I was eight year old when I first started
throwing knives. There was an old solid oak door in the back yard of a
shop that backed onto our house which I drew targets on with chalk.
Whenever I got a chance I would take myself off with a Bowie knife I had
been given by an older boy who lived next-door and practice throwing.
I could spend hours trying to get the knife to stick using a half spin at a
distance of about six feet and a full spin at about 9.
It is hard to explain the satisfaction
gained from what on the surface seems a simple task. The "thunk" of a
well thrown knife as it hits home into its target can only be fully
appreciated by fellow throwers.
As I grew older other hobbies and pass
times developed and though I had long breaks from it I always retained a
love for throwing knives. As the years went by I tried all sorts of
knives varying widely in shape, weight and size. I still haven't found
the "perfect" knife for me but with the help of a new brother of the knife I
might do.
John Taylor, a fellow thrower who I only
met a few days ago is responsible for rekindling my interest in throwing.
A friend of mine, knowing of my interest in throwing knives had seen an
article about John in the local paper and had dropped it in for me.
John had just returned from the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame
Competition which was held in Austin, Texas, USA. This 54 year old ex
Police Officer had taken part in the competition in order to learn a bit
from the experts. For ten days he "ate, breathed and slept knife and
tomahawk throwing." He did very well coming 12th out of 80 entrants in
one of the competitions!
John returned to the UK with not only a
suitcase full of knives and hawks but also, because of the friendship and
generosity he'd experienced in the States, a refreshed faith in human
nature.
I contacted John and we got together for a
session. We talked a while and once he was convinced that I was
interested in the sport for the right reasons we got on with some throwing.
It had been a few years since I had even picked up a knife let alone tried
to throw it accurately but I didn't do too badly overall. John was
able to give me some great tips and I fully enjoyed the day. It was
whist we were talking that he expressed an interest in seeing if we could
get more people who share our interest to join us.
John and I are very keen to
get people together who are interested.
We will be meeting up
regularly and hope to establish an open night once a week. It will
most likely be on a Wednesday evening. We are interested in meeting
anyone who is interested in knife throwing as a sport no matter whether you
have any experience or not.
ALL ARE WELCOME!
You can contact me at:
ukken2005@aol.com
or John at:
ConejoMatar@aol.com
Reproduced with the kind permission of Alamo at the
International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame.
101 Throwing Tips
The following tips are designed to
introduce the
beginning thrower to the basics of knife throwing.
Some of the tips may seem obvious, but they are
nevertheless important.
We are planning to compile a few follow-up Tips
Reports with some Intermediate, as well as
Advanced, Tips for our more experienced throwers.
We may also create a Throwing Games report.
If you have any Throwing Tips or Games you'd like
to share, I will be happy to consider including them
in one of our future reports. Just e-mail your tips or
games to sgracia@wi.rr.com
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these tips.
=================================
IN THIS REPORT:
1. Safety
2. Throwing Tips
3. Checklist
4. Ways to Slow Down Rotation
5. Ways to Speed Up Rotation
6. Targets
7. Preserving Your Targets
8. Soft Woods to Use for Targets
9. Do-It-Yourselfers
10. Hardening Simple Steels
11. Types of Materials Used for Handles
12. Inexpensive Things to Throw
13. Preventive Maintenance
14. Competition Rules
15. Knife Throwing Tricks
16. Throwing Clubs and Organizations
17. Knife Throwing Websites
=================================
SAFETY TIPS
1. Always be aware of your surroundings. Make
sure there aren't any children or animals around your
target range.
2. It's also a good idea to have your throwing area
roped off so others may not wander onto your
throwing range or get hit by a ricocheting knife.
Always pay attention! Knives can and do bounce back!
3. If you have throwing knives that have a sharp
edge on the blade, you can put a few layers of
electrical tape around them and you will be able to
throw them from the blade without having to worry
about getting cut. You can also dull the edges with a
sander or grinder.
4. If there are younger people who wish to try
throwing, first check with their parents. Then have
them throw something else first, like a tennis ball.
Something that will bounce back at them.
Let them know that knives can bounce back and
cause serious injury, so they should be ready to
move. Make them throw the ball hard, without
getting hit by it after it bounces off the target, about
100 times. Or until you feel they are ready. Some
may need more, some a little less.
JUST BE CAREFUL.
=================================
THROWING TIPS
(If you don't want to spend time figuring out distances
and just want to get started you can try standing
between 6 and 8 feet for a half spin, and between
11 and 13 feet for 1 full spin.
These are just a starting point. Distances will vary
depending on the length of the knife and the person who
is throwing it.)
5. Start out with a basic half-turn throw. Hold your
knife by the blade and stand about 6-8 ft. away
from your target. When you throw, your knife will
make 1/2 rotation before it reaches your target.
Pay attention to how the knife hits. If it sticks
straight in the target then that's your 1/2 turn
distance. Make sure you mark it!
If the handle hits high or low, then make your
adjustments. Once you find your 1/2 turn distance,
measure it out exactly and mark it.
Practice here until you are consistently sticking your
knives. Then you just need to do a little math to
figure out where to throw from for 1 turn, 2 turn, or
3 turn throws.
6. Formula for figuring out your throwing distances:
Start with your 1/2 turn distance. Mine is 7.5'.
Now guesstimate the length of your arm and
subtract it from your 1/2 turn distance. Lets say 2.5',
(I'm only 5'6" and I throw with a pinch grip which
makes it spin faster), subtract 2.5' for the length of
my arm and I get 5' for my 1/2 turn distance.
7. To find your distance for 1 full turn, take your
1/2 turn distance, 5', and multiply it by 2. Then add
the length of your arm, 2.5' and that's your full turn
distance. 5'X2 + 2.5'= 12.5' for a full turn.
8. Your 1 1/2 turn would be: 5'X3 + 2.5'= 17.5'
for 1 1/2 turns. And so on, and so on. This formula
will figure your "approximate" distance to throw from.
Every little thing affects how your knife flies to the
target. If you don't stick 'em right away, don't get
frustrated. Try to watch how the knife is hitting the
target and make your adjustments.
9. A knife that is handle heavy, throws more easily
when gripped from the blade.
10. A knife that is blade-heavy, throws more easily
when gripped from the handle.
11. Heavier knives work better for longer distances.
Imagine trying to throw a small pebble across a pond,
it would be quite difficult and probably hurt your arm,
elbow or shoulder. A heavier rock would make the task
more attainable.
12. Lighter knives are better for closer distances.
Like 1/2 to 1 1/2 turns.
13. Always watch the handle, not the point. If your
knife hits the target with the handle up, move forward a
few inches. It had too much time to spin before reaching
the target.
14. If your knife hits with the handle down, back up
a few inches. It needs a little more time to spin
before reaching the target.
15. Even though it feels natural, try not to snap your
wrist when you release your knife. It is hard to snap it
exactly the same every time you throw.
16. Keep your wrist locked and try to get a smooth
release. Let your hand slide off of the knife as you
release it.
17. I found after I throw for awhile my arm gets tired
and I start bouncing the knives from the same distance
I was just sticking them from. When your arm gets tired
your body adjusts by giving it a little more of a snap
to get it to the target. This makes it spin a bit
faster. (If you notice your elbow is sticking out to the
side of you, you're probably snapping your wrist.)
So if all of a sudden you start bouncing your knives
after you've been sticking them all day... try moving
forward just a bit.
18. I always take a small step forward when I throw.
This seems to help propel the knife. If you are a
right handed thrower, you step forward with your
left foot. Just like throwing a baseball.
19. The farther away you are from your target the
more distance your knife is actually traveling.
Ex. If you are throwing from 20' away you must aim
well above the target due to the effects of gravity so
you could be throwing more like 23'. If you are
calculating your number of turns and distances you
will have a shorter distance the farther away you
throw from.
20. Knives are pretty easy to lose if you throw
outside in deep grass. I put a bright layer of tape on
the handles which makes them easier to spot.
This also helps when trying to find your "spot" to throw
from. The tape makes it easier to see if the handle is
hitting up or down.
21. When throwing more than one knife, start by
grabbing the 1st knife off of the pile. Then raise it
in front of you, take aim or go through your steps,
and release it. Grab the second knife and do the same
thing.
Don't just grab each knife and let it fly. This is not
a race. Take your time. If you start throwing too fast
you might end up snapping your wrist and moving your
elbow out to the side like a baseball pitcher. This will
cause the knife to spin more than usual and it won't
stick. (Unless you make adjustments.)
22. Concentrate on using a true overhand throw. If
you throw side-arm, your knife will be less likely to
stick. One reason is the grain of the wood usually
runs vertically, and a blade hitting the target
horizontally just won't cut through as well. Another
reason is your knife will be slowed down by more
resistance going through the air because it isn't
"cutting" through the air.
23. When you start sticking knives, mark the exact spot
that you were standing in. A piece of tape, a stick, a
spray painted line, whatever. Just be sure to mark it so
you know exactly where to stand for each spin (1/2 spin,
1 spin, 1 1/2, 2, 2 1/2, 3 etc).
24. Your throwing distances may change daily.
Sometimes my full turn throw is from 12.5' and
sometimes from 11'. Don't worry about it. Just
make your adjustments. The consistency will come
the more you practice!
25. If you plan on entering any competitions, I
would suggest getting yourself a set of at least three,
12" knives. And practice from a minimum length of
12' from your target.
26. If you ever get the chance, go to one of the
many knife and tomahawk throwing competitions.
These participants are the "cream of the crop" in
our sport. And knife throwers are some of the nicest
people you will ever meet!
You can learn tons of useful tips from these folks. Also,
many competitions have demonstrations going on where you
can learn new techniques, different things to throw or
just meet other people who love to throw!
27. Get together with friends to throw. It's always
more fun when you are with others that enjoy the
sport. Get together once a week or once a month
and practice.
=================================
CHECKLIST
28. Repetition is the key. Try to do everything the
same every time you throw until you get the feel of
your knives. If you just can't get your knives to stick
consistently, check to see if you are doing the
following:
29. Are you using the same grip? Hold all your
knives in the exact same spot every time you throw.
30. Are you using the same stance and approach?
Was your left foot or right foot forward? If you
leaned forward when you released the first knife,
then lean forward for the rest. If you normally keep
your weight on your back foot, always do that or it will
change the spin.
31. Are you at the correct distance for your throw.
Even 3" can make a difference when throwing small
knives.
32. Are you using the same release? Are you letting
it slide from your hand or are you snapping your
wrist?
33. Everyone is different. What works for one
person may not work for another. Keep practicing
and you will discover what works for you.
=================================
WAYS TO SLOW ROTATION
34. Put your thumb on the spline (top edge), of your
knife to slow the rotation down.
35. Or choke up on your knife to slow the rotation.
36. There is another technique to slow the spin
called a "slide" release. You achieve this by holding
the knife softly and letting the centrifugal force of
your throwing arc pull it "sliding" from your hand.
37. Another way to slow the rotation of your knife is
to keep your wrist straight. Don't bend it when
throwing because then you will tend to snap your
wrist which will make it spin faster.
Here's a bonus tip. It doesn't actually slow the
rotation of the knife but it has the same effect:
If you throw the knife harder, it has less time to spin
in the air before it reaches the target. So if your
knives are over rotating just a bit, try throwing them
a bit harder instead of moving forward. Just be sure not
to snap your wrist.
=================================
WAYS TO SPEED UP ROTATION
38. To speed up the turning of your knife you can
choke down on the handle, (grab your knife a bit
lower from your usual spot). This will mske the knife
spin faster.
39. Snap your wrist a little when you release the
knife.
40. Raise your knife like you are about to throw.
Now angle the tip of your knife towards you just a bit
more than it already is (if this is a handle throw).
Continue with the rest of your throw. If it were a blade
throw, do everything the same except you would then angle
the handle towards you.
=================================
TARGETS
41. If your target is made of boards, always place
the grain of your target vertically. The knife cuts
into the grain easier this way.
42. Polypropylene archery targets work well for
smaller knives and spikes, but get chewed up very fast
by the bigger throwers.
43. If you are using log rounds for your targets, try
to get them a minimum of 4" thick. The thicker they are
the longer they will last.
44. Once the face gets chewed up you just cut off a
couple inches and you have a new target face.
If you get logs that are really thick you can throw at
one side until it is chewed up and then turn the log
around and throw at that side. When they are both chewed
up, bring out the chainsaw and buzz a couple inches
off on each side and you'll have two new target faces.
45. Tape a bunch of broken down cardboard boxes together
for a cheap indoor target. This target works better for
smaller knives and spikes.
46. Bales of hay will also work. (This is also a very
quiet target to throw at.)
=================================
PRESERVING YOUR TARGETS
47. Make more than one bulls eye on your target.
Otherwise the center of your target will be mush.
This also helps prolong the life of your handles.
Because you won't be banging knives together as
often.
48. Soaking your targets with water before throwing at
them is a good idea. If it is a soft wood, it will act
like a self-healing dart board when you pull your
knives out. When it starts to dry out just add more
water.
=================================
SOFT WOODS TO USE FOR TARGETS
49. Pine
50. Spruce
51. Cottonwood
52. Willow
53. Poplar
54. Palm
=================================
DO IT YOURSELFERS
If you want to make your own throwers, here are a
few good tips to keep in mind:
55. If you're going to make your own thrower, a
good rule of thumb is 1" = 1oz. (A 12 inch knife would
weigh 12 ounces. A 14 inch knife would weigh 14 ounces
etc. You need sufficient weight for good target
penetration.
56. Use carbon steel, not stainless. Carbon steel is
normally cheaper to buy, and easier to work with.
57. Make sure your knife is long enough so you
have good control over it. Some people say a good
rule of thumb is an 11" minimum and a 16"
maximum.
58. If you want a knife that will throw equally well
from the handle or the blade, then the balancing
point should be very close to the center of the knife.
59. Throwers should always be made of one solid
piece. Don't try to attach the blade to the handle
because it won't be able to take the impact and will
eventually break.
=================================
HARDENING SIMPLE STEELS
BE VERY CAREFUL!!!
60. If you want to harden a low alloy steel there is
one feature that makes this virtually foolproof.
When cooking them for hardening, keep a magnet
handy.
When the low alloy steel reaches the critical
temperature where it can be hardened by quenching,
it turns non-magnetic. As the steel heats, check it
with a magnet. At a certain point, the magnet won't
stick. Keep it in the heat a few more seconds and
then quench it.
61. Don't use water to quench it. It's too thin and
will cool too fast.
62. Use light weight oil or transmission fluid heated
to 175 degrees for quenching. If the oil is too cold
it may crack your steel.
63. The thicker the oil, the slower it cools.
64. Don't use a small tank of oil to quench a lot of
knives. Sooner or later, the oil will start on fire!
BE VERY CAREFUL!!!
=================================
TYPES OF MATERIAL USED FOR HANDLES
65. If your knives don't have any handles, you can
cut a T-shirt into 1" strips and wrap your handles
with these. Then put electrical tape over the T-shirt.
If it wears out it is easy and cheap to replace.
66. You can use thick pieces of leather attached with
rivets.
67. You can use composition rubber, (same as shoe
soles), attached with rivets.
68. Micarta - A hard, fiber material that works great
until you bang a knife off the handle. Then it really
splinters and makes getting a smooth release
difficult.
A layer or two of electrical tape seems to help a bit.
(But it looks really cool in the beginning!)
69. Rawhide strip. Can also be attached with rivets.
70. Nothing. Just the cold steel!
=================================
INEXPENSIVE THINGS TO THROW
71. Clothes hanger darts. Take a heavy wire hanger
and cut it into 8 inch lengths. Bend one end over
about 2 inches along the main shaft. You now have a
6 inch throwing spike. You can even add tassels to
the loop for stabilization.
72. Razor blades. (Be very careful!) You have to get
the blades with an edge on each side. The ones used
for shaving I think. Wedge your index finger, on the
edge next to your nail, in the middle opening of the
blade. Wedge it on your middle finger side. Then
curl your finger in and put your thumb on it. Like
flicking something off your finger. Remember be
careful and don't practice with anyone else in the
room.
73. The bamboo chopstick . You can pick these up
in any Asian market. A few dollars for a bundle of
fifty.
74. Lawnmower blades. This one is inexpensive if
you have a lawnmower that just blew up. Use a
bench grinder to shape them how you want and
voila! You can also get these at lawn cutting places for
cheap too! They sometimes have an entire basket of old
blades laying around.
75. Large nails. You can buy 8-12" inch nails at any
hardware store. These can be sharpened to throw
into wood or left alone to throw into softer indoor
targets. And they cost less than a dollar each!
=================================
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
76. Clean your knives with hot water and soap to
get mud or dirt off.
77 You can also use a non-abrasive scouring pad for
the stuck on dirt.
78. Dry them thoroughly. You don't want your
knives to rust.
79. If you are going to store them add a light coat of
machine oil.
80. If your knife gets a ding in it from hitting
another knife or a rock, take a file and smooth it out.
Otherwise you can be cut by these sharp pieces.
That's also a good place for rust to start.
81. Cover your handles with electrical tape. It will
prolong their life. Make sure that the last layer of
tape goes up the handle toward the blade. This way
it won't get caught on your hand during your
release.
=================================
INTERNATIONAL KNIFE THROWERS HALL OF FAME
COMPETITION RULES
I'm listing a few of these for anyone who is
interested in competing. It's nice to know what
you're in for when you get there. And here is some of
what to expect!
82. TARGETS:
At least 16 inches in diameter. Bulls eye of 2.5
inches in circle. Second ring of 8 inches, and outer ring
of 16 inches.
Five targets will be mounted perpendicular to the thrower
(e.g., against a wall or backstop) like the dots on the
'five' side of dice: one above another on the left, one
above another on the right, and one centered in the
middle of the other four. The center of the highest
targets on left and right sides will be set at 60 inches,
and the lowest at 40 inches.
KNIFE THROWING EVENT
Throwers throw four rounds of five knives from each of
five distances, for a total of 100 knives.
Each round consists of five Half Spins (knife must be
held by the blade) from a minimum of 8 feet; five single
spins (knife must be held by the handle) from a minimum
distance of 11 feet; five one-and-a-half spins (knife
must be held by the blade) from a minimum distance of 15
feet; five double spins (knife must be held by the
handle) from a minimum distance of 18 feet; and five
two-and-a-half spins (knife must be held by the blade)
from a minimum distance of 21 feet.
Total Possible Score - 300 points.
TOMAHAWK THROWING EVENT
Throw five hawks, 1 Spin, from 14 foot minimum distance,
3 times.
Throw five hawks, 1½ Spins, 3 times. (No minimum distance)
Throw five hawks, 2 Spins, 3 times. (No minimum distance)
Total of 45 hawks thrown.
Total possible Score - 135 points
83. OTHER RULES:
Only knives are allowed in knife throwing events (no
spikes). The knives must be at least 12 inches long and
must be no wider than 2.5 inches at their widest point.
84. A tomahawk cannot have a cutting edge of more
than 4 inches.
85. SCORING:
Bulls eye = 3 points.
Second ring (8") = 2 points
Third ring (16") = 1 point.
The knife's 'point' must be embedded in the target for a
score. If the knife blade touches the border of a higher
ring, the higher score is awarded.
=================================
KNIFE TRICKS
When you master the basics of knife throwing I'm
sure some of you will want to have a few cool tricks
to impress everyone with. So here are a few:
86. Throw while lying down. Just make sure your
shoulder is at your mark where you usually stand.
87. Throw the knives from between your legs. Stand
with your back to the target. Bend over and look at
your target from between your legs. Now throw. It
will take a few tries to find your correct distance.
88. The under-handed throw. Pretty self
explanatory. Kind of like bowling. Step forward
while swinging the knife behind you then release it
when it's coming past your body. This one you will
also have to practice until you find your mark.
89. Another backwards throw. Stand with your back
to the target. Look backwards under your throwing
arm and throw. This should be from the mark where
you usually stand. Blade throws seem to be easier
for this one.
90. Place one of your targets flat on the ground.
Now lob your knife high into the air using an under-
hand throw and see if you can stick the target. If it
sticks in the ground, mark your spot. Now you just
have to work on your accuracy!
91. Practicing with a fake assistant. Since my
girlfriend won't let me throw knives at her, I just
draw a profile (side view) of a face on my target.
Then I can tape a cigarette or balloon next to the
mouth and practice throwing without worrying. I
haven't killed my fake assistant yet!
92. Throw 2 knives at once. You can do this with
both in one hand or one in each.
=================================
THROWING CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
The following clubs are all worth joining. We should
all help support our sport in any way we can. The
more people that join, the bigger the sport will
become. And along with that comes more publicity.
After that it's big dollar competitions, commercial
deals with Carmen Elektra, record contracts, etc.
:-)
Anyway, once you are a member, you also receive
discounts on knives from many knife makers, news-
letters, patches, stickers and a lot more useful
information. So be sure to check these out.
93. The International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame
Association (aka IKTHOFA)
The IKTHOFA provides a positive influence and
professional service to it's membership. The association
is also dedicated to increasing the communication,
education and recognition of all Knife throwers. It has
an open membership policy and is designed to service the
varied needs and interests of members from all Knife
Throwing styles.
If you're going to join a club I highly recommend this
one! Mike Bainton runs an incredible school of martial
artists and dedicates MUCH of his energy to throwing and
competing throughout the country. He is also the first
person ever to take 11 first place finishes in one year
and has won 18 major events in the past
4 years! (2002-2006)
http://www.ikthof.com
94. PKT (Pacific Knife Throwers) President, Rick
Lemberg. We teach, write, practice and compete
with the intention of establishing knife throwing as a
fun, safe, target sport. The PKT is dedicated to
providing an environment in California and the
Western States that is open to all novice and
experienced throwers that wish to learn, compete
and enjoy the many benefits of the myriad of skills
involved. Any throwers that share these goals are
able to join.
http://www.commonlogic.com/knife/clubs/pkt/pkt.htm
95. Rocky Mountain Knife And Tomahawk Alliance:
"The Rocky Mountain Knife and Tomahawk Alliance is
a non profit organization. Our mission is to promote
safe and fun knife and tomahawk throwing as a family
sport." - Mike "IronPost" Kolisch
http://www.rmkta.com/
96. IKTA (International Knife Throwers Alliance)
Founder and Director, Bob Karp (with over fifty
years of knife throwing experience). The
International Knife Throwing Alliance is dedicated
to developing, educating, and training people in the
art and sport of knife throwing. To that end, the
IKTA sponsors seminars, demonstrations, training
camps, and the IKTA World Championship Knife
throw off in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition, the
IKTA is committed to increasing the Public=92s
awareness of the art and sport of knife throwing.
http://www.ikta.com
=================================
KNIFE THROWING LISTS AND WEBSITES
A List is a tool that enables you to keep in contact with
a bunch of people that all share the same interest. For
instance, if I found a new way to build a target and
wanted to share it with some other knife throwers... I
just send out a message to 'The List' and it automatically
gets sent to everybody that has registered. It's a great
way to share ideas, exchange tips, and meet other throwers
in your area!
97. The Thrower List: A list about throwing weapons, for
sport, survival, and self defense. We talk a lot about
throwing knives as most of us are knife throwers, but any
other sort of thrown weapon including axes and hatchets,
spears, atlatl, boomerangs, bola, sticks, steel balls,
and casting weapons like whips are also discussed.
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/thrower/
98. The Blade Thrower List: A group of knife throwers
dedicated to the art of 'instinctive' knife throwing,
involving two main types of throwing, one is the method
of throwing the knife with no spin, and the other, of
throwing the knife with a half spin. Both these methods
are used for throwing knives from unmeasured distances.
Multi spin throwing will also be discussed, but is not
the main objective.
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheBladeThrower/
99. Secrets of Shuriken - The Art of Blade Throwing
Secrets of Shuriken is dedicated to providing information
and resources about history and training in the
Japanese art of blade throwing.
http://www.secrets-of-shuriken.com.au/
100. Messerwerfen.de (aka KnifeThrowing.info):
A comprehensive 'German site' about knife throwing. It has
everything from a beginners course on throwing to
discussions on the right knife. "Eine umfassende deutsche
Seite zum Thema Messerwerfen!"
http://www.knifethrowing.info/
101. Axtwerfen (Axe Throwing): Here is another 'German
site' that is coming along quite nicely!!! There is all
sorts of useful information listed, and it's even written
in English and German!
http://www.axtwerfen.de/
102. The Great Throwzini: The Great Throwzini, a
knife throwing site that's all about knives and
other pointy things to throw. How to make different
targets and games to play with throwing knives. Lots of
pictures of knives and other throwers.
