Ok, I can almost HEAR you snickering already Warrior…
And you’re not alone.
Most people and instructors in the “tactical” space laugh and roll their eyes at anyone who thinks that “knife-throwing” is anything more than just a Hollywood fantasy skill for ego-driven, tacticool wannabes.
They’ll scoff at the very idea that throwing a knife would ever work against a real attack.
But what if the OPPOSITE was true?
Want some proof?
It’s Time To Set The Record Straight About Throwing A Knife For Personal Defense And…
Here’s Why The Tactical Guru’s Should Stop Laughing – And Start Considering – “Knife-Throwing” As A Legit Self-Defense Skill…
First off, the hate for knife-throwing is kinda weird when you think about it.
After all, the whole point behind firearms, bows, slingshots (basically any weapon that “launches” something) is to project force from a distance.
Well, that’s exactly what a thrown knife does!
And if you can reliably turn anything into a projectile, you instantly expand your self-defense options.
Of course the damage you can do to an attacker depends on WHAT you throw, and how WELL you throw it.
Which brings me to…
Argument #1: “A Thrown Knife Doesn’t Inflict Enough Damage”
Let’s Time-Travel Back To Your High School Physics Class Because The Science Of Knife-Throwing Tells A Whole Different Story…
Aside from a bullet (duh!), there’s a big difference between throwing a donut, a baseball bat or a knife as a self-defense “projectile”.
If you had only ONE of those items in your hand to throw, which one would you WANT it to be?
Me?
A knife.
Hands down.
But now consider this…
Most people are shocked to learn just how slow a typical knife thrust really is – about 25 to 30 mph, max.
Now compare that to a thrown blade…
A knife-thrown even at half-speed (for accuracy) can reach 40 mph (or more!) and sinks WAAAAY deeper into your target than you can get with your hardest thrust.
(This isn’t theory… I’ve tested it!)
And if it can do that to a piece of wood, just imagine what it can do to soft tissue – even if your attacker is wearing a heavy leather jacket!
Compared with a hand-thrusted knife, it’s not even close!
A knife thrown at 50% speed inflicts more damage than a full 100% effort “stab”.
Argument #2: “Why The Hell Would You Ever Throw A Perfectly Good Knife That You Can Use In-Hand To Defend Yourself With?!”
Fair Point – But Let’s Get Real For A Second Here…
This is probably the most common “gotcha” argument – and yeah, on paper, it sounds smart.
I mean, why give your attacker a free upgrade by tossing your only knife, right?
But here’s the problem…
… real-life violence doesn’t happen on paper.
Context matters – so let’s talk scenarios…
When you’re talking about facing off against a threat, your most-likely scenario can be chunked down into six types of attacks…
Let’s break these down one-by-one to see what the decision-making process is of whether to “throw” or “hold” your knife…
1. My Knife vs. Him Unarmed
If I’ve got a blade and he’s got nothing… that’s not a fair fight.
That’s me going to jail for murder.
But a hardened “thug” who visibly outsizes me and can bench press a dump truck?
Now there’s a “disparity of force” (a little legal jargon there for ya).
I’ll throw my knife and bolt!
BUT… he may be faster than me because let’s face it… at 57 y.o., I’m not the track star I used to be!
In which case, I’ll hold onto my knife.
2. My Knife vs. His “Projectile”
He has a rock, brick, fuzzy kitten… whatever…
I’ll throw… before HE does.
3. My Knife Vs. His “Impact Weapon”
He’s got a baseball bat and six feet of swinging room.
I’ve got three feet of reach with my hand-held knife.
Unless I want my skull cracked open, I’m slinging some steel his way and making a run for it or closing the distance on my terms.
4. My Knife vs. His Gun
If he has a gun, I’m most likely going to be running in the opposite direction if I can get the hell out of Dodge.
If I have the time, MAYBE I throw before I beat feet.
If I can’t run and he’s threatening me that he has a gun or is “reaching for something”, I’m going to assume he’s not bluffing and I’m legally justified to respond to a lethal force attack.
If a knife is all I have and there’s enough distance between us, I’m gonna throw it to disrupt his positioning and either leave or close the distance
5. My Knife vs. Multiple Attackers
Depends.
If they’re armed with ANYTHING – knife, club, or a gun – I may throw my knife at the weapon holder or at the person directly in line with my best exit to get away.
If I have no other options, I’m going to hold onto my knife and go ape-sh*t on them or hold them off until (hopefully) someone calls 911 to get me backup.
6. My Knife vs. His Knife
Everyone knows that the most common weapon carried by criminals – and therefore the one you’re MOST likely to face – is a knife.
Again, if I can run away, I’m gone.
If I can’t – and my best, closest, fastest, or only weapon is my knife – this is where you suddenly realize that a knife in your hand isn’t necessarily all that it’s cracked up to be as a self-defense weapon.
It’s NOT the “one-stab” fight-ender you see in the movies.
Ask any gang member, prison inmate, or even a martial artist who has truly “pressure-tested” their perfectly orchestrated knife-disarm against an unwilling, padded up training partner and they’ll tell you that you WILL get cut and stabbed – over and over again.
…UNLESS you can throw it…and throw it well!
Which brings us to the last argument…
Argument #3: “There’s No Way To Confidently Stick A Knife In A Determined (Moving!) Attacker”
This is probably the main reason people think knife-throwing is a “fantasy tactical skill”…
… because they’ve tried it (admit it… you have) and can’t get their knife to actually “stick” into their target consistently.
And that’s throwing at a static target, like the side of tree or some boards.
But you and I both know that in a real fight, your attacker isn’t just going to stand there and let you throw a knife at him over and over again until it sticks in his forehead.
He’s going to be moving – either at you or to the side to dodge your knife.
That’s why the “traditional” way that people throw a knife – spinning the knife in mid-air, trying to “time” it just right – is a virtual impossibility without dedicating your life to this long-lost “combat art”.
That reality is exactly why Ralph Thorn developed his “No-Spin Combat Knife-Throwing” system… and why it revolutionized the entire knife-throwing world when he released it.
Essentially, he developed a unique method for throwing a knife (any knife) without it spinning in mid-air like most people throw it.
By NOT spinning the knife in mid-air, this removes all of the legitimate reasons why throwing a knife to defend yourself will fail against a real attack…
You don’t have to judge the distance between you and your attacker…
It doesn’t matter if your attacker is moving – either toward you or away from you…
You don’t have to decide the number of flips the knife has to make in order to stick point-first
And it doesn’t even matter what knife you’re throwing!
Ralph’s “No-Spin” knife-throwing system instantly became the game-changer method that puts knife-throwing up there with firearms and hand-to-hand as a practical and worthwhile skill to add to your defensive arsenal.
It’s also why I got to love knives as much as i do, because using his system, I was finally able to throw a knife – and stick it (accurately!) – at virtually ANY range… and EVEN against a moving target!
Your Thoughts On Knife-Throwing As A Practical Self-Defense Skill?
Go Ahead And Share Your Insights With Your Fellow Warriors In The Comments Below…
