Finding the best throwing knife target board is almost as hard as finding the right knife itself. You might have seen videos of people just throwing knives at trees or wooden fences in their gardens, but if you really want to improve (and not hurt someone at the same time), you want to pay attention to the thickness, material and size of your target boards.
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Overall best: BIGSHOT Wooden Axe Throwing Target.
Easiest to learn: Aimdor Archery Target Heavy Duty.
Cheapest: Perfect Point PP-075-3BK with Target Board.
While the ideal throwing knife target board may vary from person to person, certain characteristics can help you distinguish the good ones from the bad ones. Here, we have listed the three best throwing knife targets we personally like.
So, which throwing knife target board should you spring for? Let’s take a look!
Our Throwing Knife Target Board Recommendations
Remember that you do not have to look for a throwing knife target board online. If you want, you can create one yourself. While we will not cover how you can create your own target board in this guide, it is not a complicated process, and anyone that is good with their hands (i.e, all knife throwers) should be able to figure it out.
Personally, I am someone who makes his own target boards. Purchasing a target board online can be an expensive endeavor, especially if you want one that is not complete trash. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone should make their own board. We cover the advantages and disadvantages of a DIY board compared to a pre-made board later.
As many advantages as creating your own knife-throwing target board has, nothing can ever beat the convenience of ordering a board online and having it delivered to your door ready for use. As such, here are four boards that you can order that will be great, sorted according to their category.
- Overall best: BIGSHOT Wooden Axe Throwing Target.
- Easiest to learn: Aimdor Archery Target Heavy Duty.
- Cheapest: Perfect Point PP-075-3BK with Target Board.
Target Board Choices
Overall Best: BIGSHOT Wooden Axe Throwing Target
The thing is that most of the target boards that you see online are not really equipped to handle throwing knives of high quality. This is because when you purchase a board, you want it to last for a long time. Most of the boards using low-quality materials may be great for knife throwing for the first few weeks, but they will soon be in a condition that would render them useless.
This is not a problem that I have had with BIGSHOT boards. BIGSHOT is by far my favorite manufacturer of target boards, and the main reason for this is its durability. It is built to withstand throwing axes, which means that handling knives is not a problem for it.
The board itself is backed by 2×10 plywood, which is strong enough for you to use for a few months, but also soft enough for pretty much all of your knives to stick to the board. The company claims that they designed the board to handle all kinds of knives, hatchets, and axes, and I can confirm this as a fact.
The target board is not that large, but it is still more than large enough for you to practice at a range of 10 meters or so. Lastly, the board comes with a chain mechanism that allows you to easily hang it anywhere you want. One of the problems with chain mechanism boards is that they are not stable, but the BIGSHOT target erases this problem by being heavy enough to stay stable when hung.
Personally, I have been using my BIGSHOT board for over a year. Although I have a heavy-duty model (covered later) that I tend to use more often, I find the standard board to be good enough for most people. The heavy-duty board is great if you are planning to mostly throw axes, but it may make it difficult to stick some of the cheaper knives that are not as sharp (or lightweight knives that do not pack as much of a punch). As such, I think the standard board from BIGSHOT is the best choice for most people.
Easiest to Learn: Aimdor Archery Target Heavy Duty
The Aimdor Archery Target Heavy Duty is not designed with throwing knives in mind, but that does not mean that it cannot be used for the activity.
Before we dive into the details, remember not to take the “Heavy Duty” in the name for granted. This is a target board that can be considered heavy-duty if you are an archery enthusiast, but throwing knives hit a board much harder than an arrow. As such, you should not expect this board to last you as long as the BIGSHOT model above.
Still, it is a lot cheaper than BIGSHOT models, and it is more than serviceable for most beginners. Sticking even the cheapest knife is very easy, as the board is made of forage as opposed to wood.
However, one thing to remember is that the board is not durable enough. If you are someone that uses sharper throwing knives, then you will probably break the board in a few days. On top of that, there is a lot of debris that falls off the board due to the material being used.
While the Aimdor board may seem cheap compared to models from the BIGSHOT, remember that it will not last you nearly as long. As such, you would be saving money by going for the BIGSHOT models.
That said, this is a great board for kids that are using lightweight knives or beginners that need a board to practice on. One of the advantages of using forage as the target material is that it will be very difficult to break your knives, whereas the BIGSHOT model can easily break the cheaper throwing knives if they are thrown incorrectly.
Cheapest: Perfect Point PP-075-3BK with Target Board
Perfect Point is a household name when it comes to throwing knives, but it does not manufacture a lot of boards. That said, when the company does manufacture a board, you can be assured that it is was built with throwing knives in mind.
We have one such set here, and it is the cheapest board on the list. It may not be the cheapest board out there, but it comes with a set of three knives (and a protective nylon sheath).
The board is rather small, and I would not recommend using it for longer distances because the knives may hit the area around the board and get damaged. And if it wasn’t obvious considering the price, the board is not made of real wood. In fact, it is difficult to tell what the board is exactly made of, I am guessing some kind of laminated material, but I cannot be sure.
As for the board itself, it is just about sturdy enough to get the job done. The paint begins to wear off on the first day of use, but that is to be expected considering that it is pummelled with knives at a high speed. Still, if you are someone on a budget or a beginner that is looking to solve all their knife-throwing needs with a single purchase, I would recommend going for this set by Perfect Point.
Lastly, the knives provided in the package are not of good quality and will probably break within a few days of use. Still, it is better to have a set of subpar throwing knives than not have any throwing knives at all, right?
Expert Choice: BIGSHOT Heavy Duty Wooden Axe Target
If you are an experienced knife thrower looking for a new board to try your craft on, I would recommend the BIGSHOT Heavy Duty Wooden Axe Target. It is essentially the same board as the previous BIGSHOT item that I covered, but it uses wood of a slightly higher quality. It is thus more durable.
The Heavy Duty version of the BIGSHOT board is not that much more expensive than the standard model, so I would advise you to go for it if you can afford the slight price bump. Just like the other model, it was designed with throwing axes in mind. This means that as long as you use it only for throwing knives, it should last you for at least a few months (or even years) before you break it.
That said, it is important to remember that this uses the hardest material for the board than any of the items on this list. This means that unless you are using a knife of the appropriate sharpness, you may have trouble getting your equipment to stick to the target.
If you are someone that throws both knives and axes, then I would highly recommend that you go for this board. All the others on this list would not be able to withstand the constant abuse of having two sharp weapons hurled at them for hours per day (or for however long you decide to practice).
Just like the previous model, the Heavy Duty Wooden Axe Target uses stable wood slabs and is perfect for carrying with you. Overall, this is the best throwing knife target board that I have ever bought online. The only reason I would recommend the standard model for most people is because of its lower cost and the fact that most people would not be able to take advantage of the increased durability of the heavy-duty model.
Throwing Knife Target Buying Guide
If you can’t pick from our options (or you’ve found another we’ve not reviewed), there are some things you can look out for.
The Type of Wood
Ideally, we want a hardwood like a maple, oak or Poplar. Something heavy and sturdy enough to withstand a whole lot of knife throws.
A lot of cheaper target boards are made from plywood or cheaper materials that won’t really survive knives constantly hitting them. You don’t want a target that splinters quickly or warps.
We know that a target won’t last forever. But a cheaper target will fall apart far too quickly.
Choosing the Best Target for You
If you are restricted by your budget, then the choice is simple: Simply go for the best board that you can find that is within your price range. If you are a beginner, then you have the option between the Perfect Point and the Aimdor model. While I found the Aimdor to be better in almost every respect, it really is an extremely flimsy piece of equipment, and it is entirely possible that you will not be able to use it for more than a few days,
Types of Boards
Throwing knife target boards are usually made of wood. This is because wood is the only material that is hard enough to provide the durability required but yet soft enough that it can easily allow the knife to stick to it. Of course, you may see other boards being made of plastic, paper, or forage. However, remember that they will always have some kind of durability issues.
As such, unless you simply cannot afford to own a wooden target board, I would recommend that you stick with something like plywood.
Durability and Size
As stated previously, wooden boards are usually the most durable. The type of wood used can greatly affect durability. As such, plywood is always a safe bet as it is cheap (or at least relatively cheap) and of sufficient strength to withstand the force of throwing knives.
As for the size, it is best to go for as large a board as you can find. This is so that even if you miss the target, you can still at least hit the board. This will elongate the life of your knives and may also prevent damage to the surrounding environment (especially if you are throwing them indoors).
That said, if portability is a factor, then a smaller board may be better for you. To be honest, I found the BIGSHOT models to be a perfect blend of portability and size, and I would recommend you try them out.
DIY vs Premade
Usually, I do not use premade boards. This is because I do not find it that difficult to source local wood and make a target of my own. That said, I understand this may not be for everyone. If you are someone that would not like to go through the process of acquiring wood, cutting and shaping it to your liking, and joining the layers together, then a premade board would be better for you.
Still, remember that making your own board is a very inexpensive process. I can make a board that is of a higher quality than the BIGSHOT models listed above for about half the price once you count in the shipping costs. So, if you think you can handle the task of making your own target board, then you should go for it.
Lastly, remember that you may not need a target board, to begin with. If you want, you can go all Adam Celadin and head to the nearest woods (or just a random bunch of trees) and throw your knives at them. Contrary to popular belief, throwing knives will not damage the structural integrity of the wood. However, throwing axes might, and you may want to be a bit more careful with those.
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