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Fighting Positions with Pole Arm pole-arm allows the fighter to blend the best of greatsword with spear to create a truly deadly weapons form. By learning the starting positions below you will have a solid base to draw upon, and be able to move onto more advanced techniques in the future.

Knives

Combat Usage of the Nepalese Khukuri: Methodologies and Techniques, By “Kilogulf59” - After some research, a little of my own understanding, assessments, and preferences, I have compiled the following treatise on the Nepalese Khukuri uses as a combat weapon which is by no means complete. Please understand that I am certainly no authority and any corrections, questions, and commentary are highly welcomed. Furthermore, observe that knife fighting duels rarely if ever occur in the modern world consequently ones likelihood of a confrontation with a similarly armed opponent is extremely doubtful. Download the pdf article.

Knife Know-How From Buck Knives Covers: Knife History, Choosing the Right Knife, Technical Data, Knife Sharpening, Knife Care & Repair, and Knife Safety

Knife Making 101 [PDF] – Stock Removal: My name is Kenneth Kailey (Avalon, Lord of House Draco in Amtgard and Temur Baras of the SCA). I have been making Stock Removal knives and swords off and on for over ten years. I am still a novice, by my own reckoning, and have much more to learn, but I am here to give you some insight into how to make your own stock removal knife.

Making of a Knife: Different models of knives go through somewhat different processes. These are the steps we use to make a knife at Buck Knives

The making of a knife ! Our way ! On this page will I try to tell you how I make my kind of knife , from the beginning , with a bar of steel , until a finished knife , embellished with scrimshaw from Viveca Sahlin .

Knife Forums An excellent collection of topics ranging from buying/collecting, to designing/making, to maintaining, using and trading (mostly knives) edged weapons.

A Worst Case Scenario - Knife Attack from Behind by Bernd (Bernie) Weiss, Ph.D. Most self defense experts consider this to be a very difficult situation for self-defense. Consequently the advice usually given here is to comply. However, suppose you have good reason to believe that this assailant is about to murder you regardless of your willingness to comply with his directives. At this point your decision may well be to fight. We offer here a tested self-defense routine which if done smoothly has a good chance of working. Note, however, there are no guarantees. This is why reputable defense experts advise not to fight unless absolutely necessary.

USE OF THE KNIFE By W.E. Fairbairn. (From Get Tough!) In close-quarters fighting there is no more deadly weapon than the knife. An entirely unarmed man has no certain defense against it, and, further, merely the sudden flashing of a knife is frequently enough to strike fear into your opponent, causing him to lose confidence and surrender.

THE SMATCHET By W.E. Fairbairn (From Get Tough!) The psychological reaction of any man, when he first takes the smatchet in his hand, is full justification for its recommendation as a fighting weapon. He will immediately register all the essential qualities of a good soldier-confidence, determination, and aggressiveness.

BOWIE'S COLD STEEL by John Styers. Fairly interesting article includes a bunch of photo's showing techniques (some of which have a problem loading). Takes a while to download.

Dagger Fighting Techniques from the Rare Solthurner Fechtbuch! So-named for the Archive in Solothurn, Switzerland where it was found, this book is believed to be from the 15th century and its author is unknown. It's techniques closely resemble the ones from some of Talhoffer's Fechtbuchs. There are conflicting theories about its origins, with guesses as to the date of publication from 1420-1490, but I believe from the costuming of the people and the technical material it is probably from the 1480's and is in fact a semi-rip-off of Talhoffer.

Medieval and Renaissance Knife Fighting History During the Middle Ages, roughly the 14th-15th Centuries, the warriors of Europe developed a powerful style of combat that proved equally victorious on the battlefield in times of war, on the street for suppressing riots, and in personal defense. These men fought personal and judicial duels to the death, as well as taking part in organized “melees”, or tournaments. Though the tournaments may have appeared civil, and were fought with wooden or blunted swords and referees, they often ended up with crossbow men becoming involved in the fray, trying to prevent their knight from being beaten, captured, and ransomed back later by another knight! Forget the chivalrous notions you may have had about the lives these men lead – they were killers, or they were dead, plain and simple. As the wars raged across Europe, fighting techniques were tempered in the forge of battle, and the swordsmen of each country perfected the art which they would pass on to the next generation.

The Knife Fighting Tactics of the US Marine Corps: Grips, Stances and Targets by Robert Safreed. It's midnight in the jungle, and a United States Marine Corps infantryman crouches in the grass. His M16 assault rifle, emptied of bullets, lies somewhere in the thick underbrush, near the bodies of the soldier's slain enemies. He is alone, and he is far from home, behind enemy lines. Yet he is unafraid. He still has his knife, and in close combat, that is all he needs. Download the pdf courtesy of SSRsi & Kilogulf59.proboards80.com

19th Century Bayonet Fencing Short, photos, kind of interesting.

Counter Knife Threat Scenario A photo-by-photo description of technique.

Tactical Cutting Course Timed Draw and Strike Drills with Live Blades. Photos & text.

Knife Defense Tactics by Sang H. Kim. The following article is based on the principles and techniques taught in the Armed and Dangerous Knife Defense video series. It is intended to give a brief overview of the central tenet of knife combat for the experienced martial artist.

Tactical/Fighting Folder Definition I have been asked for a description of what a fighting or tactical folder is. Lets start with definitions given for these words found in the American Heritage Dictionary.

The Rockwell Hardness Test Knives are tested for "hardness". The Rockwell Test is a simple process of indenting a heat-treated blade with a tip known as the Brale diamond point under a load of 150 kilograms. The reading is taken off the "C" scale and used to determine the blade's hardness, in other words, if the blade was heat-treated properly. When a blade is heat-treated properly it will provide superior edge life and a relatively responsive attitude toward efforts at edge restoration.

The Linerlock I choose my defensive blades very carefully and would never rely on any folder I had not tested for strength. The linerlock can be found on the knives I carry. I rely on them to save my butt if and when that fateful day ever presents itself. Train hard and often, the rewards for being diligent are something you can live with.

Knife Steels from Spyderco's web site. BIG chart

Steel Production and Properties provides a very brief overview of steel treatment and properties

Knife Care Always keep your knife blade sharp. A dull knife requires additional force to use and is potentially more dangerous to use than a sharp one. There are a variety of products available when it comes to sharpening your knife. As for which one is best, it pretty much comes down to choosing the one you're most comfortable with using. Never sharpen your knife on a power grinding wheel as this can burn the temper out of the blade and weaken its integrity.

Sharpening your Knife, the Emerson way To help you keep your knife sharp and ready to serve you, I'm going to show you some of the Emerson quick and dirty methods using a couple of different procedures to sharpen your knife. We can't show all of the fixtures, devices or methods as there are ton of them. Most of them will work and if you use your sharpening method in the manner shown below, and can improvise a little; I know you can sharpen your knife.

The Sharpening FAQ from the Usenet News Group rec.knives this FAQ will discuss the central elements of sharpening, and then go on to more detailed subjects. Sharpening angles, hones, sharpening systems, the latest fads in edges (e.g., chisel grinds), etc. Basically, Juranitch will show you how to get a burr and grind it off to end up with a sharp knife. Hopefully, the FAQ will tell you everything else. See Also: Sharpening FAQ by Joe Talmadge (courtesy of Knifeart.com)

How to sharpen a serrated blade Most of you reading this probably know how to put a good edge on a plain blade. But what about bringing dull serrations back to life? If you are like myself - prefer a partially serrated edge (maybe a fully serrated, too!) for utility work - then knowledge of maintaining those serrations is important.

How to sharpen your Buck knife (courtesy of Buck Knives) Every knife needs sharpening from time to time, even a Buck knife, which is famous for holding an edge. Here are three simple steps for sharpening your knife on a stone to create the proper edge.

The steel FAQ by Joe Talmadge (courtesy of Knifeart.com) One thing to keep in mind is that there's more to knife performance than the steel. The blade profile is also important (a tanto format isn't the best choice to skin a deer, for example). But perhaps most important is the heat treatment. A good solid heat treatment on a lesser steel will often result in a blade that outperforms a better steel with inferior heat treatment. Bad heat treatment can cause a stainless steel to lose some of its stainless properties, or cause a tough steel to become brittle, etc. Unfortunately, of the three most important properties (blade profile, steel type, heat treatment), heat treatment is the one that is impossible to assess by eye, and as a result excessive attention is sometimes paid to the other two.

The blade geometry FAQ by Joe Talmadge (courtesy of Knifeart.com) Welcome to the blade geometry FAQ. Our objective is to provide a working knowledge of blade shapes and grinds. After reading the FAQ, I hope you'll be better able to answer the question, "I need to do job X, what kinds of knives should I consider?". We will start with some general characteristics of blade shapes, then talk about blade grinds, then put it all together to discuss specific blade patterns. The last section, a brief analysis of some common designs, will build upon the previous sections.

Knife Encyclopedia (courtesy of Knifeart.com)

Knife Statistics The following information was obtained from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation through their "uniform crime reporting" data which is compiled from every law enforcement agency in the United States. Other statistics were taken from the "Officers Down" memorial web site. Anyone who is interested in obtaining crime statistics would be well advised to check out the FBI web site as well as the data provided by the officers down site. Both can be found easily through any web search engine.

The Truth About Tactical Folders by Lynn C. Thompson. In his recent article in Petersen's Combat Knives magazine, our friend Pat Casico gives a plausible explanation for the meteoric rise of the tactical folder on the knife scene. According to Pat, politically correct commanding officers in our armed forces objected to our service men carrying large, formidable looking sheath knives during the late Desert Storm operation. This lily-livered practice forced enlisted men and front-line officers alike to turn to tactical folders as emergency back-up weapons. Soon, custom knifemakers noticed the increase in demand for self-defense oriented folders. And it wasn't long after that before magazines jumped on the bandwagon and really began to hype the tactical folder.

IT'S ALL IN THE POINT Ever since Cain killed Abel, man has been quite interested in developing various weapons of offense and defense. History tells us that our first weapons were probably wooden clubs or sharp-edged pieces of stone. But eventually man learned it was much easier to dispatch his fellows if he had a means of puncturing the torso or other vital areas of the body-hence the first dagger or, if you will, combat knife came into existence.

"If Bowie had Owned a Spyderco" That's Jim Bowie, not David Bowie. Drills for opening a folding knife.

Khukuri FAQ This information has been extracted from the posts and e-mails of Bill Martino, John Powell, Kami Sherpa, and numerous other khukuri aficionados. "It is tempting to credit me for a lot of information about khukuris, kamis, Gorkhas and Nepal. This credit would be misplaced. The real credit belongs to the many kamis, Gorkhas and in general the people of Nepal who gave the information to me. I am simply a reporter repeating things that were told to me over the years." Bill Martino, Himalayan Imports

Tulisan: The Knife Fighting Art of Kali Ilustrisimo Article describes knife fighting in the Filipino martial arts.

The Survival Blade All About Selecting Knives for Survival. This huge, impressively detailed article from Equipped To Survive covers all aspects of survival knife selection. Before you go out to purchase what could be a $100 piece of junk destined to fail at a crucial moment, take 15 minutes to read this excellent article!

Military Knife Fighting copyright 1998 by Dennis Rovere. Understanding the "Big Picture": When students of the martial arts ask me about Chinese military knife combat, and/or close combat in general, their questions invariably revolve around "technique" or physical application. What grip is preferred? What type of knife is favored? How does this compare to other, more widely practiced arts? and so on.

The Technique of Shirakami! In his book, SHURIKEN-DO, Shirakami Ikku-Ken describes a throwing technique that produces a rotation-less throw with which he claims to be able to hit a 3 inch circle from up to 5.5 meters (that's about 18 feet)! The technique, as well as the equipment, is very different than what we usually think of as knife throwing in the West. I will describe the technique of Shirakami as well as I am able here, but the reader should not assume I can actually do this.

Knife Throwing Grips Click the thumbnail picture or the caption to get a higher resolution image of that group! See also: The wave throw to slow the rotation of the knife

Throwing the Knife Extracts from THE VIPER STORY by Harald Moeller, designer/maker of the Viper and comments by Murray White. The technology of knife throwing is the WEIGHT OF THE KNIFE. THE SIZE, THE CENTER OF BALANCE, THE VERTICAL BLADE HANDLE THROW, THE STYLE OF THROWING and THE GIVEN STANCE.

Knife Throwing Good article on getting started in knife throwing from Juggling.org.

Knife Throwing Basics John Bailey's excellent article covers the basics of knife throwing. May take awhile to load, though.

KnifeThrowing.Info Comprehensive site is an English version of the German original. Focuses on European technique.

The danger of knives This article really wont tell you much about "how" to fight with/defend against a knife. It is poorly written and uses a fair amount of bad language. The point of the whole article, however, is to stress the idea that if you get into a knife fight, you are going to be injured - most likely critically injured. While I may wish to aggressively edit this article, that last point is a real sticker (pardon the pun) and quite valid.

YouTube:
Knife throw without rotation & Knife throwing & Knife throwing combo & Knife throwing

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Swords

Sword Fighting with Rapier & Broadsword: Fencing is the art of using the small-sword or rapier. The small-sword has a straight blade, about thirty-two inches in length, outside the guard, and is fashioned for thrusting only. Although it is an art of the greatest antiquity, very great improvements have been made in it during the last half-century, chiefly by French masters, who excel those of all other countries. The principal distinction between the broadsword and the rapier is, that the latter is formed only for thrusting, while the former is adapted for cutting also.

Paradoxes of Defense. The English at the end of the 16th Century followed the continental fencers in taking on the use of the rapier. In defense of English technique, George Silver published a treatise called the Paradoxes of Defense. This treatise was used to espouse the use of the English weapons and to downplay the use of the rapier. Silver hated the Italians and Spanish and made sure that his readers knew that these styles were more dangerous for the user than good English practices. He also wrote a treatise on his Paradoxes called Brief Instructions.
di Grasse - His True Art of Defense, 1594 Graphics and Video Clips

William Elder pinxit: The missing Art of Defence by J. Christoph Amberger. Article uncovers the possibility of new historical manuals out there waiting to be found.

Officers and Gentlemen: On the history of fencing at the U.S. Naval Academy by J. Christoph Amberger. Few manuals were ever specifically dedicated to the use of the sidearm in the navies of the United Kingdom and the United States. Only within the last third of the 19^th century–at a time when naval engagements no longer were decided by boarding and hand-to-hand combat but by long-distance artillery–do we find printed manuals issued to provide uniformity to naval sword practice.

The Demystification of the Spanish School Part I by Maestro Ramón Martnez. The Spanish School of Swordsmanship, "La Destreza," is the most misunderstood subject in the history of fencing. It has been misrepresented by fencing scholars for the past one hundred years as an ineffectual and artificial system of swordsmanship full of absurdities. The intent of this article and others to follow is to present a clearer and more accurate picture of what "La Destreza" is.

Etiquette, Swordsmanship is not just fencing By Frank Docherty of New Albion: During the study of the sword, as well as learning to fence, the development of one¹s character is of paramount importance. It is said that Fencing begins with manners, and ends with manners. However fencing etiquette is not only for the practice arena but for everyday life, it costs us nothing to be polite.

Lovino translation This text appears to be a 16th C. fencing manuscript by the dress of the individuals in the woodcut. The copy that I have in hand was published with a new forward in France circa 1835 (from the little bit of the French forward that I can glean out). The manuscript was originally from Milan.

Vincentio Saviolo his Practise. Long & rather intriguing manual on sword fighting. This is an electronic version copied from a facsimilie of the original text. The first book was completed 7 July 1996 (AS 31), by Tom Hudson (Giovan Donato Falconieri). Images were scanned during October 1997 (AS 32) by Jennie Radovsky (Kerdych Goch). Redistribute it however you like, just keep it intact. The book is presented in the original "Old English" format, but there is, thoughtfully, a glossary appended to explain some of the forgotten expressions.

"A Rule and Order concerning the Challenger and Defender" Vincentio Saviolo’s Second text, on Honorable Combat & Defense.

Old Sword-Play by Captain Alfred Hutton. Hutton was part of a triad of great Victorian scholars of the sword, the other two being Sir Richard Burton and Egerton Castle. Burton's Book of the Swordis still in print and is worth getting. Castle's Schools and Masters of Fenceis no longer in print, but copies of a 30-year-old reprint can still be found in used book circles. A Xerox of Schools and Masterscan be had from Patri Pugliese. Hutton's other book, The Sword and the Centuries, is currently in reprint and available from Barnes and Noble. Scholars of swordsmanship ought to look into getting copies of all the above books, not only for whatever information they may give on swordsmanship, but also as a solid summary of Victorian attitudes regarding that subject. This is a full text, online, transcription, but the last two parts are still under construction.

Study of Period Blades. Very interesting descriptions of various blades with photos.

Shield and Weapon Weights. Lots of stuff, mostly for reconstructionists, but still fun.

REFLECTIONS ON BLOW ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR THE HONORABLE DUELLIST IN THE SCA. While this text is for "roleplayers" the described hit areas and resultant "real-life" injuries for hits is very instructive.

The Vse of the Two Hand Sworde. Very weird, but perhaps instructional. Looks like a work in progress.

Hope’s Shortsword Manual. Excellent reading, very instructional.

"Di Grasse: His True Art of Defense" Excellent & thrillingly informative Americanization of original 1594 text on swordsmanship with the rapier, by Rick Orli. From Di Grasse’s world renowned text. Learn how they did it when they really meant it! Now VIDEO ENHANCED!

Spada & Daga - The Real Italian Fencing Art: Pt.I By Graziano Galvani of Nova Scrimia Dear Readers, we are going to tell you a story of men and arms, which connects two distant countries.The first one, whose lands arise out of the Visayan Sea, lies in the East; the other, a peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea, lies in the West. Follow us in this adventurous journey!

Spada & Daga: the Real Italian Fencing Art: Pt.II Giacomo Di Grassi’s School and Didactics By Graziano Galvani of Nova Scrimia Part III is promised soon.

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Foil/Epee

FENCING ACTIONS [PDF] Whoa! This is an excellent 16 page book which could be improved with some photos or drawings.

Epee - Introduction and Strategy Guide You can think of epee as dueling to first blood, the dueling style that stepped in when authorities decided that they didn’t want duelists killing each other. You step out into a field or square in the morning light with your rapier and, under the watchful eye of the seconds and a “referee,” you attempt to be the first to hit, with the point and with enough force to make them bleed. Obviously, you didn’t want to get hit; really obviously, you didn’t want to get killed (and it would be naive not to think that, much of the time, a duelist legally "limited" to first blood would step out intending to do much worse to his opponent).

Essentials of Fencing Technique What follows is a brief discussion of techniques and technical applications that are considered after some forty years plus of coaching by the writer to be essential to successful fencing. They are broken down into five major categories: Mental Preparation, Physical Preparation, Technical Actions, Tactical Actions, and Terminology. Special emphasis is placed upon the technical aspects of fencing because these have become neglected in recent years in favor of tactics.

Electric Foil Point Diagram Watch this page for more information on fencing and troubleshooting electric foil! See also: Diagram of an Electric Epée Point

Jim Ciaramitaro's Unofficial History of Fencing& Harold Hayes' Strategic Balance in Chess and Fencing a couple of brief but interesting articles.

Beginning Foil Fencing: Concepts and Terms Here follows a brief treatise on some selected concepts and terms having to do with foil fencing. It is not an exhaustive work. I have used it as a handout for my University of Wisconsin foil classes. Also available HERE

The Value of Timing in Tactics. The following could be considered among the most important aims of a tactical fight and the most salient aspects in fencing.

Weapons Forms and Other Useful Information a list of the different weapons forms practiced by UMAINE Blade Society, and some other stuff.

A Brief History of Fencing by Julian Dermoudy, Tasmania, Australia. Whether or not you think of yourself as an Errol Flynn, a Zorro, a d'Artagnan, a Don Carlos, or a Touche Turtle, fencing could be for you. For those with no swash-buckling aspirations, fencing could be for you. And don't be misled, fencing is neither male-oriented nor male-dominated - fencing appeals to men and women alike

Fencing, an Idiots Guide. Fencing, it is often said, is like high speed physical chess. Well, it isn't! Fencing, I am afraid to say, is a sport in which (mostly) strange people, dressed (mostly) in even stranger (mostly) white uniforms and masks, try to hit each other without themselves being hit by their opponent. In other words Fencing is an entirely unique sport, which requires a unique set of skills and training. To compare it to any other activity is to do it a great injustice. And, what is more, is that both men and women can do it! Hey, maybe its not so different to chess after all.

The Strip-Tease. (Some Fencing humor.)

Zone Theory - Physical Zones on the Fencing Piste The fencing strip is divided into several physical zones. Much like "red zone" offense and defense in football, the fencer's location on the strip often influences the tactics most likely to be employed.

Glossary of Fencing Terms Interesting, informative, concise and rather long.

Introduction to Fencing When most Americans think of swordplay, the images that come to mind are either of the lumbering power of armor-clad knights battling with broadswords, or of the swashbuckling flair of Errol Flynn and other screen duelers of the '30s and '40s. In what it requires and how it is conducted, Olympic fencing resembles these two clichés about as much as the Olympic Opening Ceremonies resemble the ritual sacrifice of animals that once signaled the start of competition.

History of Fencing (an overview) Swordfighting as sport has existed since ancient Egypt, and has been practiced in many forms in various cultures since then. Although jousting and tournament combat was a popular sport in the European middle ages, modern FIE fencing owes more to unarmored dueling forms that evolved from 16th century rapier combat. Rapiers evolved from cut-and-thrust military swords, but were most popular amongst civilians who used it for self-defense and dueling. Rapiers were edged, but the primary means of attack was the thrust. Rapier fencing spread from Spain and Italy to northwest Europe, in spite of the objections of masters such as George Silver who preferred traditional cutting weapons such the English broad sword.

Some differences between classical and modern fencing. If the "real thing" is a duel with sharps, then aside from the mortal danger and related psychological factors, the primary technical difference is that the duelist can win with only a single good touch, whereas the athlete has to hit his opponent as many as 15 times and so requires more technical and tactical depth. Many inferior duelists have won their combats through sheer dumb luck. This is far less likely in the sport. On the other hand, the sport fencer takes many defensive risks that would be unthinkable in a duel, since he has up to 15 "lives" to work with. Some purists equate "real" fencing with classical fencing, ie. the prevalent styles of the traditional French and Italian schools of fencing that predominated before electric fencing was popularized. By comparison, modern fencing is more mobile and athletic, while classical fencers were known for their more sophisticated phrasing and bladework.

Historical Overview of Modern Fencing - Includes information on right-of-way and Olympic Rules

History of Fencing - Another good historical overview from the FAQ

The Armory - Caring for your Lame'

H.F.A. Desktop Fencing Sword fighting for Windows that follows normal foil rules. Here is a little game for your PC, for when you are unable to get down to your local club. Any suggestions, queries or comments please E-mail: [email protected]

CU Fencing - Articles these articles have been authored by members from all areas of the fencing community. Not only are these good for fencers to brush up on their knowledge of rules and concepts, they are especially good for class members to read in order to develop a theoretical understanding thereof as they put the techniques and concepts into practice on the strip.

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Hatchet/Axe/Tomahawk

Fighting with a Tomahawk By Lynn C. Thompson Over the years I've read quite a few articles on the tomahawk - and even three or four books on the subject. But outside of Bill Bagwell's article in Soldier of Fortune magazine in the mid 1980s, I've seen very little in print about how to employ this uniquely American weapon in hand-to-hand combat.

Tomahawk Targets & How to Throw a Tomahawk In the good old days when our brave pioneer ancestors carried long rifles with barrels made of imported horseshoe nails, the wooden stock trimmed with brass and ornamented with eagles, 'coons, deer, and other objects cut from shells and set into the wood, they also carried tomahawks. Trusty tomahawks in the leather belt which en- circled the waist and belted in the wammus--and, like their neighbors, the redskins, many of the picturesque old fellows were expert in the use of these little camp axes as weapons of offence and defense.

How to Throw an Axe A number of times in my work with scouts, I have demonstrated how to throw the axe at a target. Scouts have taken to the game avidly, and soon there would be a spirited competition under way. The knack is easily acquired, and the game has a certain thrill which appeals to every boy.

Logs Split with Axe How to Split a Log, Chop a Log, Flatten a Log, and Trim a Tree.

Axe Use-Beard The old backwoodsmen were as expert with their axes as they were with their rifles and they were just as careful in the selection of these tools as they were in the selection of their arms. Many a time I have seen them pick up a "store" axe, sight along the handle, and then cast it contemptuously aside; they demanded of their axes that the cutting edge should be exactly in line with the point in the center of the butt end of the handle. See also: Knife & Hatchet

A Basic Manual on Tomahawk Throwing by R. E. Valade & Illustrations by E. J. Valade. Tomahawk Throwing. People familiar with tomahawks and their use often refer to them as "hawks". Similarly, terms like pipe-tomahawk have been shortened to pipe-hawk. Tomahawk targets frames are usually called hawk-boards or hawk-blocks.

Throwing the Tomahawk Of all the skills of the early frontiersman, few have the romance attached that throwing the tomahawk does. We've all seen it done with aplomb in various movies and TV shows, and it is made to seem a deadly, frequently used skill. That's probably mostly modern day imagination, because few recorded accounts of its being done in combat have come down to us. When you think of it, who would want to throw away a perfectly good weapon? We will probably never know the truth about it, but that shouldn't prevent our having a lot of fun with it. It certainly is a favorite pastime at most rendezvous, and will continue to be. Copyright © B. E. Spencer 2001 All rights reserved.

How to throw a tomahawk. The first thing you need is something to throw at. The best thing is the end of a log. The bigger the log the better, because it is easier to hit. A slice off the end of the log about one foot thick is perfect. This is known as a hawk block. If your block is not very big you should set it on something (another slice of log) so that it is off the ground. It would be good if the center of your block is about waist high. If you can't get a log, a heavy piece of lumber will do. Remember, it is easiest to stick a tomahawk in the end grain but if you have to use a piece of lumber, set it up so the grain runs up & down. Whatever you get, be sure to set it up in a safe place and somewhere that if you miss and throw past it, you won't lose your tomahawk.

Advanced Throwing Once you can consistently stick a tomahawk (or whatever weapon you started with) at one rotation, the next thing you'll do is throw with two rotations. Still using a standard tomahawk, 18 to 20 feet is the correct distance for two rotation. The only difference is the amount of strength needed since you're throwing the ax further. See also: Target construction & Basic throwing technique

Hand Axe Fighting This is a freestyle flow sequence on the hanging Cross using the Hand Axe, meant to demonstrates some of the aspects of passing and trapping using the axe, as opposed to just using basic long-range striking.

How to Throw a Tomahawk, Throwing Rules In the good old days when our brave pioneer ancestors carried long rifles with barrels made of imported horseshoe nails, the wooden stock trimmed with brass and ornamented with eagles, 'coons, deer, and other objects cut from shells and set into the wood, they also carried tomahawks. Trusty tomahawks in the leather belt which en- circled the waist and belted in the wammus--and, like their neighbors, the redskins, many of the picturesque old fellows were expert in the use of these little camp axes as weapons of offence and defense. See also: Tomahawk Axe Targets For Throwing Tomahawks & Axes

Axe, Tomahawk, & Hatchet Forum [Archive] - BladeForums.com

YouTube - Adam's sticks his first tomahawk & Andy and the Bad Axe

Two Tomahawk Sequences Last time I checked (9/2006) the images were not loading correctly. Maybe they've fixed it since then.

Tomahawk Fighting and Throwing Video Clips
Peter LaGana Action Video Clips (Courtesy of American Tomahawk) These never-before-seen video clips include a young Peter LaGana demonstrating various aspects of the Vietnam Tomahawk in close combat. They are simple techniques that WORK and that ANYONE can use effectively.

• Closing on Target (335kb)
• Combat Throwing (229kb)
• Cutting Down Your Target (218kb)
• Transitioning From Firearm to Hawk (744kb)

Tomahawk Throwing Instructional Video (1155kb)

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Flint

What Tools are Needed and How to Make Them What are the basic tools? The important tools to have are a billet, hammerstone, abrading stone and a pressure flaker. That is it! Of course, it is highly recommended to include a leather pad (one for your hand and one for your leg) and eyeglasses for protection. You will however find that as your ability grows, so does your toolbox.

Stone Age Hand Axes by W.J. Kowalski: There were no hand axes at the beginning of the Pleistocene, and none at the end, but for one million years in between this was the tool of choice for stone age man. Although ever present in stone age culture, the exact purpose and use of this tool remains a mystery. File recovered from now defunct AboTech website and converted to Onsite PDF.

FLINTKNAPPING As a Lab Deliverable in Experimental Archaeology, for our SBSC 324sl, Archaeology: From Map to Museum class, at CSUMB, we studied and participated in the production of stone tools. Our professor, Ruben Mendoza, conducted the workshop, and here is a summary of what we learned!

From Beer Bottle to Arrowhead This page describes how to knap an arrowhead out of a beer bottle bottom. This includes breaking a bottle and working with extremely sharp broken glass. See also: From Beer Bottle to Arrowhead.

Stone Tools For many years modern man has had a fascination with the amazing ability of native people ability to create tools from stones. This paper is to help those who have chosen to learn more about this incredible survival skill.

The Stokes Tool a slab working tool! This innovative tool really helped me and with Jim's permission, I want to let others know about it.

Tool Care and Maintenance help your tools last a lifetime! I live in Arizona where the climate is quite arid, even indoors. That has forced me to come up with a standardized procedure to assure that my tools will last! Here are some suggestions.

Flint Hints and Tips Tonnes of advice courtesy of Bruce Mensinger!

Tips for the Beginner by Johnny Maduzia

Countering Shock by Doug Land So you've spent the last thirty minutes completing that nice sized biface using soft hammer percussion, only to strike it in the middle to detach one last thinning flake and "whack", the biface breaks into two parts. Frustrated, you lay down your tools and take a break - pondering the mysteries of stone. Been there - done that?

My Flintknapping Kit My percussion tool Kit is very basic. I use a combination of modern (copper), and ancient (antler).

Make your own Copper Bopper Now that you have made a great billet for next to nothing, go get a few nice spalls and BUST UP some rocks!!!!

Make your own Pressure Flaker

The different types of Stone that I have worked with.. . and the results.

Tips that I have picked up that might help you out.

Cooking Rocks. A long time ago, the Natives on this Continent learned a wonderful technique. They found that many types of their favorite tool making stones were much easier to work after being heated.

Fluting Those Paleo Wonders This series of pics are a composite of work on 2 different preforms. After each of the flake removals in the first few pics, remember to clean up the little overhangs just like you do when making a biface.

Lap Knapping This page is about one of the hottest and most exciting forms of Flintknapping being done today. Lapknapping, or Lapidary Knapping, is the process of first grinding a preform into shape, and then pressure flaking it to achieve a finished point.

Making a Dalton Point arrowhead.

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