Tactical Scenario

Tactical Scenario

Self Defense Tactics – How to Read and Disarm a Knife Attack

A street hoodlum armed with a switchblade comes right at you. He stabs you but missed as you managed to sidestep to the side and grab his wrist in attempt to wrest the blade from his hand.

Uh-oh wrong move!

Grabbing the wrist of a blade wielding attacker is one of the worst self defense tactics on earth. It's definitely a BIG no-no because the offender can easily counter your action by twisting his wrist to loosen your grip, and leaving you with cuts on your hand, wrist and possibly forearm (depending on the length of the knife).

And that's not all! Just as you're grimacing in pain, the hoodlum lunges and stabs you in the chest. The outcome?

You lose…FATALITY.

Those who have played the popular video game series "Mortal Kombat", knows what I'm talking about. Now, if you wish to avoid the above scenario, then refer the following self defense tactics for reading and disarming a knife attack.

Note: These are general guidelines. You never know what those street lunatics might pull off.

(1) Very dangerous knife holding stance

When the thug in front of you is holding the knife in a stabbing position, please beware! This sort of position indicates that the guy means serious business. He's ready to stab you away using overhand motions that are likely to connect into critical areas of your body such as the upper chest, neck and even your head.

(2) Another very dangerous knife holding stance

Holding the knife tightly or attempting to conceal the knife behind his back. This stance typically indicates that the attacker is sort of reviewing you. He's probably thinking, "should I slice this bloke or not? Let me see now…"

(3) Intimidating knife holding stance

Now, if the thug is holding the blade loosely or even shifting it around his hands like in the movies, this means that he's trying to intimidate you. He's not planning on stabbing and slicing you just yet. I mean, if he really wants to hurt you, he would have given a go already instead of showing his blade holding/moving skills ala West Side Story. It is likely that the thug is inexperienced.

Self Defense Tactics for Disarming a Knife Wielding Thug

First and foremost, you should practice this drill with a buddy. Get your friend to use a rolled up magazine as a make-believe knife. Practice the following move as often as possible and don't forget to make it realistic e.g. ask your training partner to lunge and stab quickly and believably. 

Timing is important to avoid a knife attack. If you happen to face a thug who is eager to put a hole in your gut (zero chance of him backing down), then quickly side step to his knife holding side and immediately attack the back of his knee with your foot.

Kick it as hard as possible – like you're practically stomping on it. If this move is executed properly, it's very likely that he'll fall to the ground in sheer pain. After that you can do whatever you wish. Keep kicking him, kick away the weapon or just run off.

Okay look, if you need a step-by-step guide with over 100 pictures on how to execute numerous street self defense tactics and moves that can be used in real life encounters, click on this blue underlined link.

About the Author

Rob Ethrington

Would would be the effects of a 20-30 megaton tactical nuclear weapon blast on the surface of the moon?

Would would be the effects of a 20-30 megaton tactical nuclear weapon blast on the surface of the moon? For scenario, we're referring to an attack using a long range tactical nuclear ballistic missile with the intentions of destroy an enemy occupied mining and military base on the lunar surface.

The biggest concern would be whether or not the weapon would destroy, shatter, or break up the moon. If so, at what strength (megatons) would be the maximum allowable for a surface detonation to prevent such a disaster? The intention of the attack forces is to destroy the enemy forces, in order to assert control of mining operations on the moon. Damage to mining facilities and civilian casualties is also considered as part of the cost of business, in this scenario.

(I'm not planning to nuke the moon --- this is a question related to a scenario I'm studying for some fiction work)

1. 20 - 30 MT is not tactical - it is strategic. tactical nukes are 20-30 kT. In fact, the strongest nuke that was ever exploded was just 50 MT, the second strongest, the US Castle Bravo test, was at just 15 MT. In use, the strongest strategical nukes are at 1 MT, tactical nukes no longer exist.

2. No special effects. A small flash of light, a expanding huge dust cloud, which can be seen from Earth, possibly even with the naked eye. Finally you get a huge crater, if you did so on the surface of the moon or slightly below it (Like in the Sedan Test). of course a moon quake. But because there is no atmosphere, the only way for damage to spread is by radiation and by the ejecta. Because the moon is small than Earth this can mean that an extremely strong nuclear explosion, like you plan, causes less damage on the moon, than on Earth, because most damage gets vented off into space.

The moon will not break up or scatter, even if you would use a ten times stronger nuke - the moon is a huge natural satellite. The biggest impact basin on the moon is 312 km large. Such a crater requires an impact of a very large asteroid, and the equivalent yield of a nuclear weapon is much higher than any thinkable nuclear weapon. Such an impact would create major geologic disturbances, but still not destroy the moon.

When the yield is enough for destroying the moon, is hard to tell, but like I explained earlier - the limited damage radius on the moon would make it much more logical to use multiple smaller warheads.

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