Throwing a Khukri

C

Chris S.

Joined
Jun 23, 1999
Messages
110
Let me preface this post by saying that I don’t think I’ll ever risk the nice horn handle on any of my khukris by throwing one of them at a target. However, I’ve heard/read stories about Ghurkas throwing their khukris, and seen questions posted by people regarding the throwing of a khukri. Honestly, I never put much stock in the feasibility of throwing a khukri (even in a last ditch scenario), therefore, I humbly pass this along...

June 18th I attended a demonstration by knife throwing world champ John Bailey.
He was a really neat guy, and not only took the time to explain the types of the knives he throws, but the ‘how and why’ of making it all work.

After demonstrating throws with various sizes of throwing knives at different distances and targets (including a certain purple dinosaur character), he reaches underneath his table and starts pulling out miscellaneous edged implements like:
-A U.S. bayonet...sticks that in the target
-Scissors...sticks those in the target
-Throwing stars made for a TV series...sticks those in the target
Then he pulls out a khukri and asks, “Anybody know what this is called?”
He explained a little history of the khukri, the Ghurkas, and then proceeded to talk about
the perils of throwing a khukri.

In short...the common overhand knife throw will always impart a forward spin, if the
back of the blade hits first, a khukri can roll off the target and come back towards the
thrower almost as fast as it went towards the target. It seems strange, but he demonstrated the phenomena with a throw towards the bottom of the target. Sure enough, it came back...tumbling to a stop in the wood mulch that was spread around the demonstration area. His next throw was “dead-on perfect” with the blade splitting wood in the target and the handle parallel to the ground. The power and “thunk” of that khukri hitting the target was very impressive (or maybe a better word would be, “serious”). If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed you can get a khukri to perform like that.

He has his own throwing technique, if you’re interested in finding out more, take a look
at ‘Technical Assistance’ on his webpage:
http://www.throwingknives.com

Chris S.
Orlando



[This message has been edited by Chris S. (edited 06-18-2000).]
 
Thanks Chris. I would have loved to have seen that demonstration.
In my research I have asked Gorkhas about throwing the knife in combat and in typical Nepalese fashion they either laugh about it or look at me like I'm quite mad.
My favorite response was "why throw it like a rock when it will work much better when I hold my knife and tell it what to do?".

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JP
 
In my youth, being both gullible and impressionable, I believed adventure novels and movies that described knives being used as inerrant missles.
Being ignorant, I went about teaching myself to emulate the feats and tricks of fiction, in much the same way (but thankfully not with the same result) of my cousin's wearing a cape and trying to fly off the porch roof. I didn't know it was impossible to throw a knife and make it strike point first at any random distance.
I did in fact nearly achieve the impossible, and acquired the 'knack' of sticking pointy things most every time, pretty close to the mark. I learned the principle of natural distance, the space in which each knife turns point-on when thrown. I learned overhand, blade throws, handle throws, and the close-range shovel throw. I learned to throw hunting knives, kitchen knives, dip pens, axes and hatchets, and even thumb tacks. 'Boys! Amaze your Friends! Be a standout at Parties!'
The knack remains, even 50 years later, and whenever I handle a new knife, one of the standard tests I give it is to heft for balance.
I therefore feel qualified to say that throwing a knife when the target could bite, scratch or throw it back is not something to be recommended.
This is especially true of a curved blade like the khuk, for reasons mentioned in the post above.
I'd throw a knife, and probably make it stick, even today, decades after my last serious practice, but only if I was pinned to a spot and had absolutely no alternative.
If you want to 'reach out and touch someone' with a knife, there's a marvelous new (well, only 250,000 years old) invention called a spear...and those new fangled bow and arrow things...



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The sword cannot cut itself, the eye cannot see itself.
 
I had a pal who could hit a playing card at about 10 paces probably 8 out of 10 times with a khukuri. I tried throwing a few times but soon gave it up, realizing that if I were to ever become competent it would take more time than I was willing to give.

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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
I tried throwing around a cheapo Indian "kukri" when I first got back to Phoenix.

It worked better than any true throwing knife I ever tried, and it stuck in about 2" or 3" in a palm tree.

I'd rather use the edge of a khukuri than the point any day though...

-Dave

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"...not men, not women, not beasts, but this."
 
There's a throwing forum on this website now. Not as much traffic as this forum ... yet....
smile.gif


-Cougar :{)
 
Quoted from ChrisS posting:
... , if the back of the blade hits first, a khukri can roll off the target and come back towards the thrower almost as fast as it went towards the target ...
Click to expand...
Pakcik Bill.

Somewhere ... maybe in KnifeForums ... if I'm not mistaken ... you did mention about ancient Gorkha warrior that capable of throwing Khukuri to an object hidden by wall corner! Is it possible that they might used this roll off the target technique with the correct angle against the corner of the wall to make the Khukuri go towards the hidden object?

I guess ... sometime ... somewhere ... under certain highly critical circumstances ... you might need to throw your Khukuri to a certain object in order to save someone's life!

NEPAL HO!
 
Here is a scenario that would get me to throw a Khuk: the old "brought a knife to a gun fight sort of thing. I wake up to a noise in the house (not likely they could get past my Akita quietly, but let's pretend), I grab my MS from the wall rack and go to check it out. An intruder is at the far end of the hall, and is raising a handgun in my direction, too far to charge, too late to retreat, I throw the big knife and charge behind it. IMHO, whether I hit edge, point, back, or handle, I have a fighting chance. Getting hit with a 2.25 pound steel brick should be quite a distraction, and if a little edge gets in there, so much the better! A good arguement for heavy knives, BTW. Hit with handle of a little boot dagger and he may not even flinch.
Most other situations, and I want my knife in my hand.
 
You are right, Mohd, I have heard stories of Gurkhas "throwing around a corner" bouncing the khukuri off something to get it to change directions. I am not sure if this is true or just another one of those myths that crop up around Gurkhas.

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
I suppose there are too many special projects in the works right now for this to be a good time to suggest a throwing khukuri with a cordwrapped handle.... I bet the kamis could make a great thrower, though -- the heavier a throwing knife is the better (don't tell them that, though, or they really will make an 800 pound khukuri).
smile.gif


-Cougar :{)
 
We still need a design. If I were doing it I'd stick to something like the Kobra, maybe a little straighter even, with Chiruwa tang, leather thong or rope wrapped, and let'er fly. But I'm sure there are better throwing knife designers than me.

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
I am not an expert knife-thrower -- far from it. There are some who hang out on the Throwing forum on this website, including some professionals -- those guys who throw knives at their wives (I'm not sure who impresses me more....) Is Birghorka ready enough to do this to invite them to come in and give us their thoughts, Bill? I don't want to loose a horde of knife-throwers on you if you'd rather not take on a new project right now. If it's a go, though, I'd be glad to invite in the knife-throwing barbarians.
biggrin.gif


They say a throwing knife (for distance throwing, anyway) should weigh at least one ounce per inch. They say where it balances is not really very important, as long as it's somewhere near the center. One possible obstacle -- knife-throwers often seem to want matched sets of knives. Could the kamis do that, make a number of knives all the same? Just guessing ... I would think they could if they're all ordered at the same time.

-Cougar :{)
 
Pakcik Bill, Couger & Forumites.

IMO(2c) I guess Baraba Khukuri @ Balance Khukuri is the right one for throwing purpose.

NEPAL HO!
 
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