Office Depot and the brand name is Foray. Make sure it fits Parker ballpoints. The size we have in all of our pens is Medium 1.2mm.

 

Stay safe,

Jason Hanson