When you look at different knife schools (Italian, Spanish, Canarian, Latin American, Russian), it seems as if they are isolated phenomena. But if you line up the chronology, it becomes clear that all these schools were born from the same logic, the logic of survival in conditions where the state was either absent or hostile.
Below is a historical comparison of the systems that became the pinnacle of applied training.
The Sicilian Knife School (Palermo): the roots of Mafia Europe. Formative period: 14th–17th centuries
For centuries, Sicily lived under constant pressure from conquerors—the Spanish, the French Angevins, the Arabs, and the Normans. Power changed hands faster than the climate, so the law often seemed like something external and unreliable. The knife, however, remained an accessible and familiar tool, which gradually became a means of protection and influence.
The historical logic of the school
In Sicily, the knife has always been an extension of craftsmanship: fishermen, tanners, butchers, and other craftsmen used it daily. The technique was developed from everyday movements. This made it natural. Sicilian clans taught knife skills to their children as if it were the alphabet.
Criminal principle
The Sicilian mafia values silence, secrecy, and precision. Neighbors, witnesses, and security guards can hear a gunshot, but only the intended victim can hear a knife.
Specifics
- Working at close range
- Cuts to the neck, face, and stomach are characteristic areas that served as a kind of “signature” in the local tradition.
- A blow in Sicily is not just an action. The area of the blow is not just anatomy, it is a message.
The Andalusian School of Navah (Spain): honor as law. Period: 17th–19th centuries
Spain at that time was deeply divided: bandoleros, blood feuds, dueling traditions, and ancestral revenge formed the cultural backdrop. The navaja, a long folding knife, became a semi-legal weapon: it was officially banned, but practically no one surrendered it, so it remained a part of everyday life and conflict everywhere.
The historical logic of the school
Street duels with navajas were a kind of ritual. It resembled fencing, but was more brutal and devoid of sporting ethics: blows were accompanied by sweeps, tricks, and feints.
Each action had the structure of a “sigillum” — a sign of honor or, conversely, dishonor, which gave the duel an almost symbolic meaning.
Criminal principle
In the Andalusian tradition, beauty and expressiveness of a strike are more important than speed. And the Spaniard valued style as much as the result.
Specifics
- A long folding navaja is the main weapon of the school.
- The dueling distance is medio, allowing for a combination of body and footwork with control of space.
- There is a strong “theatrical” component: deception with the eyes, body, and cloak, creating illusions and false lines of attack.
Canarian Island School of Knife and Razor: a fusion of stick, razor, and street. Period: 18th–20th centuries
For centuries, the Canary Islands have been a crossroads of sea routes, a place where sailors, dockworkers, smugglers, and slum dwellers met. This cultural and criminal mix has shaped a unique tradition of knife and razor fighting.
The historical logic of the school
The basis of the future school was juego del palo, a form of stick fighting that provided the foundation for stances and trajectories. Later, the razor was added to the arsenal—an easily concealed and accessible tool used by dockworkers and street barbers. The fusion of these traditions gave rise to a mobile, dynamic, “circular” technique.
Criminal principle
The main principle of the Canarian school is that maneuvering is more important than striking. The fighter strives to avoid a direct line of attack, working in an arc, encircling, constantly shifting position, and throwing the opponent off balance.
Specifics
- The razor is the main tool.
- The knife is used for close, “closed” combat.
- The rhythm of the steps plays a key role: the school literally “dances” murder.
Latin American schools (Colombia, Mexico, Cuba): knives as a symbol of social status. Period: 20th century – present day
Latin American barrios and slums have formed a unique environment where constant confrontation between gangs and the police, poverty, and street hierarchies have created their own language of violence. Here, a knife is not a school. It is a way of life.
The historical logic of school
In these areas, training is rarely associated with coaches or schools. Older gang members become mentors, passing on their experience through real-life confrontations. The first lessons are not about technique, but about the psyche: how to cut without flinching and how to overcome your own fear. The technique is simple—straight, brutal, no-frills strikes.
Criminal principle
Speed, aggression, and ostentation are valued here. Unlike in Sicily, noise is part of the intimidation tactic.
Specifics
- Improvised blades made from handy objects are often used.
- There are many pieces of broken glass, broken knives, and thin blades that are easy to hide and quick to use.
- The main targets are the liver, kidneys, and thighs: areas where damage quickly incapacitates the opponent.
Russian criminal school of knife and razor (St. Petersburg – Odessa – prison camps). Period: 19th–20th centuries
The Russian criminal tradition was formed not in the south, but in the north, where cold weather, confined spaces, and dark courtyards determined the nature of combat. Here, the streets are short and distances are minimal.
The historical logic of the school
Knives were officially banned in prisons, but they were invariably present in the form of “sharpened blades.” The technique grew out of specific conditions: corridors, barracks, and stairwells, where there was no room for sweeping motions and large arcs. Razors appeared later, as part of the port culture of St. Petersburg.
Criminal principle
The school’s principle is simple: minimum movement, maximum result. No beauty or theatricality—only functionality.
Specifics
- Short, sharp, economical strikes designed for instant effect.
- Often angled strikes that allow the attacker to pass between the ribs and reach vital organs.
- The razor is used primarily as an element of intimidation and control, rather than as the main instrument of a lethal blow.
Comparative conclusion
Despite geographical differences, criminal knife traditions have several common roots. They all originated in environments where the state did not fulfill its protective function, and people had to rely only on themselves and their community. They were formed not by professional fighters, but by artisans of the criminal world.
The techniques of each school are closely linked to culture, time, and psychology.
At the same time, there are certainly differences. If we compare the key traditions, each of them is built around its own central idea and set of techniques.
The Sicilian school relies on precision and silence: its main weapon remains a short knife, and the technique focuses on cuts and stabs to vital areas, performed without unnecessary noise.
The Spanish school develops the theme of honor and style. Here, dueling principles dominate, where a long folding knife is used for elegant but dangerous cuts, often accompanied by theatrical elements.
The Canarian school focuses on movement and evasion. The razor and knife work in tandem, and strikes are built along arched trajectories.
Latin American schools were created in the conditions of barrios and constant war for survival. Their essence is a demonstration of strength and intimidation. Anything that cuts is used, and the strikes are fast and powerful.
The Russian criminal school adheres to the principle of functionality. The main tools are a sharpened weapon and a razor, and the strikes are short, deadly jabs designed for the confined space of a courtyard or corridor.