There was this Sugarland/Missouri City Texas arnis group that practiced back in the early to mid-90s (until the Guro moved overseas for work)where the head instructor was demonstrating the use of the umbrella in a FMA demonstration during some sort of Filipino community event that I just so happened to have attended out of association with a cousin who is known in this community.
The guro's umbrella was the straight one with the crook and semi-pointed tip. His demonstration of strips and disarms with the umbrella were textbook to say the least and it was very good technique and it pleased the crowd more than fairly.

   His demo partner/asst instructor Franki was wearing the WEKAF helmet to be able to stand through the abanico and various witik hits with the umbrella and he was moving quite well with it, and I have to agree it was way too well when the Guro's  "finishing move" to the show  was when he "accidentally" thrusted  the umbrella  towards Frankie's face area with it's tip sliding right through the front grill of the helmet and poking right into his Frankie's eye.ouch!
  I can still vividly recall each detail of the moment in slow motion right as I noticed the guro's weapon hand raised as if to thrust and me saying to myself "oh-$hit!!!!"
... then I heard the slight clang of metal sliding on metal and Frankie quickly turning around and diving to the mat face down as his hands struggled to grab at his eye while he was still wearing the grilled-headgear and while "screaming-bloody-murder". It was one painful moment to see.
  The poor guy was still struggling to get his headgear off to check his eye while freakin-out and it really got the audience concerned. What really sucked about that headgear was that the straps were buckles! The crowd got really freaked out and deathly silent... and curious at the same time. The mat area for the demo was suddenly surrounded by event officials and EMS. Frankie chilled out some after the mask finally came off just to see if his eye is still intact and to his good fortune, he rewarded himself with that sigh of relief in knowing that it was still there.
He was very very lucky that the poke was only a scratch!

So lucky!

Daniel

"Sensei J. Richard Kirkham B.Sc." <tutor2000@...> wrote:

Has anyone thought about or trained with one of those short umbrellas
that expands out. I've already figured to hit with the handle
preferably the edge of it due to it's shape.

Rick
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