Whilst Spear hunting with Tim Wells from Relentless Pursuit in Australia earlier this year, Lynn was charged at 6ft by a Bull Buffalo! Only his quick reflexes and sharp shooting saved him from serious injury or even death!
More exciting footage from this hunt will be airing on Relentless Pursuit in the New Year.
1) Here we see Lynn using the cover of a termite mound to stalk close to the Buffalo
2) Lynn's spear is already in flight when the Buffalo turns and charges!
3) The Buffalo flicks his head up and catches the spear on his horn!
4) Lynn angles around the termite mound, drawing his Ruger Super Redhawk
5) Lynn continues to draw his revolver and move around the termite mound. At this point the Buffalo is inches away from him!
6) Lynn continues to angle away from the Buffalo, gaining ground as he draws and shoots his revolver double action. His first shot hits the Buffalo in the spine and drops him at Lynn's feet!
7) Lynn continues to fire his Super Redhawk. From the spear throw to the fatal shot on the Buffalo, the entire experience takes a mere 2.5 seconds!
We spent the early morning having fun and getting some practise throwing Boomerangs and Spears
I took some time to get some more training in with my Mathews “Monster” Bow and to adjust my sights. I made a promise to myself to set my Bow up with peep sites and a mechanical release when I get back. Shooting single pin and with fingers is incredibly tough in the field.
Another beautiful day. We spotted a big Boar and I shot him through the spine as he was running flat out at 45 metres with my Ruger Super Redhawk 454.
Later in the day I took three Buffalo with my Hyem 500 nitro. One with a cool head shot that I hope we caught on camera.
We spent some time stalking Buffalo through some dry and noisy leaves. Great training and a good test of your patience. We got close and I prepared to shoot with my bow but we got busted at the last second and they bolted.
We stopped on the way back to camp where a tree had fallen across our path. It was 8 inches thick and very hard and dry. A great opportunity for a little field testing. I never miss a chance to test my products out here! I chopped it in half with my Special Forces Shovel! It took no time at all. Very pleased.
September 1st
We spent the morning fishing in the lake. I hooked two Saratoga and 5 Barramundi. Peter did an excellent job demonstrating filleting them on film. We had planned to spear fish with some of the local Aboriginal fishermen but they didn't show up. While waiting I scavenged for wood to make clubs and spears. I'm always looking for new ways to practise my survival skills and to make improvised weapons for hunting or self defense. I made several wooden spears and another tipped with a Bowie Bushman. All were very effective and functional. Lots of fun.
This afternoon Buck shot and killed Big Buffalo with his bow at 25 yards. It was an awesome shot and it looked really good on film!
September 2nd
We travelled out to an Aboriginal village and talked to the head ranger. We arranged to go spear fishing with some local fishermen later today. We spent some time throwing the Cold Steel Boomerang. My furthest throw was 70 yards. Pete managed an awesome 106 yards. Good fun.
We went spear fishing in the afternoon. We used saplings tipped with traditional fish-spear heads. It was incredibly hot and humid. We all slipped and clambered around those steep and muddy river banks in the miserable heat and none of us (the locals included) managed to catch any fish. Finally Pete managed to spear a small Archer Fish. Our only catch of the morning.
We crossed the lake and stalked a mob of pigs. We stirred up several large Boar and I shot two in quick succession with my Hyem 500 nitro (one at a respectable 65 yards and another at 90 yards, breaking his spine as he ran flat out!). Buck said that second shot was the best rifle shot he'd seen in all of his 30 years of hunting! That evening it had cooled down and we tried spear fishing again. I managed to catch one Gar Fish. I speared five more during the night but they all wriggled free of the spear head.
We had a lot of fun fishing and talking till late into the night. It's a pleasure hunting with Buck and Tim.
Another beautiful day. We stalked a Bull Buffalo for quite some time. I got pretty close and threw my Samburu spear. He turned and caught the spear in his horn, snapping it in half!! I think we caught that on camera. I hope so, because it looked awesome!
We moved on and stalked 2 mobs of pigs in a creek. One young pig bolted and I threw my spear as he was running flat out. The Samburu punched clear through his lungs. He fell and died about 15 yards away. We field dressed him and gave the meat to our friends.
Later in the day we came across a huge Bull Buffalo. Peter (my professional hunter) thought he would be well over 104” (which is a Safari Club Gold Medal). We stalked him for a while and I drew my 454 and shot him through the heart twice to drop him almost immediately. Peter was really impressed with the stopping power of my Ruger Super Redhawk and the Hornady ammo. He said each shot looked like a hit from a 375 H&H rifle! That huge buffalo weighed approximately 1900lbs!
August 28th
We set out at first light. I stalked a young bull and got within 12 yards of him. I threw my spear but just missed him. I then realized I still had my 454 in the holster and not in my left hand where I could get at it quick! I'm glad he chose not to charge! I've been training intensively for the last 6 weeks for just this eventuality. Transitioning from a spear to a revolver and firing under pressure. I've also been doing intensive holster draw training for over a year. It's already paid off more than once on this trip but it's still an incredibly tense experience. From now on (whenever possible) I'm going to try to have my revolver in my left hand when I throw the spear. It could buy me the extra fraction of a second that I need.
Later in the day I shot a wild dog at 49 yards. A great instantaneous kill, shooting offhand with iron sights. Those big XS sites are a huge help.
Tim Wells killed an enormous Buffalo with a Samburu Spear. He hit him behind the shoulder and got adequate penetration. He said he should have thrown much harder (and ideally would have done so to guarantee puncturing through those tough ribs). He got the throw on spear cam and it looks really cool! Tim is a very brave, skilled and patient hunter and it's a pleasure to be hunting with him on this trip.
August 29th
Today we walked our butts off!! We walked for 4 hours this morning under the hot sun and another 3 hours this afternoon. We trekked through those dusty and dry creek beds. It was tough. I speared a big lizard at 6 yards with a Samburu at the request of some of the locals. They cooked and ate it right there. We went back to camp and Tim cooked up a Buffalo pot roast with gravy. Tim is a surprisingly good cook
August 30th
We set off incredibly early. Crossed the lake in a boat and enjoyed the scenery before heading into a flood plain for the morning hunt. We saw a mob of Buffalo under some trees. I grabbed my Hyem 500 nitro and got all of them! My furthest shot was on a bull running flat out at 110yards. I shot him in the side and clear out the chest. All of them were very fast, clean kills (on camera). We field dressed the youngest bull, taking the top straps, ribs and hams to eat that evening.
Later in the day we saw another cow buffalo. I felled her in one shot with the Hyem. That makes 7 buffalo today.
August 25th Another beautiful day. We crossed the river in a boat and saw a huge boar but too late to take a shot. Once across the river we quickly came across a large bull buffalo. We stalked him for four or five hours. We climbed down into the bottom of a dry creek bed and slowly got within about ten yards from him. He must've heard us and he turned and came charging in real fast! We had nowhere to go at the bottom of that creek. I threw my spear at that awkward upwards angle and it fell just short! Luckily it spooked him and he ran off. That was a close call.
We walked for about five hours after that, through areas that had recently burned, now green with new vegetation. We tried to stalk a big bull that was half submerged in a creek bed. As quiet as we were the swirling wind around those creeks made it almost impossible to get near him without him getting the scent. We moved off and tried several more stalks on different buffalo as they cooled off in the water, but we got busted every time. That wind was against us. Far from being frustrating it was a really cool experience and a great test of our stalking skills.
Tim Wells stalked and killed a huge buffalo with a spear. He had a spear-cam (a miniature camera attached to his Samburu spear) and the footage looked awesome!
August 26th We awoke to a very chill foggy morning. It's tough to see in front of you, let alone stalk an animal! We cautiously followed a young bull through a creek bed and into the forest. We followed him for what felt like an eternity before I managed to get close to him on the other side of a large termite mound. I threw my Samburu spear at about 5 yards and he turned as it flew through the air! The spear stuck fast in his horn! The next thing I knew he charged!! He came rushing towards me with that spear sticking out of his horn and I moved to my right, spun and drew my Ruger 454. I shot him in the head double action at 6 feet! My first shot spined him but I fired again and again. Those Hornady XTP bullets (travelling at 1600 feet per second) hit him hard. He fell and died 4 feet from me. I don't even remember firing the first two shots. I must give credit to those XS sites on my revolver. I was able to throw up that gun, aim and take a shot in a fraction of a second. That was close!
We moved on in the afternoon, my hand still hurting from firing that Ruger without a glove earlier in the day. We stalked a boar at a waterhole. He was covered in mud. I got ready to throw my Samburu but he bolted. I quickly drew my pistol and fired double action as he ran. My first shot broke his front leg, the second broke his back leg and the third spined him. He was a huge beautiful boar. I was really pleased. We stalked two more boar but got busted both times. As the light faded we made our way back to camp.
Lynn has just returned from an exciting and intense hunt in Australia with the guys from Relentless Pursuit. This is the first of a series of blog posts featuring excerpts from Lynn's hunt diary. ______________________________________________
I set off from LAX at 10:30 am on August 20th and arrived (after 3 long flights) at 7:30 am on the 23rd! One heck of a journey!! We had no problems or delays at customs despite each having 3 bags at the maximum 70lbs and all of our hunt gear.
As soon as we arrived I began archery training with Buck and Tim.
On this trip I'll be using a Monster [Mathews Bow] with a 70lb draw, PSE Arrows and Rage Broad Heads as well as a few different spears (Cold Steel Samburu and Boar Spear) and my ever faithful Ruger Super Redhawk 454 (with Hornady 300 grain XTP ammo). I'll also be field testing a wide range of Cold Steel products (including several new prototypes).
We started out at 7:30 am on the 24th, and stalked an old bull buffalo. We were forced to freeze several times for a miserably long time. We managed to get about 20 yards from him but I decided that it just wasn't close enough to guarantee a clean kill with my Spear. We moved on. Not long afterwards we saw a real big pig. I went for my bow but he saw us and bolted, stirring up a whole load of boar that were hiding in the undergrowth. I can't believe I left my 454 in the truck! I won't make that mistake again. From now on, it's staying by my side.
We stalked another huge bull for a long time. I took a shot with my bow at around 45 yards and missed him. We moved on and soon spotted another big bull. We stalked him again for some time (my Kettlebell training with Doug is proving invaluable, not only for my strength and stamina while walking, climbing, throwing and shooting but also in helping me to freeze and stay incredibly still without tiring). I got within 22 yards of the buffalo and took a shot with my bow. It went a little higher than I'd hoped but I still managed a double lung shot. He ran, bled out and died about 150 yards away.
A couple of hours later and we stalked another bull. I took a single shot at 50 yards with my 454 and got a clean kill. We spent a few more hours walking and enjoying the beautiful country. We spotted a lot of dingos and saw one more big bull buffalo just at the end of the day. We stalked him and I threw my Samburu but it fell short. The light was fading fast so we called it quits for the day.
What an exhilarating first day. Lots of awesome hunting opportunities and beautiful wildlife in this great country. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!!
We spoke to world-renowned firearms expert John Farnam about our new DVD, Never Unarmed
John Farnam, a Police Officer and decorated Vietnam veteran, is one of the top defensive firearms instructors in the nation. A Senior Board member of the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network and author of dozens of magazine articles and numerous books, he has personally trained thousands of federal, state and local law enforcement agency personnel, private security agencies, and hundred of civilians in safe gun handling and the tactical use of the defensive firearms. In June of 1996, he was selected by his peers to receive the renowned "Tactical Advocate of the Year" award from the National Tactical Association. In April of 2009, he was inducted into Black Belt Magazine’s “Living Legends” His books, The Farnam Method of Defensive Handgunning, The Farnam Method of Defensive Rifle and Shotgun Shooting and Guns and Warriors Volume One have become the standard texts on the subjects. For more info about John, visit: www.defense-training.com
I sat and watched the whole of Never Unarmed. It's a massive series! It took me about a week! (laughs) I really enjoyed it!
I know not everyone is going to love it, there's some really controversial stuff in there but I liked it a lot. I like Lynn's passion for what he does. I was really interested in the “walking the rounds into the target” section [NB: this technique is taught in several sections including service pistols]. I'm not sure where Lynn got this from but it made me think. It might not sit well with some people, it's controversial to say the least – but he makes a really good point! I'm looking forward to exploring this in my own training.
Lynn is a good friend of mine and I've already learned so much from him regarding the use of knives and tomahawks. With Never Unarmed he makes some truly excellent points and he talks about things I just had never considered. For example I don't even own an airgun, but after watching these DVDs I'm really thinking about them a lot. Never Unarmed is all about finding a way to win when things look bleak and I can really get behind that way of thinking. I like it!
This DVD series has inspired me and informed my own training. After watching it, I said to myself “I need to share this with my students”. Not only does Lynn make the best products in the world but he is a truly original thinker. He's not afraid to try new things, to experiment and learn. He's willing to take all the risks! People talk about doing things, but Lynn just does them! He is a modern American hero! Lynn is a really inspiring guy. I'm a lifelong customer, but I also consider myself a student. I'll be sharing Never Unarmed with all my friends.
After much consideration, we have decided to re-post our GLOCK video.
We have had a great deal of positive feedback regarding our DVD Never Unarmed and it is particularly telling that the negative comments that we have received have been from individuals who have not seen the DVD or any of the footage in context or in it's entirety.
This short video (comprising of out-of-sequence and out-of-context clips) was simply put together to show just how much we appreciate and enjoy GLOCK products and how much they feature in our DVD.
Two techniques in particular have seemed to cause some controversy. A sequence showing (again out of context) footage of Lynn drawing his firearm at close range and “walking” his rounds into the target, and a sequence entitled “Ripping and Searching Fire” which features shots into a building.
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We spoke to legendary firearms instructor Dave Wheeler of Blue Steel Ranch, and asked him about these techniques.
A Firearms Instructor for the LAPD for 25 years, Dave has also taught firearms and tactics for the State Department's ATAP (Anti-Terrorist Assistance Program) and The Federal Air Marshalls.
Dave has trained elite special forces personnel at Fort Bragg as well as numerous V.I.P and close protection professionals.
He has been training Lynn (in pistol shooting for extreme self-defence) for more than 6 years.
Regarding “walking the rounds into the target”
I worked on this technique with Lynn several years ago. We train for extreme self defense situations, moments when there is no help or backup, when everything is going against you and there is no way out. It's a controversial tactic but it has merit.
What people don't understand is that this is a technique for extraordinary situations, you don't do this if you are just getting stuck up by some punk.
This is a technique for a lawless situation, a time and place where you have no help, no backup and no repercussions. It's a technique for desperate and extreme situations.
I'd like to use the LA Riots as an example. Between 6pm and 1am there was no law!! People were rioting, looting and robbing with abandon. There was no back up, no one was coming to save you.
You had to protect yourself because for that brief crazy period of time, no one had your back!
This particular technique was developed for those moments. It's not ideal and it's not the best option, but it might be your last option.
We trained this drill at close range (around 5 feet) as if you were confronted by an opponent that already had the drop on you. You are behind the draw, you're way behind on the curve and are in imminent danger of grievous bodily harm or death and you have to make a very serious moral decision.
You have to do something. Something to distract them, to jar their nerves and stop them from taking that controlled shot. As soon as you clear the holster you start pulling that trigger. Your ultimate goal of course is to keep firing (as your weapon comes up) at your opponent until you can get a sighted picture. This should distract him, mentally shake him, hopefully injure him and pray that it buys you a fighting chance where before you had none.
Remember, you are already losing! You're 1-1.5 seconds behind on the draw! What are you going to do?
With enough surprise and fear there's a chance he may miss, and that's all you are doing, trying to buy a chance. Create some lag time before he can squeeze that trigger.
This is not a drill to consider when there are repercussions. It's an extreme technique for an extreme situation.
Here's another example. Imagine if here in LA we had an earthquake of the same magnitude as the recent one in Japan. Imagine the chaos, looting, stealing and violent crime that would take place. I know at least in the very short term Law Enforcement would be too busy protecting the infrastructure during this awful event. There would be no patrols! No one would be coming to your aid! You would have to take care of yourself!
Considering a technique as extreme or unconventional as this may just save your life.
This is not a technique that would ever be taught on a public range or in a shooting school. It's dangerous, it's controversial and frankly it's a liability, but it was never developed for a controlled situation in the first place.
What people are misunderstanding about Never Unarmed is that it's not a traditional instructional DVD. It's not there to teach you techniques.
It's a presentation of ideas, it's discussing extreme survival situations, extreme conditions and environments when there is no control, no back up, no law enforcement. It's not saying “do this, do that” it's saying “here's something you may end up doing if you had no other options and your life depended on it”.
This is a technique with great merit in those situations, those exceptionally rare moments when it's pure survival. Think about this DVD in that context. With luck you will never need this, but you should think about it nonetheless.
Regarding “Ripping and Searching Fire”
In any “normal” situation this technique is incredibly irresponsible, but once again, what people are failing to grasp is that this DVD series isn't about normal situations! This technique has merit, but it's only an option when there is total chaos!
It's a vague line and I understand that, but you have to make your own moral choices when your life is at stake. What would you do to survive?
Look at the section of Never Unarmed regarding Airguns. Of course self defense with an Airgun isn't ideal, but it's still valid. It's an option if that's all you've got! That's what this is all about.
This isn't a technique for a controlled environment, it's not ever going to get taught on a public range, it has no place in a world with rules and regulations, but when there is no law and no backup and your life depends on it you sometimes have to take a chance, take your best shot and hope.
This isn't an instructional DVD, it's showing you ideas for the ultimate extreme situations. Things you might have to do to survive at a last resort.
It's not something I would ever encourage (and I'm sure Lynn would agree), it's just a possibility for survival.
I suggest people just watch the DVD. They will see that the entire thing is about those last resort moments and those lawless situations. It's about what to do when you are out of options, and in those situations, those life and death moments – these techniques may well save your life!
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We then spoke to Lynn C Thompson at length about Never Unarmed and these techniques in particular:
I released this highlight reel just to show how much I love GLOCK products.
Never Unarmed is huge! It's over 18 hours of footage, covering a wide range of firearms - and 5% of that footage is just GLOCK!
I am a self confessed “glockaholic” and I wanted to share with fellow GLOCK fans just some of the cool stuff we do with GLOCK products in this DVD series.
It's ridiculous that some people have taken me to task on a small selection of out-of-context clips and it's a shame that they can't just appreciate that this was released purely to show my love of an awesome brand.
Never Unarmed was created to show people a wide range of firearms and their potential for extreme survival, hunting and self defense. It's my personal recommendations for what to acquire, and what to train with.
Its not an instructional DVD and it doesn't have typical self defense scenarios, there are hundreds of DVDs out there already that teach that stuff. This is the first part of a much larger project concerning extreme situations.
This was never intended as an instructional gun fighting DVD, I simply show what I train with and why, and I also go into the pros and cons of all of my choices.
My personal training is informed by many years of hunting around the world and from training with a variety of the world's finest marksmen, self defense experts and firearms instructors
I show how I train snap shooting, point shooting and extreme shooting at a variety of ranges. I test a wide selection of ammo and explore it's potential. I explore fighting from cover (as well as shooting through cover), camouflage, improvised shields, hunting tips I've learned over the years...It's a massive project.
I encourage people to check out my choices and how I use them and then make up their own minds.
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a survivalist and I think about these things. I train for the worst and what I do might be considered controversial. But like I said – it's intended to show potential options for the worst possible situations, those extreme survival moments when your life is on the line.
Much of what I do can't be done on public ranges. It's not for Law Enforcement training – those guys have different rules as well as different advantages. Much as I love and admire our Law Enforcement professionals my training isn't the same as theirs. I'm interested in the concept of the armed civilian, the guy who may not have backup. I've trained for many years with a variety of instructors but I've never trained from a Law Enforcement perspective. I think about gun-fighting very differently.
This DVD was always intended for an international audience. We have friends, fans and customers all over the world and not everyone has the same options when it comes to self defense.
I not only explore the limitations of an astounding variety of firearms in this DVD, but I also explore their potential. Not a lot of people even realize the opportunities that some of these weapons can afford you. They don't realize that you can shoot accurately at 200 yards with a 12 gauge, but with practise and training it's possible and it's an option!
That's what this DVD is all about, what options do you have with the weapons at your disposal!
I encourage people to watch this DVD, explore different firearms and their training options and to be Never Unarmed. In our current political climate everyone wants to deny us our weapons!
Learn about what firearms are out there, learn about their potential and their advantages and disadvantages. Explore lots of training options and keep an open mind. Experiment, evolve and learn now while you have that freedom!
It is with great disappointment that we have chosen to temporarily remove our GLOCK video from Youtube.
As you are probably aware, I am a very vocal GLOCK fan, I love their products and recommend them to all of our staff, fans, friends and customers.
Upon the recent release of our much anticipated 6 Disc DVD Never Unarmed, we decided to upload a short highlight reel of all the GLOCK footage from our DVD, just to show people how much we love and enjoy their products. This 24 minute highlight reel comprised simply of all the bits (from over 18 hours of footage) that featured GLOCK products. It did not represent the DVD as a whole and did not feature complete instructional segments – it just showed any and all the footage featuring GLOCKs.
It was therefore a surprise to us when individuals began to take us to task on our teaching methods and techniques as represented in these non-sequential and out of context clips.
Never Unarmed took 2 ½ years to film (with well over 180 hours of footage captured and condensed to these 6 discs). It features a wide range of ideas and demonstrations with a large selection of firearms and showcases how we train at Cold Steel. Several of the techniques shown are scenario and situation specific and it appears by showing them out of context in our GLOCK highlight reel we have caused some confusion. We did not anticipate this, this highlight reel was intended only to showcase our appreciation and admiration for GLOCK products. We are happy to say that it was only a small (but vocal) minority that misinterpreted these clips as stand-alone instructional content. It seemed ridiculous to us that people could judge a 6 Disc series on footage contained within 24 minutes of out of context material, but giving the confusion that it caused we have chosen to remove the video.
We urge our friends, viewers and fans to take the time to view the DVD series in it's entirety and see the footage in context. Some of our training is of course scenario-specific and much of it may be considered controversial; but here at Cold Steel we always train for the worst and try to have as many tools in our toolbox as possible.
We think that you will find the Never Unarmed series entertaining and informative, and hopefully it will change the way you look at firearms and inform or inspire your personal training.
Kettlebells have improved the way I train - it's that simple. Whether shooting or throwing spears, stand-up fighting or grappling, I have improved beyond measure by training with Doug.
I received this email today and thought I'd share it with you:
Hi, just thought I'd send you an email telling you that I use a double-edged Cold Steel Peace Keeper knife for pig hunting here in New Zealand. It's an awesome knife and I've stuck over 200 pigs in the last 5 years with your knife and never had to sharpen it! We hunt with dogs that hold the pigs, so a good sharp knife is a must. I hope you find the photo attached its a 140lb boar caught yesterday and dealt to with the peacekeeper. Thanks for the awesome knife Cheers Daimen
Cold Steel recently visited the IWA & Outdoor Classics show in Nuremberg, Germany. We attend every year, and always look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones in this amazing city.
We had our full product line on display (including never-before-seen prototypes) and a first time screening of footage from Lynn's new DVD Never Unarmed.
Lynn, Luke and Ron performed over 20 live demonstrations every day showing how to fight with a multitude of weapons. They even took requests - teaching people more about our Espadas, Axe Gang Hatchets, Tomahawks and Special Forces Shovels as well as doing demos with Rapiers, Small Swords, Katanas and Bowie Knives (amongst others) in front of the appreciative crowds.
IWA is an incredible event, with exhibitors from the world of knives, sporting guns, optics and ammunition as well as representatives from law enforcement, special forces and security sectors. The Cold Steel staff were in their element, and really enjoyed visiting all of the booths and meeting like-minded people.
On the last day, Lynn took time out from the Cold Steel booth and doing live weapons demos to meet friends, explore IWA and check out some cool guns:
Lynn with Thomas Wolkmann and Bernhard Helbig of HEYM. Lynn owns several HEYM rifles (his latest purchase was a made to measure 500 nitro double, bought at Safari Club last year). Lynn plans to hunt with his new rifle in Australia later this year. HEYM are featured in Lynn's new DVD Never Unarmed.
Lynn with Klaus Ripperger of BRENNEKE. BRENNEKE make Lynn's favourite slugs, he's shot thousands of them over the years. Lynn hopes to use BRENNEKE slugs to hunt Asian Buffalo this summer.
Lynn with a SMITH & WESSON 10 Round, Model 41 .22 Long Rifle Lynn would love this gun. It might be a new purchase in the future.
Lynn with a 7 Round, SMITH & WESSON 357 Magnum. Lynn owns a similar Mountain Revolver and uses it a lot when practising on the Cold Steel Shooting Range. Lynn likes this model so much he intends to buy several in the near future.
Lynn really liked this 5 Round SMITH & WESSON Model 649 .357 Magnum. The grip was superb and it fit Lynn's hand like a glove.
Lynn with his good friend, custom knife maker Fred Perrin
Lynn with Josy a French Bulldog.
Josy and her owners (Audrea and Oliver Hutzelmeier) and their friend Thomas Bernet came to the Cold Steel booth to watch Lynn and Ron demo Bowie Knife fighting. Josy loved the knife fighting and barked all the way through the demo!
Lynn with Brutus, a 4yr old Jagd Terrier Lynn loves Jagd Terriers, he believes that these tenacious little guys are pound for pound the most resiliant and spirited hunting dogs in the world.
Tools of the Trade Just another day in the office for Cold Steel, where business meetings and martial training go hand in hand.
We had an amazing time at IWA and we are already looking forward to next year!
Last weekend Lynn spent some time training with Tim Wells of Relentless Pursuit. Lynn is an admirer of Tim's great skill with the Bow and he believes that Tim is one of the world's finest archers under pressure and against game.
Lynn and Tim on the pistol range in Piru, California.
Lynn, Tim Wells and Robert Vaughn outside of Pancho's Mexican Restaurant in Piru, California. Lynn's crew eats here every Sunday before shooting all afternoon.
Lynn and Bre Thompson with Tim and Kerrie Wells outside of Lynn's favorite breakfast joint.
In September 2010 Lynn Thompson received an award unlike any other.
There are very few people who have dedicated their lives to martial arts in the way that Lynn has. Training with some of the worlds top exponents of the martial arts for well over 25 years, his punishing training schedule sees him studying diligently with private instructors for a minimum of 14 hours a week, every week, year in and year out. As Lynn's skill and martial prowess has grown, so have the awards and accolades that he has been given. However, for hundreds of years, no-one has received anything quite like this award.
The traditionally established version of the Master at Arms Degree is a rare qualification at the best of times. It refers to an unprecedented knowledge of weapons on the behalf of the recipient, and for well over a hundred years it has only been given as an honorific title to learned academics. Lynn's passion for researching martial arts and the history of combat has certainly given him the knowledge to attain this degree, but this interpretation of the Master at Arms qualification (closer to the true origin of the award) is something all together more martial in nature. In order to qualify, one must have the unrivalled knowledge of weaponry expected from the academic, but also to be proficient in the use of the weapons that he is so knowledgeable about. In other words, in order to receive this award, the recipient must be a Master of all weapons!
As Anthony DeLongis put it:
In the golden era of Western martial arts, the age of knights and chivalry, it was the tradition to train the warrior in every weapon he was likely to encounter in battle. This included (but was not exclusive to) sword, axe, dagger, lance, staff, spear, archery, mace, club, as well as “found” weapons of opportunity, both rigid and flexible. Only those whose dedication was absolute could ever hope to achieve the rank of Master at Arms.
So, in acknowledgement of his tested and proven skills across all weapons (from his own empty hands to all edged weapons and projectiles) this group of highly skilled and world renowned martial artists surprised Lynn with a truly unique award, the Master at Arms Degree.
The award was given during the annual Cold Steel Challenge in Ventura and in front of hundreds of fighters who had gathered to compete and test their martial skills. Each Instructor delivered a speech describing why Lynn deserved this unique award, and this was met with great applause from the assembled fighters.
Lynn said:
When I set up Cold Steel I decided that I would become highly skilled with every product we sell. I dedicated my life to studying martial arts and to studying weapons. I decided that when I was tested I would not be found wanting. I wanted to be like fine Irish crystal, when I was struck I would ring true! It's a huge honour to be given this Master at Arms Degree by people I respect so highly. Thank you.
THE INSTRUCTORS
Ron Balicki Ron Balicki has a truly unprecedented martial arts lineage. A world renowned and highly sought after Instructor, he is an vastly accomplished and high ranking martial artist in a diverse range of arts including: Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Kali, Maphilindo Silat, Lameco Escrima, Wing Chun Gung Fu ,Thai Boxing, Indonesian Silat, Shoot Wrestling, Savate, The Degerberg Blend and Latigo “Y” Daga (Whip and Dagger fighting).
Ron has trained all over the world, fought professionally in Japan and taught military and law enforcement personnel across several continents. In addition to this, Ron has served as an officer in the Cook County Sheriff"s Department, and continues to assist police agencies in the United States to improve their martial arts techniques. He has been Lynn's instructor (in a multitude of martial arts) for the last 12 years.
“Lynn constantly makes his training uncomfortable. Some people like to shine, but Lynn likes to get to the ugly part. He likes to make his training tough! He's physically very fast and his visual speed is probably the fastest I've ever witnessed. He's an incredibly dedicated martial artist and he never misses a workout, he's devoted his life to becoming a warrior ”. ___________________________________________________
Anthony DeLongis Anthony DeLongis has been a student of the bladed arts for over 40 years, mastering styles that include the European (Italian / French / Spanish Rapier and Dagger, Broadsword, Small Sword, Saber and Axe, Japanese Katana and various Filipino martial arts.
Celebrated creator of the “DeLongis Loop” - an efficient, effective and more combative style of whip artistry that works at multiple ranges. He was also inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame in 2008 (as Weapons Instructor of the Year) and the Knife Throwers Hall of Fame in 2009. He has been training Lynn (in Western Swordsmanship and the use of the Combative Whip) for the last 8 years
“I've been Lynn's sword teacher and training partner for many years. We put to the test the practicality of fighting methods and techniques from every historical training manual we can find with a specificity, intensity and depth of exploration I've never found anywhere else in over forty years of my own sword arts training. It is my pleasure and privilege to help Lynn forge his own path to practical knowledge in the European bladed arts while at the same time enjoying a workout partner whose intensity and skill set is unsurpassed”. ___________________________________________________
Luke LaFontaine Luke LaFontaine has been training across a variety of martial arts for the last 32 years. Studying Aikido, Seido Karate, Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, Kendo and Shinkendo. Luke coined Lynn's nickname “Moto Abunai” (meaning “very dangerous”) which is written in Kanji script on the Master At Arms scroll. Luke has been Lynn's Japanese Sword coach and training partner for the last 5 years
“Working with Lynn is a series of constant epiphanies. Not only is he incredibly gifted as a martial artist, he is able to make connections between the martial theory and physical techniques. His undying dedication to training and self improvement are the embodiment of the warrior spirit.” ___________________________________________________
Jason Heck Jason Heck is nationally rated Fencer, proficient with Eppee, Saber and Foil. With a background in Tae Kwon Do and Karate, he taught civilians and law enforcement professionals alike until he took up fencing in 2002. Jason soon rose to an exceptional standard. He opened his own successful Fencing School in Alabama, and was selected for the United States Fencing Association's National Championships in 2010. Jason has trained with Lynn (teaching Rapier, Small Sword, Saber and Civilian Saber) for the last 7 years.
“Lynn trains for hours, every single day in order to achieve martial perfection. He isn't satisfied with knowing just one weapon or style or form, he thirsts to master them all! I believe his unquenchable desire to be the best is why Lynn Thompson deserves to be a Master At Arms.” ___________________________________________________
Dave Wheeler Dave Wheeler is a world renowned firearms expert. An Instructor for the LAPD for 25 years, Dave has also taught firearms and tactics for the State Department's ATAP (Anti-Terrorist Assistance Program) and The Federal Air Marshalls. Dave has trained elite special forces personnel at Fort Bragg as well as numerous V.I.P and close protection professionals. Dave has been Lynn's pistol shooting for self-defence instructor for the last 6 years.
“Lynn is extremely good with big bore handguns, especially the Casull. He can hit a 4” target at 150-200 yards consistently, and he can do it all day! He can shoot accurately with those guns for hours without developing a flinch. I've never seen anyone better than Lynn Thompson.” ___________________________________________________
Vic Pickett Vic Pickett is one of the world's foremost competition shooters, finishing in the top ten in every major revolver shooting championship since 1994. A legend in his field, Vic has won numerous State, Sectional, and Regional Championships. He finished 3rd four times and 4th three times in the Open Revolver Division of the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. He also finished 2nd in the ICORE International Revolver Championships an astounding thirteen times! Vic has been Captain of Team ADCO since 1994 and has held a seat on the ICORE Board of Directors since 1996. He has known Lynn since 2007.
“The list of people that possess the skills and accomplishments with firearms that Lynn has is a short one. There are few people in my life that I have greater respect for than Lynn, he lives his life with the heart and mindset of a true Warrior.” ___________________________________________________
James Houston James Houston is multi-award winning Martial Artist. Highly skilled in Karate, Aikijitsu, Jujitsu and Kung Fu, he is perhaps best known as a Chinese Weaponry expert, particularly his skills with the Jian Sword, Broad Sword, Butterfly Sword, Sword Breaker, Fighting Iron, Weighted Chain and Kwong Iron Pipes. James has been a weapons instructor for over 20 years and has taught Special Forces and Law Enforcement personnel. James has trained with Lynn (predominantly with Eastern and Western weapons) for approximately 6 years.
“Lynn Thompson is a true modern warrior in every sense. He has made a lifelong study of martial arts and continues to train and learn so that he can continue to seek to obtain a more perfect skill-set every day. He finds the best of the best to train with, and has the most vast Grandmaster-level weapon skill set of anyone I know. He reminds me of a passage from Hagakure, the book of the Samurai: Throughout your life, advance daily, becoming more skilful than yesterday, more skilful than today. This is never-ending”. ___________________________________________________
Russell Seveney Russell Seveney is a 5th Dan Black Belt in Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do. He has also trained in Ishin Ryu, Kung Fu, Moo Duk Kwon-TKD, Boxing, Fencing, Shoot Wrestling and Escrima. He has competed in numerous Martial Arts events varying from Karate tournaments and Power Breaking competitions to our own Cold Steel Challenge. With a wealth of experience, Russell blends his diverse and eclectic martial arts knowledge with techniques learned as an Unarmed Protection Specialist and Security Professional Russell has been Lynn's “mechanics” coach (working on body mechanics and stand-up fighting) for 3 years
“This award is an acknowledgement of Lynn's command of all things Martial – empty hands as well as weapons. I believe Lynn should receive this award not just based on his many years of training but but his hunger to seek out world-class instruction and his constant desire to better himself.”
Here are some photos of Master Engraver Rene Ondra putting the finishing touches on Lynn's beautiful new stainless steel, fully engraved Dan Wesson 1911 45 ACP pistol. Pictures courtesy of Jason Worton of CZ-USA
A lot of our customers are hunters, and many of them hunt boar or wild pigs. These brave individuals have often asked to know more about the origins of our very own Cold Steel Boar Hunter.
Lynn has been collecting all types of knives from around the world for over 20 years. He often collects knives that serve a specific purpose or perform a certain function and he looks for ways to adapt and improve upon their original role in new and interesting ways. The evolution of the Boar Hunter is a good example of this process.
Lynn had been looking at the stabbing potential of several knives from different cultures around the world (including knives from Celtic and Chinese origins amongst others) when he hit upon the idea for what would become our “Boar Hunter”. Each of the knives Lynn had selected had it's own unique characteristics and strong-suits, but the majority of them lacked something that Lynn insists upon - a quality cutting edge. By adding a hollow grind (running all the way from the tip to the base of the knife), Lynn was able to make a wickedly sharp edge without sacrificing point strength or stabbing potential. It was then that he knew he had hit on something special.
Lynn took the prototype on his next hunting trip to Australia and whilst there, used it to dispatch several large boar. Pleased with the results, Lynn returned to the USA and began improving upon the design. He knew he had made a fiendishly sharp and highly penetrative blade that was nigh-on perfect for hunting wild boar – and all he needed now was the perfect handle to accompany it. After numerous tests using existing Cold Steel handles, the prototype's long, wide blade was combined with the handle from our OSS – a strong, sturdy handle that was ergonomically designed to aid the grip while thrusting.
The newest incarnation of the prototype performed remarkably well in further hunting expeditions. The wide Celtic Style blade cut beautifully and the long slanted tip seemed to naturally feed itself forwards into the thrust. The hollow grind proved essential to the process, offering next to no resistance, sliding effortlessly into the biggest and meanest boar. The OSS handle's integral double guard and sub-hilt stopped the hand from sliding up the blade and the Kraton handle performed admirably regardless of weather conditions, giving a secure and extremely comfortable grip. The razor sharp edge of the newly dubbed “Boar Hunter” also enabled Lynn to field dress and dismember boar with exceptional ease.
See for yourself the awesome cutting and stabbing power of the Boar Hunter:
For definitive proof of the incredible grip offered by the OSS handle (as used on the Boar Hunter), watch the end of the following clip: WARNING - GRAPHIC FOOTAGE
This year we are proud to reveal our new Polypropylene Sword Breaker Trainer.
Lynn discovered an antique Sword Breaker on a trip to China a few years ago and he immediately saw the potential in this relatively obscure but powerful weapon. Lynn made several prototypes of the Sword Breaker based on his notes taken in China, modifying it to his own exacting standards and improving the quality of the materials, making it stronger and more resilient before finally adding a needle sharp stabbing point.
Lynn gave his prototype to James Houston, (a fellow martial artist and friend of Cold Steel) to put it through it's paces. James broke Chinese Gim, Japanese Katana and numerous Western Swords (amongst others) with this devastating weapon. By regularly training with the prototypes Lynn constantly adapted and improved upon the design until he was completely satisfied. The result of this research our Carbon Steel Sword Breaker has been a popular and much loved product for several years.
When developing a polypropylene trainer counterpart for our Sword Breaker, Lynn came across several design challenges. It had to be bigger and thicker than it's Carbon Steel brethren whilst still being comfortable to grip. Lynn was adamant that the trainer be made from one solid piece (rather than separate interlocking elements) and that it be remarkably lively in the hand and not simply a blade heavy bludgeon – in other words it must replicate the exceptional balance and liveliness of the original as closely as possible...
photos of the unfinished prototype
Lynn found it to be intuitive to use and incredibly effective, especially when used “with commitment”. He found by utilising his many years of experience in Kali (Filipino Martial Arts) as well as in Saber fighting he could heavily beat the blades of his opponents, breaking or bending their swords with one fell swoop! By literally beating the opponents weapon out of the way (often damaging or even destroying it at the same time!) he was able to wreck their nerve and concentration; destroying their composure just as surely as he destroyed their weapon.
No-one was ready for just how effective the Sword Breaker was. Lynn was able to literally impose his will upon his opponents, crashing in, breaking their rhythm and damaging arms and legs just as easily as he damaged their blades.
As Lynn is never unarmed, he rarely trains one weapon. He began training two-handed with the Sword Breaker and a Shanghai Shadow, using the long range Sword Breaker to close distance and dominate his opponents weapon then attack their weapon arm with the Shanghai Shadow (effectively trapping their arm for a fraction of a second) before delivering the coup de grace with either the Sword Breakers' heavy edge or sharp point.
Lynn was so pleased with the Sword Breaker that he pronounced it “a bona fide wrecking machine!”
We are proud to announce this incredibly powerful training tool in our 2011 line up to compliment our incredibly popular Carbon Steel Sword Breaker.
