Hell, I'd try out one of your cobbled whatevers anytime.

[ Listen, it's still an improvement over seeing if you can just use a kitchen knife swiftly enough. ]

But I used to be a Fixer--think something like a mercenary, though in my case, it was taking on all kinds of jobs and protecting people when they needed it. You end up seeing a lot of combat and if you don't die from it, you learn from it.