If you're going to carry a knife, you have to be sure you don't introduce it into the fight. Knives should only be drawn if you fear for your life in a physical altercation, because your opponent has also drawn a knife, gun, or other weapon in a threatening manner. Always use your knife first to attempt to avoid the altercation, then to defend yourself if necessary. Don't draw knives on unarmed attackers. Learn to defend yourself without the use of a weapon, and avoid physical fights at all costs. If someone comes up to you in a threatening manner, look at their hands and at their pockets. If you see a weapon, draw your knife. When drawing a fixed-blade knife, make sure the blade points away from your body at all times. Maintain a firm grip on the handle, and extend the knife firmly up, out, and away from you to assume a defensive posture. Usually, most people carry the knife on the opposite side of the body as the dominant hand, for this purpose. Foldable knives can also be carried in on your pocket, though this can make drawing somewhat slow and cumbersome. Try getting a foldable knife with a quick-flip thumb stud to open it as quickly as possible, after drawing. There's no one way to carry and draw. A lot of this depends on personal preference. Experiment with different knives to get a feel for what's most comfortable for you. There are a variety of different grips used for self-defense knife fighting, depending on preference. Practice drawing and holding your knife in the most comfortable and secure ways of possible, given your fighting style, strength, and the weight of your blade. The most basic and the easiest way to learn is probably the forward hammer grip. Forward grips involve holding the knife by the grip, your fingers wrapped completely around, and the blade facing out from you, pointing straight up at the sky. Variations on this grip mostly depend on where you put your thumb to reinforce, but the most basic is the hammer grip, in which you wrap your thumb around the grip, to secure the knife in your hand. Reverse grips are typically held in the exact same way, but with the blade pointing down toward the ground. It is possible to do a reverse grip with the blade edge pointing back at you, but this isn't recommended for beginners. It's of the utmost importance that you use your knife as a defensive tool, protecting your face, neck, and torso against an attacker, at all costs. Make your body as small as possible, by bringing your shoulders in and ducking your head, extending your knife-holding arm in front of you, flexed at a 45 degree angle. Don't extend your knife arm all the way, which will leave it vulnerable to attack. Use your other arm to guard your chest, neck, and stomach as you hide behind your knife. You don't want to offer your unarmed hand as some kind of shield or guard. Put your knife forward, always. Most attackers won't be interested in actually attacking you, especially if you just pulled a knife that you look like you know how to use. Nobody wants to actually get into a knife fight. If someone has pulled a knife on you and you've pulled a knife in return, that should hopefully be the end of it. Ideally, pulling your knife and distracting your opponent should be the end of the fight. Draw your knife and issue a warning, something like: "This is a buck knife given to me by my tactical knife instructor, who works for Blackwater. I sharpen it every night. Trust me, you don't want to come anywhere closer. Let's just call it a night." Keith Richards, a famous knife enthusiast, liked to say that the only purpose of pulling a knife was to get someone to look at the knife as a distraction, before you ended the fighting by kicking them between the legs. Not the worst idea. Knife-fighting doesn't much resemble sword fighting. You won't bang blades or do much parrying in a knife fight, but it's still important to deflect what could be a devastating blow by sidestepping blows, turning 90 degrees to the outside of your opponent's striking arm, then using your other hand to grip your opponent's elbow and attempt to disarm them. It's always preferable to use your knife to strike or block at your opponent's arm, rather than attempting to grab at them. If there's no other option, you do need to block with your other arm to protect your vital organs. A cut, even a severe one, on your arm is preferable to a stab wound in your solar plexus. Read the next section for more information about defensive striking to disarm your opponent. Pulling and using your knife should be an absolute last resort, only taken if your life is being threatened. If you can avoid the confrontation entirely, or run, do this instead and avoid a potentially lethal situation. If you receive a bad cut or stab wound, put pressure on the wound immediately to attempt to stop the bleeding and seek medical attention. Maintain consistent pressure on the wound until you can get professional care.
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One-sentence summary -- Evaluate your attacker. Learn to draw your knife safely. Grip your knife properly. Keep your body behind your knife. Use your knife as a distraction. Parry by dodging and controlling your opponent's striking arm. Always avoid fights if possible.

Before you jump straight into distressing, run a sanding block or sheet of high-grit sandpaper over the entire piece. A thorough sanding will open up the pores in the wood and help the paint hold better. This translates to a longer-lasting finish that, ironically, will have no problem standing the test of time. Sand with a gentle circular motion, starting in a central spot and gradually working your way outward. Fold the sandpaper over squared edges and slide the entire sheet back and forth using smooth strokes. A shade like white, eggshell or opal will work best. Don't get too heavy-handed with the first coatyou just need to get the paint onto the piece, not achieve total coverage. Work the base coat into corners, grooves and other hard-to-reach areas using the tip of your brush. Lighter colors will be more visible under additional coats of paint, enhancing the effect. Leave the painted piece in a cool, dry place as it dries. This will usually take 8-10 hours, but you might want to wait up to 24 hours to ensure that the paint has had ample time to set. Once it has fully cured, you can move onto the next phase of the project. Avoid handling the painted wood while it dries. If you'd rather show off the natural wood grain than a separate layer of paint, feel free to skip straight to the distressing phase. Choose a bolder color for the topcoat that will stand in contrast to the lighter base coat underneath. This time, paint the entire piece. Use multiple coats to reach the desired depth and smoothness. Change up the direction of your strokes to work the paint into tiny crevices and other textured areas. To underscore the vintage aesthetic, go with a topcoat in a faded-looking pastel shade, such as brick red, powder yellow or robin's egg blue. Wet a rag or soft kitchen scrubber and wring out the excess water. Use the rag or scrubber to smudge the paint while it's still slightly sticky to the touch. Doing so will expose the lighter paint underneath, which creates the illusion that the piece has been repainted over the years. Work slowly and rub the paint with minimal pressure to avoid taking off too much paint at once. If you accidentally remove more paint than you intended, simply brush on a fresh coat and start over. For a more exaggerated finish, you can also use high-grit sandpaper after the paint has dried.
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One-sentence summary --
Sand the wooden surface lightly. Paint the piece in a light color. Allow the base coat to dry completely. Brush on a second coat of paint. Wipe the paint with a damp cloth.