Knife Self-Defense for Combat (Special Forces/Ranger-Udt/Seal Hand-to-Hand Combat/Special Weapons/Special Tactics Series) (Paperback)

~ Michael D. Echanis (Author) "The present nation of Korea was once divided into three kingdoms..." (more)
Key Phrases: Joo Bang Lee, Won Kwang Bopsa

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Echanis was a senior instructor for the UDT-21, SEAL-2, Hand-to-Hand Combat/Special Weapons School for instructors. Echanis shows more than 30 separate techniques for disarming and controlling a knife attacker. Fully illustrated.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Black Belt Communications (July 1, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897500229
• ISBN-13: 978-0897500227
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #388,985 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Deadly. Incapacitating. And that's for the defender :-P, December 1, 2003

By	Todd Ellner "biblioholic, not in recovery" (Portland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like the other Echanis books this stuff is deadly, for the poor sap who actually tries to use it. The techniques are inefficient, rely on strength, assume the other guy is an idiot moving at the speed of molasses, and put you in a lot of danger.

They also violate really basic, and I mean BASIC principles of self defense. Several of them get the attacker in trouble. And then let him out. Others make contact and take control. And then give up both. There are, G-d help us, pictures of him kicking the knife out of the attacker's hand and others where he exposes things most of us REALLY don't want cut to the blade.

Save your money. Take a decent course in the Southeast Asian martial arts. Buy Fairbairn or Applegate's books. Learn some police combatives. Get a gun. But if you want to survive an armed attacker DON'T BUY THIS GUY'S BOOKS.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of paper, November 2, 2005

By	Matthew J. Schafer (Mt. Pleasant, Michigan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a former military hand-to-hand combat instructor I can say that while this book contains horribly ineffective information, it contains things that are commonly taught in the military.

Regardless of what some say, the military teaches hand-to-hand combat to primarily teach aggressiveness, not effectiveness. There are things that the military teaches that are quite asinine. However, the main goal for 99% of the military is to teach aggressiveness.

For example, the US Army Rangers teach Gracie Jujitsu for Christ sake. They go out to the wrestling mats and roll around. Why? To teach you to be aggressive. If you think you can wrestle wearing 70 pounds of gear, carrying a rifle, and after marching 20 miles through rough terrain, then you should be able to qualify for handicapped plates.

Does this book contain information that is commonly taught to the US Special Forces? Yes it does. Does it work effectively when faced by criminal violence? It's not really supposed to.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The book is junk and Echanis was a boob, October 14, 2002

By A Customer

Following what is taught in this book is a great way to get killed. People who say this book is effective may have dojo training, but have NEVER encountered a real knife attack.

Personally I could overlook Echanis's personal history if the book were OK - but it just isn't.

Ice pick grip decreases your distance by about 2 inches. Someone with a saber grip and 3 or 4 arnis classes will slice open the arteries in your arms in short fashion. Sacrificing your lead hand is great if you want to bleed to death. An arterial cut to the wrist can kill you in 30 seconds to a couple of minutes.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.