If you’re interested in knife throwing as a sport, you’ll want to find the best throwing knife to help you get started.
Throwing knives are a unique instrument, and they have very little in common with knives that would be used for things like hunting, camping, or fishing.
You can know everything in the world there is to know about other kinds of knives, and still not understand what makes a throwing knife so different.
Getting some insight into these differences can help you find the best throwing knives on the market.
Before you start shopping, you need to know what you’re looking for and how to choose a throwing knife that’s going to work well for your needs.
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Contents
Do You Really Need a Special Throwing Knife?
Both the answer and the question are simple. Do you intend to throw your knife?
If the answer is yes, then you need a throwing knife. You might think that a regular backpacking knife would be good enough, but every knife is designed with a specific purpose in mind.
Any knife that wasn’t designed as a throwing knife was never intended to be thrown.
Throwing a knife that wasn’t designed to be thrown can be dangerous. Throwing knives have special blades and handles that are designed to fly through the air.
Other knives have their weights distributed differently. Heavier knives can tumble the wrong way, causing injury or damage.
They’re also harder to throw with precision and accuracy, causing you to strike something rather than your intended target.
How to Find the Best Throwing Knife
Being able to determine the quality of a throwing knife comes from understanding exactly what it is that makes throwing knives so different from other kinds of knives.
You’re looking for an entirely different list of qualities and design features that will make your throwing knife easy to use.
Blade
Throwing knife blades need to be sharpened to a very specific style of point. These knives are sharpened on both sides, and the come to a very precise tip right in the center.
The sharp end of a throwing knife should always look like a spear or an arrowhead. If the blade isn’t sharpened on both sides, it will be nearly impossible to get it to stick to the tree or bale of hay you’re targeting.
The shape of the blade should naturally fit with the tip of the knife. You don’t want any ornate shapes or fancy edges towards the handle of the knife.
The shape should be symmetrical all the way down to the end of the handle. Some blades feature cutouts that help make the knife a little more aerodynamic.
While these aren’t necessary, they’re certainly helpful for beginners.
Weight
When it comes to throwing knives, weight is very important. A knife that’s too light will be difficult to control and easily affected by the wind.
Light knives may not come down hard enough to stick into a target, especially if that target is located far away.
They might work well for cardboard targets or bales of hay that are only located a few feet from the thrower.
There are plenty of reasons to use a light throwing knife, but they’re limited in their capabilities.
Light knives are good choices for beginners who are just trying to master the basics of knife throwing.
Medium weight knives will work for everyone.
They’re capable of sticking to most kinds of targets, and can do so from a wider range of distances. It’s hard to go wrong with a set of medium weight knives.
They’re great for all kinds of practice, and everyone should own a few. Medium weight knives are the best throwing knives for beginners, though even experts will love them.
Heavier weight knives can do some pretty incredible things. You can strike tough wood targets from further distances, since a heavier knife can be thrown with more power.
You’ll have better control over the knife, and it will have a larger impact. Heavier knives are tricky to use, and they’re best left for people who already have some experience working with throwing knives.
Handle
Throwing knives don’t need the same kind of handles that tactical knives or even kitchen knives would need.
There’s no use for an ergonomic grip, since you won’t be using the knife for sawing, cutting, or chopping.
The best throwing knife will have a handle that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.
You also want the handle to be symmetrical. If it’s heavier on one side, it will affect the way the knife spins. This can cause the knife to fall sooner, and drop too short to hit the target.
The handle should look the same on both sides, and the weight should be balanced from the center.
How Large of a Set Do You Need?
Throwing knives come in sets as small as 3 and as large as 12. Smaller sets are less expensive, but they’re a little less convenient to use.
If you plan to throw your knives at targets that are close by, you may not mind having to retrieve them as often. Larger sets are more convenient for distance throwing because you won’t need to stop what you’re doing and retrieve your knives as often.
TOP 5 Best Throwing Knives Reviewed 2024
These are all top-rated throwing knives, and anyone from a beginner to an expert would be glad to have them.
These are a variety of weights and set sizes, and there’s a great set of throwing knives for every style of target throwing.
BladesUSA Thunder Bolt Throwing Knife Set
This is a solid set of three medium weight stainless steel throwing knives. These knives have a 5 and a half-inch length so you’ll be able to get a decent grip on the ends before you send them flying.
The blades are black coated to help hide scratches and other signs of wear and tear that are common among throwing knives.
The set itself is very inexpensive, especially for such high-quality knives.
PROS
- Knives come with a simple nylon carrying sheath that clips right onto your belt.
- The knives feature several laser cutouts at the end that you can tie ribbons through. If you attach a brightly colored ribbon, you’ll be able to spot where your knife landed from a distance. This is especially helpful if your knife misses the target and lands in tall grass.
- These knives are simple, balanced, and designed with learners in mind.
CONS
- These knives are designed to work with softer targets.
- The tips may not be able to handle harder varieties of wood.
CONCLUSION
These are some of the best beginner throwing knives you’ll find.
The price is right for a starter set, and there’s nothing too complicated about them.
While the set only comes with three knives, that’s all you’ll need for close range throwing at beginner grade targets, such as cardboard backed with Styrofoam.
Whetstone Cutlery S-Force Kunai Knives
This set contains a dozen knives.
If you don’t want to be running back and forth to retrieve your knives every few throws, you can’t beat the convenience you’ll get from such a large set.
The handles are braided through with army green cording which will prevent them from slipping out of your hand before you’re ready to let go, and they come with a large case to store them all when they’re not in use.
PROS
- Aerodynamic, perfectly symmetrical design makes it easy to throw these knives with a predictable spin.
- Knives are 6 and a half inches long. Throwing knives tend to be small, and people with larger hands can have some difficulty using them. If you have larger hands, you’ll appreciate the extra inch.
- A large amount of knives in the set makes them great for beginners who are focused on practicing their technique and don’t want to break their concentration every three throws to retrieve the knives.
CONS
- The cording on the handles may come loose over time. You might need to melt the cord back together, which is simple to do with a lighter or a match.
CONCLUSION
These knives are a great showcase of both quality and quantity. Having so many makes it easy to do longer rounds of distance-based throwing.
Since the weight is somewhere between medium and light, they’ll be able to stick to most beginner targets without damaging the tips.
BladesUSA Throwing Knife Set
This is a set of three knives, and they’re all heavyweight. If you want to do some intermediate throwing, you’ll definitely appreciate the weight of these knives.
They’re slightly less symmetrical than middleweight or lightweight throwing knives, which helps you learn to master and control the spin of the knife as it’s propelling towards your target.
PROS
- 8 inch overall length makes it easy to throw this heavier knife from a longer distance.
- End of the handle features a laser cutout where you can tie a ribbon to the end of the knife for better visibility when throwing far.
- Comes with a sheath that attaches easily to your belt or your belt loops.
CONS
- Heavier knives can be harder for beginners to master. This set is better for people who already have experience, or people who want to graduate to a higher level of knife throwing.
CONCLUSION
This is the best set of heavy throwing knives you’re going to find for such an affordable price.
Most similar sets cost three times as much, so you can’t beat the value that they’re getting.
They’re great quality, comparable to bigger brand names that come at a drastic markup. These are an incredible bargain find for what you’re getting.
Aeroblades 6PC Throwing Knife Set With Pouch
These are a budget set that you’ll love for tinkering purposes. If you’re a little nervous about working with throwing knives, you should feel comfortable about working with these.
They’re lightweight, and the blades come to a slightly rounded shape towards the point. You’re getting a set of six, and they’re very inexpensive.
PROS
- The overall length of the knife is 5 and a half inches, with the blade portion measuring in at 2 and a half inches. This is ideal for soft targets like cardboard or hay, which is exactly what learners should start with.
- Blades are made of a lightweight 440 stainless steel. This makes them easy to throw without reducing the durability of the tips.
- Features laser cuts for either tassels or ropes, depending on which one you would find easiest to help you spot your knives.
CONS
- Not designed for denser, tougher targets like trees.
CONCLUSION
If you want a starter set of throwing knives that you don’t have to worry about messing up, you’re really going to like these.
Six knives are plenty to play around with, and the tips are sturdy enough to take a few hard tumbles when you don’t hit your target.
Perfect Point PP-060-9 Throwing Knife Set
This is a set of nine black stainless steel throwing knives made in the classic design. The handles are wrapped in a convenient red cording that will make your knives easy to spot from a distance.
It comes with a nylon carrying pouch so you can store your knives after you’re done throwing them.
PROS
- Simple, classic throwing knife design is easy for beginners to learn with.
- You’re getting 9 knives at the price that most brands would usually sell 6 knives for. It’s almost like getting 3 for free.
- Each knife is 6 and a quarter inches overall, which is very long for a medium-weight knife. If you have larger hands, you’ll like the length.
CONS
- Like with any cord wrapped handles, you may need to re-melt the ends once they start to fray.
CONCLUSION
This is a great quality set, but the largest draw is the design.
If you want your throwing knives to look nice, you’ll appreciate the contrast of the red corded handles against the black stainless steel blade.
The intuitive design is very user-friendly, and it’s certainly a beautiful set of throwers.
Making the Choice
As long as you know the kind of target practice you’re interested in doing, it’s easy to find the best throwing knife.
Every combination of factors gives a throwing knife set its specific strengths, so choosing the perfect set is simply a matter of determining which set’s strengths match your own.
If you are looking for a great self-defense tool, you might be interested in completing your gear list with one of the best boot knives as well. However, if you are looking for something truly serious, take a look at the best bowie knives.
