The Art of Knife Throwing

Knife throwing is an awesome skill that combines precision, patience, and practice. Whether you’re looking to pick up a new hobby, impress friends, or simply challenge yourself, knife throwing can be a rewarding and exciting pursuit. In this guide, we’ll look at everything you need to know to get started with knife throwing: from choosing the right knives to ensuring your safety, and understanding the legal rules in the UK.

Choosing the Right Throwing Knives

Types of Throwing Knives

When selecting your first set of throwing knives, you’ll find several types. Here are the most common:

• Balanced Knives: These knives have a center of gravity in the middle. They are ideal for beginners as they can be thrown by the handle or the blade. They’re usually more forgiving and allow you to determine which kind of throwing style you prefer.
• Blade-Heavy Knives: The center of gravity is towards the blade. These are easier to learn with when throwing by the handle. Plus, with a blade heavy design, you stand a greater chance of the blade sticking into the target correctly.
• Handle-Heavy Knives: The center of gravity is towards the handle. These are typically thrown by the blade and require more advanced skills. They can be harder to use, but once you’ve mastered them, you’ll be able to throw nearly anything, not just knives. We’ve seen videos of people using scissors, screwdrivers, large nails and pocket knives! (At your own risk, which we don’t recommend!)

Things to Lookout For

When shopping for throwing knives, these features can make all the difference. The short list below includes the main things to consider.

• Weight: Heavier knives are easier to control and stick into targets better. Look for knives weighing between 200-300 grams. The weight isn’t super important, but it can influence your style.
• Length: Longer knives (10-12 inches) provide better stability and accuracy and offer an easier ‘no-spin’ or limited spin throwing style which is becoming more popular online.
• Material: Stainless steel is durable and resistant to rust, making it a popular choice. Carbon steel is or at least, can be more durable and much easier to sharpen too.
• Design: Pick simple designs without unnecessary adornments that could affect the balance. We know the flashy ones are cool. We’d never suggest you don’t buy them if you want them, but especially while learning, the simpler designs tend to be easier to get started with.

Safety First: Essential Tips for Safe Knife Throwing

Safety Gear – For absolute beginners, this can really help!

• Eye Protection: Safety goggles can protect your eyes from ricocheting knives or splinters from the target. We know they’re not always very comfortable, but your sight is one of your most important senses, look after it!
• Footwear: Closed-toe shoes are a must to protect your feet from dropped knives. Plus, it’s better than explaining to a doctor why you have a hole in your foot!

Setting Up a Safe Throwing Area

• Location: Choose an open area free from obstructions and people who aren’t joining in on the fun. Outdoor spaces are ideal, but make sure it’s legal to throw knives in that area – most people can use their back garden without too many issues.
• Backstop: Use a large, sturdy backstop to catch missed throws. Wooden pallets or thick foam boards work well. Alternatively, a strong (not cheap paneled) wooden fence can work, or a brick wall. Anything that will prevent knives from being thrown into unintended locations. Make sure your knives stand no chance of going through your backstop too!
• Target: A round wooden target is traditional. Ensure it’s securely mounted at shoulder height. But, archery targets, dartboards, wooden off-cuts and tree stumps also work. If you’re really stuck, a thick stack of cardboard will work for a while to get you started. The knives will eventually destroy it, but it’s a great cheap option.

Throwing Techniques for Beginners

Basic Grip and Stance

• Grip: Hold the knife by the handle (or blade if using a handle-heavy knife) with a firm but relaxed grip. Some people like to ‘pinch’ the knife between their thumb and first finger, others go for a firmer wrap around grip. However, you must exercise extreme caution, as if the blade is touching you it can cut you when you release it. So adjust your grip (if blade throwing style will be used) so that no part of the cutting edge is touching you.
• Stance: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, one foot slightly forward. Your dominant foot should be at the back for stability.

More Grip Details

Hammer Grip

Holding the handle – grip the handle of the knife with your preferred hand, wrapping your fingers around the handle, similar to how you might hold a hammer. The trick is to grip it tight enough to maintain control, but light enough that it’s not difficult to release. The tip of your thumb should sit on the spine of the knife, pointed toward the tip of the blade. Alternatively, you can wrap your thumb around your fingers in a more secure position – experiment with what works best for you!

Pinch Grip

‘Pinch’ the blade or handle of your knife with your dominant hand, holding it between your thumb and first finger. Pressing together to secure the knife in your hand. This should be a similar position to how you would hold a dart. You can optionally add your middle and ring fingers into this pinch to add an extra layer of control. Personally, this is my favourite grip for throwing knives while holding the blade.

The Throw

1. Aiming: Focus on a specific spot on the target. Keep your eyes fixed on your aim point. This is 3/4 of the work done by itself, your arms will tend to follow your sight so this should get you into the rough area of the target.
2. Wind-Up: Bring your throwing arm back to shoulder height with the knife slightly above your ear. Some people will point their free hand at the target here – this can be helpful, but you must be extremely cautious that you don’t allow the knife to come anywhere close to this other arm. For beginners especially, we would probably steer you away from this method.
3. Release: In a smooth motion, bring your arm forward and down. Release the knife when your arm is parallel to the ground. Some people suggest to imagine you’re standing at a waist high fence, you need to release the knife just before your arm would contact this imaginary fence.
4. Follow Through: Let your arm continue its natural motion after releasing the knife without jerking or tensing too much.

Legal Considerations for Knife Throwing in the UK

At Home

In the UK, owning and practicing with throwing knives at home is legal. However, certain restrictions apply:

• Age: You must be over 18 to purchase throwing knives.
• Safety: Ensure your throwing area is secure and does not pose a risk to others.
• DO NOT take throwing knives outside of your home without a LEGITIMATE and easily explainable reason – such as to go to a knife throwing club.

In Clubs

Joining a knife-throwing club is a great way to improve your skills and meet like-minded enthusiasts. Clubs in the UK must adhere to strict safety regulations:

• Regulations: Clubs often have their own rules, including supervised practice sessions and some with have mandatory safety gear.
• Insurance: Clubs typically carry insurance to cover any accidents or injuries.

Tips and Tricks for Improving Your Knife Throwing Skills

Consistent Practice

• Daily Routine: Practice daily to develop muscle memory. Obviously, not everyone has the time, or desire to do this. But the longer you spend practicing the better you’ll get. We’ve seen some people able to throw multiple different kinds of knives, with different techniques one after the other. I’ve ever seen one particularly good knife thrower drop the knife toward his foot, and kick it toward the target. This is absolutely not recommended, but it is nice to see the creativity!
• Short Sessions: Start with short, focused practice sessions to avoid fatigue. Believe me, you’ll notice it the day after if you overdo it. The DOMS or ‘Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness’ the next day will make you wish you kept the session short and sweet!

Analyzing Your Throws

If you’re really serious about improving, and doing so quickly, you can take a couple of extra steps to massively improve:

• Keep a Journal: Record your practice sessions, noting successes and areas for improvement. Write down how far you are from the target, how many spins the knife is doing in the air, if it’s landing point or handle first. Everything and anything. You can adjust your distance to target, power level and release time to adjust all this factors, and it’s much easier if you have a record of them before adjusting!
• Video Analysis: Record your throws and review the footage to identify and correct mistakes. This is very helpful, especially with modern phones that can do excellent slow motion videos. You’ll be able to see the exact moment of release, if you’re at the right angle, if you hold on too long, or not enough before the throw.

Joining a Community

Another great way to improve your technique is to discuss with other enthusiasts.

• Online Forums: Join knife-throwing forums and social media groups to share tips and get feedback. These groups are usually really friendly, and an excellent place to get tips and tricks that we haven’t mentioned here. Usually they’ll be very willing to help you analyze what you’re doing right and wrong.
• Local Clubs: Participate in local clubs and competitions to gain experience and improve your skills. It’s a niche area, but clubs do exist and they are a huge amount of fun. Something we’d recommend everyone trying – at least once.

Knife throwing is an extremely fun (and rewarding) hobby that requires patience and practice. By choosing the right knives, setting up a safe practice area, and understanding the legalities, you can enjoy this activity safely and responsibly. Remember, consistency is key, so keep practicing, stay safe, and most importantly, have fun!

**While this blog is a guide – YOU MUST USE YOUR OWN COMMON SENSE. Knife Warehouse and the blog author are NOT RESPONSIBLE for any injuries or damage caused by misuse or mistakes. Always do your own research, and take every step possible to ensure you enjoy knife throwing in a safe, controlled environment. 

---

Feel free to share your own knife-throwing experiences and tips in the comments below. Happy throwing!