can anyone recommend a decent book about knife throwing or perhaps someone has one they may let go off, pun intended. thanks x
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knife throwing book wanted
- Thread starter demented dale
- Start date
I used to do a talk to youth clubs about knife throwing.
“Knife throwing for entertainment or idiots”.
Throwing a knife into a log end can be fun for a while. Any thought of using it aggressively is nonsense. I used to dress a pumpkin in an old silk shirt and a fleece and throw the knife as hard as I could from about 750mm. Yep - less than a meter. All I had achieved was to wee off my adversary and hand them my weapon.
A circus knife thrower throws about 750mm holding the handle. That distance has to be fairly precise. The knife makes half a rotation.
A good knife thrower can throw nearly 1.5 meters holding the blade. This distance has to be very precise. The knife rotates one full turn. Chaos theory applies as it does to the second deflection of a snooker ball.
Anything further than that is either luck or very long practice on a known pitch.
We’ve all heard of the farmer who can throw a silage knife across his yard into a barn door and the sailor who can throw their knife into the head of a conger eel. I’m prepared to believe that they did it once.
At the end of my talk I threw a knife three meters holding the handle. It was the hardest throw of the night and only possible because I had a measured mark on the floor.
The circus thrower adds two meters to the throw by stepping forward pivoting on the sub-dominant leg throwing then pivoting backwards a long stride immediately after throwing while the audience is focused on the (pretty girl) target.
The knife needs a maximum curve tip, more than 180 degrees and an ultra light handle so that angular (rotary) momentum is absorbed by the impact and minimised at the handle that could spin it out of its target. The forward half needs to be twice the weight of the rear half.
Never throw a knife with scales*. The lateral shock wave through the blade/tang will burst the rivets/bolt threads and throw them off explosively.
I was taught by an expert.
None of this bears any relation whatsoever to stabbing where a light blow can be lethal.
Edited to add:
* A showman’s throwing knife does have very lightweight scales but they are very flexible and glued not riveted.
“Knife throwing for entertainment or idiots”.
Throwing a knife into a log end can be fun for a while. Any thought of using it aggressively is nonsense. I used to dress a pumpkin in an old silk shirt and a fleece and throw the knife as hard as I could from about 750mm. Yep - less than a meter. All I had achieved was to wee off my adversary and hand them my weapon.
A circus knife thrower throws about 750mm holding the handle. That distance has to be fairly precise. The knife makes half a rotation.
A good knife thrower can throw nearly 1.5 meters holding the blade. This distance has to be very precise. The knife rotates one full turn. Chaos theory applies as it does to the second deflection of a snooker ball.
Anything further than that is either luck or very long practice on a known pitch.
We’ve all heard of the farmer who can throw a silage knife across his yard into a barn door and the sailor who can throw their knife into the head of a conger eel. I’m prepared to believe that they did it once.
At the end of my talk I threw a knife three meters holding the handle. It was the hardest throw of the night and only possible because I had a measured mark on the floor.
The circus thrower adds two meters to the throw by stepping forward pivoting on the sub-dominant leg throwing then pivoting backwards a long stride immediately after throwing while the audience is focused on the (pretty girl) target.
The knife needs a maximum curve tip, more than 180 degrees and an ultra light handle so that angular (rotary) momentum is absorbed by the impact and minimised at the handle that could spin it out of its target. The forward half needs to be twice the weight of the rear half.
Never throw a knife with scales*. The lateral shock wave through the blade/tang will burst the rivets/bolt threads and throw them off explosively.
I was taught by an expert.
None of this bears any relation whatsoever to stabbing where a light blow can be lethal.
Edited to add:
* A showman’s throwing knife does have very lightweight scales but they are very flexible and glued not riveted.
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Pretty sure I’ve got a book somewhere you could have. I think it’s this one in the eBay link below, the cover looks familiar. It’ll be in the loft at my sisters place, I’ll have a look when I’m round there.
Look up John Taylor, he was a member of BritishBlades for years and used to make and sell his own version of an out of production Cold Steel. Did a crazy video with Eliza Doolittle too.
This book. No idea if it’s any good, I haven’t read it.
Look up John Taylor, he was a member of BritishBlades for years and used to make and sell his own version of an out of production Cold Steel. Did a crazy video with Eliza Doolittle too.
This book. No idea if it’s any good, I haven’t read it.
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yes I would like that. can trade you. i bet i got something good here x
thanks that all sounds fun. I just love playing. it is great fun and when you get it right its fantastic x
I’ll get over to my sisters and find it. I’ve a fairly good idea it’s in her garage and so are a few 4l tubs of paraffin I need for my heater.
Don't have a book but self taught.
Get a professional throwing knife (my first was about £20 about 20 years ago.) to start.
I see similar knives are about £35 to £40 e.g.
Muela Outdoor PRO-THROW Knife (PRO-80L-14)
PRO-THROW Muela throwing knife. Perfectly balanced perfect for professionals and adepts of throwing art. Knife training allows you to develop the right throwing habits and distance assessment. Made of durable 440 (Inox) steel.
Next step is to figure out your throwing distance. Mine is 4.5 steps from target.
It is different for each person, but once you are consistent in your release, throw and distance, nearly every throw will stick into the target.
Consistency is key.
you got any knives you might move on Pat? i just borrowed some and ended up enjoying it. x
I used to make my own - nothing grand just a flat piece of sheet steel cut to a simple shape with a bit of red inner tube around the handle. The sharpened tip was like a Gothic arch. This shape is most forgiving of distance; it sticks into target at a wide range of angles. Even the expert in the video moved too far forward for one throw. It didn’t rotate far enough and bounced out. (He is very good!).
I was a youth leader in my late teens and early twenties. I’m in my seventies now.
I was a youth leader in my late teens and early twenties. I’m in my seventies now.
( Probably best you don't ask )
Tribe13 are having their Black Friday sale on - this is reduced ( PDF Only )
Tribe13 are having their Black Friday sale on - this is reduced ( PDF Only )
