Are you looking for the best throwing knife around? Well, wait no more because we just reviewed 3 top-selling throwing knives and our findings will shock you. (Yes, you wouldn’t believe what dirt we uncovered). I know there are lots of choices out there for throwing knives and, with this guide, you’ll find your perfect throwing buddy no matter how tall, large, or old you are.
What to Look for in the Best Throwing Knives
First off, a throwing knife should not be sharp. Do not be mistaken by the word “knife,” a sharp throwing knife can cut you while you are throwing from the blade. The throwing knife should have a dull blade. All it needs to stick into the wood is a sharp point, that is all.
Secondly, the knife should be weight and length appropriate. If you are new to knife throwing, a longer knife will be easier to learn. Longer knives spin slower, so beginners can have more time to work on their techniques.
Shorter knives spin fast and it is harder to get them to stick into the wood. The rule of thumb is that the knife should weigh 1.5 oz for every inch in length. The longest throwing knife you can find is about 12 inches and the shortest throwing knife is about 6 inches. The heavier the knife, the more impact it will have on the target. A heavier knife will also allow you to hit targets that are further away.
The knife must be made of a good metal. Lots of low-end knives are made with terrible metals that will snap in half after a few hard throws. The best throwing knives are made with one single sheet of stainless steel. Some cheap, soft metals also dent easily. A lot of low-quality knives will break if it hits cement or something hard.
It is not recommended to have a handle. Handles can make it harder for you to release the knife during a throw–especially rubber handles. Handles can also screw up with the knife’s balance.
Having a balanced knife is better than an unbalance knife because it lets you throw the knife from both ends.
The knife’s sheath should be good. Having a bad sheath will take the fun out of throwing knives. A high-quality sheath is a complement to a high-quality set of knives.
Top Selling Throwing Knives
Here is our review of the 5 top-rated throwing knives we’ve found.
1. SOG Throwing Knives - 3 Pack
At under $40 this is actually a set of throwing knives that are among the most expensive on the market. That means throwing knives are pretty affordable all around. SOG is one of the top brands in the great knife industry, so on the basis of name alone, I’m already partial to this set. In further researching the SOG throwing knife, it’s interesting to find out that they are actually suitable for professional throwing competitions!
Each knife is 10 inches long and of course full-tang (you can even see the tang because there are no handle scales on either side of the shank). The blade measures 4.4 inches in length and the steel is hard-cased black 420 Stainless. The black coat reduces the chances of rust while looking aggressive and cool at the same time!
Each knife comes with a paracord for utility purposes, but it can be easily removed to create a more evenly balanced knife. The SOG throwing knife features a straight cutting edge and a clip point blade.
The tough nylon sheath holds all three knives neatly and safely.
2. United Cutlery Gil Hibben Competition Throwing Knives
United Cutlery Gil Hibben Competition Throwing Knives
United Cutlery is a big name in knives and I’ve reviewed a lot of their knives before. Gil Hibben is an expert knife thrower and writer of many knife throwing books. This set is a design he crafted from his expertise and years of experience.
These knives are over 12 inches long and weigh a whopping 12 ounces. What is great about this long, heavy knife is that you have a lot of control. You can fit all of the handles in your hand and the length makes it spin very slowly. This is good so you know if you need to add more spin or not in case it isn’t sticking. The weight allows the knife to stick from as far as 25 feet away!
This is a great knife for the beginner/intermediate in my opinion. For the beginner, you can practice your control a lot. For the intermediate, you can practice your distance.
The metal is great and there are only a few dents from the knife hitting other knives that are stuck in the wood. Other than that, this thing won’t break on you if you throw it into cement or accidentally drop it.
The sheath is made of leather. Yes, real leather! The sheath is of very high quality and I am very pleased with its durability and looks. It fits well and makes the 3 sets a bargain on Amazon Amazon.
3. SOG Fling Throwing Knives
Most of you are no strangers to the SOG brand and the quality that comes with it. Fling is the name of SOG’s entry into the world of knife throwing. The Fling knives from SOG are styled after traditional throwing knives with a broad dagger profile. The edges are non-sharpened but the point is perfect for target practice. Each knife handle is wrapped with 7 feet of paracord, giving you a total of 21 feet, perfect for those unexpected situations.
They’re 9.5″ long and made of 9Cr18MoV steel. Each weighs 5.4 oz. and they come with a nylon sheath. Did I mention they’re very cool looking?!
It’s excellent for friendly competitions in the backyard and beyond (though I’d stay away from the local park!!!)
4. United Cutlery Gil Hibben Gen. 2 Large Triple Set
United Cutlery Gil Hibben Gen. 2 Large Triple Set
While there are other throwing knives on Amazon and elsewhere, Gil Hibben makes his 2nd appearance on our list for good reason. This set of knives is assured of quality, and of course, the hundreds of reviews would attest to that as opposed to 1 or ZERO reviews on lots of other no-name brands. We’re far more comfortable promoting anything designed by Gil and manufactured under the United Cutlery name.
The 420 Stainless Steel construction assures the right hardness level and steel quality. It’s 8-5/8 inches long and it features a trigger-grip design. At 15.8 ounces, they offer a solid throw, and the heavy-duty nylon sheath seals the deal.
5. SOG Fling Classic Throwing Knives Set with Sheath
SOG Fling Classic Throwing Knives Set with Sheath
For the same reason we featured two of Gil Hibben’s designed knives on our top 5 list, we again feature the SOG line of throwing knives. They’re barely more expensive than any competitor brand, but infinitely more reliable. Over 230 customers rate this professional throwing knife at 4.6 stars out of 5.0 so that’s a good start. These knives are shaped just like the Flings on our list at #3, but they’re smaller.
This deal features 3 knives and one sheath. They are of pro-quality and would not be out of place in competition or show. This knife is crafted with 3Cr13MoV satin-polished stainless steel (great corrosion resistance) and a very sharp spear point that sticks well. However, the aggressive-looking edges are not sharpened in order to accommodate more throwing styles and to offer more confidence to the thrower.
The length of the blade itself is only 2.8 inches and the weight of the knife is 5.4 ounces. It features paracord handle-wrap (which, if you’re a purist, can be easily removed) and a very tough Ballistic nylon sheath to hold all 3 knives.
Conclusion: Which of These Best Throwing Knives You Should Buy
If you are new, I highly recommend the United Cutlery knife set. The length and weight will make you feel like a knife-throwing pro. It’ll also last a long time as well since it is made of high-quality materials.
If you are still deciding if knife throwing is for you, check out the SOG FLING. Note that since they are smaller, you might not actually stick them for the first few throwing sessions. Don’t get discouraged! Keep trying.
That is it guys! If you have any comments, post them in the comment box below. Do you have a copy of these knives or any other throwing knife? Tell me your story. You can also check out our review of throwing axes that are great for cutting down wood as well. We also have a review on throwing tomahawks.