Out of the few disciplines of martial arts I’ve studied over the years, my favorite for it’s simplicity and ease in learning, is stick and blade fighting – called Eskrima.  It is a very deadly knife fighting art. 
 
We train with sticks and live blades (dull if you have a training partner). I think many of the guys that carry a fancy tactical folding knife think they’re bad-asses because they have this knife or that knife. Boy, they don’t even have a clue what a knife fight is all about.
 
I pick a gun first, a 22″ to 24″ stick second and a knife third for deadly weapons.  A stick defeats a blade, a gun defeats a stick or a knife.
 
Angel Cabales was once quoted as saying “give my opponent an 18 foot spear, give me an 18″ piece of rattan and I will defeat him every time.”  He fought in many death matches in his long life, before his passing.  I have been able to train under a 3rd generation student of his for quite awhile and under the student of another FMA Master as well.

I don’t think you can find another martial art that is more natural and simple to learn the basics of the system. It’s easy to swing a stick or blade and once the footwork and drills are learned, as well as the many nuances of this system of fighting, you can consider yourself “well armed” with only a short stick or a knife.