Gunting
Encyclopedia
Gunting is the component of Filipino martial arts
(such as Arnis
and Eskrima
) that focuses on destroying the opponent's ability to wield their weapon. This term derives from the word scissors in Filipino
, Malaysian
and Indonesian
. In martial arts, gunting can be done by cutting the hand or wrist with a pair of blades (hence the name), but it can also be done with a single blade or with the empty hand by striking nerve
s and tensed muscle
s.
It was first called the Escalator, and took its popular well known form when produced by the famous knife company Spyderco
as the "Gunting", and later by Cherusker Messer as the "LLC Gunting Knife" (Lapu Lapu Corto Gunting Knife). Cherusker Messer has produced many other variations including the larger Magnum size, the smaller Tusok, a Kerambit version and a neck knife version. A knife from the Gunting family is a unique folding knife because it is designed to be used for self-defense while closed.
The Gunting comes in three basic formats, the red handled drone which is to be used as a trainer, the blue handled Close Range Medium Impact Tool (CRMIPT) which is generally for law enforcement officers only the CRMIPT does not have a blade but it is a fully operational and capable tool not to be mistaken as a training tool, and the black handled fully live version which has a full blade.
The CSSD/SC system utilizes the basic FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) gunting motion with this tool to execute limb destruction's and aggressor control. If this method of defence fails the user may open the gunting and escalate their force to control the situation.
In the closed position the Gunting can be used like a small hammer thanks to its large ramp. This ramp can also be used to hook onto an attacker's limb to force open the knife as you strike resulting in what is called a Kinetic Opening. The ramp and other parts of the knife can be used for pressure point striking and small joint manipulation. Among police instructors who have endorsed this tool and Grandmaster Bram Frank is Police Sergeant and Professor of Criminal Justice Michael Weissberg.
The LLC features:
Gunting: Historic Event Award: A Historic event in Knives
Gunting: Most Innovative Edged Weapon
Gunting: Tactical Knife of the Millennium
Lapu Lapu Corto: IWA's Tactical Knife of the Year
Abaniko: Tactical Knife of the Year
Abaniko: Most Innovative Tactical Knife of the Year
The Gunting family of knives is ever expanding and sometimes Bram's terminology to describe that family of knives seems to confuse people. Bram thinks it's easiest to understand if he compares it to a biological tree: each knife evolves into another within set parameters of definition. In other words he considers the GUNTING to be a species of knife with many varieties or types within that species. This species of knives is named after Filipino actions and motions. In science they use Latin to namescientific items, and in knives and Tactical applications Bram uses Filipino terminology to show respect and to honor the Filipino Martial Arts. All the Gunting family of knives can easily do all Filipino actions and limb attacks, as well as thrusting, tip ripping, tip leading cuts, cutting, trapping, controlling and all Dumog, Arnis and pressure point control. The Gunting Family of knives have won various acclaim and awards in the USA and abroad, and are featured in many magazines over the past decade.
All Gunting style knives have the easy to recognize "BRAMP" and indexing, whether they are fixed blades or folders. the ramp is a multi function tool: guard, control piece, hand grip, balance point and leverage point to allow access and use of the tip. All have ergonomic handles designed to fit in one's hands as if doing locking, trapping, holding a Filipino weapon properly or a firearm: the bottom three fingers are the control and stabilization of the tool. All Gunting style knives whether fixed blade or folders have grabbing teeth on various points, such as on the ramp, butt, back of blade, and inside the choil area and can be used for trapping, locking or control.
All Gunting folding knives are Kinetic Openers. They possess the ability to utilize stored energy and energy in motion to open within use. There is no need to utilize the Thumb hole to open the blade, all it needs is contact: just like a turnstile, the faster you push the lever the faster it spins, the faster you hit the Kinetic Ramp the faster the knife opens.
A scissoring action between the object and the knife ramp or "a gunting motion" opens the knife. The knife attacks the limbs or does limb destruction and escalates in force from non lethal, to less than lethal to lethal and back down again further fulfilling the connotations of the name "Gunting". All Gunting knives possess Indexing: the ability to go from forward grip to reverse grip and back without taking one's hands or fingers off of the knife. There are actual indexing points to capture one's thumb and fingers to allow for circular rotation of the blade within one's grip. These points can be bearings, indents, spoon clips, and holes through and through, post in a hole or any variation on the theme.
All Gunting knives are designed to be used closed. They trap, lock, control and can be used like a ball peen hammer or a mini tomahawk or envision a mini war hammer like those used by medieval knights in armor. Like a Filipino warrior one can either rake to cut or hammer for impact with a Gunting style knife. All Gunting knives have dual liners and open backs for ease of cleaning & strength. The newest versions are all "jimped" - proud liners extending past the edge of the scales. All Gunting knives can escalate and deescalate within the force continuum: non lethal, to less than lethal to lethal and back down again to non lethal. As with all forms of Arnis the "Gunting family" of knives allows for judicious use of force and the ability to use proportional force responsibly.
Some variations:
Gunting: LLC-Lapu Lapu Corto: it's clearly a member of the Gunting family but its handle is more pistol like and it's the first Gunting to possess proud liners and my newest lock the puzzle lock. It is named after the legendary Filipino Chieftain Lapu Lapu. It has proud liners which are all "jimped" with grabbing teeth, bronze phosphor washers and great lines. It's the first with the VILL system. It comes in three sizes : mini, standard and Magnum.
Gunting: Desangut: The original Kerambit - Karambit of the Philippines. There is no such knife as the Karambit-Kerambit in the Philippines, it is the SANGUT… capable of forward cutting as well as reverse. Desangut can change from forward to reverse grip and back. Its named after the Sangut Master Edessa Ramos hence the full name Desangut.
Gunting: Tusok: the basic Gunting-LLC-Desangut modified to fit a woman's hand. It's a useful tool that has a piercing tip, cleaning finger nails, getting a splinter out, catching a thread. Tusok features a non-cutting front edge and a wicked reverses curved mini blade. A complete useful Kinetic Opening EDC. A "little poke" as Professor Presas used to call it; and sure enough it's a little poke with big results. It's the long awaited "women's answer to knives.
The Abaniko: The fixed blade Gunting on steroids and the Head of the Family tree of "Gunting Fixed blade" knives, The Abaniko is the premier tactical fixed blade for Military and LE. It cuts deeply, thrusts through steel and vest plates and doors, and traps with the best of the Gunting family of knives. This is Bram's way to pay respect to the Filipino Blade arts and the Randall family and their Model 1. The Abaniko comes in three sizes: 7inch, 5 inch and 4 inch blades.
The MAXX: a small very flat Kin-OP knife to replace the old mouse.
The Siko: a deep bellied Bowie version of the GUNTING. It is a Heavy hitter like an elbow strike and just as cutting, a serious cousin of the original Gunting.
The Eskrimador: a big bladed Tactical fighter with homage to the Presas Bolo Knife
The Guro: a Filipino Bowie blade matched with a Espada / bolo of the same beep belly bowie: a modern style Espada y Daga set.
The Rndl1: a special homage to Bo Randall and his famous Model 1 fighter...Bo Randall did Filipino knife work and loved Sumbrada.
The Gunt-a-song: a Balisong with KinOP features, indexing and twirl points
The Gunt-a -neck: a very small Gunting for reserve....
The Gunt-a-stub a very tiny Gunting neck knife slicer designed by Florian, as a tribute to Bram Frank.
Gunting Patent Information: Folding combat knife: Gunting. Publication Number: D441827. Application Number: US/29/113399. Assignees: Dragon Nails Inc. Inventor: BRAM M FRANK. Filing Date: 04 Nov 1999. Issued Date: 08 May 2001. U.S. Classifications: D22/118.
Guntings are available from cssdsc.com
Interview with Michael W. Weissberg.
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
(such as Arnis
Modern Arnis
Modern Arnis is the system of Filipino martial arts founded by the late Remy Presas as a self-defense system. His goal was to create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems...
and Eskrima
Eskrima
Eskrima is the umbrella term for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines, which emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives and other bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons...
) that focuses on destroying the opponent's ability to wield their weapon. This term derives from the word scissors in Filipino
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
, Malaysian
Malaysian language
Malaysian or Standard Malay is the official language of Malaysia and a standardized form of the Malay language of the Austronesian family. It is over 80% cognate with Indonesian and is spoken natively by over 10 million people...
and Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
. In martial arts, gunting can be done by cutting the hand or wrist with a pair of blades (hence the name), but it can also be done with a single blade or with the empty hand by striking nerve
Nerve
A peripheral nerve, or simply nerve, is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of peripheral axons . A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons. Nerves are found only in the peripheral nervous system...
s and tensed muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
s.
Spyderco Gunting Knife
The Gunting knife is a tactical folder a combat knife designed by a martial artist Grandmaster Bram Frank of Common Sense Self-Defense Street Combat (CSSDSC), a devoted student of the late Professor Remy Amador Presas.It was first called the Escalator, and took its popular well known form when produced by the famous knife company Spyderco
Spyderco
Spyderco is a Golden, Colorado, U.S.A. based cutlery company that produces knives and knife sharpeners. Spyderco introduced many features that are now common on folding knives, including the pocket clip, serrations, and the opening hole...
as the "Gunting", and later by Cherusker Messer as the "LLC Gunting Knife" (Lapu Lapu Corto Gunting Knife). Cherusker Messer has produced many other variations including the larger Magnum size, the smaller Tusok, a Kerambit version and a neck knife version. A knife from the Gunting family is a unique folding knife because it is designed to be used for self-defense while closed.
The Gunting comes in three basic formats, the red handled drone which is to be used as a trainer, the blue handled Close Range Medium Impact Tool (CRMIPT) which is generally for law enforcement officers only the CRMIPT does not have a blade but it is a fully operational and capable tool not to be mistaken as a training tool, and the black handled fully live version which has a full blade.
The CSSD/SC system utilizes the basic FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) gunting motion with this tool to execute limb destruction's and aggressor control. If this method of defence fails the user may open the gunting and escalate their force to control the situation.
In the closed position the Gunting can be used like a small hammer thanks to its large ramp. This ramp can also be used to hook onto an attacker's limb to force open the knife as you strike resulting in what is called a Kinetic Opening. The ramp and other parts of the knife can be used for pressure point striking and small joint manipulation. Among police instructors who have endorsed this tool and Grandmaster Bram Frank is Police Sergeant and Professor of Criminal Justice Michael Weissberg.
The LLC features:
- zipper like teeth on handle for better gripping and to enhance martial arts techniques
- unique strong "Puzzle lock"
- divot for switching grips
- Persian style blade
- curved handle for better fit
- triangular shaped ambidextrous thumb hole on the ramp for opening the knife
- "spoon clip"
Gunting: Historic Event Award: A Historic event in Knives
Gunting: Most Innovative Edged Weapon
Gunting: Tactical Knife of the Millennium
Lapu Lapu Corto: IWA's Tactical Knife of the Year
Abaniko: Tactical Knife of the Year
Abaniko: Most Innovative Tactical Knife of the Year
The Gunting family of knives is ever expanding and sometimes Bram's terminology to describe that family of knives seems to confuse people. Bram thinks it's easiest to understand if he compares it to a biological tree: each knife evolves into another within set parameters of definition. In other words he considers the GUNTING to be a species of knife with many varieties or types within that species. This species of knives is named after Filipino actions and motions. In science they use Latin to namescientific items, and in knives and Tactical applications Bram uses Filipino terminology to show respect and to honor the Filipino Martial Arts. All the Gunting family of knives can easily do all Filipino actions and limb attacks, as well as thrusting, tip ripping, tip leading cuts, cutting, trapping, controlling and all Dumog, Arnis and pressure point control. The Gunting Family of knives have won various acclaim and awards in the USA and abroad, and are featured in many magazines over the past decade.
All Gunting style knives have the easy to recognize "BRAMP" and indexing, whether they are fixed blades or folders. the ramp is a multi function tool: guard, control piece, hand grip, balance point and leverage point to allow access and use of the tip. All have ergonomic handles designed to fit in one's hands as if doing locking, trapping, holding a Filipino weapon properly or a firearm: the bottom three fingers are the control and stabilization of the tool. All Gunting style knives whether fixed blade or folders have grabbing teeth on various points, such as on the ramp, butt, back of blade, and inside the choil area and can be used for trapping, locking or control.
All Gunting folding knives are Kinetic Openers. They possess the ability to utilize stored energy and energy in motion to open within use. There is no need to utilize the Thumb hole to open the blade, all it needs is contact: just like a turnstile, the faster you push the lever the faster it spins, the faster you hit the Kinetic Ramp the faster the knife opens.
A scissoring action between the object and the knife ramp or "a gunting motion" opens the knife. The knife attacks the limbs or does limb destruction and escalates in force from non lethal, to less than lethal to lethal and back down again further fulfilling the connotations of the name "Gunting". All Gunting knives possess Indexing: the ability to go from forward grip to reverse grip and back without taking one's hands or fingers off of the knife. There are actual indexing points to capture one's thumb and fingers to allow for circular rotation of the blade within one's grip. These points can be bearings, indents, spoon clips, and holes through and through, post in a hole or any variation on the theme.
All Gunting knives are designed to be used closed. They trap, lock, control and can be used like a ball peen hammer or a mini tomahawk or envision a mini war hammer like those used by medieval knights in armor. Like a Filipino warrior one can either rake to cut or hammer for impact with a Gunting style knife. All Gunting knives have dual liners and open backs for ease of cleaning & strength. The newest versions are all "jimped" - proud liners extending past the edge of the scales. All Gunting knives can escalate and deescalate within the force continuum: non lethal, to less than lethal to lethal and back down again to non lethal. As with all forms of Arnis the "Gunting family" of knives allows for judicious use of force and the ability to use proportional force responsibly.
Some variations:
Gunting: LLC-Lapu Lapu Corto: it's clearly a member of the Gunting family but its handle is more pistol like and it's the first Gunting to possess proud liners and my newest lock the puzzle lock. It is named after the legendary Filipino Chieftain Lapu Lapu. It has proud liners which are all "jimped" with grabbing teeth, bronze phosphor washers and great lines. It's the first with the VILL system. It comes in three sizes : mini, standard and Magnum.
Gunting: Desangut: The original Kerambit - Karambit of the Philippines. There is no such knife as the Karambit-Kerambit in the Philippines, it is the SANGUT… capable of forward cutting as well as reverse. Desangut can change from forward to reverse grip and back. Its named after the Sangut Master Edessa Ramos hence the full name Desangut.
Gunting: Tusok: the basic Gunting-LLC-Desangut modified to fit a woman's hand. It's a useful tool that has a piercing tip, cleaning finger nails, getting a splinter out, catching a thread. Tusok features a non-cutting front edge and a wicked reverses curved mini blade. A complete useful Kinetic Opening EDC. A "little poke" as Professor Presas used to call it; and sure enough it's a little poke with big results. It's the long awaited "women's answer to knives.
The Abaniko: The fixed blade Gunting on steroids and the Head of the Family tree of "Gunting Fixed blade" knives, The Abaniko is the premier tactical fixed blade for Military and LE. It cuts deeply, thrusts through steel and vest plates and doors, and traps with the best of the Gunting family of knives. This is Bram's way to pay respect to the Filipino Blade arts and the Randall family and their Model 1. The Abaniko comes in three sizes: 7inch, 5 inch and 4 inch blades.
The MAXX: a small very flat Kin-OP knife to replace the old mouse.
The Siko: a deep bellied Bowie version of the GUNTING. It is a Heavy hitter like an elbow strike and just as cutting, a serious cousin of the original Gunting.
The Eskrimador: a big bladed Tactical fighter with homage to the Presas Bolo Knife
The Guro: a Filipino Bowie blade matched with a Espada / bolo of the same beep belly bowie: a modern style Espada y Daga set.
The Rndl1: a special homage to Bo Randall and his famous Model 1 fighter...Bo Randall did Filipino knife work and loved Sumbrada.
The Gunt-a-song: a Balisong with KinOP features, indexing and twirl points
The Gunt-a -neck: a very small Gunting for reserve....
The Gunt-a-stub a very tiny Gunting neck knife slicer designed by Florian, as a tribute to Bram Frank.
Gunting Patent Information: Folding combat knife: Gunting. Publication Number: D441827. Application Number: US/29/113399. Assignees: Dragon Nails Inc. Inventor: BRAM M FRANK. Filing Date: 04 Nov 1999. Issued Date: 08 May 2001. U.S. Classifications: D22/118.
Guntings are available from cssdsc.com
Interview with Michael W. Weissberg.