Knife Disarm

SubFamily

ナイフディスアーム(Naifu Disuāmu)

Transliteration

Translation: knife disarm

Overview

The Knife Disarm subfamily covers techniques for removing a knife from an attacker's hand, typically through wrist locks, leverage strips, or impact techniques that force the hand open. ^[1] Knife disarms are among the most difficult and dangerous techniques in self-defence because they require the defender to maintain control of the weapon hand while executing a precise mechanical action to strip the weapon. ^[1],[2] All knife disarm techniques accept that the defender may sustain cuts during the engagement, and prioritise securing the weapon hand above all else. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Blade Disarm^[1]Knife Strip^[2]Edged Weapon Disarm^[3]

Used in

Krav Maga Eskrima Silat Hapkido

History & Origin

Knife disarm techniques have been practised in martial arts for centuries, with Filipino martial arts, Japanese jujutsu, and Krav Maga offering the most developed systems. ^[1] Modern military and law enforcement training continues to refine knife disarm methodology through force-on-force testing. ^[2],[3]

Effectiveness

Knife disarms remove the weapon from the attacker's hand using leverage and control techniques. ^[1]

Lineage

Knife disarms are taught in Krav Maga and Filipino martial arts. ^[1]

Competition Record

A self-defence technique. ^[1]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Preventing or reducing the effect of an incoming attack through physical interception, evasion, or structural positioning

Joints Involved — Varies by defence type — blocks use arms/shins, evasions use head/body movement, sprawls use hips

Force Vector — Opposing or tangential to the attack — either absorbing, redirecting, or evading the incoming force

Defensive Principle — Economy of motion — the best defence uses minimal movement to neutralise the maximum threat

Position & Entry

From fighting stance (under fire) — Bring both hands to the head, elbows tight, tuck the chin — absorb the flurry while protecting vital targets

As emergency defence — When overwhelmed by volume, shell up in the cover position until the opponent pauses

Videos

Transition CRT

Systema: how to disarm a knife?

Knife Disarm·Transition CRT

For more information, questions or training requests please contact is on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Transitio…

Master Wong

How to disarm a knife in your back!

Knife Disarm·Master Wong

How to disarm a knife in your back! How to disarm a knife and to disarm a knife attack, is essential to learn to disab…

2 videos

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Extreme9/10

Weapon defence scenarios involve lethal threats; failure risk is catastrophic

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Expert

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

— Unified MMA — Legal defensive technique

Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF

— IBJJF — Legal

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— IJF — Legal defensive action

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

WBC/Boxing — Legal {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}

— WKF — Legal

WKF Competition Rules 2024PDF

— WT — Legal

WT Competition Rules 2024PDF

Training Notes

✓Knife disarm removes the weapon from the attacker's grip — this is the highest-risk, last-resort technique in knife defence (Fairbairn, Get Tough!, 1942)

✓Disarms should only be attempted after the weapon hand is already controlled — never go directly for a disarm against an uncontrolled knife

✓The primary disarm method: secure two-on-one wrist control, then leverage the knife out by attacking the weak point of the grip (the thumb side)

✓Peel the knife toward the attacker's thumb — the thumb is the weakest point of any grip

✓Strip disarm: pin the weapon hand against a hard surface (wall, ground, your body) and strip the knife away

✓Rotational disarm: twist the wrist against the joint to force the hand open — this combines pain compliance with mechanical leverage

✓After disarming, immediately create maximum distance with the weapon or disable the attacker — a disarmed attacker may have a second weapon

✓In military combatives, the disarm is followed by using the weapon against the attacker — in civilian self-defence, the disarm is followed by escape

Common Mistakes

!Attempting to disarm without first securing the weapon hand — the disarm is the final step, not the first

!Reaching for the blade instead of the hand — always work the wrist and hand; never touch the blade

!Attempting complex disarm techniques under stress — simple, gross-motor disarms work better under adrenaline

!Disarming and then losing the weapon — secure the knife or throw it far away; don't fumble it

!Not following up after the disarm — the attacker is still a threat; create distance immediately

!Training disarms only against static holds — drill against dynamic, resisting attacks

!Over-focusing on disarm techniques instead of escape — if you can escape, escape; disarm only when you can't

Related Techniques

Counter-Attack — offensive follow-up that capitalizes on successful defence

Counter Techniques

Timing — attack when the defence is recovering or between movements Feint — use deception to create openings in the defensive structure Angle Change — attack from an unexpected angle that the defence does not cover

Setup Chain

1Anticipate the Attack — read the opponent's intention through body cues

2Execute Defence — apply the specific defensive technique with proper timing

3Recover Stance — return to a balanced fighting position immediately

4Counter or Disengage — capitalize on the opening or create safe distance

Sources & References

Primary Source

Boxing (Edwin Haislet, 1940)

1BookBoxing (Dempsey, 1950)

Alias sources — [1] The S.P.E.A.R. System (Blauer, 2003) [2] Complete Guide to Krav Maga (Killebrew, 2007) [3] The Filipino Martial Arts (Inosanto, 1980)

2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault (Lichtenfeld & Yanilov, 2001)

3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention

Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities

4CitationBoxing (Dempsey, 1950)

Alias sources — [1] The S.P.E.A.R. System (Blauer, 2003) [2] Complete Guide to Krav Maga (Killebrew, 2007) [3] The Filipino Martial Arts (Inosanto, 1980)

5CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault (Lichtenfeld & Yanilov, 2001)

Community

Athletics

Requires

reaction speed, structural body mechanics, defensive awareness

Favours

quick reflexes and conditioned defensive surfaces

Key muscles

varies — forearms (blocking), legs (movement), core (stability)

Sub-techniques

Standard Knife Disarm

Genus

The Standard Knife Disarm secures the attacker's weapon hand with both hands, then applies a wrist lock or leverage strip to force the knife from the attacker's grip. [1] The disarm typically involves trapping the weapon hand, applying a wrist twist that forces the hand open, and stripping the knife while maintaining control of the attacker's arm. [1,2] The disarm must be followed by creating distance with the weapon or disabling the attacker, as the situation remains dangerous until the threat is fully neutralised. [2,3]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I practice knife disarms with a rubber training knife or a real knife?

Transition CRT recommends training with a real, sharp knife rather than rubber training knives. While rubber knives are good for speed work, training with a real knife creates the psychological adjustment needed for an actual self-defense situation—using only rubber knives your whole life can create a large psychological gap if you ever face a real blade.

How do I disarm a knife without cutting myself on the blade?

Transition CRT advises placing your hand on the flat side of the blade rather than grabbing the sharp edge, since the flat side is not sharp and won't cut you. You then use lever construction and wrist manipulation to control the knife without pulling directly, allowing you to stroke the weapon out of the attacker's hand.

What should I focus on when practicing knife disarms?

According to Transition CRT, practice very slowly and very accurately to avoid injuring yourself during training. Safety must come first, since if you injure yourself during practice, you'll be in an even more difficult position if you need to defend yourself in a real situation.

Is disarming always the best option when someone has a knife?

Transition CRT emphasizes that you should try to evade the situation instead of engaging someone who has a knife, with disarming as only a last resort before striking becomes necessary.

How does the Knife Disarm work?

The Knife Disarm subfamily covers techniques for removing a knife from an attacker's hand, typically through wrist locks, leverage strips, or impact techniques that force the hand open. Knife disarms are among the most difficult and dangerous techniques in self-defence because they require the defender to maintain control of the weapon hand while executing a precise mechanical action to strip the weapon.

Where does the Knife Disarm come from?

Knife disarm techniques have been practised in martial arts for centuries, with Filipino martial arts, Japanese jujutsu, and Krav Maga offering the most developed systems. Modern military and law enforcement training continues to refine knife disarm methodology through force-on-force testing.

Is the Knife Disarm legal in competition?

Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal; IJF: legal — Legal defensive action; WBC/Boxing: legal — Legal; WKF: legal — Legal; WT: legal — Legal

How dangerous is the Knife Disarm?

Danger rating 9/10. Extreme — weapon defence scenarios involve lethal threats; failure risk is catastrophic

How do I set up the Knife Disarm?

The standard setup chain: Anticipate the Attack → Execute Defence → Recover Stance → Counter or Disengage.

How do I defend against the Knife Disarm?

Standard counters include: Timing — attack when the defence is recovering or between movements / Feint — use deception to create openings in the defensive structure / Angle Change — attack from an unexpected angle that the defence does not cover.

What are the variants of the Knife Disarm?

Common variants: Standard defence (primary defensive technique from the most common position); Reactive defence (triggered by the opponent's attack, minimal movement for …); Proactive defence (anticipating the attack and positioning to neutralise it …); Counter defence (using the defensive movement to create an immediate count…).

How effective is the Knife Disarm in competition?

A self-defence technique.

What are common mistakes when doing the Knife Disarm?

Top errors to watch for: Attempting to disarm without first securing the weapon hand — the disarm is the final step, not the first / Reaching for the blade instead of the hand — always work the wrist and hand; never touch the blade / Attempting complex disarm techniques under stress — simple, gross-motor disarms work better under adrenaline / Disarming and then losing the weapon — secure the knife or throw it far away; don't fumble it.

What are other names for the Knife Disarm?

The Knife Disarm is also known as Naifu Disuāmu, Blade Disarm, Knife Strip, Edged Weapon Disarm.

knife disarm naifu disu mu defence weapon defence knife defence krav maga eskrima silat hapkido aikido systema blade disarm knife strip edged weapon disarm