When it comes to the best throwing knives for beginners, the metrics that gauge whether a knife is good or not are very different. For example, we may rate a knife (such as a model by Gil Hibben) as absolutely amazing in every way, but it may not be the correct knife for a beginner due to its price, learning curve, and other intricacies.
Here, we have made a list of some of the best throwing knives for beginners. While all of the knives on our list are inexpensive, it does not mean that they are lacking in quality. Additionally, we also cover a few basic tips that beginners should be aware of when purchasing a knife set for themselves.
There’s not a lot much money in knife throwing, so IKTHOF is reader supported. This page may contain affiliate links so we get a small advertising fee for any purchases.
- Overall best: Cold Steel Sure Flight
- Easiest to learn: Perfect Point RC-595-3 Thunder Bolt
- Cheapest: Whetstone Cutlery Throwing Knife Set
- Intermediate /expert choice: Uzi Throwing Knife Triple Set
So, which knives should you be looking to get as a beginner? Let’s take a look at my recommendations.
Avoid Cheap Knives
Remember that there are two types of knives at the lower end. Those that are made for display, and those that are made for throwing. The knives made for display look absolutely amazing, sometimes even better than premium models. However, they do not throw well. Not only will you have trouble hitting the target with them, but you will also break them easily. In fact, I had major trouble differentiating between the two when covering the best rainbow throwing knives.
Knives made for throwing, on the other hand, use stainless steel of slightly higher quality (although still one that is cheap). On top of that, they are usually designed to help you get accustomed to the basics of the art of knife throwing.
One way to differentiate between knives made for display and those made for throwing is that the ones made for throwing tend to cost slightly more. A top-quality knife may set you back a lot of money, but you can still find great deals at the lower end that should help you get started.
Best Beginner Throwing Knives Overview
Let’s take a look at four knives that any beginner should have no problem with. I have tried my best to rate them according to their skill levels, but remember that every single knife thrower (including you) has a unique style and instinct. As such, it is possible that your experience may be slightly different from mine. That said, any of the following knives should be great for someone just getting into knife throwing.
- Overall best: Cold Steel Sure Flight
- Easiest to learn: Perfect Point RC-595-3 Thunder Bolt
- Cheapest: Whetstone Cutlery Throwing Knife Set
- Intermediate /expert choice: Uzi Throwing Knife Triple Set
Throwing Knife Choices
Overall Best: Cold Steel Sure Flight
One of my favorite throwing knives. A solid choice to get you into the sport. You can find the knife on Amazon here or read the full IKTHOF review here.
To be honest, while it was obvious to me which four knives would make this list, deciding which one of them would be above the rest a notch was quite difficult. The main reason I think the Sure Flight by Cold Steel is the best is due to the fact that it is not only great for beginners, but also for intermediate throwers. With a rating of 4.8 out of 5 on Amazon, I don’t think a lot needs to be said about its quality.
The knife particularly excels in no spin throwing, but it is great for other techniques as well. The only drawback of using the Sure Flight is that it is a little prone to breaking. As such, you need to be careful with it. I would recommend that you use a soft target rather than a hard one.
Lastly, the belt sheath provided with the knife is also of good quality. Of course, you should not expect a leather sheath at this price point, but the nylon one does the job. There is no paracord-wrapped handle, but that did not seem to be a hindrance in my experience.
This is my usual suggestion when someone asks for a ‘good throwing knife’. It looks a little plain, but it’s probably the best throwing knife in terms of simple performance for the price. Most professional knife throwers have at least tried this model.
Durable enough for repeated throwing, balanced enough to actually practice with and the knife sticks surprisingly well to a target, even for beginners.
Easy to Learn (or for Kids): Perfect Point RC-595-3 Thunder Bolt
This small set is cheap and cheerful and a great way to get into the sport if you don’t want to take it too seriously. You can find the throwing knife set on Amazon here or read our full review here.
The Perfect Point RC-595-3 was the most difficult one to put on this list, and a star rating of 4.3 out of 5 on Amazon only added to that problem. It is not a great knife by any stretch of the imagination, and there are far better alternatives in this price range. However, there is one thing that makes it extremely beginner-friendly: It is great for kids.
Everything from the small size to the RC-595-3 being a lightweight knife makes it perfect for children. Another advantage is that the edge is not that sharp, so it is not a safety hazard. Sadly, this does make using it on a hard target a problem. Apart from kids, teens and adults can also use this as their first knife, and the best part is that it is quite a bit durable considering its small size.
Lastly, this is also an incredibly fun piece of kit because you can throw it at blazing-fast speeds. Any knife with the name “Thunder Bolt” is designed to be thrown quickly, and the RC-595-3 by Perfect Point is no exception. Just one thing: If you are someone with really large hands (I mean really large), then you may find the knife to be too small for use.
The other advantage to a small knife throwing set like this (compared to a single throwing knife) is you can save a lot of time going back and forth to your target). You get a small set of three throwing knives and a sheath to hold them all together. A perfect start for beginner knife throwers who just want to get a taste of the sport before making a commitment to carbon steel or higher price knives.
Of course, these are not going to be of the same quality as cold steel throwing knives, and they’re probably going to break if you put too much force into the throw, but they’re stainless steel and pretty well balanced for the price.
Cheapest: Whetstone Cutlery Throwing Knife Set
For sheer bang for the buck, you can find these throwing knives here on Amazon. Or read our full review here.
When it comes to value for money, there is no better deal in the entire world of knife throwing than this set from Whetstone Cutlery. As I mentioned in our full review of the knife, you think the knife is appropriately priced when you look at its store page, but only when you see that it is for a set of twelve knives as opposed to three do you realize what a steal this really is.
Just like the Perfect Point above, it is a great knife for kids. Not only is the edge not that sharp, but the shape and the cord grip make it incredibly easy to grip and throw. However, the cord grip is of a color that makes you want to throw up, and the knives look ugly in general. Still, if you prefer quantity over quality, this is it! These are lighter knives compared to others, but that doesn’t mean that they are unusable, and that is all that matters at this price point.
There are only two things to be aware of before you purchase the Whetstone Cutlery Throwing Knife Set. The first is that the ringed pommel on top of the knife will make it problematic to perform no spin throws. If that is something that you plan on doing, then you should avoid this knife. The second is that these knives are quite feeble and break a lot. Still, at this price, who cares?
With a star rating on Amazon of 4.4 out of 5, I found the set to be a reasonable choice for those that are on an extremely tight budget. You even get a black nylon sheath (well, it isn’t technically a sheath, but a case with a belt loop).
Expert Choice: Uzi Throwing Knife Triple Set
It may seem ironic that we have an ‘Expert Choice’ knife in our best throwing knives for beginners guide, but hear me out. The Uzi Throwing Knife Triple Set is not only great for beginners but also for experts. On top of that, it is much more than a throwing knife. For all of this, you do not have to pay a lot more than you would for a barebones entry-level knife.
Take a look at our full review of the Uzi Throwing Knife Triple Set here.
Not only is the Uzi very easy to pick up, but it is one of the most durable knives that I have used in its price bracket. It is simply impossible to break when you are throwing properly. Even when thrown improperly, it can take quite a beating before it becomes unusable. As such, it may be the perfect knife for beginners that know absolutely nothing about knife throwing and will need a lot of time to learn everything properly.
On top of that, the knife is still a great purchase if you are an intermediate thrower. I won’t recommend taking it to competitions, but it is still more than serviceable for a few rounds of backyard throwing with your experienced knife-throwing friends.
Things that you need to watch out for with the Uzi Throwing Knife Triple Set include the fact that its all-black stainless steel construction finish may make it difficult to locate in a muddy field, so choose your practice arena accordingly. Lastly, the knife shows signs of aesthetic wear and tear after use, especially due to the monogram wearing off.
Honorable Mention: Smith and Wesson Throwing Knives for Beginners
You can find our Smith and Wesson pick here on Amazon or read our full review here.
A known name in household knives but… perhaps less so a classic throwing knives brand. Less popular for knife throwers than people tend to expect. You do get multiple throwing knives with most of their sets which are great for practice but… they’re just a little lacking in performance.
Overall, we have to say that the Smith and Wesson throwing knives are good enough to be the perfect knife for beginners. However, experienced throwers should look elsewhere unless they are looking for a cheap knife for backyard targets.
They’re a popular choice, but you’re probably not going to find a professional knife thrower using one in a competition. They’re better than some of the cheap throwing knife brands that are just trying to appeal based on the design – but the quality is lacking compared to some of the best throwing knives.
No Spin or Rotational Throwing for Beginners
While there is a lot of throwing knife techniques that you can master over time, they broadly fall into two major categories. The first one is rotational throwing, where the knife spins on its way to the target. It can be a half-spin, a full-spin, or more. However, beginners tend to stick to the full spin at most. Beyond that can be a bit tough to figure out when you are new.
The no-spin throwing technique is a bit more complicated relative to the half-spin, but still doable for a beginner. If you are someone who is interested in no-spin throwing, then you can use our best no spin throwing knives guide to purchase your second knife set (use this guide for your first).
Mostly, beginners tend to begin with the half-spin, and then transition to the other techniques. This is how you should begin as well.
Beginner Throwing Knife Buying Guide
Now that we have gone through some of the best throwing knives for beginners, here is how you can choose between them.
Choosing the Throwing Knife for You
If you are not restricted by your budget, I would suggest that you try all four of the models mentioned here. This way, you will be able to see which one is suited for your throwing style the best.
If you are, then there are three things that you need to worry about: The type, the length, and the weight.
Throwing Knife Type for Beginners
We will not get technical about the types here, as there is no reason for you to learn about them as a beginner. More importantly, the type of knife does not matter as much as some people would like you to believe.
Simply put, you need to make sure that the knife can perform all the throwing techniques that you plan to make use of. For example, a knife with a ringed pommel can be quite difficult (although not impossible) to use for the no-spin throwing technique.
Apart from the United Cutlery model mentioned above, all the throwing knives in this guide can be used for all of the throwing techniques.
Throwing Knife Length for Beginners
This is almost completely subjective. The most important factor to consider when deciding on the length of the knife is the size of your hands. If you are someone with larger hands, then the total length of your knife should be ten inches or above. If like me, you have small or average-sized hands, then knives of six to ten inches will be great.
If possible, I would recommend that you try out knives of various sizes before you purchase your first one. This way, you would have a pretty good idea of what to expect before you make your purchase.
Throwing Knife Weight for Beginners
The last thing that you need to consider before you make your purchase is the weight of the knife. The important thing to remember is that the lighter the knife, the faster it will throw. When I test knives that are extremely lightweight, I am usually quite surprised by how quickly I can throw them. Usually, I prefer to utilize heavier knives, as I find that I am more accurate with them.
However, this will depend on each individual thrower, and you should once again try out knives of various weights, if possible, to determine which ones you prefer. Even if you are someone that gravitates towards heavier knives, I would recommend that you at least try lighter knives at some point for the recreational value.
If you are someone who prefers lighter knives, then you will probably not find a lot of enjoyment in heavier knives. Sadly, in this case, most of the higher-end knives tend to have a hefty gravitational pull, so you will have to sacrifice some comfort if you want to enjoy premium-quality stainless steel construction.
Even the heavier blade for throwing is going to be lighter than your average knife.
Throwing Knife Sharpness
This is an area where a lot of knife throwing beginners make a mistake. Throwing knives, unlike traditional knives, do not need a sharpened blade. In fact, most quality throwing knives will have a sharpened point, but the rest of the knife will not have a sharpened edge.
You want a balanced knife designed to be thrown. You don’t need a sharp edge. Some will have a doubled-edged blade, while most will have a flat spine, but you should be able to run your finger along the blade itself.
Bonus: The Design
Most professional throwers tend to have a collection of different knives, and all of them will admit that sometimes the look and feel of a knife will matter. A cool-looking knife might not help you hit the bullseye, but that doesn’t mean you need to completely ignore how a knife looks.
Just be cautious here. There are a lot of affordable knives on the market that style themselves for throwing and look great, but the reality is they’re going to snap super quickly. Don’t get too much into the design that you forego quality design.
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