Train what you carry?

[Bill Bednarick]

How many of you train with a knife that is even close to your carry blade?
Or for that matter train to deploy it?

I've been working with the idea and this is what I've come up with.
These went to an East coast FMA guy.

So what do you think?
Is it important to train the blade you would like to carry?
Or is a generic blade shaped object good enough?

 

[Brother John]

CRUCIAL!
and something that not a lot of people think of.
Sort of like 'blade deployment skills'. The BEST knife and the BEST knife fighting skills do you NO good if the belt can't be accessed and deployed in time.

Your Brother
John

 

[Bill Bednarick]

CRUCIAL!
and something that not a lot of people think of.
Sort of like 'blade deployment skills'. The BEST knife and the BEST knife fighting skills do you NO good if the belt can't be accessed and deployed in time.

Your Brother
John

That is my feeling too John.
Too often training starts with knives out and that's ok for the aspects being covered.
But it totally ignores the access of the blade which is JUST as important maybe as you said more so.

Look at JMA, they have Kendo and they have Iaido.
While the sword is not reasonable for carry in our society the ideas they trained still have value.

 

[tellner]

*raises hand*

 

[Brother John]

don't know why I said 'belt'
I meant blade.

sorry...
the best keyboard in the world does me NO good if I'm sleepy as hell.

Your Brother
John

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

It is very important to train with a trainer that approximates what you regularly carry. In the moment it can only help!

 

[Bill Bednarick]

It is very important to train with a trainer that approximates what you regularly carry. In the moment it can only help!

Brian,
Do your people do deployment drills? Or do you mix deployment into existing drills?

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Brian,
Do your people do deployment drills? Or do you mix deployment into existing drills?

Hey Bill,

We absolutely do alot of deployment drills plus mix them in with other
drills. Nothing like having a single stick drill that rolls right into a spontaneous stick & dagger drill or trapping hands that goes from empty hands to tools based training. (lots of variations) That keeps it fresh and lots of fun for everyone.

 

[JBrainard]

Deployment is a big part of the knife course at our school. A lot of the time we start with an empty hand flow drill, and then, once you've got a good flow goin', someone pulls a knife. Gotta' be quick!

 

[KenpoTex]

I agree that it is very important to practice with what you carry. It's particularly important to practice deploying the knife under dynamic circumstances.

I have a trainer for all of the knives I carry on a regular basis.

 

[arnisador]

I agree that it is very important to practice with what you carry. It's particularly important to practice deploying the knife under dynamic circumstances.

I have a trainer for all of the knives I carry on a regular basis.

I'm always frustrated by how hard it is to get an exact match trainer for my blades. Why don't companies make them as a matter-of-course?

 

[Bill Bednarick]

I'm always frustrated by how hard it is to get an exact match trainer for my blades. Why don't companies make them as a matter-of-course?

Well, as a person who solves this problem for people on a regular basis I'm in the position to comment.

Trainers take almost as much time to make as a live blade does.
Most knife companies deal with things on a volume basis, hence the constant changing models and outsourcing for cheaper manufacturing.
The people that buy trainers do not represent enough volume for alot of the mainstream companies.

There are a few notable exceptions that do a great job, but most would rather not bother.

Then there is the very real need to match the carry system to the training blade.

 

[Bill Bednarick]

I agree that it is very important to practice with what you carry. It's particularly important to practice deploying the knife under dynamic circumstances.

I have a trainer for all of the knives I carry on a regular basis.

Nice Goldsworthy.
Did he do the trainer?

 

[Carol]

I've heard of people buying two knives and grinding the edge and point off of one to make a trainer.

What do you all think of this practice?

 

[Bill Bednarick]

I've heard of people buying two knives and grinding the edge and point off of one to make a trainer.

What do you all think of this practice?

I think it's not going to happen with a 150 dollar knife.
Well that and even if you take off the edge and point the blade is still thin enough to cut pretty easily.

Heck the 1/4" aluminum trainers will hurt and break the skin if not used with control. Then figure the increase of damage from a ground down live blade.

For solo use to prevent injury to yourself I like them.
For partner drills I like some thing thicker and or softer.

 

[KenpoTex]

Nice Goldsworthy.
Did he do the trainer?

nice to see a fellow aficionado Yeah, he did the trainer as well. Do you have any of his stuff? If so, which one(s)?

I'm always frustrated by how hard it is to get an exact match trainer for my blades. Why don't companies make them as a matter-of-course?

I think the main reason is pretty much what Bill said (cost of manufacturing vs. demand). Most people who carry a knife for self-defense don't bother to actually train with what they carry. When I've told people that the trainers often cost as much as the live-blades, they just don't understand why I'd spend that much for a "fake knife"

I doubt that the companies will ever offer trainers for every model but it'd be nice if more companies would have trainers for most of their popular models. Benchmade, Emerson, Spyderco, and some of the semi-custom companies/makers are pretty good about this but many of the others are not.

 

[Drac]

So what do you think? Is it important to train the blade you would like to carry?
Or is a generic blade shaped object good enough?

I think its REAL important to train that way, it only make sense..But what do I know, I'm just a dumb street cop..Now for disarming practice I don't mind using the aluminum fixed blade trainers..The LE community needs a quality folder trainer for realistic training...

 

[SFC JeffJ]

I think its REAL important to train that way, it only make sense..But what do I know, I'm just a dumb street cop..Now for disarming practice I don't mind using the aluminum fixed blade trainers..The LE community needs a quality folder trainer for realistic training...

I'm putting a little work on one you can deploy and strike with Drac!

 

[Drac]

I'm putting a little work on one you can deploy and strike with Drac!

Hope you post a picture of it when your're finished...

 

[Rich Parsons]

Well, as a person who solves this problem for people on a regular basis I'm in the position to comment.

Trainers take almost as much time to make as a live blade does.
Most knife companies deal with things on a volume basis, hence the constant changing models and outsourcing for cheaper manufacturing.
The people that buy trainers do not represent enough volume for alot of the mainstream companies.

There are a few notable exceptions that do a great job, but most would rather not bother.

Then there is the very real need to match the carry system to the training blade.

Add in the fact of cost as in the trainer costs as much as the blade to make, so to market them at the near same cost also makes it out of the price for the average person to spend. As stated by Bill those who train what they carry is not the large amount of the population. And those that do think sometimes they could get a second knife versus the trainer.