The Great Swordfight of Sabratha

The old axiom, "Never bring a knife to a gunfight" is far from always correct.

On Friday afternoon 40 rebels brandishing 2ft swords and scimitars spearheaded a group of 1,000 men who clashed with army troops in Sabratha, a coastal town 40 miles west of Tripoli.

It made for a bizarre spectacle. While Colonel Gaddafi has the most modern of arms at his disposal, his civilians were relying on weaponry that hadn’t been used in anger since the days of Lawrence of Arabia.

Some said the swords belonged to their grandfathers in the First World War,’ said Egyptian waiter Mahmoud El Masri, who witnessed the fighting.

‘It was a crazy sight, all these swords being wildly swung in the main street. I was hiding in a cafe but I saw them connect with the soldiers and I heard blood was spilt.

‘The men with swords were at the front of the protesters, leading them. It scared me but they are brave to take on men with guns.’


Knives or swords are extremely lethal. They don't jam or require reloading. For those unfamiliar with knives or swords, you need to realize all parts can be used in an attack. The back of the blade can shatter bones or cracked skulls. A jab with the pommel can break ribs or knock the wind out of an opponent. Blades like the scimitar or bowie with a clip point allow the user to cut on both the down stroke as well as the back stroke. A single swing of a sword or long knife (such as a bowie or my favorite, the kukri) can injure multiple opponents.

Gunshot wounds are wicked and deadly but there is something even more psychologically devastating about seeing a human being filleted in front of your eyes. Watching body parts getting lob off can send even the most combat hardened troops packing in the opposite direction.

Does that mean I will be abandoning my H&K USP Compact in favor of my kukri? Well it depends. If I think I might need to engage a target at a distance, the H&K gets the nod. However, many times carrying a firearm can present other challenges. Hiking with an open carry firearm can cause fellow hikers some concern. However, no one seems concerned about a good field knife on your belt. If circumstances allow, I would carry both and then be able to employ the best solution.

Don't let the crap on the TV and Internet fool you. Edged-weapons are still lethal in the 21st Century and may be the option for defending yourself (or leading a revolution!)