Put 'Em Down, Take 'Em Out!: Knife Fighting Techniques From Folsom Prison (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The prerequisite to engaging in a knife fight is that you must first know the facts of a realistic attack..." (more)
Key Phrases: hit grip, knife defense, knife attack (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Anyone can be the subject of a knife attack. Maximize your chances for survival by learning realistic aspects of knife attack and defense. These deadly techniques were developed in the violence of Folsom Prison and go far beyond what you learn in karate class.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press; illustrated edition edition (November 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873644840
• ISBN-13: 978-0873644846
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #794,436 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All I really needed to know about using a knife..., February 8, 2004

By	Joseph M Burtner (Kennesaw, Georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As many previous reviewers stated, this book is pretty short (54 pages of information), but it's probably the best crash-course in knife fighting I've ever seen. A lot of martial arts today that specialize in the knife actually speciallize in what Marc MacYoung calls "knife dueling"; they don't realize how knives are most often used in American culture: for assasination. Whatever you call it, in the US, and I'm sure most of the western world, if a guy pulls a knife on you, he intends to kill you because he sees you as a victim, not an equal. This book is all about one guy with a knife, and one guy without. The techniques are simplistic, but effective, and incorperate empty-hand stragegies and tactics in harmony with the knife. Things compatable with unarmed combat are stance, footwork, trapping, and grappling. This book is about agression and simplicity, and in my oppinion ought to be the foundational book for any knife-fighting or -defense program. The five chapters are "Basics of Knife Fighting", "Knife Fighting Myths", "Knife Attack", "Knife Defense", and "Training". Among the things that are covered are grips, group attacks, set-ups, mental tactics and training, and the stance-footwork-etc. stuff I mentioned earlier. One thing that rubbed me a little wrong was how the guy basically said, "Only my style works, forget anything else." While I would recomend anyone interested in knife fighting get this book, I'd say to not make it your only source of information.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If you want one answer, this may be it ... but is it enough?, October 19, 1999

By A Customer

Basically one form of attack, with two ways to execute it. Maybe with this you will be successful in 80% of your combat encounters. Maybe it's too simple to rely on. Unfortunately, my knowledge is based on theory only.

From the theoretical standpoint, I think this book is lacking alternate strategies. If there is any transferability from the left jab / right cross in boxing to the left lead / right stab espoused in this book, then, theoretically, one would be setting oneself up for a counter if one ONLY used the technique recommended by this book.

But what do I know? I have not been in a knife fight. My only experience can be based on unarmed combat (street and dojo), supplemented by theory. If you can rely on your right cross to get you through your unarmed fights pretty much of the time, then you probably will like this book, and you may very well be effective pretty much of the time because it's based on the "right cross" / "big gun" principle ... set 'em up with the lead hand, and attack with the rear power hand.

BOTTOM LINE: I'd probably resort to this approach since it is based on realistic experience, the technique is VERY BASIC, and I believe in the author's experience. BASICS are usually the most effective, and it would take a very extremely trained and experienced "sophisticated" fighter to beat a very extremely trained and experienced BUT BASIC fighter.

I gave it three stars because it was average as a book, but as another thing to add to my arsenal, I would give it a 4

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ask the experienced, not the learned., February 23, 1999

By A Customer

When Don wrote this book he was just out and not a polished writer. However, the guy coming at you in a dark parking lot ain't no Shakespear either. Despite the current craze of so-called knife fighting experts in the martial arts, don't forget that America has it's own knife fighting culture - prisons. This is not a book on art, it a book on the realities of knife fighting. While it may anger many self-proclaimed "knife-fighters", Don is the one with the scars. To tell you the truth I would rather mess with them than Don. Marc Animal MacYoung