Kubotan & Short Knife
Kubotan and short knife Fighting in Armed Combat & Tactics
Compact tools like kubotans and folding knives present a unique set of challenges and opportunities in real-world combat. While small in size, these weapons require precise timing, close-range control, and an understanding of their tactical limits.
Due to laws in many regions restricting the carry of overt weapons such as long knives or tactical batons, short tools, such as tactical pens, flashlights, and other variations of the kubotan, yawara, or dulo dulo often become the focus for practitioners exploring realistic combat and self-defense contexts. While short knives (such as folding blades) are not typically classified as “self-defense tools,” we place them in the same category as kubotans within the ACT curriculum. This is because their limited effectiveness, compared to long knives, especially against heavily clothed opponents. Understanding these limits is key to training with them responsibly and effectively.
Kubotan
The kubotan (aka yawara or dulo dulo) is any small, rigid object that can be held in the fist and used for striking, thrusting, or applying pressure. In practice, this may include tactical pens, flashlights, broken branches, pieces of metal or plastic, or other improvised tools. The value of the kubotan lies in its accessibility and its ability to amplify damage at close range.
We do not treat the kubotan as a simple force multiplier. It is trained as a weapon, using ACT’s established fight algorithm. That includes all-range fighting, from long-range to clinch and even ground work. Its application is drawn from both our knife and empty-hand curriculums, which provide the tactical base for movement, timing, and decision-making.
The kubotan’s limitations (short reach, no cutting edge, reliance on precision) are acknowledged and integrated into training. Students learn to strike with intent, move decisively, and manage distance intelligently. Void entries, footwork, counter-striking, and defensive structure are all part of regular training with this tool.
Short Knife (Folding Knives)
Short-bladed knives, including folding knives, are common in daily life and frequently appear in violent encounters. Folding knives require specific considerations: deployment time, grip integrity, limited blade length, and tactical adaptation to confined range. While they lack the reach and momentum of larger knives, they can be lethal in close quarters when used with precision and decisiveness.
Training with short knives in ACT involves full-range scenarios, from sudden draws at clinch distance to committed engagements at medium or long range. The same principles apply: footwork, pressure-tested sparring, structural targeting, and use of the support hand for blocking and control. Students are trained to understand the limitations of the tool, while developing the skills needed to effectively use the short knife as a weapon, or fight against it, armed or unarmed.