I guess the downunder knives Kookaburra fits into this category but seem absurdly priced for a 440c chinese knife. Where are the "normal" looking throwing knives? I realise any knife can be thrown but I guess certain steels and balance is needed, I remember snapping many knives as a kid.
Best trowing knife that doesn't look like a throwing knife?
- Thread starter hgoat
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Its a good question and one that I'm actively pursuing.
As noted in my other posts in this forum I've come to identify several categories for the current state of throwing knives.
1. Sharpened Sticks.
2. Circus Throwers.
3. Classic Designs.
4. Modern Designs.
5. Impractical Designs.
6. Hybrid Designs.
Sharpened Sticks
Like the name suggests, mostly just a rectangular or oval chunk of metal that has a point more or less ground onto it.
Includes both production knifes with no clear definitions for blade, handle or guard, and will almost always include things made from a file, lawnmower blade, random hunk of unknown and torch tempered metal and the subject of many YouTube Videos like the one shown here. Most often referenced as "look what I made! A throwing "knife".
[video=youtube_share;e-lm3mbWSjs]http://youtu.be/e-lm3mbWSjs[/video]
Circus Throwers
These are the "knives" that are designed to make you go "OOOOO" and "AHHHH" and be seen clearly from a seated audience position. Typically large headed, diamond spade tipped and usually handle wrapped with tape, cord or some other soft material. Usually involved with performance acts, or other such exhibitions. Zero redeeming value as a knife and typically one of the first designs you'll see when you search for "throwing knife"
Classic Designs
These are the ones you've seen over and over that all more or less trace back to Harry McEnvoy. They're great designs and are a kind of hybrid between sharpened sticks and circus throwers.
Harry made a ton of these style knives in all shapes and sizes but they all share the common elements based on his size/width/weight formula. (Search on ideal throwing knife weight and you'll find it... or check out Bobby Branton's site..) This category could just as easily be named "Tru-Bal". Many copies of this style of knife exist, even Cold Steel licensed Harry's designs and produced several of his models.
Modern Designs
Companies like Flying Steel, Condor Knife and tool, SOG, Gil Hibben and as noted Outback have come up with their own takes on classic designs and have created hybrids of hunting/thowing/bowie designs. Harald Moeller is famous for his VIPER line of throwing knives, both the swept bevel designs from the 1980's and his more recent re-takes on that design that he sells on his website now. These designs typically ad more classic knife elements of blade, guard handle and pommel into the equation.
This video and it's other series members shows a ton of knives that illustrate many of the categories I talk about here...
I'm not sure I agree with everything in it, but it does do a ton of show and tell.
[video=youtube_share;lCDq1p0IQrs]http://youtu.be/lCDq1p0IQrs[/video]
Impractical Designs
Cool knife! SNAP! CUT! BLEED!
Nuf Said.
[video=youtube_share;D7XNbVkfS1Y]http://youtu.be/D7XNbVkfS1Y[/video]
Hybrid Designs/Mountain Man
Made to throw, chop and slice, these designs come with a sharp service edge designed to be strong and serviceable. This is a Harry design again adapted by Cold steel but many bowie style throwers exist. They're typically used for camp chose, handle throwing and mountain man speed-draw competitions and the like. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes but typically all have defined and sharp edges, at least one and handles of some kind. Many have guards.
So, what is the best throwing knife that's not just a throwing knife? Personally I fall more on the side of the hybrid bowie side... but I have not found one that I want to own yet.
I've developed a design that I'm happy with as a thrower, and I'm in the process of testing its limits for other tasks. Really though throwing a knife is about as hard a task as you can ask of it short of clamping it into a vice and beating it with a hammer or bending it till it snaps. Its that rough.
My take thus far has been to segregate my throwing knives from my other knives, the same way I segregate my kitchen knives from my EDC knives from my hunting knives, from my pocket knives from my art knives.... you get the picture. I think throwing knives are no different.
With the mini-bowie design that outback came up with its an interesting if poorly executed product. 440c is a great steel if you're not going to beat on it. (Read throw). When beaten it tends to snap. Can you temper it so its fairly tough and resistant. Sure, have they? I'm not sure I want to spend $160 to find out, but I may, I am curious. I'm not sure of their warranty or what they'd do if I sent back one of their knives snapped in half, or worse yet, (My personal pet peeve) with a snapped tip.
People throw just about everything from Ka-Bar USMC knives to actual sharpened sticks.
Really when it comes right down to it I think a throwing knife should excel at tip penetration, balance, toughness and as much versatility as is possible without sacrificing its primary function. To be thrown, penetrate and stick like a demon. Have the attributes and qualities that is category of knife is designed for. Just like all the other categories.
Everything else will be a compromise of its intended purpose, which most of the time means a worse throwing knife.
Good luck, I hope this helps.
- Hal Zucati
As noted in my other posts in this forum I've come to identify several categories for the current state of throwing knives.
1. Sharpened Sticks.
2. Circus Throwers.
3. Classic Designs.
4. Modern Designs.
5. Impractical Designs.
6. Hybrid Designs.
Sharpened Sticks
Like the name suggests, mostly just a rectangular or oval chunk of metal that has a point more or less ground onto it.
Includes both production knifes with no clear definitions for blade, handle or guard, and will almost always include things made from a file, lawnmower blade, random hunk of unknown and torch tempered metal and the subject of many YouTube Videos like the one shown here. Most often referenced as "look what I made! A throwing "knife".
[video=youtube_share;e-lm3mbWSjs]http://youtu.be/e-lm3mbWSjs[/video]
Circus Throwers
These are the "knives" that are designed to make you go "OOOOO" and "AHHHH" and be seen clearly from a seated audience position. Typically large headed, diamond spade tipped and usually handle wrapped with tape, cord or some other soft material. Usually involved with performance acts, or other such exhibitions. Zero redeeming value as a knife and typically one of the first designs you'll see when you search for "throwing knife"
Classic Designs
These are the ones you've seen over and over that all more or less trace back to Harry McEnvoy. They're great designs and are a kind of hybrid between sharpened sticks and circus throwers.
Harry made a ton of these style knives in all shapes and sizes but they all share the common elements based on his size/width/weight formula. (Search on ideal throwing knife weight and you'll find it... or check out Bobby Branton's site..) This category could just as easily be named "Tru-Bal". Many copies of this style of knife exist, even Cold Steel licensed Harry's designs and produced several of his models.
Modern Designs
Companies like Flying Steel, Condor Knife and tool, SOG, Gil Hibben and as noted Outback have come up with their own takes on classic designs and have created hybrids of hunting/thowing/bowie designs. Harald Moeller is famous for his VIPER line of throwing knives, both the swept bevel designs from the 1980's and his more recent re-takes on that design that he sells on his website now. These designs typically ad more classic knife elements of blade, guard handle and pommel into the equation.
This video and it's other series members shows a ton of knives that illustrate many of the categories I talk about here...
I'm not sure I agree with everything in it, but it does do a ton of show and tell.
[video=youtube_share;lCDq1p0IQrs]http://youtu.be/lCDq1p0IQrs[/video]
Impractical Designs
Cool knife! SNAP! CUT! BLEED!
Nuf Said.
[video=youtube_share;D7XNbVkfS1Y]http://youtu.be/D7XNbVkfS1Y[/video]
Hybrid Designs/Mountain Man
Made to throw, chop and slice, these designs come with a sharp service edge designed to be strong and serviceable. This is a Harry design again adapted by Cold steel but many bowie style throwers exist. They're typically used for camp chose, handle throwing and mountain man speed-draw competitions and the like. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes but typically all have defined and sharp edges, at least one and handles of some kind. Many have guards.
So, what is the best throwing knife that's not just a throwing knife? Personally I fall more on the side of the hybrid bowie side... but I have not found one that I want to own yet.
I've developed a design that I'm happy with as a thrower, and I'm in the process of testing its limits for other tasks. Really though throwing a knife is about as hard a task as you can ask of it short of clamping it into a vice and beating it with a hammer or bending it till it snaps. Its that rough.
My take thus far has been to segregate my throwing knives from my other knives, the same way I segregate my kitchen knives from my EDC knives from my hunting knives, from my pocket knives from my art knives.... you get the picture. I think throwing knives are no different.
With the mini-bowie design that outback came up with its an interesting if poorly executed product. 440c is a great steel if you're not going to beat on it. (Read throw). When beaten it tends to snap. Can you temper it so its fairly tough and resistant. Sure, have they? I'm not sure I want to spend $160 to find out, but I may, I am curious. I'm not sure of their warranty or what they'd do if I sent back one of their knives snapped in half, or worse yet, (My personal pet peeve) with a snapped tip.
People throw just about everything from Ka-Bar USMC knives to actual sharpened sticks.
Really when it comes right down to it I think a throwing knife should excel at tip penetration, balance, toughness and as much versatility as is possible without sacrificing its primary function. To be thrown, penetrate and stick like a demon. Have the attributes and qualities that is category of knife is designed for. Just like all the other categories.
Everything else will be a compromise of its intended purpose, which most of the time means a worse throwing knife.
Good luck, I hope this helps.
- Hal Zucati
I wouldn't say the best, but I like to throw butter knives from time to time for a 'little' fun. They don't look like throwing knives, but do pretty well from 1/2 - 1-1/2 spin, at least for my use. Now and again a couple of them bend tip to middle, but a quick straighten and it's back in action. Cheap fun for break from the real throwers.. 
"
"
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2010
- Messages
- 253
I wouldn't say the best, but I like to throw butter knives from time to time for a 'little' fun. They don't look like throwing knives, but do pretty well from 1/2 - 1-1/2 spin, at least for my use. Now and again a couple of them bend tip to middle, but a quick straighten and it's back in action. Cheap fun for break from the real throwers..
"
And that's why I'm not allowed in the kitchen anymore....
Cool!
- Hal Zucati
I wouldn't say the best, but I like to throw butter knives from time to time for a 'little' fun. They don't look like throwing knives, but do pretty well from 1/2 - 1-1/2 spin, at least for my use. Now and again a couple of them bend tip to middle, but a quick straighten and it's back in action. Cheap fun for break from the real throwers..
"
i too have stumbled on the butter knife meets throwing knife marriage and i absolutly love it... grind a slightly acute tanto point just after the handle and you got yourself the definition of a shuriken... good for straight or 1/4 spin throws... flat ones can be stacked and thrown and the real heavy duty ones will make you question why you ever bought a knife to throw.... Butter knives are where its at!
but the chef knife is my all time favorite thrower that like the butter knife is in every kitchen but needs no sharpening before throwing...
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check H&B forge throwers, they should be functional for knifey tasks with a little work on the edge.
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- Messages
- 253
Just get a large nail from your local hardware store, grind the tip up on your bench grinder and you're all set.
For reference here's some sizes to start with:
And then, when you're tired of people saying... but you're just throwing nails... whip out one of these:
Or if its the other kind of "that's not a throwing knife, its just a KNIFE"... then go with an "actual knife" and dull the edge.... should be something wicked looking and heavy...
Like this:
Or this:
Or go seriously old school and just get something like this:
Just remember, if you're military you've likely been told to "never throw your "knife" away"...
Kinda funny really, that saying alone has always implied to me that a "throwing knife" is the same as saying "throw away knife" or crap. Which is mostly what you'll find when you search for "throwing knife"....
Even funnier is that if you do throw a "real" knife, you'll likely break it sooner than later as they're neither designed for impact, nor made in such a way as to withstand shock from any direction.
So I think another point I'm driving at is this, it seems like what you're really asking for is a "proper knife" that can withstand the extreme abuse that throwing precipitates so you can have your knife, and throw it too.
I guess I take your question the same as: I want the best hammer, that doesn't look like a hammer, because, you know, I don't want to be seen carrying a hammer around... but I still need to beat the crap out of stuff, hammer nails and pry things.
Don't be ashamed, ask for a "real" throwing knife. Then use it with pride.
For reference here's some sizes to start with:
And then, when you're tired of people saying... but you're just throwing nails... whip out one of these:
Or if its the other kind of "that's not a throwing knife, its just a KNIFE"... then go with an "actual knife" and dull the edge.... should be something wicked looking and heavy...
Like this:
Or this:
Or go seriously old school and just get something like this:
Just remember, if you're military you've likely been told to "never throw your "knife" away"...
Kinda funny really, that saying alone has always implied to me that a "throwing knife" is the same as saying "throw away knife" or crap. Which is mostly what you'll find when you search for "throwing knife"....
Even funnier is that if you do throw a "real" knife, you'll likely break it sooner than later as they're neither designed for impact, nor made in such a way as to withstand shock from any direction.
So I think another point I'm driving at is this, it seems like what you're really asking for is a "proper knife" that can withstand the extreme abuse that throwing precipitates so you can have your knife, and throw it too.
I guess I take your question the same as: I want the best hammer, that doesn't look like a hammer, because, you know, I don't want to be seen carrying a hammer around... but I still need to beat the crap out of stuff, hammer nails and pry things.
Don't be ashamed, ask for a "real" throwing knife. Then use it with pride.
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- Jul 2, 2013
- Messages
- 461
cold steel throwing knives have nice, workable edges. also the glock knife is a great thrower. actually, one of my favorites. check it out.
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
- Messages
- 53
I'll second the glock knives, $20 and it's a good knife complete with a great sheath. As a knife in general it can't be beat at that price point except by a mora and those don't throw as well.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2010
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I'd have to agree. For the price if you're after something you can beat the stuffing out of... And that doesn't look like a throwing knife. (Though having thrown one of these, it doesn't throw like a throwing knife either... so...)
Check this out... This is one of a series of videos and is after an hour or more of beating on this knife....
[video=youtube_share;YiRPrYa_oNM]http://youtu.be/YiRPrYa_oNM[/video]
- Hal Zucati
Check this out... This is one of a series of videos and is after an hour or more of beating on this knife....
[video=youtube_share;YiRPrYa_oNM]http://youtu.be/YiRPrYa_oNM[/video]
- Hal Zucati