Throwing Critique
- Thread starter Jon C
- Start date
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- Oct 15, 2017
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- 6
Welcome. It looks like you're putting a bit too much wrist into your throws. The motion should be a smooth glide, almost pushing the knife.
Also, plywood is going to be a bit hard to get knives into; it's cross-layered structure makes penetration difficult. End grain wood is the best (like logs or stacked 4x4's), but even a plank of solid wood can do you a bit better for an easy start.
Good luck!
Also, plywood is going to be a bit hard to get knives into; it's cross-layered structure makes penetration difficult. End grain wood is the best (like logs or stacked 4x4's), but even a plank of solid wood can do you a bit better for an easy start.
Good luck!
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You said spin throws, but it looked like you were trying no spin throws?
My mist
My mistake, I meant no spin, thank you for noticing.
Thanks, I’ll work on the less wrist. It’s amazing how just little things make it turn over or just smack it into the wood. The lighting in the video is bad but I am using planks with the grain going up. Thanks again
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As mentioned, a stiffer wrist would help.
A technique for improvement is to start at 2M or 6.5 feet. Keep throwing at THAT DISTANCE until you stick 25 in a row. A bounce out/off resets you to 0.
Move back 2 or 3 INCHES and repeat. Keep moving back SLOWLY. One of the biggest faults in learning no-spin is moving on to longer distances before you are really ready to do so. Each distance requires subtle changes in stance, grip, release, velocity,etc....
An example of differences in grip - One of the "generic" grips is to put the tip of your index finger on the spine of the knife about 1/4" to 1/2" tip-ward of the knife's balance point and allow the tip of your finger to travel down the spine of the knife as you release. That grip is great for lots of folks. It doesn't work that well for me as I short fingers so I use a "similar" grip "with modifications". So pick a grip, practice with it until you get proficient or decide to monkey with your grip. Just don't change grips frequently. Give each one time to develop.
Another example - A champion no-spinner teaches folks to keep their elbow slightly higher than shoulder level for 2M to 5M, and then raising the elbow a little higher for 6M and a littler higher still for 7M. That works for other folks, but I have a gitch in my right shoulder that prevents me from getting my elbow that high.
A log round or an end-grain target is best. While using a plank is better than plywood, if the knife rotates any at all, then as the tip tries to penetrate, it starts pushing against the grain in the wood at some angle other than parallel to the grain, resulting in less penetrations and more non-sticks.
While a log round is preferable (well, unless you happen to get pecan, hickory or oak
), building and end-grain target butt is usually easier.
There are a lot of videos on youtube that show different procedures for building your own target. In the past, I would send folks to The International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame (IKTHOF.COM) website. It used to have a good video but some how in the recent transition from the old website to the new one, the target video disappear. I've put in a query on getting it back.
There are multiple FB pages on knife throwing that folks post videos on for demoing different techniques and styles. You can also post your own videos for critiquing by folks who claim to know what they are doing. Some of them actually do.
A couple of the FB commmunities are::
Instinctive Knife Throwers
Knife & Tomahawk Throwers
There are several "styles" of no-spin throwing, usually with the name of whoever developed it or made it popular. In reality, every one throws a little differently. The key is "practice, practice, practice", then do it again. And again.
A technique for improvement is to start at 2M or 6.5 feet. Keep throwing at THAT DISTANCE until you stick 25 in a row. A bounce out/off resets you to 0.
Move back 2 or 3 INCHES and repeat. Keep moving back SLOWLY. One of the biggest faults in learning no-spin is moving on to longer distances before you are really ready to do so. Each distance requires subtle changes in stance, grip, release, velocity,etc....
An example of differences in grip - One of the "generic" grips is to put the tip of your index finger on the spine of the knife about 1/4" to 1/2" tip-ward of the knife's balance point and allow the tip of your finger to travel down the spine of the knife as you release. That grip is great for lots of folks. It doesn't work that well for me as I short fingers so I use a "similar" grip "with modifications". So pick a grip, practice with it until you get proficient or decide to monkey with your grip. Just don't change grips frequently. Give each one time to develop.
Another example - A champion no-spinner teaches folks to keep their elbow slightly higher than shoulder level for 2M to 5M, and then raising the elbow a little higher for 6M and a littler higher still for 7M. That works for other folks, but I have a gitch in my right shoulder that prevents me from getting my elbow that high.
A log round or an end-grain target is best. While using a plank is better than plywood, if the knife rotates any at all, then as the tip tries to penetrate, it starts pushing against the grain in the wood at some angle other than parallel to the grain, resulting in less penetrations and more non-sticks.
While a log round is preferable (well, unless you happen to get pecan, hickory or oak
), building and end-grain target butt is usually easier.There are a lot of videos on youtube that show different procedures for building your own target. In the past, I would send folks to The International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame (IKTHOF.COM) website. It used to have a good video but some how in the recent transition from the old website to the new one, the target video disappear. I've put in a query on getting it back.
There are multiple FB pages on knife throwing that folks post videos on for demoing different techniques and styles. You can also post your own videos for critiquing by folks who claim to know what they are doing. Some of them actually do.
A couple of the FB commmunities are::
Instinctive Knife Throwers
Knife & Tomahawk Throwers
There are several "styles" of no-spin throwing, usually with the name of whoever developed it or made it popular. In reality, every one throws a little differently. The key is "practice, practice, practice", then do it again. And again.
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Please try this method which I found makes throwing spikes or long nails very easy for myself or anyone that has tried it.
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watch some no spin videos one youtube, this one has some pointers with no spin