Unarmed Vs A Knife Attack

 The debate for this has been going on for a long time. You will have guys demonstrating fancy/complicated techniques that look really cool, and people telling you to engage in Runaway-Jujitsu. This demo gives a reasonably good idea of what actually happens, but with one caveat. The Unarmed defender sees the attack coming, while in more cases than not, a knife attack is an ambush. Also, the defender winds up putting the attacker in a hold rather than finishing him with strikes, which he (the defender) does use during the confrontation.

 

A Full Length Lesson From Lee Morrison of Urban Combatives

 

An Interview With The Man Who Stopped the School Shooter In Bend Oregon

 Anti-Gun people are always saying that the "Good Guy With A Gun" mantra is little more than a myth. Fortunately for most of the kids at The School in Bend Oregon, it wasn't a myth, it was a reality. Click on the link below to read about what a regular person is capable of when he has the means and will to do something that most people today would either just run way, or else stand there with their cell phones in their hand recording a heinous event.

 https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/23/bend-oregon-kaylub-giamanco-silver-rail-elementary-school-shooting/

If I Had A Hammer, I'd......

 This video covers the use of a Hammer in Self Defense. Now I;m not advocating carrying a hammer around, but in the car, at home, ok. But to carry one around, not so much. Especially here in The Peoples Not So Democratik Republik of NewYorkistan (where apparently only the psychologically impaired can get away with it). Not to mention that with a brand name of "Spec Ops" it probably wouldn't go over so well. 

Still, It's an option if nothing else. And besides, you can actually always use it to to nail stuff together. 

 

Today From UC Netherlands - A Video On The Law, People Who Don't Know The Law, And People Who Think They Know The Law

 

The Blackthorn Blog Has Now Reached Another Milestone!!

 As of today, Oct 14th, 2026, the Blog has now hit 

1,000,000 Page Views.

 Thank you  for your support each and every one of you who follow the Blog. I sincerely appreciate your support!

 

 

A Brief Post From My Former Close Combat Instructor

I trained with Carl Cestari from about 2001 until his untimely death in 2007. When it came to no bullshit methods, strategies and tactics for getting out of a bad situation in the real world of violent crime, Carl was in the forefront. The article below is short, but to the point.

 

 “ELBOWS & FISTS”
By: Carl Cestari
My only real input on the various elbow attacks of Muay Thai is to make SURE you
CLOSE your hand into a TIGHT FIST when you use these strikes.

I believe that in the convulsive adrenaline surge of a real balls to the wall street fight
you will DO THIS anyway. You are also PROTECTING your fingers from ANY
"unexpected"(Uncle Murphy) mishap. It really DOESN'T affect the technique. It may seem to reduce speed a bit, BUT, remember that POWER is MORE important than "blazing" speed in a STREETFIGHT.

Also it is EASIER to combine brutal punching attacks with follow-up elbow battering if your hands are already CLOSED.

Your up close and personal arsenal should include:
Head butting.
Chin grinding.
Biting.
Spitting.
Dirty clinch tactics.
Elbows.
Knees.
Stomps.

The Value Of Understanding The Need For Putting The Right Ammunition In Your Handgun

Particularly in a Revolver, ammo selection is key. Chuck Haggard gives a demonstration on which rounds are better or worse in a revolver. Especially in a concealed carry snubnose with a 2"+/- barrel.For those of you who've never heard of Chuck Haggard here's a link.

 https://agiletactical.com/about/

Now, let's all take a serious look at the video.

 

Blackthorn Blog Evening Edition for 10-9-26

 Yeah, I know,  it's a little later than I expected to get this done, but hey, better late than never. Todays video tutorial comes from Thunder Ranch, the school owned and operated by Clint Smith. If you don't know who that is, look it up. 

People these days think that for personal defense you need a hi-capacity semi automatic handgun. The real truth is that the venerable revolver can still get the job done for the average citizen who does not want to make believe that he can be a Tier 1 operator. So take a look at this video and decide for yourself.

 

Friday Morning Humor Edition

 Relax, there'll be another post later today.