Need some help, guys! New Project!

T

Taz

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Apr 28, 1999
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Well, a friend of mine likes boar hunting. He has taken them with bow and arrow, spear, gun and now wants to try something new. Yup. Throwing knife. Big one. 10 to 12" blade, blade heavy, double edge, bout 16 or 17" OAL, at least 2" wide blade so the pig will bleed out, well, like a stuck pig. What steel would be suitable for this that I can HT myself (simple high carb)?? And should I edge the whole blade, or just the tip to the widest part? I intend to mill out the center of the blade to shift the weigh forward, and mill out the center of the handle so it is very blade heavy. How should this thing balance??

Also, would 304 be another choice? it is very tough, and the edges wouldn't need to hold their edge a lot, cuz he would get prob 1 throw.

Any other thoughts?? I know this is a crazy idea, but it would be fun to try!!
 
Well your design depends a few things. The first is how close does he want to get the critter? Close for a half turn, farther away for a full turn or the ability to do both? If it just a half turn go for a handle heavy thrower. Full turn a blade heavy thrower and for both try to get it center balanced. My suggestion is to ask him how close he wants to get to the boar and then decide on your design. As for milling out the blade I wouldnt. My view is the more holes you put in it the weaker it will be. He probably will/should practice with it before he goes out to hunt so you want it strong. For steel go with 1095. Nice and simple. Mind you these are just a few suggestions. Someone with more knowledge than me will hopefully jump in here.
Kevin
 
Don't mill it out; you need all the weight you can get. Weight is more important than balance -- make it as heavy as possible for penetration; as long as the balance point is somewhere near the center it'll work.

Sharpen the whole thing and put points at both ends.

5160 and 1050 are good steels for throwers. I'm not familiar with 304 ... isn't that a stainless? Stainless steels are not great for throwers and you can't heat-treat them very well without an expensive heat-treat oven.

Most of all, this is not one knife -- it's a set. He can't expect to bring down a boar with one throw.
 
No offense but , that is the craziest idea I have heard for some time.
There is no way you can adaquately kill a Boar with a thrown knife . If you have any knowledge of throwing you know that the range is everything to the throw . And with an animal that will have to be within 20' to get sufficent penetration out of your throw , this means the boar will probably be charging you. You cannot get sufficent shock out of a blade to stop a charge of a wild boar. at best you will bleed the animal to death which is not a clean kill and inhumane in my opinion.
I have seen a boar shot through the central body cavity with an arrow
keep climbing up a steep bank in pursuit of the shooter , who had to finish the job with a sidearm .
In Spain the have a long knife and lay in wait in a tree over the boar path and drop on the animal and dispatch it with a stab to the spine below the base of the skull . You have to have a lot of moxie (or a lack of brains ) to try this though .
Maybe it would be possible with a tomahawk or throwing hatchet , but I would have to see it to believe it.

Regards , Cameron .
 
A number of forum members hunt boar with a knife, but not by throwing -- they use a pack of dogs and the dogs attempt to hold the pig while they jump on it and stab it. It's getting to be a pretty popular sport in the southern US. One member doesn't use dogs; he puts an arrow in the pig's leg and then he can run the pig down and jump on him. Pretty crazy, yeah....
 
I know the guy is nuts :). he hunts with guys who have taken boar with throwing knife then finished them off with the knife. I will prob use a High carb steel, with an edge quench. I am thinking L6 because it is tough and cheap, $25 for 91" of it I think.
 
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