a short history of the garrotte

8/12/2019 A Short History of the Garrotte

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A Short History Of The Garrotte

Opening Disclaimer

I have to put the disclaimer and warning at the beginning of this article. The reason is verysimple. ven a !artial Artist operating on an "pert #evel of control of hands$ elbows$%nees and feet can underestimate the destructive power of weapons if they are notintimately used to them. &eapons multiply force$ that is why they are so dangerous to the

human body. ven if you are used to cho%ing techni'ues$ a simple leather belt used tohold up your pants$ if placed around the nec%$ can cause severe damage if used with thesame force as a cho%e not using a mechanical device li%e a belt. And yes$ when you use abelt or a rope$ it is a mechanical device used to multiply the force of a cho%e. It has nomoving parts$ it is still a mechanical device when attached to your hands.

What I would strongly suggest you do if you wish to train how to defeat these rear attacksis to construct a padded post to practice on.

If you use a live training partner$ once the loop goes over the nec%$ STOP!Any attempt tothrow or ta%edown could cause severe in(ury$ the vital structures of the neck are easily

damaged, any numer of incredily serious inuries could occur, up to and includingparalysis and"or death.

#nd, keep in mind, with a cutting garrotte, there is asolutely, positively $O W#%WTSO'(') to practice safely with it so do not even attempt to do so.

I cannot be held responsible for your own negligent attitude$ I)m writing this$ I)m not doingit with you$ you understand... *ou are strongly advised to see% +rofessional$ safeInstruction in whatever methods you wish to study. *ou are on your own$ I do not advocateor condone you practicing these things. They are$ in a very real way$ put up here forhistorical purposes and for very advanced !artial Arts practitioners$ including !arines and

Soldiers who might find the history and information useful.

*o $OT practice these things unless you are using an inanimate +*ummy+ or a paddedpost.

Is The Garrotte a #egitimate Self,Defense Tool-

Some people have a heavy opinion on this issue. They have opinions as to the legitimacyof the garrotte as a tool of self,preservation. Others have strong opinions as to thedefinition of garrotte.

/I)m not going to debate the spelling$ I)m using 0ol. 1e" Applegate)s spelling of the wordand whenever you see me use something different$ it)s a typo.2

Some people say$ &ell$ the garrotte is a... and then they define it to the e"clusion ofanything else. The simple fact of the matter is$ a Garrotte was an e"ecution device thatwas utili3ed in Spain up until the mid,4567s. A few other countries used it now and again.And there were many different types of garrottes used as e"ecution devices.

&hen someone says$ The garrotte is only a %illing weapon... Technically$ they arecorrect$ but they are not usually spea%ing of the e"ecution device that was once used for0apital +unishment$ therefore$ they are incorrect in reality.


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The number one deciding factor is intent. How you use it. *ou can use some garrottes asa 8le"ible &eapon with no intent whatsoever to %ill.

The garrotte had a couple of different forms. One had a metallic collar that was placedaround your nec% and the collar had a threaded hole that a bolt was inserted through. Onthe other end of the bolt was a large T handle for the e"ecutioner. The condemned wasseated in a chair$ the collar placed over a wooden post and the head of the prisoner$ then$the e"ecutioner began to tighten the contraption until your nec% was crushed or your

vertebrae were dislocated$ bro%en or crushed.

#ater versions had a blade that ran through the bolt for what was thought to be a mercy%illing. The blade was slipped between the vertebrae$ severing the spinal cord.

In a pinch$ the improvised garrotte could be a seat$ wooden post$ strong cord and a metalbar. The noose being affi"ed around the post and nec% of the condemned$ the bar could beinserted and the cord twisted until death occurred. !uch li%e using a tourni'uet and stic%.

These are garrottes. The important thing to remember is$ if someone says$ 9o$ that)s nota garrotte$ this is a garrotte... And they are spea%ing in absolutes or anything other than

an e"ecution device$ they)re incorrect. !ore on that later.

Other Garrottes

So$ if we e"clude the e"ecution devices$ what is left- If we do e"clude the e"ecutiondevices$ any fle"ible or semi,fle"ible weapon that cuts the air off by compressing and:orcrushing the trachea$ severs ;up to and including complete decapitation< the trachea andother vital structures ;carotid arteries$ (ugular veins$ vagus nerve$ etc.< or brea%s the nec%$we have a list of items that have been used as a garrotte.

One +oint of =iew> The Debate

I was once involved in a debate with a person who insisted that a True Garrotte would bea cutter. !eaning$ a piano wire or guitar string garrotte. The wire being so fine that itwould cut into the structures rather than compress:crush them.

If we trace the lineage of these hand held devices bac% to the origin of the word$ as I didabove$ we see the Original Garrotte did nothing of the sort. The Original %illed bycompression and:or crushing and sometimes nec% fracture.

*et$ I consider the cutters a form of garrotte because there is modern history to bac% thatup. However$ the cutter type of garrotte is not a true garrotte. It)s (ust another type of

garrotte.

The 0utter

?ac% before delicatessens had slicer machines$ the cheese was usually cut by a wire. *es$a +heese utter+was basically a wire with two handles. As far as I can tell$ this is wherethe !odern 0utter Garrotte came from. The source is !elton)s 0landestine &arfare.


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The ?ritish SO and American OSS used these devices$ to what degree I do not %now.Some wire garrottes with machined and %nurled brass handles ;for enhanced grip< weremanufactured and issued. They are in the OSS &eapons 0atalog$ as well as otherreferences...

Gigli bone saws were also used as Survival Saws as well as 0utter Garrottes during&orld &ar Two.

The 0rusher

The Garrotte. Thugs in India have long been %nown for their method of strangling$ calledgarrotting. It can be e"ecuted with a rope$ strong cord or a piece of twisted cloth aboutthree feet long with a noose in one end. This is a garrotte. +roperly applied$ it produces adeadly$ silent strangle.

Slip the noose over the forefinger of theright hand so that the loop lies downacross the palm toward the little finger.0lose the right hand and pic% up the free

end of the cord with the left hand$ so thatthe thumb and fingers are on the innerside of the cord and the end is even withthe little finger. Approach the victim fromthe rear and$ opening the right hand$throw the loop over his head with the left.@se the left hand to draw the noosethrough the right hand until it is nearlytaut about the nec%. Then close the righthand about the noose at the bac% of thevictim)s nec% and twist as you would in

applying a tourni'uet. &ith your handagainst the bac% of his nec% and yourright arm stiff$ the victim is held at arm)slength and is unable to free himself fromthe strangling cord or to reach hisattac%er. A hard pull to the rear at thispoint will ma%e the victim fall bac%ward

and cause his chin to fold down over the cord$ thus adding his own body weight to thepressure of the strangle. 0ol. 1e" Applegate$ Bill or Get Billed

In the illustration above you can see the finishing position of what Applegate describes.The right hand is I9SID the loop$ when the loop is pulled tight around the nec% and yourhand$ a fist is made with the open hand then the fist is cran%ed countercloc%wise. !uchli%e a stic% in a tourni'uet. The palm is open and oriented @+$ then closed into a fist andoriented DO&9.

&hat 0olonel Applegate was describing was the method and weapon of the ancientThugee 0ult of India. This is where we get our slang word of thug. The word Thugcomes from the Hindi verb$ +thaglana,+which means$ to deceive.


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I do not %now if the garrotte described above contained a rupee or not. There is anotherline of thought that there was more than one way to strangle with a scarf /rumal2. And thatwas$ a rupee or rupees /coins2 were tied into the end of the scarf to give it weight so itcould be thrown around the nec% and then the strangle was initiated. In fact$ more than aline of thought$ there is proof of this from the period of ?ritish Occupation of India whenthe ?ritish suppressed the Thugee 0ult and e"ecuted and imprisoned thousands of Thugs.

Throwing the Capanese 8ighting 0hain$ which is weighted$ in such a way that the chain is

propelled around the nec% is also throughout Capanese !artial Arts that focus on the!anri%igusari:Busarifundo.

In Bill or Get Billed$ Applegate then mentions the Stic% Strangle. This is a triangularmethod where the stic% is held in reverse grip and inserted under the chin from behind ;orfrom the front

The 0ord Strangle. Another type of strangulation$ as old as history in the 8ar ast$ isaccomplished with any light cord or wire of good tensile strength$ about 4 inches long.

The thinner the cord or wire$ the 'uic%er will be the effectiveness. Tie a loop at each end ofthe cord$ or tie small wooden bloc%s on the ends$ so that a secure grip can be ta%en.Approaching the man from the rear$ throw him off balance$ as with the stic% /strangle2$ withyour right foot against the inside of his right %nee. &ith a hand on each end of the cord ;thecord held taut


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9otice that as the years passed$ not much changed. This is the @.S. Army)s 8ield !anualE4,4F7 mar%ed December 4564. Showing the same$ basic method.

In this method$ your left hand ma%es a cross,body movement and is positioned at the bac%of the enemy)s right shoulder. The right hand holding the other end of the garrotte is thenlooped over the head of the enemy in a semi,circular$ countercloc%wise motion and thenthe arms are pulled apart.

Ta%edowns$ @sing the nemy)s &eight

There are four basic ways to ta%e someone to the ground immediately following any ofthese maneuvers.


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4 +ulling straight downward and bac%.

E Bic%ing the bac% of the %nee and pulling bac% and down.

Bnee stri%e to the lower bac% and a pull bac%wards and down.

A 'uic% turn of the body where you are bac% to bac% with the enemy and the enemy ishoisted off of his feet to complete the crush. This is the movement that can possibly result

in decapitation if a cutter garrotte is used.

In 0losing...

So$ is the garrotte a legitimate tool of Self,defense- That was the original 'uestion. Theanswer to the 'uestion is$ it all depends on what type of garrotte you are going to usereally.

I cannot imagine going through the trouble of carrying something with such a singlepurpose as a cutting garrotte. That is a specific type of weapon and the only outcomefrom the proper use of one is death of the opponent$ and that is going to be carried out

from behind almost e"clusively$ as in Sentry 1emoval.

Any belt$ length of rope$ cord$ a telephone cord$ whatever is at hand$ can be a garrotte. *oucan carry a very strong bandana or scarf with that being carried with the intent to be usedas a fle"ible weapon. A (ac%et or light coat can be used as a garrotte$ li%e the belt$ it is acommon$ every day item. The every day items that are all around us points to fle"ibleweapons being really viable and valuable Self,defense tools.

Anything other than a cutting garrotte can be used with lethal or non,lethal intent. So$ ifyou ma%e an improvised garrotte from FF7 +ara0ord$ what you do with it will be thedeciding factor.

9ow$ we can brea% this down and go to +art Two$ The 8le"ible &eapon. ?efore we do$here is a series of pictures showing (ust a few methods. Some are not 0lassical GarrotteTechni'ues. They are still very important. It also shows what can be done totally unrelatedto a rear attac%$ or$ a response if the enemy turned to face you. &hat if someone weretrying to Garrotte you from behind- This shows you how the weapon might be usedagainst you if you thwarted the rear attac% and you turned to face the attac%er.


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Always remember$ the only way to defend against a weapon and develop real$demonstrable s%ill$ is to %now how the weapon is used. It is for that reason I wrote thisarticle.

1ope cannot be banned$ and criminals can always find weapons anyway$ but could youdefend yourself against these methods- That is the 'uestion...

In that last series of illustrations$ you can substitute a (ac%et or a belt and you can still seethe viability of the techni'ues. *ou do not have to tote around a Garrotte$ and alwaysremember$ the criminals don)t have to either.

Stay safe. Train safe.

/Drawings are altered from @.S. Army 0ombatives !anual$ +ublic Domain2

Don Rearic

Don1earic.com

?ac% to the !ain Inde"
mailto:[email protected]://www.donrearic.com/main.htmlmailto:[email protected]://www.donrearic.com/main.html

a short history of the garrotte

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