Some questions for the pros.

T

TheMartialWay

Joined
Jul 2, 1999
Messages
1,347
Hey guys,

Just a few questions and some miscellaneous ramblings. I recently aquired a Cold Steel tomahawk and took it out for a test run today. This was my first attempt at 'hawk throwing. Within a half hour I was dead on acurate at 19 feet. At this range I cannot miss, it sticks every time and in the target zone(about a 5" square). If I am any closer, or any further away, my accuracy drops to around 50%. I guess 19' is the sweet distance for this 'hawk and the way I throw? Is there a general distance used when people get together and throw 'hawks? Also, what is the maximum distance for a 'hawk to generally be accurate? I know it depends somewhat on the thrower, but what is the general rule?

When a pro picks up an unfamilliar 'hawk, are they good at throwing it even on their first try or do you need to get used to the particular 'Hawk?

Out of all the threads posted thus far, has there been one explaining in detail how to throw a 'hawk? If not, I think a step by step walk through would make a great reference thread.

Well, thats it for now. Any comments welcome. Thanks for your time.

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Louis Buccellato
http://www.themartialway.com
Knives, Weapons and equipment. Best prices anywhere.
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"only the paranoid will survive"
 
Louis....congratulations on your successful Hawk throwing session....sounds like you are picking it up quite naturally. A Hawk is far easier to learn how to throw than a knife...and quite rewarding too...as our friend Muzzelup points out so often, "THUNK".
biggrin.gif


Your suggestion on a Hawk Throwing Instructional Walk-Thru post is noted and well received.

In the interim, let's deal with your questions.

If 19' is your distance for a single spin to the target, then that's your distance, which is being dictated by your throwing style. Grip placement, body mechanics, and speed of your throw all influence your Hawk in flight.

As long as you feel like you can deliver the Hawk consistently, then 19' is your magic number for you and your Hawk.

In most Hawk throwing contests, the thrower cannot be forward of a 14' line of minimum distance to the target.

Once you develop a consistent throwing style, then picking up another Hawk will not be a problem....all you will have to do is find your distance to the target where your new Hawk in hand will properly spin once to the target. The handle should be at a 45 degree angle to the target, pointing down, for a perfect stick. Different Hawks have different distances to target based on the Thrower's style...

You and I may throw the same Hawk, but I might need to be closer or further from the target than you for a single spin.

This is the case with Bobby and me....he can be much closer to the target for a single spin than me, as I usually include a step toward the target when throwing, while Bobby's feet stay planted. No one method is better or worse...just different.

However, in many cases, closer distances to the target for a single spin does translate into greater accuracy. All things being equal, it is the thrower who delivers the Hawk the most consistently that hits the mark time after time.

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Andy Prisco,
Co-Founder, Manager
American Tomahawk Company
877-557-5200
http://www.americantomahawk.com


[This message has been edited by Andy Prisco (edited 02-25-2001).]
 
Andy,

Thanks for the reply. That was an awesome post. So, can you throw from any distance, by caculating the rotation for the distance, or do you just find a "Sweet distance" to throw from? When I say "you" I mean professional throwers. I throw like you do, I step forward with my left leg. I could not even imagine throwing with my feet planted, like Bobby does.

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Louis Buccellato
http://www.themartialway.com
Knives, Weapons and equipment. Best prices anywhere.
-------------

"only the paranoid will survive"
 
Louis,
I have people tell me all the time that they throw from 17 feet ,18 feet etc, but when the
hawk leaves their hand they are standing at or close to the same spot that I am. Once you get some experience under your belt you can cut your handle down a bit or modify your grip or even float the hawk by pushing the handle forward while releasing it. This is the kind of stuff that you can do to throw from unspecified distances. But it is best to get the fundamentals down first before you experiment. Some guys like to match their hawk and knife so that they throw for exactly the same distance. The main thing is to get out there and have fun.
Feel free to give me a call if you need some help.

Bobby Branton

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AKTI member #1000
Co-Founder,Production Director
American Tomahawk Company
President,
American Knife Throwers Alliance

http://www.brantonknives.com
www.americantomahawk.com
 
Louis,

Many things affect the distance that one stands to deliver a hawk. As Bobby pointed out, it is the distance at which it leaves your hand not where you place your foot that counts. Some throwers have a mean follow through (such as I) of as much as two feet closer than the foot distance.

The main variable affecting distance is the length of the handle. I have cut my handle down to 15.5 inches (top of hawk head to handle bottom) which is just within AKTA specs. This length with my delivery puts me exactly at 14 feet (toe mark) which is the minimal distance for the AKTA event.

The next largest variable affecting distance is where you place your thumb when gripping/throwing. Wrap the thumb around the handle for shorter distance. Place the thumb inline and along the handle backside for longer distance. You may alter your distance a foot or so by doing this.

Lastly, you can move your grip up and down the handle. Moving closer to the head will gain some distance and further from the head will cause the hawk to spin faster necessitating a shorter distance.

Other things to try: remove weight in the head by drilling holes, add weight to the handle by metal inserts, longer or shorter head lengths.

One thing I have learned - throwing harder or softer does not really affect the distance only how long your arm stands up before you call it quits.

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Webmaster
The Sticking Point
www.commonlogic.com/knife
 
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