The long, sharp knife held by the killer in a slasher movie is an iconic sight. Just the flash of gleaming steel can send defenseless victims running for their lives for fear of being stabbed or sliced to ribbons with the oversized blade. However, tips on how to survive a knife attack can be quite useful as this interpretation is not necessarily a true scenario in real life.
Yes, a foot-long, ultra-sharp knife may be intimidating, but it has numerous advantages that can be exploited during defense to survive a knife attack. From extra leverage to telegraphed strikes to easier disarms, a long knife may not be the quick-and-easy path to victimizing you, but rather the attacker’s bane and, ultimately, his defeat!
Survive A Knife Attack
Large knives, like a chef’s knife, long hunting knife, or even a mini machete, measure nearly a foot or longer on average and, as such, are very difficult for an attacker to conceal. Yes, it may be tucked in a sheath in their pants or behind their back, but unless they are heavily bundled up in clothing, some protruding section should set off red flags for you, helping you to survive a knife attack.
Additionally, if the knife is tucked behind an attacker’s forearm, it’s probably a sure bet that some of the blade peeks out from behind their arm as they approach you. If an attacker, however, had a box cutter or small knife, you probably wouldn’t be able to see it in time with it being concealed within their palm or tucked under their shirt or jacket cuff.
Just knowing a blade will come into play will allow you the few seconds you need to possibly flee the scene if possible, find an offensive weapon, or create a barrier between you and your foe.
Range of Attack
The large knife of an attacker can undoubtedly deliver a lot of damage to the recipient, which is absolutely true. However, it also is a necessity for the wielder to have plenty of space to deliver his deadly attacks. This means they would resort to large arching strikes, long thrusts, or wide backhand motions, and these movements can be used to your advantage to survive a knife attack.
First, with a wide strike, where the attacker’s arm goes far behind his body to “wind up” for a powerful cut, you can gain the advantage by closing the gap, securing the weapon hand, and using everything you have to control the situation. Once essentially smothered, many foes won’t have a plan “B” and your surprised burst into his center will definitely throw him off his game.
The Fight is On!
For a straight thrust to your head or torso, it will be easier to track the trajectory of a large knife over a small one due to its comparably larger size, and most likely, the attacker will pull back first to get some extra “push” with the weapon. This action will give you one or two seconds extra time to react, and those few seconds matter greatly when an attack is coming fast. It will allow you to sidestep the attack or, at the very least, allow you to raise your hands just enough to parry the weapon off its intended path.
As for the backhand strike, which usually occurs after a missed forward slicing attempt fails, it gives the victim the best chance to counterattack with the least chance of being injured. This is because once the attacker’s arm that is swinging the blade misses and crosses the attacker’s body, you can charge in and smother and strike the assailant while the knife is not a direct threat.
Additionally, if you jam your arms or body against the attacker’s weapon-holding arm, you can essentially trap it between his body and yours, making it very difficult for the attacker to swing back and strike. If a small knife was in any of these three scenarios, no large swings would be necessary, and closer, more dangerous close-quarter combat would occur, leading to a greater opportunity for you to be injured.
Grip and Leverage
On the subject of close-quarters combat, there will be a time when you have to smother the attacker, and the knife will need to be controlled. Here, a large, long knife gives you a fighting chance to get this done for multiple reasons.
First, you can use the knife as a lever to remove it from the attacker’s hand. By gripping the back of the knife (most large knives are not doubled-edged edged, but do be careful if you run into the exception) and the hand of the assailant, you can use leverage against him by pushing the blade downward while forcing his wrist upward. This move is regularly used to disarm small swords such as a wakizashi and larger blades such as katanas.
This is especially effective if the knife has a long handle that protrudes past the wielder’s hand. This gives you a solid gripping point, making the technique a bit easier to perform. Second, a beefy knife will allow you to actually grip the knife’s body when attempting to secure the weapon.
Yes, the main focus should be on the attacker’s weapon hand, but if the opportunity arises, gripping the back of the blade offers you a second control point, as you focus on keeping the sharp edge and point away from your body and directed toward his or her.
Target for Attack
A large knife in the hand of an attacker is naturally a scary thing, but it also offers a clear and defined target when you have a weapon of your own in hand. An extendable baton or even a broken broomstick can be used to keep the knife user at bay while you target the attacker’s weapon hand. Many times, the “bad guy” will wave the knife in front of you for intimidation and control.
However, with his hand extended and a clear target directly in front of you, it is quite possible to deflect the blade and strike the hand with your own weapon. Small blades, razor cutters, or even more non-traditional weapons like a screwdriver or broken bottleneck can be difficult to track and disarm before the attacker closes the distance between you and him.
To Fight or Flee a Knife Attack?
Keep in mind that the aforementioned tips are not replacements for common sense. When facing a knife-wielding foe and you’re unarmed, it’s far better to flee if possible than to stand your ground and fight. Even on the best day of your life, your odds of escaping such a conflict unharmed are relatively low. However, with these tips, you may better understand how to survive a knife attack.
If, however, you have no choice and have nowhere to run, facing an oversized knife doesn’t have to be a no-win situation for you. Stay sharp and stay smart and you may very well survive the conflict with the help of the attacker’s own choice of weapons.
