Playing With Knives: Knife Throwing
What does a knife sharpener do when he is not sharpening knives? He plays with knives - specifically, he THROWS knives!
I am a "knife guy". I like sharpening knives because I like using knives. My knives are used for camping, carving, hunting, and every day carry. I hate dull knives!
But sometimes I like to challenge myself with throwing knives. Not sticking a jack knife in the dirt - I am talking about throwing knives accurately and at a distance. No - I don't plan to join the circus...
As you can imagine, the best throwing knives are not the steak knives from your kitchen. Knives designed for throwing are special. They are heavier than kitchen knives. They typically only have a sharpened point.
Knife throwing can also be sub-divided by style. There are three basic styles of knife throwing:
1. Half-spin throwing means you hold the blade of the knife. When thrown, the knife rotates 180-degrees (a half spin) and sticks in the target.
2. Full-spin throwing means that you hold the knife by the handle, much like grabbing the handle of a hammer. When thrown, the knife rotates a full 360-degrees (a full spin) and sticks in the target.
3. No-spin throwing also starts by holding the handle of the blade but this time it is balanced in the palm of your hand with your index finger on the spine of the blade. As you begin the throwing motion, your arm comes forward and the knife is released while still pointing up. then the index finger gently follows the spine of the blade as the knife leaves your hand. This gentle pressure counteracts the natural rotation of the knife. If just the right arm action and finger pressure is applied, the knife sails toward the target and sticks horizontally. "No spin" throwing is really quarter spin throwing.
Each style of knife throwing demands a different knife design, although there can be some cross-over.
1. In general, half-spin knives are only sharpened along one edge so that the blade can rest safely in your palm. However, for short throws you can hold the tip of a sharp knife and throw it in a half-spin.
2. Since you hold the knife by the handle for full-spin throwing, it can be a variety of profiles. However, the best performance usually is accomplished with knives that are balanced with weight towards the blade since this is leading into the target.
3. With good technique you can also throw a variety of shapes using the no-spin method. But the easiest knives to throw will be longer, heavier, and have more weight on the handle of the knife.
In every case, longer and heavier knives allow the distance to be increased. The rotation is slower with a heavy knife, versus a shorter and lighter knife.
But long heavy knives are NOT what you should start throwing! I am often asked for recommendations for beginner knife throwers. I always suggest shorter and lighter knives to perfect your techniques. These lighter knives force you to be closer to the target. Lighter knives also force you to be more consistent. But lighter knives minimize the the chance of damage or injury when you are inconsistent. They just don't have the mass and velocity to ricochet and cause problems.
Finally, lighter and smaller knives are also the least expensive. This allows you to buy a few styles, lengths and shapes to determine what you like best. After all, knife throwing is dependent on your own personal style, and that is a factor of your size, age, weight, and strength. Your style is also dependent on your practice area - whether a wide-open yard or a confined garage space.
I recently created a few videos that allowed me to demonstrate good throwing knives for beginners. In each case, the knives tested are inexpensive but offer great practice for various throwing techniques.
Another great benefit of inexpensive beginner throwing knives is that you can afford to make mistakes. it is OK to chip or break a knife. You are forced to learn how to touch-up the edges and tips of your knives. And - worst case - if you destroy a knife or loose one entirely you are out only a few dollars. Compared to any other sport, this makes knife throwing super economical!
Check out these video reviews of a few knives that I recommend for beginning knife throwers. Then contact me with any questions or to place an order.
