throwing knives.

[EmptyneSs]

i found this cool site that has some tips on throwing blades.

http://www.knifethrowing.info/how_to_throw_knives.html

what do u guys think of it?

also, is anyone here good at throwing blades? can one learn to throw knives pretty proficiently or is it pretty hard to do?

[BoarSpear]

Throwing is EASY to pick up if you have about an hour 1 day to learn the basics

i recommend throwing chopsticks into sheets of insulation especially for beginners...no sharp edges and they throw really well at learning distances.

i teach this as a regular topic along with all sorts of thrown objects including COINS Quarters can be BURIED in half inch thick sheetrock

screw drivers thrown into the ground can be a good place to learn the mechanics as well...

[blitz]

boar how do you make sure that when you throw the knife it wont land on its safeside? I mean the handle.

[RapidAssault16]

I would say that I'm not that bad at throwing knives...although I am definitely not the best.

I try to practice throwing at least an hour each day...but for days when I'm on vacation I tend to get in 2 or even 3 hours of throwing. There are many times when the handle will land first instead of the tip of the blade. It all comes down to knowing and understanding distance and how the blade will rotate.

To begin, stand about 3 feet away from the target and throw while holding the handle. You just want the blade to slide out of your hand and land in the target. Then, work to 4 feet, then 5 feet. Once you get to five feet, try seeing if u need to hold the knife by the blade itself. Then, progress to 7 feet...and so on. I am capable of throwing accurately from 10-12 feet away using both and underhand and overhand throw. I find that everyone can throw with a little practice.

Atienza Kali's website has a great vid clip on projectiles:

http://www.atienza-kali.com/video/projectiles.mov

That is definitely an advanced method of throwing, but for now, just watch how far you need to be to land the blade in correctly. A great book on Filipino knife throwing is Amante Marinas' book, "Panandata Guide to Knife Throwing". He discusses the physics of knife throwing, proper grips, etc. The book is great and is under 10 bucks. A great buy if you ask me.

Keep in mind that almost anything can be thrown: Screwdrivers, knives, pens, rocks, tomahawks...whatever. Screwdrivers are favorite of mine because the handle acts as a good counterweight to the point of the screwdriver, allowing for deeper penetration of the target. But like I said before: IT'S ALL ABOUT DISTANCE AND PRACTICE. Know which distances require specific grips and methods of throwing.

[ryangruhn]

BTW,
Don't limit yourself to just knives. Make sure you try out other various objects, pens, screw drivers, forks, etc. All require the same basic requirements to throw. In addition it will help you be fluent in all weights and sizes.


Gruhn

[BoarSpear]

For most knives, it's simply a matter of learning the rotation distance. For instance, when I throw tomohawks, I can pretty much guarantee a good stick at seven paces, eleven paces (handle up), fifteen paces, and then twenty paces. For knives, it works in increments of about 3 and a half for my knives. Start by moving back from your target three full paces. Throw the knife naturally and don't try to "whip" it with your wrist. Watch carefully and see whether it lands perfectly into the target, with the tip up, or with the tip down. If the tip is up, you need to back up about a foot at a time to allow more rortation time. If it's down, move in. If you dart the target with the butt of the knife, move in or out about two feet. Once you've figured out your one rotation distance, you can hold the knife by the blade end (careful not to cut your hand on the release) and go half the distance in or out as your normal rotations. Basically, this means if your normal rotational distance is three paces, you can throw by the handle and stick the knife roughly at three, six, and nine paces (although you also have to account for strength and gravity, so you may add a step here or there). If you throw by the blade, it should stick at four and a half, seven and a half, and ten and a half paces.

Boar's suggestion of learning with chopsticks is a good one. I also find that screwdrivers into large sheets of foam are good because they give you a better idea of the weight of your knife.

I couldnt have said it any better, Nice.

Ever throw the cold steel torpedoes? those things are insane!!...the half inch diameter ones are perfect those 1 inches mothers are just plain crazy

Side note, dont waste your money buying throwing knives...learn to throw everything...i cut metal clothes hangers up and throw those ...steak knives are a good first sharp knife trainer. With practice you can learn to throw things as small as needles...and as large as a machete with equal accuracy.

[Hardball]

I couldnt have said it any better, Nice.
Side note, dont waste your money buying throwing knives...learn to throw everything...i cut metal clothes hangers up and throw those ...steak knives are a good first sharp knife trainer.

So are you saying............it is a myth that throwing knives are balanced and therefore easier to throw?

[BoarSpear]

So are you saying............it is a myth that throwing knives are balanced and therefore easier to throw?

im saying if YOU can throw it doesnt matter if the KNIFE is balanced or not

But as a side note, i hate the majority of whats sold as throwing knives...they are usually over priced and crap...and like i said If you can throw you dont need them.

[Hardball]

and like i said If you can throw you dont need them.

Do you throw for a kill or a wound?

[BoarSpear]

Do you throw for a kill or a wound?

for fun ....knives with handles and more weight penetrate deeper though

[medic06]

Throwing is EASY to pick up if you have about an hour 1 day to learn the basics

i recommend throwing chopsticks into sheets of insulation especially for beginners...no sharp edges and they throw really well at learning distances.

i teach this as a regular topic along with all sorts of thrown objects including COINS Quarters can be BURIED in half inch thick sheetrock

screw drivers thrown into the ground can be a good place to learn the mechanics as well...

My teacher's teacher, GM Choi was able to hurl chopsticks and even toothpicks with tremendous force. I started practicing with quarters but I haven't in a long while.

[BoarSpear]

glad to see i aint the only the one that thinks balanced factory throwing knives are one of the worst and most useless inventions in the martial art catalogs.

i really like your 5 item throw Mike....i let people choose what i throw at demos its funny to see the shit people bring to stump me...

Darts with the flights removed are a great way to play darts ....except people accuse me of cheating once i throw the first time.. ....before they see me throw it they are always like.."what? you wanna throw without flights ..... oookayyy... but they aint gonna hit anyhing"....then their like "hey *%#@ you put the flights on and throw right"

[Guro Dave Gould]

Boarspear,

Hello there, I hope that all is well with you and that you are staying quite challenged by your training.

I just wanted to make a quick comment on the "Metal Chop sticks" which you referred to in the above post. When I was at the ROK SF base in Songnam, South Korea one of the things that the ROK Soldiers took pride in was there ability to throw "Metal Chop sticks" and they were quite accurate with them. They would use a grappling mat or floor mat and distance themselves in variables while competing amongst each other in an effort to show who could be the most effective with them. When I first saw them I was really amazed because I have eaten with Chopsticks for basically all of my life, but I had never thought of using them as an projectile weapon until I witnessed the ROK`s throwing them some years ago.

Since you commented on this I have to ask you, were you ever in Korea? and if so is this also where you were exposed to this? I ask because out of 14 countries that I have visited in Asia, Korea is the only place that use metal chop sticks for eating as well as throwing as weapons. Go well, ciao.

Guro Dave Gould.

[BoarSpear]

i learned about throwing chop sticks from one of my uncles who studied under a bodyguard to the Korean leader/president in the 50's... i cant remember his name

[BoarSpear]

Side note on the chopsticks...my wife has a custom made set of T6 alumunum "hair pins" they are about the diameter and length of a pencil and POINTY as hell