Who can punch the softest?

Weston, of facetious memory, having borrowed on note the sum of five pounds, and failing in payment, the gentlman who had lent the money took occasion to talk of it in a public coffee-house, which caused Weston to send him a challenge.
Being in the field, the gentleman, a little tender in point of courage, offered [...]

Gatka Goes International

The Punjab Gatka Association is trying to popularize the Sikh martial art of Gatka by arranging for international amateur competitions, although it looks like they will be held in India. The association has been making strides to open the art up to western interest.
There are already some schools in the west, including France, Germany, Great [...]

Hey, Watch This!

Looking at this photo, you can’t help but wonder if this police officer injured himself during this photo shoot

Heroines and Guns

NY Times article on the background of (hero) SWAT Sergeant Munley, who was instrumental in stopping the Ft. Hood shooter (she filled him full of holes even though she herself took multiple hits). Remind me again why women are not allowed combat roles in the military? Anyway, If you’re curious about the weapon used by [...]

Bugei fever

If you’re near NYC between now and January 1, check out the exhibit at the Met on The Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156-1868 To learn a little about the pieces and construction of Japanese armor before you go, or to make you’re own if you’re feeling ambitious, check out this site. [...]

Quarterstaff vs. Rapiers: Peeke’s Three to One

The tale of Richard Peeke, an English sailor captured during a raid on Spanish coastal towns in 1625, was popular during his own time, but showed renewed interest during the Victorian era for Peeke’s display of manly virtue. Today, the tale is often told honoring the efficacy of the traditional quarterstaff, which, common weapon though [...]

Reach Out and Zap Someone

Reach Out and Zap Someone: The Patent History of Electric Stun Weapons
 
Zaap…zaaap-clack-clack-clack…zaaap. Just the sound and spark of an electric weapon triggers something from childhood that makes you step back when you see and hear the electricity arc through the air between the leads. The two most common forms of today’s electric "stun" technology, [...]

Myth: Canes Required Carry Permits

You may have never happened across this particular myth, and I just saw it for the first time myself, but a number of sites that discuss the history of the cane perpetuate a myth that around the early 18th century, licenses were required to carry canes in England.
There are variations on the theme, but the [...]

The Cane as a Weapon (1912)

In 1912, A.C. Cunningham published The Cane as a Weapon, which even today remains the best book I have ever seen on fighting with a cane. It is amazingly succinct and conveys what is as nearly a complete system of cane fighting as a reader could desire, all within 25 pages.

Bartitsu FAQ

This is the Frequently Asked Questions post Tony Wolf publishes every now and again for the benefit of new members to the Bartitsu Forum. I thought this would be a good introduction and a good time to spread the word because work is now underway on Volume II of the Bartitsu Compendium.
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Q – What [...]

Paper Bludgeon: the Millwall Brick

The other day I read a post on Boing Boing about constructing the Millwall Brick, which is the first I had heard of it. The Millwall (or Chelsea) Brick is an improvised weapon constructed out of rolled and folded newspaper.
The history behind the Milwall Brick is that football (soccer) hooligans, frisked at the gates, were [...]

Knife Fighting Instruction

MacHeath had a jackknife, which he kept out of sight, and used almost poetically if Bobby Darin’s description is any indication. Jim Croce gave Bad Bad Leroy Brown a .32 gun in his pocket for fun and a razor in his shoe, and he didn’t specify what Big Jim Walker carried, but a knife sounds [...]

Bartitsu: An Eclectic Edwardian Martial Art

I was involved with this project, but it was the indefatigable Tony Wolf that took the editorial reins and turned a bunch of list talk into the amazing piece of publishing that became The Bartitsu Compendium. Instead of rehashing it all here, let me quote from the sale site:

The Bartitsu Compendium is a complete guide [...]

H.G. Lang’s “Walking Stick Method of Self Defence”

While we’re tooling up, I wanted to point out some great reprints and original publications by some of our friends. Kirk Lawson did a great job on his Walking Stick Method of Self Defence reprint, down to matching both the layout and font as closely as possible.
Lang’s method is based upon Pierre Vigny’s la [...]