Knife Throwing

Thirty years ago I became interested In these knives—I wanted to know how the frontiersmen threw them. But search as I did, I could And no published work on the subject and I don t believe that any exists today. I had to learn my knife throwing by experiment. 

Knife throwing is a fascinating pastime. Your arm swings back, steel flashes through the air—and sip. the blade quivers in the target. Properly thrown, the knife 

When practiced as a backyard pastime, knife throwing is merely 

Stand about three feet from the target, right foot forward. Hold the knife by the blade, point between thumb and forefinger. 

Top of fh power throw. Arm i oil tho woy back, in position to hurl th hnifo forward and overhond in o mighty swing 

---

Throwing knives Is an enjoyable way to pass idle time. It s an Interesting and challenging sport,and it s a skill which may save your life in a pinch,But don t count on 11 Knife throwing Is not nearly a efficient a means of dispensing death as paperback novels, television, and movies would lead us to believe. 

While great skill can be developed through practice, knife throwing is not an exact science. No two persons throw precisely the same, and since the knife somersaults in the air, a beginner must find his proper ranges by trial and error. Form is the secret of success with knife throwing. You can use various throws for different distances, but the technique of a given throw must never vary. 

My interest in knife throwing was stimulated some time l k by a gift of a pair of beautifully balanced circus knives from Eugene Stebbings of Freeport, IlL Eugene, better known as Cou-teau Gene, rode herd and followed a chuck wagon before he could raise a... 

Yeah, that SMERSH file also mentions that Bond is good at boxing, knife throwing, and knows a few judo holds. He looks like a nasty customer, says one Commie SMERSH pinko official, looking at Bond s file photo. But if you dig through the novels, you ll find references to Bond smoking... 

The more common throwing techniques cause the knife to turn once every six fcct-(lt varies with the Individual.I m planning a slow motion film study on the subject.If I ever get around to it I ll report the findings In the Armorer.) This means that while you may be sudden death at 6 or 12 feet, you re probably S.O.L. from 8 to 10 feet. 

Being able to throw a knife Is Impressive, especially to someone whds tried it a couple of times without success.It s a great way to win a few beers and It may save your ass someday.I ve never regretted having taken the trouble to acquire the skill. But at no time should you allow yourself to forget the limitations of this in practical applications. While It is definitely worthwhile to be able to throw any blade which presents itself as a weapon of opportunity. If there is a serious intent to your practlce,knife selection becomes critical. 

Fo I low your blade In, (Unless you re one hell of a knife thrower,you 11 only be two jumps away.) Jump on the sonofabitch and push the blade in the rest of the way. Then twist it. Or, follow it up with a swift hand-to-hand attack using every dirty trick you know or every weapon at your disposal. Oo so regardless of whether your throw went true or not. 

Try rolling up a pinch of the oobleck into a ball and throwing it on the floor. It should bounce a bit then hit the floor with a splat and puddle. Try slicing through the oobleck with a knife. It cuts somewhat like cheese, appearing more solid than liquid. Try pulling the oobleck apart quickly and then slowly. When the oobleck is separated quickly, it behaves more like a solid when it is pulled apart slowly, it behaves more like a liquid. 

Now he must weigh the sodium. A 100 ml beaker is filled halffull of the petroleum distillate from the can of sodium, or with xylene. He puts it on the scale and weighs it. He needs 34.5 grams of sodium metal, so with a clean sharp knife, he cuts off a chunk of sodium, transfers it to the beaker and weighs it. If it is not quite 34.5 grams, he cuts a little more sodium and adds it to the beaker. This is done quickly, so that evaporation of the petroleum does not throw the measurement off. Then another 100 ml beaker is filled half-full of anhydrous ethyl ether. The sodium metal is transferred to it with a spoon. The petroleum is poured back in with the block of sodium and the can sealed up so that it does not evaporate. With a clean sharp knife, the sodium is cut up into little pieces about 1/2 the size of a pea. 

Another voriotlon el this throw has the index finger extended olong the knife s sole edge... 

To throw from a distance of about ten feet, hold the knife flat in your palm, with the blade pointed toward your elbow, and your finger against the handle. Throw it overhand, and let it slide out, handle first, with your extended hand pointed squarely at the target. 

For distances of from twelve to fifteen feet, take the handle of the knife in your fist, extend your thumb, and let fly with the same short, overhand flip that you used for the blade holds. At about this distance, and with this throw, the knife makes a complete turn in the air. 

In all power throwing, and especially in combat work, the purpose is to hurl the knife with the greatest possible velocity. So stand with your left foot forward (instead of the right), extend your knife arm all the way back, and sweep it forward and overhand in a mighty swing. Get your weight behind it and, most important, follow through. The release is the same as in the other throws—a smooth rhythmic slide from the hand. 

For serious combat practice, concentrate on this throw. Find the approximate distance at which your knife will make a complete turn, and practice... 

I ofteR see TV clips of Soldier of Fortune get-togethers. There they all are. banging away with whatever degrees of automatic weapons the local laws allow. Then they show off their hand-to-hand prowess and throw each other all over the lot. Then the knife fighting, Kung Fu, etc. 

Sptiiig aL (Weapon.) An ancient form of mill tary engine for throwing stones and darts. Spring-blade Knife. A i>ocket-kuife whose... 

For the qualitative determination of the elements nitrogen, sulfur, and chlorine, the Lassaigne method is usually used. Combine approximately 50-100 mg of a finely divided sample with a pea-sized piece of sodium or potassium in a pyrolysis tube. Heat this carefully in a Bunsen flame until the metal melts. (Caution Wear safety glasses and keep the opening of the tube directed away from the eyes.) The sample must be free of water, which would react explosively with the metal. Sodium and potassium must be stored in oil or immersed in a similar inert hydrocarbon. When used, a small piece of the metal is held with tweezers and the required amount is cut off with a knife or a spatula onto a piece of filter paper. Then carefully blot it dry with the filter paper. Use it immediately and return the remainder to the oil-containing bottle. The remainder should not be destroyed by throwing it into water. 

---