How did throwing stars ever become classified as weapons? I mean, how much mortal damage will a 2" puncture wound really do to an angry attacker. Maybe if you got him right in the eye ball? Does anyone know what the real-world effectiveness of the throwing star is?
In all of my research I have never heard of them being used
by themselves for the purpose of
killing someone.
The real ones are not very heavy, but heavier than the ones you see in Chinatown. If you got hit with one, it would be a minor injury. Not something you would just shrug off. Probably like getting hit with a thrown Spyderco point first with more weight behind it. While it would not go deep enough to kill someone without a
very lucky shot, it could open someone up for something else, and the guys that used them usually had something else with them that could kill.
If you had a spear, and got hit with one, you probably would be out of it just long enough for a swordsman ready for it to slip past your point and then your length advantage is gone.
If you were chasing an intruder full out and got hit with one, you would probably stumble and let out a scream or something. And then not only would a few people stop chasing the guy to take care of you, but the rest of the guys that kept it up would have to slow down a bit to watch for more of what you got. That gives the guy running a bit of a head start.
The ninja of Japan were famous for using them because they were not interested in killing people when discovered. All they needed was for people to not be too eager to chase after them. The samurai used them to mess enemies up from a distance while they got ready to use their sword for the lethal blow.