For fans of the no spin technique, we’ve got a list of the best no spin throwing knives to improve your results with the style. This comes from our own throwing knife collection and advice from experts who specialize in the no spin technique.
You could try and throw any knife with no spin but these have a very particular design and shape so you’re going to be more accurate with less practice. There are a couple of choices from Cold Steel and Perfect Point that are perfect regardless of your experience so far.
So which no spin knife is the one for you?
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Our No Spin Throwing Knife Recommendations
Here are the four no-spin throwing knives that we recommend for use. You can find links, our full reviews and why these are our picks down below.
- Overall best: Cold Steel Pro Balance
- Easiest to learn: Cold Steel Sure Flight Sport
- Cheapest: Perfect Point PAK Throwing Knife Set
- Intermediate /expert choice: AceJet Excalibur
Throwing Knife Choices
Overall Best: Cold Steel Pro Balance
The best knife for overall throwing use is the Cold Steel Pro Balance. This knife weighs a little on the heavier side which is helpful for the knife reaching longer distances.
You can see the full review here.
The Cold Steel brand gives a good level of quality assurance with all of its knives. The center of balance for this particular knife leans slightly towards the handle and away from the tip which is much more effective for no spin throwing.
Although the knife isn’t perfectly straight, its smooth design keeps it aerodynamic and is still effective for no-spin throwing.
Easy to Learn: Cold Steel Sure Flight Sport
The Cold Steel Sure Flight Sport is the best knife for people who are just getting into knife throwing and do not have much knowledge or experience regarding knife throwing.
You can see the full review here.
It fairs much better than cheaper alternatives and doesn’t damage very easily. The weight distribution on this knife is very well balanced and has a reasonable length. This aids in people who haven’t yet made the decision to either throw rotational or no spin.
Overall it also tends towards the lighter knives which alleviates any strain on the wrist for new throwers.
Cheapest: Perfect Point PAK
The perfect point PAK throwing knife is one the best value for money knives in the market. This comes in a set of 12 for a very reasonable price. Far from any sort of regular cheap knife, the knife is extremely lightweight and smaller in size which makes it perfectly suitable for beginners.
You can see our full review here!
Due to its being very lightweight, this knife requires the handle to be wrapped up before use. This will help in getting the knife to stick to targets much better. Throwing these knives unwrapped can cause them to ricochet off of the target and be a hazard or even break as the tips are usually slightly fragile.
Expert Choice: AceJet Excalibur
The AceJet Excalibur is a premium pick only for the most experienced and seasoned throwers. This knife was made by Adam Čeladín who is also a 5 times world champion in the sport.
These are designed with a heavier center of gravity in the middle, are thick and considered almost indestructible. They are to be used with caution as they are almost certain to stick and do serious damage.
If you have become very proficient and are looking to add that extra edge to your knife throwing game this certainly would be the right pick for you.
What Is a No Spin Throwing Knife?
As evident by the name, no spin throwing knives are those that travel in a straight line with the sharp edge facing the target throughout. This method is usually applicable for short throwing distances within 10 feet of the target. However, you can also throw them from farther distances with practice.
It is very crucial to avoid knives not intended to be thrown such as the Japanese-style kunai knives. These knives designed for display and ornamental value are usually very lightweight and short. This makes them very difficult to penetrate the intended target and they are much more difficult to control. Due to the aforementioned reasons, they carry an additional risk of injury if not handled with great caution. They are also much more likely to break with wear and tear as they have not been designed for rugged use. Most designs also come with a hole at the end of the handle which is intended for use with a lanyard.
However, it serves no purpose in throwing and can even negatively affect the throwing motion. These knives may certainly look very good but were never intended for throwing purposes.
There is a certain type of no spin throwing knife that has been termed as a ‘cheater’ throwing knife. These are knives that are designed so that their tip points forward throughout the trajectory and therefore always stabbing the target and sticking deep.
Another structural element of these knives is that they are made with an opening in the center to place your finger and use to propel the knife in a more spear-like manner. These are the reasons that have contributed to it being banned at world events such as the World Championship in Callac as it gives the participant an unfair advantage with much less skill involved.
Spin vs No Spin
Spin Throw
Knives thrown with a conventional overhand grip tend to rotate during the flight following the hand motion. This method works much better over longer throwing distances and is a much simpler approach requiring no one particular type of grip. However, rotational throwing is more prevalent with experienced knife throwers as it requires one to be very meticulous about the throw by calculating the distance from the target, the count of spins required as well as the gripping point of the knife.
No Spin Throw
The no-spin technique throw is a much quicker action as it eliminates all the calculations of the process. It works best up to 10 feet from the intended target and can have varying styles such as an underarm or overhead throw. The disadvantage to this throw is that it is still a much more difficult skill to practice as it requires one to be very precise and accurate with the grip, wrist action, finger action, and most importantly the timing of the release.
Choosing The Right No Spin Throwing Knife
There are multiples factors to take into account when considering a throwing knife. The first and foremost would be if you are looking to participate in a competition. Each competition would have separate guidelines on knife specifications which include but may not be limited to size, weight, shape and design. Additionally, your skill level with throwing knives also matters immensely. We will further delve into how each one of these factors contributes to and affect your knife throwing experience.
Balance
The balance of the knife is in terms of its weight distribution along the blade and handle or otherwise known as the center of gravity. Knives thrown with a spin throw will rotate around the center of gravity and therefore balanced knives are easier to work with especially for beginners or people with less experience since the trajectory is better calculated. Other forms are blade weighted or handle weighted knives, both of which have their own benefits.
Blade heavy knives have a center of gravity much closer to the tip of the blade. These are generally not optimal for throwing purposes. However, the ideal way to throw a blade-heavy throwing knife is with a handle grip.
Handle weighted knives are heavy on the handle with the center of gravity more towards the handle. These are best for throwing a no-spin throw.
Balanced knives with a center of gravity in the middle are still the most convenient option for people just starting off with throwing knives. The grip on these can also be varied as per comfort and use. Balanced knives work for both no-spin as well as rotational throws.
Weight
Weight is a very important element for throwing knives. Heavier knives tend to be a lot more comfortable to throw as they don’t require as much energy and exertion to throw. This makes them a lot more likely to stick into their targets reduces the chances of it rebounding back and causing injury. As a safety precaution, knives lighter than 10 oz should be used for distances closer than 10 feet.
As a good measure to follow for your knife, it should ideally weigh 1 to 1.4 ounces for every inch of the blade. This formula was derived by professional knife thrower Harry McEvoy.
Size
As far as size goes, longer knives are considered much better for throwing. They are easier to control especially for longer distances and are much more likely to stick into the intended target. What causes this is the slower rotation on longer knives giving throwers much better control. Additionally, for no spin throws there is better control as the added weight allows it to move in arc more than a rotation. Competitions throughout the world mostly have a minimum length rule of at least 10 and 12 inches for no spin and spin throwing knives.
Shape
For people just starting out, knives with a very straight streamlined shape work best as they are the easiest to control. It is also possible to use knives shaped differently, however, it would require you to adjust your grip accordingly to compensate for the shape and the center of gravity.
For every design and shape, it is equally important to have dull edges and only a sharp and pointy tip. In case they aren’t you may use a file to dull them out before use. This is essential to avoid injuring yourself while throwing.
Handle
The vast majority of throwing knives do not have any sort of handle. Throwing knives unlike regular knives, which need to be gripped, require a very smooth surface for the release to work best. Handles are also likely to be damaged with repetitive throwing and hitting targets. If you have a knife with a handle grip, you may remove it for a more effective throwing experience.
Handle types to avoid are those with cuts and engravings in them as they can injure or cut your hand while throwing.
Much more skilled and experienced throwers may also make and bind their personalized handles. One commonly used material for handles is vulcanized cardboard. Its smooth surface allows for an easy frictionless release. Another frequently used approach is cutting a 1-inch wide linen strip which can be tightly wrapped around and secured with tape or any adhesive. Keep in mind that this can also add some weight to your knife which may vary with the amount of linen used.
Composition and Assembly
A regular knife works well with stainless steel composition. However, it does not work as well for throwing purposes. Carbon steel tends to resist fairly better against throwing wear and tear. If there is any damage to the shape, then it is malleable and can be fixed again.
Knives with perforations and skeletonized knives are also not recommended as this weakens the knife drastically. The knife should also be full tang as that gives it a good structure to hold against the handle breaking off.
Thickness is another variable that is important to consider as a knife too thick can be quite heavy to use. On the other end of the spectrum, a knife too light will not be able to withstand throwing damage. The amount that works the best is a 3/16 inch thickness which is not can offer both benefits.
Quantity
While practicing, it is also important to be as effective in terms of effort and time. Therefore it is suggested you get at least 3 to 6 knives or more to save you time and effort. The more knives you have, the lesser time you have to spend picking up and retrieving them and the more you can dedicate to building muscle memory and mastering your craft.
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