Throwing knives / Spikes

[Interblog]

.... the knives bounce really far when they don't stick. Even the lead guy was less than 50%. And the harder you throw it, the further and higher they bounce! The axe was pretty easy and after a few tries, I went 3 for 4 into the target. (the axe didn't bounce far) I never got the knife to stick- but I caused a few of us to dance on the ricochets!!

I can see a safe backstop if made from something that would not bounce... maybe a thick pad like a weightlifting mat or truck bed mat hung up.

From the vids I've watched, they may bounce a meter or more off the target itself. Side throwing seems to be a protective countermeasure at close distances.

This young lady doesn't use a backstop. She does bounce a few.

[flechero]

Watch at 2:56... from 3 feet she misses and the ricochet goes for the neighbors fence and she ducks- yells "Oh Shoot!"

First off- she's not an amateur.... or at least not newb, and she was throwing nice and easy into a soft endgrain target. And she had a flagged measure rope at her feet. All that to say an experienced thrower (is that a term?) has all kinds of set up precautions to throw in her back yard. and she's throwing pretty easy. Nothing wrong with that but the thread context began as a 25yd defensive option.... her throws wouldn't have even gone 25 yds.

Clearly I don't know squat about real world throwing knives but there are exceptions to every rule. And if she has some errant knives, I KNOW we would!!

This - is much easier to learn and to become competent with.

[Interblog]

...
This - is much easier to learn and to become competent with.

Of course it is. It's also not allowable in Canada, from which I just returned (5 week trip). I got curious about knife throwing one evening when I realized that I was camping with six different knives within arm's reach. We had an issue with a probable black bear passing close to us (story omitted for brevity). It occurred to me that I might want to learn a little more about what I've got, no matter how limited a resource it might represent.

[flechero]

I lived in Toronto for 3 years... I understand! (and I'm not going back!)

[WildRose]

...
This - is much easier to learn and to become competent with.

Of course it is. It's also not allowable in Canada, from which I just returned (5 week trip). I got curious about knife throwing one evening when I realized that I was camping with six different knives within arm's reach. We had an issue with a probable black bear passing close to us (story omitted for brevity). It occurred to me that I might want to learn a little more about what I've got, no matter how limited a resource it might represent.

If all you have to defend against a bear start running.

[Interblog]

....
If all you have to defend against a bear start running.

LOL... that won't work. And besides, around our camping property, there are also coyotes that are partly made of wolf DNA. They are far larger and meaner than what we have in Texas. They killed a young woman out for a hike some years back, and have attacked without provocation several other people in the general area, to the point where the local government had to put a bounty on them to reduce their numbers and drive them further back into submission.

My take on knives is the same as it is with handguns - I'd rather have some skill than no skill at all.

It's extremely difficult to throw knives with any accuracy and consistency. That said, I routinely get six consecutive sticks with the two sets of three that I own so far. It's a good simple work break activity. I work partly from home. When I need to stretch my legs, I get up from my desk and go pound my falling-apart target in the garage for ten minutes.

[WildRose]

....
If all you have to defend against a bear start running.

LOL... that won't work. And besides, around our camping property, there are also coyotes that are partly made of wolf DNA. They are far larger and meaner than what we have in Texas. They killed a young woman out for a hike some years back, and have attacked without provocation several other people in the general area, to the point where the local government had to put a bounty on them to reduce their numbers and drive them further back into submission.

My take on knives is the same as it is with handguns - I'd rather have some skill than no skill at all.

It's extremely difficult to throw knives with any accuracy and consistency. That said, I routinely get six consecutive sticks with the two sets of three that I own so far. It's a good simple work break activity. I work partly from home. When I need to stretch my legs, I get up from my desk and go pound my falling-apart target in the garage for ten minutes.

You aren't going to kill a bear, wolf, coyote, or any other dangerous predator with a throwing knife.

If you leave whatever it is that they came after they aren't going to pursue you.

Attacking a bear with a knife is just going to get you killed.

[Interblog]

....
...

You aren't going to kill a bear, wolf, coyote, or any other dangerous predator with a throwing knife.

If you leave whatever it is that they came after they aren't going to pursue you.

Attacking a bear with a knife is just going to get you killed.

Doing nothing at all in those scenarios will also get you killed. The coyote-wolf hybrids that have attacked people in that geographic area were not motivated by food or pets or physical items. They were motivated to attack people simply because they could attack people. The wilderness often works that way.

That being the case, I'd rather go out fighting. I'm not going to be that person who just stands there and takes it without objection. At least if I manage to cut the thing on my way down, the LEOs who come along afterward to dispatch the rogue animal will see the marking and know that they've ID'd the correct one.

[Interblog]

A post-script to this thread: Pic of a professional knife-throwing range in Toronto. If such a thing existed in the greater Houston area, I would certainly patronize it. I'd pay for proper instruction.