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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 make 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.
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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.)
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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.
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SOFT WOODS TO USE FOR TARGETS
49. Pine
50. Spruce
51. Cottonwood
52. Willow
53. Poplar
54. Palm
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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.
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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!!!
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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!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
http://www.throwzini.com
