”What’s that thing?” Margo laughed
”A push dagger. Far too many instructors ignore them. That’s stupid. The push dagger,” he demonstrated the hold, with the T-handle clenched in the fist and the short blade extending beyond the knuckles, “is a very deadly weapon. It’s next to impossible to dislodge it from your hand You can slash,” he demonstrated rapidly, “or stab with a simple punch, or,” he opened his hand, seized her wrist, and without letting go of the knife, said, “you can grab an opponent without cutting them. The push dagger gives you some nice options.”
Margo widened her eyes and stare at her wrist. “Good God.”
Sven Bailey grinned wickedly and let her go. “Yeah. Isn’t it great”
Margo laughed. “I’m just thinking what a karate punch would be like with that thing in your fist.”
”Exactly You,” he pointed with the tip of the push dagger, “will learn to use this very well. It’s particularly suited to women who don’t have much experience with fighting-but then, that won’t apply to you, will it?”
Margo chuckled ruefully. “Not by the time you’re done with me.”
”Right. Now, as to the tactics of knife fighting, forget everything you’ve ever seen in any movie. Stupid doesn’t begin to cover it. Movie knife fighting-like movie
”Knife-fighting or fist-fighting-will get you killed . Knife fights are dirty, dangerous affairs carried on by people who want to cut your guts open and spill them in the mud. Literally. Unless you’re very careful and very good, you’ll bleed to death within seconds of losing a knife fight. The idea,” he smiled grimly, “is to avoid fighting in the first place. But if you can’t, you make damn sure it’s the bastard who attacks you who bleeds to death, not you. Knife fighting is, encounter for encounter, far deadlier than any gunfight. If a bad guy shoots you, chances are extremely good you’ll live through it.