Gil Hibben Throwing Knives

3. Knife Throwing as Entertainment

This one may be a no-brainer, but knife throwing doesn't have to be intense. It can be a relaxing and fun hobby akin to something like playing pool or throwing darts. Instead of wasting money going out or finding temporary entertainment, a good set of throwing knives and a target can offer countless hours of entertainment.

4. It Can Be Very Sociable

When you want to take it easy by yourself, knife throwing can accommodate, but it's also a great way to be social and make new friends. You can join competitions or hold informal gatherings in your backyard. If that doesn't float your boat, you can easily invite your friends over and teach them how to throw knives.

Basic Types of Throwing Knives

Before moving on to the instructional part of this article, it's important to look at the different types of throwing knives. There are, in fact, other throwing devices like the tomahawk and shuriken, but you can learn more about those as you become more advanced. Here are the three basic types of throwing knives.

1. Blade-Heavy Throwing Knife

The names of each type are fairly self-explanatory. A blade-heavy throwing knife is one that has more weight in the blade than in the handle. Although it's a little confusing at first, you want the heaviest end of the knife being thrown first, so you would grip the handle of this type of knife when throwing. Blade-heavy are sometimes considered ideal for beginners because they're easier to learn how to throw from the hammer technique.

2. Handle-Heavy Throwing Knife

A handle-heavy throwing knife features the bulk of its weight in the handle, meaning you would want to throw the knife so that the handle goes first. Since this requires you to hold the blade end of the knife, beginners may have a hard time getting used to it.

3. Balanced Throwing Knife

The two previous types are unbalanced, but on balanced knives, the center of gravity is in the middle. This makes it possible to throw from either the blade or handle without consequence. The rotations on balanced throwing knives are more predictable, but some beginners have a hard time at first with these types. Still, these offer much more flexibility.

Knife Throwing Kit for Beginners

The great thing about the hobby is that you don't need many supplies to get started. To help simplify things, we've created this beginner's kit for knife throwers.

This throwing knife set will give you everything you need to get started with knife throwing. The DVD "Fundamentals of Knife, Hawk and Axe Throwing" explains the basics clearly and thoroughly. It offers helpful tips for beginners and even covers some more advanced techniques. The set of three Gil Hibben throwing knives are among the most imitated throwing knives on the market and for good reason. They provide you with sturdy training knives that you can grow into.

It's always good to have different-sized throwing knives, and at 13.5-inches, the Cold Steel Perfect Balance Thrower is ideal for your outdoor adventures. Not only does its heavier weight and tip design make it great for sticking in the wood but it can also double as a hatchet. These three items, along with a good target (which you can make yourself) are all you need to get started.