No-spin grip techniques

Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Messages
7
I'm new here, but I've been throwing knives off and on for about 3 years, and I wanted to see if anyone else uses their middle finger for no-spin knife throwing like I do. I've watched countless videos on YouTube, but I have yet to see anyone else use this grip. I've only ever seen people use their index finger. In fact, I started out using my index finger because that's how it was shown to me, but I've found that I can throw MUCH farther/harder using my middle finger because it's longer and it lines up better with the spine of the knife. My only problem with it is that my grip is weaker like that than it is when using my index finger.

Does anyone else use this grip, or has anyone else tried it out?
 
I'm new here, but I've been throwing knives off and on for about 3 years, and I wanted to see if anyone else uses their middle finger for no-spin knife throwing like I do. I've watched countless videos on YouTube, but I have yet to see anyone else use this grip. I've only ever seen people use their index finger. In fact, I started out using my index finger because that's how it was shown to me, but I've found that I can throw MUCH farther/harder using my middle finger because it's longer and it lines up better with the spine of the knife. My only problem with it is that my grip is weaker like that than it is when using my index finger.

Does anyone else use this grip, or has anyone else tried it out?
I have seen the middle finger throw illustrated in books with shuriken throwing. Note that "shuriken" are spikes, "shaken" are throwing stars, the 80s ninja craze got it totally wrong. I used to throw 6" shuriken with no spin, and it was actually more accurate for me to use my middle finger than my index. Youtube can recycle concepts over and over to the point that it's hard to find anything that isn't part of the current paradigm. I believe the author of one of the books as Maasaki Hatsumi, another by Draeger, and the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū school shows the middle finger throw in a couple of clips and book photos.
 
I have seen the middle finger throw illustrated in books with shuriken throwing. Note that "shuriken" are spikes, "shaken" are throwing stars, the 80s ninja craze got it totally wrong. I used to throw 6" shuriken with no spin, and it was actually more accurate for me to use my middle finger than my index. Youtube can recycle concepts over and over to the point that it's hard to find anything that isn't part of the current paradigm. I believe the author of one of the books as Maasaki Hatsumi, another by Draeger, and the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū school shows the middle finger throw in a couple of clips and book photos.

The grip I use is really a hybrid between how you would throw a shuriken and the traditional index finger grip. The best way to describe it would be to imagine you're using an open-palm shuriken grip and you simply close your pinky and ring fingers to assist your thumb in gripping the knife, while your index finger stays open with your middle finger to give the blade some stability in your hand.
 
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I wanted to post a picture of it, but clearly it just doesn't allow me to do that lol. Precious...
 
I wanted to post a picture of it, but clearly it just doesn't allow me to do that lol. Precious...
The best bet is to upload your pictures to am image hosting site like Imgur and post a link to the uploaded photos here.
 

Yep! Now if you click on the image, click the "share" icon, and then click on "copy picture url" you can click the little "insert image" icon next to the smiley face in the "compose post" sections of this forum and and paste the url there, you can insert the image directly into your post.

CEtqjgS.jpg
 
Okay, I realize that that this is a zombie thread, but my passion (addiction) for throwing compels me to respond. I will get to the point - I promise. Anyway, I personally use the index finger because that was the way I was taught. I was told that the index finger not only should point to the intended direction, but that it assists in providing downward pressure on the back of the knife for long throws.

Now, finally, my point: I was also told using a type of throwing approach with the middle finger negated the ability to provide the downward force needed to keep long throws level in flight. My instructor also said that using the middle finger then forced the throwing hand to be parallel to the ground, which meant that the elbow then stuck out to the side and impacted accuracy. He was VERY linear in both thinking and technique. :) No one will probably read this post, much less understand it, but I have satisfied the throwing demon inside me that demands to be fed.
 
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So maybe I´m a zombie too, but nonetheless it´s a very interesting topic. I personally used to throw my first knives with wooden handle with both, the index and the middle finger, the handle slipping out of hand just along the notch of both fingers. I had the impression of maximum control concerning lateral stability of the grip, aswell as a kind of rail guided accuracy.
Howsoever, this thread inpires me to some testthrows with the middlefinger and two fingers.
Another idea I had when designing my perfectly personalized knife was welding slim horizontal winglets to the sides of the knife back. with the index and the middle finger resting left and right of the knife back on the winglets, while the knife back itself is trapped between these two.
Frontview: -|-
 
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So maybe I´m a zombie too, but nonetheless it´s a very interesting topic. I personally used to throw my first knives with wooden handle with both, the index and the middle finger, the handle slipping out of hand just along the notch of both fingers. I had the impression of maximum control concerning lateral stability of the grip, aswell as a kind of rail guided accuracy.
Howsoever, this thread inpires me to some testthrows with the middlefinger and two fingers.
Another idea I had when designing my perfectly personalized knife was welding slim horizontal winglets to the sides of the knife back. with the index and the middle finger resting left and right of the knife back on the winglets, while the knife back itself is trapped between these two.
Frontview: -|-

THAT is an interesting concept! I re-read your post a couple of times, ThroR, and am now thinking about the concept of lateral/vertical stability and rail guides. I'm sure that competitions probably wouldn't allow it, but there seems to be a complete dearth of competitions here in the States anyway, so the point might be moot. I'm guessing that horizontal grooves, even deep ones, don't provide the same element of control that the "fins" might offer. Again, something to contemplate, especially for instinctive/no spin throwers who seek linear flight consistency.
 
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