Video.
Color, approx. 75 min. $39.95Fighting Folders: The Definitive Guide To Personal Defense with Tactical Folding Knives with Michael Janich
Review by Alain Burrese
Video.
Color, approx. 75 min. $39.95
Available
from Paladin Press, Gunbarrel Tech Center, 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO
80301; (303)443-7250; Fax (303)442-8741; to order call (800) 466-6868 or online
at http://www.paladin-press.com. ($5.00
P&H charge added to orders)
If
you own or carry a tactical folding knife, this video will teach you skills to
effectively use it. Michael Janich
is no stranger to the blade, having shared his knowledge in books, articles,
videos and seminars for many years now. In
this presentation, Janich shares his expertise in a clear and practical manner.
Janich
organized this tape in a logical order, starting with the criteria for a
tactical folder, moving to one handed opening techniques, carry and draw
methods, grips, and then his system of knife fighting based on Filipino knife
fighting principles.
The
section on opening tactical folders is a must for those who carry and use these
blades. Janich covers opening a
variety of styles with different opening devices.
He includes thumb openings, blade grip handle swing openings, ring finger
opening for reverse grip or ice pick grip handling and inertia openings that
don’t rely on the opening devices such as the thumb peg or Spiderco hole.
I also liked that Janich pointed out that a tactical folder can also be
carried open in a sheath during the carry and draw portion of the video.
The
latter half of the tape focuses on Janich’s system of knife fighting, and is
applicable to any blades, not just the tactical folder.
It’s broken down into the fundamentals of his system, the five angles,
pass, follow and meet. He covers de-fanging the snake as well as using your live
hand. He ends with the explanation
and demonstration of several flow drills and their benefits.
His instruction is clear and concise, and the viewer should have no
trouble learning and practicing these drills with a training partner by
following along with the tape. The viewer should also take note of the purpose of the
drills, something I’m glad Janich points out.
By
studying this tape and practicing what Janich teaches, a person will have a very
good foundation on the fundamentals of tactical folder use, and in basic
Filipino knife tactics in general. From
here, I hope to see Janich continue this instruction by teaching and
demonstrating more on how to deploy the tactical folder under various
circumstances as you see him do in a couple of the “action” sequences.
He has an advanced tactical folder tape coming out later this year, and
my advice is to get this tape now, study it, and prepare to learn from the
advanced tape when it’s released. I
know I will!
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, September 2001