Pictures

[Shaun]

Nice photos KaliGman. Keep up the good work.

Maybe you could post a technique sequence,when you get use of your other hand,LOL.

You will be fighting fit in no time Jon.

[KaliGman]

Nice photos KaliGman. Keep up the good work.

Maybe you could post a technique sequence,when you get use of your other hand,LOL.

You will be fighting fit in no time Jon.


Hi Shaun,

Luckily, I am just about ambidextrous (except for writing). The most troublesome things right now are freezing my fingers when operating my snowblower (we've had quite a bit of snow) since I can't fit a glove over the hand with the cast/splint on, and the fact that I don't have any left handed holsters. It is possible for me to shoot with the right hand, but it is faster and easier right now for me to use my left.

I'll probably have some more photos out in awhile. I need to have some taken in regard to another possible magazine article that I plan to write, and some for an article that is being written by a Russian writer. The latter article will be in Prorez, a Russian knife magazine, and will be regarding using small knives (three inch and smaller blades) in self-defense.

I'll hope to have a new video or two out prior to posting photos, though.

[KaliGman]

During the last several weeks I have been busy coordinating some seminars and working on some photos for a magazine article. Last year I was contacted by a writer for Prorez, a Russian knife magazine, regarding being interviewed and providing photographs for an article on the use of the karambit. The article was published in the October 2008 issue of Prorez. Recently, I was again contacted, this time concerning an article which will be published in the June 2009 issue of Prorez, and which deals with small knives and their use in self-defense. I have obtained permission to post the PDF versions of the articles once they are published. The PDF of the karambit article contains some "technique series" photographs and is located here:

http://www.albokalisilat.org/magazine.html

I don't speak Russian, but have been told by some Russian speaking friends that it was a good read.

Once the next article is published in June, a PDF version will also be placed on the Albo Kali Silat website. Whatever photos are not used in the next article (we completed five separate series of photographs showing a situation from initiation of an attack, through the defense, and ending with the escape from or control of the subject), will probably be posted on the website as well, in the "Photo Gallery" section of the site.

I should start work on another article to be submitted to Black Belt fairly soon.

[arnisador]

Wish I could read it! The one knife has a very intricate blade, and I saw some kerambit variants (including the bladeless ones) I hadn't seen before.

[gagimilo]

OK, so I'll read it and providetranslation, or at least of the more interesting parts...

[gagimilo]

OK, so here are the highlights from the introductory part of the article, as I assume that KaliGman is able to provide the copy of the interview itself. Anyway, if you find some of these points interesting for further elaboration, I will translate in more detail...

Land of origin – Sumatra, under Minangkabau people. The earliest example is a statue of King Adityawarman, from XIV century.

Karambit work seems to be the quintessential feature of the Minangkabau military strategy. Story of the bullfighting (Java vs. Sumatra) – the foundation of strategic thinking: getting in close; use unexpected attacks on vulnerable spots; using weapons to compensate for natural disadvantages. Not only in karambit, but also in the martial art of silak, which according to some is the mother art of silat.

Three possible versions of purpose: last line of defense for soldiers; civilian self defense, especially favorite among the women of Sumatra and Madura; assassination tool.

Owes lasting popularity to its functional characteristics and advantages. Convenient for ripping cuts and slashes, and the ring provides for easier insertion into and retraction from the target. Also, even when small in size, it still has great effective potential.

The need for karambit did not disappear with fashion trends, which puts it among other classical designs, such as bowie, dagger and tanto. Truly functional models always continue existing, either in the original form or numerous variations

[KaliGman]

Thanks very much to Gagimilo for his efforts.

If anyone is interested, I can dig up the old emails that went back and forth between Dmitry and I in regard to the karambit article and post some of the questions and responses.

[arnisador]

Owes lasting popularity to its functional characteristics and advantages. Convenient for ripping cuts and slashes, and the ring provides for easier insertion into and retraction from the target. Also, even when small in size, it still has great effective potential.

I've heard it was common to poison the tip to make the slashes more lethal...at least in some versions of silat.

[KaliGman]

Well, some time ago Shaun asked for some technique sequences. I have done several of these for the Russian knife magazine, Prorez, for a couple of different articles. The latest series is for an article that has not been published. Once the article is published (it deals with the combative use of very large folding knives with blades 5 inches or longer), all the photos will be posted over on the Albo Kali Silat website. A PDF version of the article will go up on the site as well.

In the meantime, all of the photo series that were submitted for an article about the use of small bladed (3 inch and under in blade length) for self-defense (particularly in a winter environment and against opponents in heavy clothes) are in the process of being posted on the website. The first 3 series of photographs are already posted here:

http://www.albokalisilat.org/photos.html

Click on the series you wish to see, then click on the photo number to get the photo and the text/caption/explanation that is associated with the photo.

Prorez only used a few of the photos available, but all of them will eventually be on the website, along with the PDF version of the article.

[arnisador]

Thanks for the photo series!