what features are good in a beginners throwing knife?

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Riven_Cole

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such as what weight, balance, type, length, etc. i should get. dont really care about brand
reason i ask: i picked up a couple of cheapies the other day that a friend of mine had and started throwing them. i noticed that once i found a way that felt natural, which was with a point hold at 20 feet, with my arm going straight forward instead of across my body (across the body is how i throw a baseball), i managed to stick the the blades point first into a tree stump almost straight on pretty consistently after a few minutes. now i have a new hobby. so, other question: am i throwing them more or less correctly? i have never actually thrown knives before that and do not want to develop bad habits
sorry if this has already been asked, but looking over google i find a LOT of conflicting info. just looking to add to the mess ;)

thanks for your time.
 
The main feature of any starter knife is a balance of durability and expendability.:D When starting out in knife throwing, accept the fact that you will beat the living tar out of your knives, so they need to be relatively simple in design and cheap too. Like traditional archers say "never fall in love with your ammo."

Weight, balance, length really has to do with how you throw and there is no perfect answer, but here are a few pointers. "Light" knives (9 oz or less) are a bit temperamental and the lack of weight makes them harder to stick at long range. "Heavy" knives (15 oz or more) take more strength to throw, and can "lever" themselves out of a stick due to rotational momentum. For length, shorter than 9" is a bit small and tends to spin fast. Big ones (17"+) can be heavy but still work if you adjust the style. "Balance" is a word that get's thrown around a lot by commercial makers and it really isn't that important unless you are changing from one type to another. Axes and Kukri can be thrown just fine and they are way tip-heavy. Handle heavy can work too (bayonets or screwdrivers) though they are a challenge to throw if the release isn't clean.
 
"Balance" is a word that get's thrown around a lot by commercial makers and it really isn't that important unless you are changing from one type to another.
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Interesting to know. I've always heard balance, balance, balance, regarding a throwing knive but never knew if it was true.
 
Before they were so incredibly expensive, I threw some long Mauser bayonets Byron had. They worked pretty well, but as glistam pointed out, you have to get the rotation right- if you do, they stick solidly. If they're still rotating a lot, they wrench themselves free.

John
 
Potatohead said:
Interesting to know. I've always heard balance, balance, balance, regarding a throwing knive but never knew if it was true.
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Nah.

Anything thrown is going to rotate around an axis in a fairly predictable manner provided that it has enough weight to prevent flutter.

In general, long objects are easier to throw well.


I've been throwing the same dozen Camillus era CS proflights for a decade I guess.


The thing in the middle is a crappy punch that I loosely wrapped a piece of composite scrap around. It has seen daily usage for a couple months now and I can stick it nearly as well as the Proflights.
 
Shoot. Dropped my picture.

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Everything has 'balance', learning what the object you're throwing 'likes' is the key.

Back in the 60's I worked with a guy who could stick just about anything with a point; screwdriver, pocket knife, ice pick, you name it. He had a natural talent that allowed him to judge weight, balance and distance in a second or two and make it work.

We worked in an old 4 story, red brick factory with huge wooden support columns. The guys were always trying him out to see if he'd miss. If he missed the first time (and that was rare), he'd make it the second and every time thereafter with that particular object.

When I left fot the Navy, every one of those columns showed evidence of his talent.

Start out with something 12-15" long that weighs an ounce per inch. Find your distance through trial and error and have fun. Also, it wouldn't hurt to see if you can find any of Harry McEvoy's books to read. Do a search for Skeeter Vaughn, too.
 
VA27 said:
Everything has 'balance', learning what the object you're throwing 'likes' is the key.

Back in the 60's I worked with a guy who could stick just about anything with a point; screwdriver, pocket knife, ice pick, you name it. He had a natural talent that allowed him to judge weight, balance and distance in a second or two and make it work.

We worked in an old 4 story, red brick factory with huge wooden support columns. The guys were always trying him out to see if he'd miss. If he missed the first time (and that was rare), he'd make it the second and every time thereafter with that particular object.

When I left fot the Navy, every one of those columns showed evidence of his talent.

Start out with something 12-15" long that weighs an ounce per inch. Find your distance through trial and error and have fun. Also, it wouldn't hurt to see if you can find any of Harry McEvoy's books to read. Do a search for Skeeter Vaughn, too.
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Good info..Anyone know what an experienced throwers "stick rate" should be at say, 8-10 yds?


Also, what is a good distance to start from? It seems if you're to close, it could be problematic...

Man,
I'm going to have to break out the ol' throwers!
 
ok, so balance is bunk. got it. anything else i should look for as per the other qualities i mentioned?
EDIT: just saw a post about length and weight. i also figured my distance out already for the most part to be 20 ft. at least with the 9 inch ~6 oz. cheapos i was using. was sticking 'em right away almost. also got accurate by the end of it. :D
 
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Okay, it's not that balance is bunk, really, it's that you can either learn to throw a certain way, and stick with that- and pick objects that work with that technique- or adjust your style/distance to each individual object.

To put this into the broader picture, knife throwing is for fun. I've trained in a martial art that's know for throwing bladed objects, and even for those guys, throwing small bladed object (small meaning knife-size or less) was a distraction or delaying tactic, not a valid "fighting" technique.

Do it for fun, sure, so long as you don't think you're learning a valuable fighting or survival skill.

John
 
JShirley said:
Okay, it's not that balance is bunk, really, it's that you can either learn to throw a certain way, and stick with that- and pick objects that work with that technique- or adjust your style/distance to each individual object.

To put this into the broader picture, knife throwing is for fun. I've trained in a martial art that's know for throwing bladed objects, and even for those guys, throwing small bladed object (small meaning knife-size or less) was a distraction or delaying tactic, not a valid "fighting" technique.

Do it for fun, sure, so long as you don't think you're learning a valuable fighting or survival skill.

John
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oh, no problem man. i just found i have a bit of a talent for it and wanted to see what i could do. no worries. :)
 
Good deal. So, a lot of your purchasing decision-making-process will revolve around whether you're willing to alter your technique, or whether you just want to find a way that works well for you, and then find knives that fit with that technique.

I hope that helps, a bit. If they were still $6, I'd suggest buying 5 long Mauser bayonets.

John
 
JShirley said:
Good deal. So, a lot of your purchasing decision-making-process will revolve around whether you're willing to alter your technique, or whether you just want to find a way that works well for you, and then find knives that fit with that technique.

I hope that helps, a bit. If they were still $6, I'd suggest buying 5 long Mauser bayonets.

John
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$6 is about how much all 3 knives i was throwing cost together according to my friend. i would be neat to find mauser bayos for that price though wouldn't it? as for technique... i think at this point i am still pretty flexible since i am still an ultra noob so to speak. haven't had a chance to develop a technique yet. thanks for the info.
 
Potatohead said:
Good info..Anyone know what an experienced throwers "stick rate" should be at say, 8-10 yds?
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100% from a known "good" distance. It isn't hard to do at all provided that your release is consistent


Potatohead said:
Also, what is a good distance to start from? It seems if you're to close, it could be problematic...
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Depends on your height, your technique and the length of your tossin' object. I usually start at 4 long strides. YMMV.

Being too close (and throwing overly hard) is a good way to get maimed by a rebounding knife. :eek:
 
Depends on your height, your technique and the length of your tossin' object. I usually start at 4 long strides. YMMV.
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Will do on the strides...I'm 5'10"....Not trying to be a smart a-double here but how many techniques are their? Couldn't be many
 
Yup. With bo shuriken, and knives thrown like them, it's a straight, no-rotation throw (also usually at very close range: bo shuriken tend to be about pen-sized).

With those big Mauser bayonets, I was more like 6 paces away.
 
One other small thought for those wondering about shuriken... as noted they were generally used as a distraction or delaying move as the thrower exited or went to other weapons. The best objects I ever saw at a dojo for that purpose weren't anything like traditional shuriken (or even anything in any movie...). This particular instructor simply used ordinary throwing darts and could hit a man sized target just about every time the full length of our practice area (and he did so in every way possible -overhand, underhand, side arm, etc) In every case the dart was absolutely buried the length of the steel.... It was enough to make you think about such things.
 
Sam Cade>>>>>>>>>>>>YOU HAVE CREATED THE BEST FEET IN FRAME PHOTOGRAPH EVER EVER EVER. THANK YOU MAESTRO.
 
Are those throwing shoes? :D

I have purchased some "throwing knives" that were just to light. You need mass to get the things to stick in wood.

I would never again throw good cutlery as the things bend at the tang. For practice throwing knives you need something that is tough and R56 steel is too brittle.

I always had problems with handles. Even the Cold Steel throwing knives I bought, the darn handles shear off .


It is a lot of fun to stick a knife in a target from 15 yards away, but I would never recommend that as a fighting technique.
 
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