A Dagger Through Time: WW2 & Medieval Knife Fighting Techniques

Explore six hundred years of close-quarters knife combat in a single day. This one-day seminar pairs medieval rondel dagger work with WW2-era knife and combatives, showing how technique, purpose, and mindset changed and what stayed the same. Morning — Rondel Dagger (Fiore dei Liberi) • Fundamentals of grips, guards and footwork from the medieval tradition • Key plays and counters from Fiore dei Liberi’s dagger material • Practical partner drills for timing, distance and control (armoured/unarmoured context) Afternoon — WW2 Knife Fighting & Defence • Fairbairn–Sykes principles and combative applications • Material drawn from Jonathan Styers and other wartime/early post-war sources • Practical entries, defences, and finishing actions used by WWII soldiers and operatives You’ll gain a comparative perspective on how historical context shaped technique, from the knight’s rondel to the commando’s fighting knife. Who it’s for: martial artists, HEMA practitioners, re-enactors, combatives students, and history enthusiasts. Suitable for all levels; partner work involved. Safety: Training will use replica/training knives — no live blades.