How to Throw Knives
Learn how to throw knives, and you’ll be the life of the party—and a candidate for the circus.
Up next in Juggling & Circus Tricks (5 videos)
Love the circus? Learn how to juggle, ride a unicycle, and throw knives with these Howcast videos.
You Will Need
- Throwing knives
- Patience
- An unwavering dedication to safety
Steps
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Knives are dangerous, especially when thrown. Throw them at your own risk, and never throw them at others.
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Step 1
Get throwing knives
Get some throwing knives. There are many websites that cater to knife-throwing enthusiasts and that can recommend what kind of knives a beginner should buy.
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Step 2
Find a throwing location
Find a place to throw the knives, ideally one that is far away from absolutely anything that you could accidentally cut or kill with an errant toss.
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Step 3
Get a target
Get a target in which knives will stick, like the side of a wooden shed or an old, propped-up wooden door.
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Step 4
Position knife
Hold the knife in your dominant hand. This is your throwing hand. Grip the handle as you would a hammer, but rest your thumb along the edge.
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Step 5
Stand properly
Get in a proper knife-throwing stance, with your dominant foot back, your weight on your back foot, and your knees bent.
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Step 6
Bring arm back
Bring the arm holding the knife back and up. Your elbow should be level with your shoulder.
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Step 7
Throw smoothly
Throw the knife by swinging your hand and arm toward the target and extending your reach as you throw forward. Keep the knife pointed toward where you want it to go as you let it fly.
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Step 8
Practice
Keep practicing until you become adept at hitting your target.
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For best results, keep your blades sharp.
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Step 9
Rest your arm
Rest your arm between throwing sessions. Just like tennis players and baseball pitchers, knife throwers are at risk for arm injuries if they overdo it.
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Terry O’Quinn, who plays the character John Locke on Lost, is proficient in knife throwing.
