James Loriega is a master at the arts of fighting with a steel blade. His translation from the original Spanish of the Manual Of The Baratero Or The Art Of Handling The Navaja, The Knife, And The Scissors Of The Gypsies is an instruction book for the non-specialist general reader in the basic techniques of fighting with knives which was originally published in Madrid, Spain, in 1849. There are occasional woodblock illustrations but they are decorative, not instructional. It is the text itself that provides an informed and informative "how to" manual for defending against attackers or robbers with a blade in your hand. A long recognized and appreciated contribution to Spain's historic martial arts culture, Manual Of The Baratero has never before been available to English readers. Here is an invaluable and enduringly impressive addition to personal and professional reference collections for historians, edged-weapons enthusiasts, and students of diverse martial arts legacies from around the world.

James Loriega is a master at the arts of fighting with a steel blade. His translation from the original Spanish of the Manual Of The Baratero Or The Art Of Handling The Navaja, The Knife, And The Scissors Of The Gypsies is an instruction book for the non-specialist general reader in the basic techniques of fighting with knives which was originally published in Madrid, Spain, in 1849. There are occasional woodblock illustrations but they are decorative, not instructional. It is the text itself that provides an informed and informative "how to" manual for defending against attackers or robbers with a blade in your hand. A long recognized and appreciated contribution to Spain's historic martial arts culture, Manual Of The Baratero has never before been available to English readers. Here is an invaluable and enduringly impressive addition to personal and professional reference collections for historians, edged-weapons enthusiasts, and students of diverse martial arts legacies from around the world.