Knives, Knife Fighting, and Related Hassles: How to Survive a Real Knife Fight

by Marc MacYoung

Knife fighting is ugly business, so you'd better know what you're doing if you ever find yourself in one. This book will show you the down-and-dirty reality of knife fighting, from choosing the best knife to devious street tricks commonly used to get in the first strike.

Genres: Martial Arts, Survival, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Marc "Animal" MacYoung is a teacher of self-defense.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on a very grim subject. Marc MacYoung does not try to 'candy-coat' the very bad situation you are in if you are attacked by someone using a knife. Theory and tactics are presented in a simple manner that will allow you to integrate the lessons into your self defense 'tool-box'. This book is a must read for law enforcement and security.

[Eric Plume · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was a quick read, and thanks to its similarity to his first book Cheap Shots, I don't have as much to say about it. It covers a more specific situation (knives and their use) about the more general topic of self-defense, but otherwise its written in the same style, has the same positives and negatives and I'd recommend it to the same people...crime authors looking to add grit and realism to their novels.

However, this time around I actually would also recommend this book to people interested in the subject of knives for self-defense. Reason; the language is a tad less salty, and if you are the sort of person who wants to carry a blade, you can probably handle a bit of rough talk.

(And if you can't, you probably aren't up to using a knife on a person. Just saying.)

So, why the higher star rating? Simple; this book is an across-the-board improvement in quality from MacYoung's previous title. The language is clearer, the pictures are better, there are less pointless asides and all the from-the-streets stories actually tied back to some point MacYoung wanted to make. Its still salty as hell; I don't think that will ever go away, but this time some of the asides are funnier, and MacYoung straight-out says he's the sort of person to "fuck around at his own funeral".

As an example of improvement; the pictures are limited to demonstrating how to hold a knife, how to carry a knife, how various different people stand while holding a knife, and so on. In other words, there aren't any still images trying to demonstrate "strikes", which are a complete motion a still image simply cannot convey properly. As such, the pictures actually have value as an addition to the descriptions.

Another point I like is how MacYoung gets into the legal/moral/social costs of carrying a knife in society and how one's life will change if one ever has to carve on someone, and its done to impress upon would-be "knifers" the seriousness of the topic. In this, I appreciated MacYoung's sense of when to be funny and when it was time to be serious. One of the many improvements over his last book.

So in the end, I can recommend this book for both IRL self-defense practitioners and authors looking for inspiration. Just sit down, put on some vintage guitar rock, crack a cold one and enjoy! Its well worth the trip.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this guy - took a weekend seminar from him and he's a nutter but an extremely likeable nutter who really knows what he's talking about.

[Clinton A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is more than meets the eye with this book. As with most of Marc's stuff, what you learn is not what you expect to learn. The bottom line is that unless you've been to prison, a bouncer in a rough bar, or served in some elite command in the military, what you know about knife fighting is mostly marketing. There are equal measures of Hollywood bullshit and nonsense propagated by self-defense gurus looking to make a buck. Most of them have never been in a knife fight. More have never been in a fist fight since grade school. Marc dispels all of their crap and does it quickly. Marc tells it like it is, in his own...colorful way.

[Lilith Sussy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fairly short and has curt, straightforward information that's easy to understand. Marc MacYoung has a strong sense of humour (including some dated language), and he supports his writing with many personal stories and advice that comes off as heartfelt. Each section is descriptive though not overly detailed; I would've liked to have had more information on each of the topics. That being said and given the nature of this book, I'd assume it's impractical to include much more than gritty, bare-bones input on life-or-death situations.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and brutal, probably what a knife fight is like (I hope to never know). An interesting read which takes you through the likely issues legal, moral, physical and mental. Although this is based on a US audience (so be aware of that) but it will give you clues to look for if someone is wanting to do serious damage to you.

[Saronyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plain and simple, how to not get killed in a knife fight. No Frills. Essential reading before hitting the cold, mean streets of today's America.

[Captnamerca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, but good. I don't feel it needed to be any longer.

85% was telling you the reasons not to get involved in these situations. And that feels about right.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

To quote a review of another book "For all the practical advice, the pseudo-macho posturing is too much. I get it, dude -- you're a BAMFer." The crassness and bro humor also gets old quick.

[Tim Dundorf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book on avoiding conflict and dealing with it if it won't leave you alone.