Grabbing the Blade – Last-Resort Knife Defense – Recon Sparring
Controlling the Blade – When There’s No Other Choice
In real self-defense, things can get messy fast. You don’t always get to keep your distance. Sometimes the knife is already in motion while clinching, and your survival depends on making a split-second move—even if that means grabbing the blade itself. If done with full commitment, it can stop the attacks, trap the arm, and even lead to a disarm.
» Reality is our Master
It’s important to understand that this is part of reality. Look at a video I recently analyzed, where a fight over the blade involved repeatedly grabbing it—and they kept fighting. -> https://rumble.com/v66z1wv-real-hand-to-hand-combat…
» Fiore dei Liberi using the same techniques:
This concept isn’t new. In the 15th-century Pisani-Dossi Manuscript, Italian master Fiore dei Liberi shows this very tactic. The defender grips the attacker’s dagger—barehanded on the blade—while simultaneously controlling the arm. It’s not pretty. But it’s a technique drawn from centuries of real fighting, and it reflects one truth we stand by: when survival is on the line, you do what it takes.
With the right technique, it’s even possible to grip a sword blade without cutting yourself—something also seen in medieval combat when fighters needed control over the blade.
◇ At Recon, we train for those worst-case moments, and we have several effective methods. When done right, you can even prevent severe cuts by using a hollow grip. Not because it’s ideal—but because not preparing for it is worse.
