# Italian knife fighting



## brokenbonz (Dec 19, 2005)

http://www.aci-ifa.org/

the above listed is a link i stubled upon while looking up martial arts of my own heritage.  The site is still in italian but apparently they should have an english version coming up soon.  It's called "Sistema Sal" (no relationships to russian systema) a martial art devoted to the preservation of the  arts of knife and stick/cane fighting along with the study of hempty hands systems.  Their teaching programs revolves around systems such as:

- Mani Libere (or "free-hands" empty hands fighting system developed mostly in southern italy, was originally called "calfi e schiaffi" or slaps and kicks, kinda like what french chausson used to be like)   
- Disarmato contro armi da punta e taglio o da botta (empty hands vs edged weapons (developed in the XV-XVII century then re-adopted in 1928-43 by the italian army)
- Scherma di daga-pugnale dei maestri d'armi (dagger fencing system of the XV century)
- Scherma di daga veneziana (venetian dagger fighting system, created by two families with two different styles : the Nicoletti and the Castellani
- Scherma di doppia daga (double dagger fencing, of venetian origins still practiced is Corsica)
- Combattimento con l'accetta o la scure (axe fighting, developed in cities like Padova and the region of Calabria)
- Scherma di coltello dell'Italia settentrionale (northern italian fighting styles)
- Scherma di coltello dell'Italia centro-meridionale (central-southern italian fighting styles)
- Scherma di coltellaccio o storta (an old military-style knife fighting system)
- Scherma di coltellaccio o storta unite a daga o pugnale (much like filipino espada y daga, on this program there is also a brief reference to the "etalonio"style and how Master Albadon incorporated it in his fiorete - sungkete eskrima system)
- Scherma di pugnale militare (military knife fighting system of WWI and WWII)
- Scherma di bastone corto (short-stick fighting styeles developed mostly in the south)
- Scherma di bastone bicipite (roman stick fighting style)
- Scherma di bastone (similar to french "la canne" walking cane fighting system)
- Scherma di bastone lungo (long stick fightings, sticks were about 90cm long)
- Scherma di bastone pugliese e siciliano (stick fencing developed in the regions of Sicily and Apulia mostly by shepperds)
- Metodi italo-stranieri, those are italian inspired knife, stick, and hempty hands systems thought to foreign countries military then developed in their respective countries, among those:

* J. Koppen - W. D. Scoffer - S. Heussler - J. D. l'Ange - Kreussler (Germany).
* F. E. Raballet e J. J. Renaud (France).
* J. G. Bruch (Holland).
* M. A. De Brea (Spain).
* Hutton (England).
* C. Blengini (Russia).
* J. Drexel Biddle e J. J. Styers (USA).
* H. Eccheri (Argentina).


I'm sure the site will be more interesting when translated but they have lotsa cool pictures.  Well if this didn't bore you enough let me know i might write some more


----------



## Nanalo74 (Dec 19, 2005)

Very cool! Thanks for the info. I can read a little Italian, but I look forward to the english version of the site.

Thanks again!

Vic www.combatartsusa.com


----------



## Matt Anderson (Dec 20, 2005)

Interesting, it's good to see this type of thing. Of course, the Italians have a long, rich martial tradition and several good manuscripts survive form various medieval and Renaissance masters. My favorite is Fiore Dei Liberi, who wrote his book "Flos Duellatorum" (the Flower of Battle) in around 1410. He lays out a very organized system of combat, both unarmed and with various weapons. I especially like his wrestling and dagger material. This and other historical manuals can be found here:

http://www.thearma.org/manuals.htm


----------



## brokenbonz (Dec 20, 2005)

Thanks again for the interest,

You're right Italy is a country once rich of many martial arts traditions, however what we know today is based on the study and interpretations of many modern "maestri".  I don't know if some of you have heard of styles such as "Nova Scrimia" and "Gladiatura Moderna".  The first is a style that revolves around old manuscripts such as Flos duellatorium and for my surprise covers both empty-hands and weapons systems.  The second is about the reconstructions of the old disciplines of the roman gladiators in a more modern settings.  Peraphs I will write about those two styles next.  You see a week ago I've got in a really bad car accident and broke some ribs and a vertebrae.  I'm supposed to be in  bed resting, and because I can't go to the GYM and practice i decided to just get on here and write my *** off.  I hope it all won't bore you too much, but if it does, feel free to come to PA and break some more of my ribs 

thanx
Mauro


----------

