I have been leading a fairbairn combatives workshop with our Hema Guild based in Northern PA Iron and Oak Historic combat guild I have been utilizing fairbairns combined writings, manuals by steyers, biddle, and applegate to deconstruct this system I've invested heavily with Bob pugil targets finding they are excellent for teaching full speed proper striking pressures without creating safety issues I have many sets of boker trainers highly recommended we have also decided on a template for a polymer smatchet demo trainer. I've even demonstrated some of the less covered techniques involving the steel brody helm for posterity. The workshops of tommy moore and at least two of his books have been instrumental for our group it's been a great feeling instilling interest and seeing return as they grasp the material and I'm glad I decided to be the one to bring this to the table i consider it to be a spiritual successor to hema/Bartitsu arts deserving of preservation and still entirely relevant today. Like you I also feel the smatchet or big knife "take the hand" tactics simply don't get enough love it's time we change that. I've had a few members of military background tell me that not only does this material remain pliable with modern standards that my movement and ability to explain it is excellent that's been liberating to hear. I am Inspired to see other brothers in the Hema community sharing the same passion!
Back in the now long defunct Battlefield Forum days, Ralph Grasso detailed a variation of the Smatchet drill. 1. Draw from cross draw up into a high point-down parry or counter cut (high Prime in Saber) 2 flip the blade into a downward backhand saber cut 3. Another saber cut, right to left 4. Finish with the driving thrust to the abdomen. The initial #1 move works VERY well against the great majority of right-hand opponents who will strike, armed or unarmed with their strong side as their opening blow.
To me, it seems much like Alfred Hutton’s saber system. If I’m right, this shouldn’t be too surprising since both Hutton and Fairbairn were hand to hand combat instructors for the British military in different eras. Great video and thanks for making these.
Fairbairn outlines the same drill in Get Tough! though when I first read it I assumed he was just illustrating isolated strikes, as in the previous chapter on the fighting knife. Makes me curious how he settled on this specific sequence for drilling, and its expected benefit in actual combat scenarios. Not being a practitioner, some of these tactical considerations escape me.
He doesn't explicitly express that these are meant to be done in a sequence, however he does combine individual actions like these earlier in both Get Tough and All in Fighting (boot stomp/knee to groin, into chin jab) and in general advocates for you to utalize these particular combinations. Especially in the case of the strikes with the pommel of the smatchet, you are never going to just hit someone once. The same is true for the cuts into the arm as theya re meant to disable their fighting ability so you might land a deeper, fatal blow. These little combinations are things that I find you will sort of be in the habit of linking with time and training. On particularly good days it can almost happen automatically.
@@rocketcityhema671 Makes sense, now that you shone some light on the thought process. Side note, Fairbairn seemed to love opening with a weapon jab to the abdomen... not unlike the Gurkhas.
So in general fencing, yes and no. The question of should I go to another opening or should I work on the same one crops up often in multiple sources and the answer is whatever makes the most sense at the time. For knife work, always drive them wide though. These weapons were not employed in anything resembling fair and thus anything resembling a tactical fight. If the defender can catch your hand, the advantage of the smatchet or knife basically goes away until you get it back. Best to make that as hard as possible to do, as well as follow your own most natural movements.
It's been said the deeper art of fencing is within the feigns timing and execution of them you must exploit a natural tendency to gaurd fairbairn teaches us to go for the hands, the face first present a threat to the eyes make something primal takeover then move in the primary method of killing is the thrust which very closely mimics the forms present in saber the second model fairbairn incidentally has design elements meant to be manipulated like a fencing foil a thrust must be accompanied with a preceeding attack a diversionary wound as applegate one of his students would outline in his writings (kill or or be killed) the thrust stood a high chance of being deflected by someone attuned to CQC if extended without that opening slash to eyes or opener to break structure. The knife employed from subterfuge and the knife in play must be approached differently. The big knife has a powerful advantage in both reach and mass they are capable of ending an engagement by shattering the bones of the wrist with blunt trauma some of the finest so called fighting knives take on a long knife or large bowie pattern this take the hand method is documented within Biddle's manual interstingly before a standardized fighting knife was decided upon a soldiers companion could have very likely been a large bayonet such as the 1903 we see a lot of military saber transition within this system. A true smatchet was touted as an ultimate amalgam of chopping tool and large combat steel an implement always depicted for chopping men down manuals indicate it would disable hands at the wrist work it's way in and either be used to run through or bash in the face of the enemy with more typical all in grappling it is a leaf shaped bowie of sorts people well studied in those will typically begin the fight with the bill outwards the smatchet expands on this cutting both ways very efficiently.
This is all cool except I shot you several times from 20 yards away. Shame on you for bringing a knife to a gun fight. Just kidding great demonstration! Thank you for the upload.
I have been leading a fairbairn combatives workshop with our Hema Guild based in Northern PA Iron and Oak Historic combat guild I have been utilizing fairbairns combined writings, manuals by steyers, biddle, and applegate to deconstruct this system I've invested heavily with Bob pugil targets finding they are excellent for teaching full speed proper striking pressures without creating safety issues I have many sets of boker trainers highly recommended we have also decided on a template for a polymer smatchet demo trainer. I've even demonstrated some of the less covered techniques involving the steel brody helm for posterity. The workshops of tommy moore and at least two of his books have been instrumental for our group it's been a great feeling instilling interest and seeing return as they grasp the material and I'm glad I decided to be the one to bring this to the table i consider it to be a spiritual successor to hema/Bartitsu arts deserving of preservation and still entirely relevant today. Like you I also feel the smatchet or big knife "take the hand" tactics simply don't get enough love it's time we change that. I've had a few members of military background tell me that not only does this material remain pliable with modern standards that my movement and ability to explain it is excellent that's been liberating to hear. I am Inspired to see other brothers in the Hema community sharing the same passion!
Back in the now long defunct Battlefield Forum days, Ralph Grasso detailed a variation of the Smatchet drill. 1. Draw from cross draw up into a high point-down parry or counter cut (high Prime in Saber) 2 flip the blade into a downward backhand saber cut 3. Another saber cut, right to left 4. Finish with the driving thrust to the abdomen.
The initial #1 move works VERY well against the great majority of right-hand opponents who will strike, armed or unarmed with their strong side as their opening blow.
Most excellent, thank you for sharing
Interesting... I've been playing with these kinds of short combinations and seeing how they cross over to different weapons.
I find it incredibly fun, and while it borders anacronistic and frog DNA, these principles have existed since an Ape made a pointy rock.
Atlanta Cutlery/ Windlass sell reproduction smatchets. I first noticed them as a bushcraft big blade.
I'd assume the cut 2 is called the sabre cut in reference to Hungarian fencing.
Possibly, but alternatively you see the No.2 favored in Cavalry exercise across the board.
To me, it seems much like Alfred Hutton’s saber system. If I’m right, this shouldn’t be too surprising since both Hutton and Fairbairn were hand to hand combat instructors for the British military in different eras. Great video and thanks for making these.
it will also be quite effective as a throwing weapon
Fairbairn outlines the same drill in Get Tough! though when I first read it I assumed he was just illustrating isolated strikes, as in the previous chapter on the fighting knife. Makes me curious how he settled on this specific sequence for drilling, and its expected benefit in actual combat scenarios. Not being a practitioner, some of these tactical considerations escape me.
He doesn't explicitly express that these are meant to be done in a sequence, however he does combine individual actions like these earlier in both Get Tough and All in Fighting (boot stomp/knee to groin, into chin jab) and in general advocates for you to utalize these particular combinations. Especially in the case of the strikes with the pommel of the smatchet, you are never going to just hit someone once. The same is true for the cuts into the arm as theya re meant to disable their fighting ability so you might land a deeper, fatal blow. These little combinations are things that I find you will sort of be in the habit of linking with time and training. On particularly good days it can almost happen automatically.
@@rocketcityhema671 Makes sense, now that you shone some light on the thought process. Side note, Fairbairn seemed to love opening with a weapon jab to the abdomen... not unlike the Gurkhas.
Doesn’t the enemy expect you to hit the right then left shouldn’t you do right right right or left left left instead of right left left right
So in general fencing, yes and no. The question of should I go to another opening or should I work on the same one crops up often in multiple sources and the answer is whatever makes the most sense at the time. For knife work, always drive them wide though. These weapons were not employed in anything resembling fair and thus anything resembling a tactical fight. If the defender can catch your hand, the advantage of the smatchet or knife basically goes away until you get it back. Best to make that as hard as possible to do, as well as follow your own most natural movements.
@@rocketcityhema671 you should watch the old German dude showing people how to fight they looked at everything and made it better
@@rocketcityhema671 fairbairn
Kick to the left nut then the right nut then knee to the head then stomp up and down like in any decent early cartoon. The ACME way of the coyote.
It's been said the deeper art of fencing is within the feigns timing and execution of them you must exploit a natural tendency to gaurd fairbairn teaches us to go for the hands, the face first present a threat to the eyes make something primal takeover then move in the primary method of killing is the thrust which very closely mimics the forms present in saber the second model fairbairn incidentally has design elements meant to be manipulated like a fencing foil a thrust must be accompanied with a preceeding attack a diversionary wound as applegate one of his students would outline in his writings (kill or or be killed) the thrust stood a high chance of being deflected by someone attuned to CQC if extended without that opening slash to eyes or opener to break structure. The knife employed from subterfuge and the knife in play must be approached differently. The big knife has a powerful advantage in both reach and mass they are capable of ending an engagement by shattering the bones of the wrist with blunt trauma some of the finest so called fighting knives take on a long knife or large bowie pattern this take the hand method is documented within Biddle's manual interstingly before a standardized fighting knife was decided upon a soldiers companion could have very likely been a large bayonet such as the 1903 we see a lot of military saber transition within this system. A true smatchet was touted as an ultimate amalgam of chopping tool and large combat steel an implement always depicted for chopping men down manuals indicate it would disable hands at the wrist work it's way in and either be used to run through or bash in the face of the enemy with more typical all in grappling it is a leaf shaped bowie of sorts people well studied in those will typically begin the fight with the bill outwards the smatchet expands on this cutting both ways very efficiently.
This is all cool except I shot you several times from 20 yards away. Shame on you for bringing a knife to a gun fight.
Just kidding great demonstration! Thank you for the upload.
Thank you for watching
There is a 21 foot rule for example !