JKD's Way of the Blade

by Jason Korol

Every person should carry a small knife and know how to use it for self-defense. It’s that simple. That’s the major thrust (sorry, pun intended) of JKD’s Way of the Blade. You don’t have to be a Navy SEAL to know how to correctly utilize a basic knife for your self-defense and this book will show you how. Of course, the overwhelming majority of people, when considering a weapon for self-protection, disregard the pocket knife and figure a gun is the only game in town. They do this for three primary reasons. First, Hollywood bombards us with movies where a knife wound is at best a paper-cut. Remember Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in Mr. & Mrs. Smith and how, during an epic battle with bad guys, Jolie throws a knife that hits Pitt’s character in the leg? He gives her a look and she shrugs and smiles. It’s all so funny in the movie - and then he pulls it out as though it’s just a hangnail. Then he walks off and continues killing the enemy with nary a limp. Well, that’s all nonsense and yet a big reason why so many people think a knife won’t work for self-defense. Next is the common myth that you shouldn’t bring a knife to a gunfight. That line is nearly ubiquitous in pop-culture and what makes it dangerous is that it sounds so self-evident. Well, it’s actually untrue. Sure, a knife wouldn’t do you much good if you were landing on Normandy Beach but that’s not what you’re using your knife for. You’re using it in the event of a sudden, violent encounter in a parking garage, a sexual assault and things like that. And in those environments the knife actually has considerable advantages over a gun. Think about it’s easier to carry than even the smallest sub-compact; it never runs out of ammo; it’s multi-directional. Oh, and don’t forget, it’s virtually impossible to accidentally kill someone with your knife too. Once a gun is fired, the bullet goes where it goes. You have no leadership over what that bullet does. This ought to worry any self-defender. The next mistake the book corrects is the misuse of the blade for civilian use. Bruce Lee’s Intercepting Fist method, otherwise known as Jeet Kune Do, was based heavily on fencing concepts. JKD’s Way of the Blade, therefore, takes these same simple and true principles and applies them to small knives and tactical folders. Dominant knife methods other than JKD are generally Kali based, which favors a thousand fancy moves and multiple cutting angles. But such complexity is both too dangerous (complex actions break down under stress) and contradictory to most self-defense scenarios. How can you justify cutting a guy 50 times anyway? JKD’s Way of the Blade will teach you to avoid complexity and keep you within the confines of proper moral and legal use of your weapon by showing you the same simple principles Lee taught in his empty hand method. For modern self-protection, the small knife is indispensable. JKD’s Way of the Blade will teach you everything you need to know to confidently carry and use one. You’ll learn the best and only way to hold the blade as well as the integrated footwork and cut that will keep you safe. You won’t learn a hundred different techniques you’d never use unless you were applying to Ninja school. Instead, you’ll get the single strike at the heart of the entire method. Yes - just one striking technique. That’s all you’ll need. And you’ll learn how to protect the blade from grabs too. In all, it will revolutionize the way you think about self-defense and knife work.

148 pages, Paperback

Published May 23, 2018

Reviews

[Jason E. Fort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warrior Philosopher Teaches A Cornucopia of Lessons

For starters, the author writes one of the best explanations of the right to self-defense that I've ever read. His insight into the way the mind learns physical skills, and then has to act under stress is unprecedented. And to top it all off, the clear detail in description of knife use and technique is simple, and with the addition of some well placed photos, I feel like I could teach myself what I need to know to survive a sudden violent encounter when armed with nothing but a small folding blade. If you want to know key principles in self defense and learn a little about Bruce Lee, Jeet Kun Do, and knives along the way, then read Way of the Blade NOW.

[Robert Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

Good book and philosophy however there needs to be a lot more illustrations in the book...nothing wrong with wording how things are supposed to look however a better visual representation of things would drastically helped...

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Jason Karol. In principle the idea is to use a blade in the JKD way. As usual a lot different perspectives and excursions into legal aspects, dangers and options. If you like his other books you will like this, too.

[Sandra Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Reading!

The author cuts through the nonsense, and goes straight to the heart of it. The material doesn't just apply to martial arts but to life itself.