Some information about the Gunting Knife

[DoctorB]

Originally posted by Red Blade
I think that EVERYONE in EVERY Modern Arnis Thread knows that Guro Bram will be at your Symposium!


Can you say "Informercial"?

Red Blade,

Not "everyone" knows about the Symposium! I have two private e-mails that I answered this morning regarding the event and that would also mean that "everyone" is not aware that Master Bram Frank will be a presenter.

The greater pupose of my post and opening a new thread was to provide information regarding the growing awareness in Europe as well as police and military circles about the Gunting Knife. I happen to consider the knife to be the best and most innovative tactical folding knife on the market today. It has blunt instrument, joint-locking and cutting utilization properties. All other tactical folding knives possess only properties 1 and 3. The highly unique kinetic opening feature is a major innovation in folding knives. I really like this tool and I have added it to my "hand tools for self defense" seminar program.

I have been teaching the hand tools seminar since 1986 and the Gunting is the only knife that I have ever used in the program. Prior to the Gunting coming on the market, the hand tools were the pocket/palm stick and the kubaton keychain. Obviously folding knives were available to me, if I chose to use one. However, none of them before the Gunting gave me the ability to teach a full force continuim program.

I am going to continue to posting new information about the Gunting, even after the Symposium is history, because it is a wonderful self defense tool. I have not and will not give up my instruction in the uses of the pocket/palm stick and kubaton keychain. They are very useful tools and particularly for those who do not want to carry or use a knife. The Gunting gives me another tool and one does not have to go toward immediate lethality with it, hence my appriciation for the tool.

BTW, you might want to read my essay on the Kubaton Keychain that was printed in volume 4, number 4 of the Filipino Martial Arts Magazine. I would more than happy to conduct a "Hand Tools for Self Defense" seminar for you or any other members of this forum.
Just drop me a line at <[email protected]> to start the process. (Now that is a commercial announcement!)

Jerome Barber, Ed.D.

 

[DoctorB]

Originally posted by Red Blade
quote: It is matter that is centered on 2 major points, personality and martial arts skills. Have you been able to indentify anyone who has both in ample abundance to make you feel that you could/ would support their use of the title?

There has been a lot of talk about titles and rank, but in the end doesn't all come down to ability? The titles and rank are paper oriented, but ability is both demonstrated and apparent when viewed by others. My goal for the 2003 Symposium is to give all of the instructors the opportunity to demonstate their Modern Arnis ability regardless of rank and title. There will be a good number of conversations, there will be time to discuss the similarities and differences in approaches, but the telling differences will be in ability and presentation. That is part of the reason that I invited MTB to be on the program - in short to show us that the title has been earned based on ability and not merely to disable an insulting association with a personal action. My invitation was genuine and I accept MTB's decision to decline as genuine, as well.

Jerome Barber, Ed.D.

quote: This is one of the major reasons why I propsed and have worked to establish the 2003 Modern Arnis Symposium. Let's bring people together, face to face, so that we can talk about standards, compare and contrast individual stylistic movements. And I submit that **there is** an emperical way to prove ones Modern Arnis skills. Since we are going to have eleven (11) Modern Arnis instructors taking the floor during the combined 51 hours of training at the Symposium, everyone in attendance will have the opportunity to do some serious side by side comparisons. Then you can judge for yourselves who has the greater Modern Arnis skill levels from those who are not as skilled.

Well, my Friend, Red Blade,

Unless I have become somewhat retarded in my reading skills, both of these quotes, even though taken out of context, do not indicate any intention on my part to make anyone the "king", even for a day!

I did write the following:

"There has been a lot of talk about titles and rank, but in the end doesn't all come down to ability? The titles and rank are paper oriented, but ability is both demonstrated and apparent when viewed by others. My goal for the 2003 Symposium is to give all of the instructors the opportunity to demonstate their Modern Arnis ability regardless of rank and title."

What is untruthful about that statement? You have taken the comments out of context. This quote was refering to a discussion about people using the title "professor" in Modern Arnis. Why didn't you include that important piece of information? You did not slander me, but you tried to take my words and turn them into something that was not even close to my intentions within the context of the thread being engaged in at that time.

I also did write the following:

"This is one of the major reasons why I propsed and have worked to establish the 2003 Modern Arnis Symposium. Let's bring people together, face to face, so that we can talk about standards, compare and contrast individual stylistic movements."

That clearly falls under the ideas of "sharing", "comparing",
"contrasting" and "exchanging". These are the essential qualities of a symposium! The operative word in that last sentence is "WE". Where does that make me the wannabe
"king-maker"?

Why not focus on the people presenting. Have you worked with all ot them? Do you have any ideas about what they actually have done with their versions of Modern Arnis? BTW, would you like to be the twelth presenter? I do have an opening in the schedule! Of course we woud have to have your real name and background information! Are you ranked at Lakan Tatlo or above? Unfortunately, it is probably too late to include you in
the national magazine pre-Symposium write-up, but we would certinly get you into the post-Symposium write-up.

Jerome Barber, Ed.D.

 

[Dan Anderson]

Originally posted by DoctorB
Well, my Friend, Red Blade,

BTW, would you like to be the twelth presenter? I do have an opening in the schedule! Of course we woud have to have your real name and background information! Are you ranked at Lakan Tatlo or above? Unfortunately, it is probably too late to include you in
the national magazine pre-Symposium write-up, but we would certinly get you into the post-Symposium write-up.

Jerome Barber, Ed.D.

Red,
Jump on it! This will be a great oppertunity for one and all!

Yours,
Dan Anderson

 

[bloodwood]

Well, my Friend, Red Blade,

BTW, would you like to be the twelth presenter? I do have an opening in the schedule! Of course we woud have to have your real name and background information! Are you ranked at Lakan Tatlo or above? Unfortunately, it is probably too late to include you in
the national magazine pre-Symposium write-up, but we would certinly get you into the post-Symposium write-up.

Jerome Barber, Ed.D.

Just setting the record straight.
The following quote is from Sensei Muhammad's web site. It makes no mention of any rank higher than Lakan.

On July 22, 2001, Sensei Muhammad tested for an received his Lakan Guru Black Belt in Modern Arnis under the late Grandmaster Remy Presas.

 

[DoctorB]

Originally posted by bloodwood

Just setting the record straight.
The following quote is from Sensei Muhammad's web site. It makes no mention of any rank higher than Lakan.

On July 22, 2001, Sensei Muhammad tested for an received his Lakan Guru Black Belt in Modern Arnis under the late Grandmaster Remy Presas.

Thanks for the clarification, Bloodwood.

On the other hand, I should mention that Muhammad Sensei is also a certified instructor in Parker & Tracy Kenpo, Gracie Jiu-jitsu and Sayoc Kali.

I think that he brings quite a bit to the table. In addition he signed on early in the process... the fifth person to volunteer to be an instructor... at that point in time there was no criteria other than interest to teach at the event. I will not remove anyone who volunteered from ther instructors list. That was the implicate agreement at the begining of drawing the program together. I made a promise to those people and I have kept it! The withdrawls were also self directed with no pressure or threats from me.

Just keeping the full record straight.

Jerome Barber, Ed.D.

 

[Red Blade]

Been working a lot. I'll post in a couple days.

 

[norshadow1]

Originally posted by Red Blade


The other problem I have is that Dr. B has said that this event will give people the opportunity to prove whether or not they are worthy of the rank or titles that Professor awarded them.

Food for thought--

Red Blade,

While waiting for you to respond to several posts, I have lunching on the 'food for thought' that you provided above. Then I re-read your quotation from DocB which was as follows, in part:

"There has been a lot of talk about titles and rank, but in the end doesn't all come down to ability? The titles and rank are paper oriented, but ability is both demonstrated and apparent when viewed by others. My goal for the 2003 Symposium is to give all of the instructors the opportunity to demonstate their Modern Arnis ability regardless of rank and title. There will be a good number of conversations, there will be time to discuss the similarities and differences in approaches, but the telling differences will be in ability and presentation"

As I read this quote, I failed to see where or how DocB has said that he or anyone else would be determining if people were worthy of the rank that Professor gave them. He has stated that rank certificates are merely paper items (my paraphrase). He has stated that the Symposium will give all of the instructors an opportunity "...to demonstrate their Modern Arnis abilty regardless of rank and title."

Why are you and some others seemingly so frightened by the prospect of trained martial artists being judged on their demonstrated abilities wihin the art? The man NEVER said:

"that this event will give people the opportunity to prove whether or not they are worthy of the rank or titles that Professor awarded them."

Those are YOUR words! DocB is saying something totally different. He does not care what rank or title someone has been awarded. He is looking to see what their actual ability level is without any regard for the rank held within the IMAF or issued by Professor. The very key word in DocB's statement is "regardless" and that puts the burden squarely on the people taking center stage to teach at the Symposium. This is exactly why a number of invited persons declined their invitations. They were going to have to operate outside of the friendly confines of their close circle of freinds and supporters.

Red, we are all in the business of testing ourselves within the arts. In the pure art form of the "do" tradition, studying the art was intended to test ones self against one's own fears/doubts.
As our abilities improve, we should be reducing the "angst" and ultimately emerge as a "free and confident person". We should be able to use our martial arts training in every aspect of our lives to improve ourselves as we deal with others.

At it's heart and soul Modern Arnis is a combat art and not a "do".
If people are going to be afraid to step forward and compare their skills to those of others, then the true purpose of the training has been lost. In following the symposium thread, no one ever issued a "challenge to fight or engage in combat." What was offered was a chance for any number of people to come together and share their ideas and impressions of Modern Arnis. The requires that one must be willing to have their skills and abilities compared with those of other instructors. A number of so called leaders of Modern Arnis totally declined to accept the invitation to participate. I have noticed that DocB, Does Not spend any time or posts commenting on those people! He is acting in a positive and forward mode. He is focusing totally on the people who will be at the Modern Arnis Symposium.

You have questioned his abilities with your comment about being an "armchair arnisador" yet his response was actually quite positive and non-confrontational. He offered to meet you for breakfast, conversation and to be your training partner for the morning session at the WMAA Camp. A very nice gesture. He did not have to do either.

Skill and ability are the name of the game. Titles are nice, certificates are for displaying on walls, but in the end, when we go to martial arts schools, seminars, camps, tournaments and symposiums, it is the ability of the instructors that we focus on. Why spend your money on someone who is marginally skilled when a better more knowledgable instructor is available. The upcoming Modern Arnis Symposium is a talent show. The people willing to step forward to teach are confident, self assured indiviuals who accepted a challenge and opportunity. They love their art - Modern Arnis - and they are going to be in Buffalo, NY on July 11, 12 & 13, 2003 to have fun, share, exchange and learn from one another. My hat is off to all of the instructors who are scheduled to be at the Modern Arnis Symposium.

I hope that you get there.

Lamont

 

[BRAM]

I hope that in sharing my experience in Modern Arnis I help others to see what their intructors have said all along. Sometimes it takes another to say the same thing to register.
Prof used to tell me that alot..
I use the Gunting to teach Sinawali Concepts...as directed by Prof Presas.
I look forward to learning from others..
gunting protos & fixed blades are up on www.gunting-museum.com
and there's open forum & discussion on Guntings on www.CSSDSC.com

I thank all of you for allowing discussion or mention of the Gunting.
Thank yu Dr Barber for all your support and belief in the tool..and the Modern Arnis behind it..
I thank all of you that like Datu Kelly and myself who teach agencies, military and LEO's the use of ANY version or derivative of Modern Arnis..

be safe

Bram

 

[DoctorB]

Originally posted by BRAM
I hope that in sharing my experience in Modern Arnis I help others to see what their intructors have said all along. Sometimes it takes another to say the same thing to register.
Prof used to tell me that alot..
I use the Gunting to teach Sinawali Concepts...as directed by Prof Presas.
I look forward to learning from others..
gunting protos & fixed blades are up on www.gunting-museum.com
and there's open forum & discussion on Guntings on www.CSSDSC.com

I thank all of you for allowing discussion or mention of the Gunting.
Thank yu Dr Barber for all your support and belief in the tool..and the Modern Arnis behind it..
I thank all of you that like Datu Kelly and myself who teach agencies, military and LEO's the use of ANY version or derivative of Modern Arnis..

be safe

Bram

Hello Bram,

It is always my pleasure to mention the Gunting Tools at every opportunity that I get. I really believe in the tool and it is the most innovative tactical folding knife on the market today. I like the force continuim features that are an intergal part of the design and that feature actually allows some people to feel more confortanble about carrying a knife for self defense purposes, because cutting is not the first or only option that one has with the Gunting.

I believe that the Modern Arnis and Small Circle Jiu-jitsu concepts that are at the heart of the Gunting usage as quite sound. The thing that baffles me some what is why so few Modern Arnis people seem inclined to at least try using the knife - of course I mean working with the training drone. My last three calls for seminars have come from Kenpo and JKD instructors.

As for the military-LEO training aspect that has been mentioned in several posts, I have done that type of training, but I really enjoy teaching females how to protect themselves in the civilian world. Military people work in small to large groups and have a mutual support format. LEO's have the ability to call for and quickly get help; civilians are generally on their own for a significant amount of time before any police help arrives, therefore, I am happiest when the students that I have trained, successfully escape from harm. That has happened a number of times for my current and former students.

Jerome Barber, Ed.D.