How to Hold a Knife in a Fight: A Complete Guide to Avoiding Injuries

Even if you’re a proficient knife user, there is a chance you could injure yourself while fighting with a knife. This is especially true for inexperienced fighters or those who are unfamiliar with the specifics of knife fighting. How well you hold your knife can make or break the situation in these cases. If you’ve ever been in a fight and had your opponent press their blade against you, you know what it feels like when an opponent holds the upper hand over you. Even if they don’t intend to hurt you with their knife, holding your knife improperly can lead to cuts and other injuries. Let’s explore how holding a knife in a fight can save your life or end it quickly.

Hold the Knife in your Dominant Hand

Simply holding a knife in your dominant hand can be an essential safety measure if you use it unconventionally. The most common example of this is defending against a strike with the blade. If you are holding the knife in your weak hand and someone tries to strike you with their hand or elbow, you could easily cut yourself on their blade. Holding the knife in your dominant hand can protect your dominant hand from bloodier injuries if a bladed weapon hits you. If you can use both hands while fighting, then this will give you the added benefit of blocking any attacks with the knife in your strong hand. However, use only one hand to wield a knife while holding it in your weak hand.

Keep your Wrist Straight

Your wrist should never be bent when holding a knife in a fight. This is especially important if you use a straight-blade knife. A straight knife blade is more likely to strike someone than a serrated edge because it is more difficult to block. If your wrist is bent, it will be much easier for an opponent to strike you with their blade. Keeping your wrist straight is also essential when defensively swinging the knife. If your wrist is bent, it will make it much easier for your opponent to spin the blade and hit you with the edge. This is hazardous because it is difficult to block the blade with a hand.

Always Keep Pressure on the Blade

When holding the knife in a fight, it is essential to maintain pressure on the blade with your thumb and index finger. If you do not maintain pressure, your opponent could easily slip the blade past you and cause serious injury. Your thumb and index finger should also always be on the side of the blade touching the opponent. This allows you to quickly pull the blade away if the opponent attempts to use it as a bludgeon. It’s important to note that you should maintain pressure on the blade while blocking attacks. If you lose pressure, the opponent could slip the blade past you and cause injury.

Don’t Twist your Wrist

While it is highly tempting to twist your wrist while blocking, this should be avoided at all costs. The knife is a dangerous weapon, and it’s easy to slip and cause injury if you twist your wrist. This is especially important when blocking an attack with a straight blade. While using your entire body to block a straight blade attack is tempting, you should never twist your body to block it. If you twist, your opponent will have much easier access to your body with the knife. Using your forearm and forearm strength is the best way to block a straight blade attack.

Avoid Striking with the Edge of the Blade

Most people think you should use the blade’s edge to strike your opponent, but this is extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. The edge of a blade can easily cut the user, who may not be expecting it. This is especially dangerous when blocking an attack with a straight blade. Other blades may have an edge, such as a butterfly knife, modern knives for self defense or a switchblade, but this is not the case with most traditional knives. This is important to remember, especially when defending against a strike with a straight blade. When striking with the blade’s edge is unavoidable, you should always make sure to pinch your thumb and index finger on the side of the blade that is touching your opponent. This allows you to quickly pull the knife away and potentially cause serious injury to the opponent.

Wrap your Fingers Around the Handle and Thumb on Top

Angry man holding knife in his hand and waiting for victim

Keeping your fingers around the handle is the most crucial part of holding a knife in a fight. If your fingers slip off while blocking an attack, then the opponent may be able to slip the blade past you. The most crucial part of holding the knife is your fingers wrapped around the handle. If your fingers slip off, the opponent can easily slip the knife past you and cause serious injury. The thumb on the handle is vital to ensure it doesn’t slip off. If the thumb slips off, the opponent can pinch down on the handle and cause serious injury. It is important to note that it is hazardous to twist the knife in your hand while holding it.

Conclusion

Knife fighting is a dangerous art but can also be very effective. When you are fighting with a knife, then it is essential to remember a few important things to make sure you remain safe. Holding your knife in your dominant hand, keeping pressure on the blade with your thumb and index finger, and avoiding striking with the blade’s edge are all vital safety tips. These techniques can help you avoid serious injury while fighting with a knife and ensure you live to fight another day.

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