Featured on the cover of Black Belt Magazine in 1978—long before TikTok or YouTube—Michael D. Echanis was teaching the art of military combat through books.

His bestsellers flew off the shelves, building a reputation and following the hard way—through real knowledge and results.

His light was gone too soon, but his legacy lives on through the pages that continue to influence warriors and martial artists today. Find the digital copy at

https://www.blackbeltmag.com/ebooks

Knife Self-Defense for Combat isn’t theory—it’s battlefield reality. Written by Michael D. Echanis, a Vietnam veteran who kept fighting even after being seriously wounded, this book comes from real-world experience—not the dojo.

After his medical discharge, Echanis went all-in on the martial path, earning a black sash in Hwarangdo and developing one of the most direct, no-nonsense approaches to close-quarters combat ever put on paper.

This book breaks down knife fighting the way it was meant to be understood—raw, efficient, and unforgiving—through clear, step-by-step photographic sequences.

His work has been regarded as ahead of its time, surpassing many traditional combatives manuals in realism and application. There were plans for a nine-book series—but his life was cut short at just 27.

What remains is a legacy that still influences warriors, fighters, and serious practitioners today. This is not sport. This is survival. Read the digital version now through Black Belt Magazine at BlackBeltMag.com.