How to throw a kunai knife

If you've ever witnessed a professional knife thrower successfully throw knives on target, you know it is stunning. Kunai knives, also called throwing knives, one after the other, while getting the aim right is not an easy task. It may seem very cool and easy but it's not. You need a lot of practice to perfect. 

A kunai knife is one of the ninja weapons used for combat by the great ninja warriors. It had a small and thin blade with a long needle-like blade. It could cause some severe damage and was often used during the wars. However, as of late, it is being used for sporting purposes, mainly for playing the knife throwing sport. 

The type of knives made for throwing are called throwing knives. Due to their contrast of light and heavyweight, sturdy construction, and mid-weight balance, these knives are specially designed for throwing. Do you want to know how to throw a kunai knife? Here is a detailed guide! 

Knife Throwing is an Ancient Sport

Having been around for years, knife throwing has become a very popular hobby in recent years. The sound of a kunai knife striking the target from a distance that is specific is mesmerizing.  While some hunting knives can be used for this practice, these knives made for professional use are more precise and safe.

Clearly, you must have realized that choosing a knife is the first step in the process. However, before we begin explaining how to throw knives, it is essential to understand the three fundamentals of knife throwing.

Fundamentals of Kunai Knife Throwing

Before participating in knife throwing, you should be aware of the following three things. By learning these three rules, you won't be intimidated by this sport. 

Throwing Knives

  • Safety Measures 

Whether you are an experienced campaigner or a novice, you can't miss the safety measures when throwing knives for beginners. You don't need to worry about safety concerns, because they are fairly self-explanatory.  You should not throw the knife barefooted, common sense dictates.  Be sure to wear hard shoes and wear the appropriate equipment.

Also, take care not to throw knives in an area where kids or pets may distract you or enter the danger zone.  Therefore, keep your target out of people's reach. It's important to inform the people around you if you are performing your practice at a public area. Stay alert to your surroundings at all times before throwing the knives. 

  • Accuracy 

A kunai knife is all about accuracy and precision. You aim to hit the target accurately from the moment you buy the knife to when you adopt the throwing techniques.
However, you should not expect to be perfect right away as a beginner. Aim for a distance of a few feet from the target if you need to improve your precision.

Increasing your distance from the target at the start or improving your kunai throwing knife technique are options. In order to enhance target hitting skills and precision, practice, hard work, and persistence are essential.

  • Continuity

Knife throwing sports aim for consistency. You need to ensure that, once you start hitting the target consistently, you hit it more often than you miss it. 

It is vital that you improve your spotting ratio if, at the start, you were spotted five out of ten times. It is not wise to stop practicing until you are hitting the target eight out of ten times.  As much as you can, close this gap. It looks as if we have finished discussing the rules, so let's begin walking you through the steps for throwing knives.

How to Throw a Kunai Knife? The Basics!

  • Choosing the Right Knife


Throwing knives comes with a wide variety of options. Consider a knife that has less sharp point and is a little heavier. 

But always remember that knives can be thrown in different ways according to the type. The original kunai knife required a different grip than a hunting knife.  A wrong choice of knife can result in poor accuracy, which is why choosing the right knife is so important.

  • Qualities of a Perfect Kunai Throwing Knife

When buying a knife, keep in mind some of the traits of perfect throwing knives.

It will only have a sharp point instead of an edge, since the ideal kunai knife will never have an edge. Make sure that the corners of the knife are rounded for your safety.  You should also choose a knife with a thick enough tip so that it will not bend easily. Beginners should choose knives no heavier than 200 grams. 

Variations in the weight will have a negative impact on the throw's accuracy. If you're looking for a knife that doesn't require maintenance, then try a knife with a fancy grip. 

A knife with perforations is prone to breaking more easily than one with a solid blade. You have a wide selection of throwing  knives, so look for one that has few perforations so its blade does not break.

Kunai knives

  • Rules of Knife Throwing

It's important to define your goals, how you're going to achieve them, and what you need to achieve them before you start throwing the knives.  

You must also choose a target after choosing a knife. Choosing an appropriate target is essential for any shooter, whether they are an expert or a beginner. Experts recommend picking a large, softer target for beginners. 

It would force you to focus more on rotations. It is easy to find a great rotten tree trunk, which meets the requirements of the target. Beginners should aim for half rotation with their kunai throwing knives. The next step would be to do full rotations followed by advanced throwing. 

  • Grip Your Knife Firmly

Throwing Knives need to be thrown properly, just as in any other sport. First you should always focus on your footing and posture so that you are ready for the throw.  When a thrower is relaxed, he or she has good throwing posture. A tense body will most likely result in inconsistent and bad technique and overthrow the knife. 

The thumb should stay on top of the fingers. Moreover, it should not affect the trajectory of the throw. When holding a hunting knife or a sharp edged kunai knife, it is extremely important that you leave room between your hand and the edge of the blade while holding the knife. 

  • Half And Full Spin Throws

Half Spin Throw: For someone interested in becoming a professional knife thrower, learning different throwing knife techniques is necessary. Knives are thrown on the target with a half-spin throw as the first goal for a beginner.  With experience in this throw, you will soon be able to perform more advanced and perfect throws. 

Please take a few safety precautions before throwing; It is always best to wear soft-toed shoes at first. Make sure you are at a comfortable distance from the target before you throw knives. Depending on the kunai knife you're using, your distance may differ. 

The handle should face up, and the blade should be facing you as you hold the knife. When you are just beginning, only use a moderate amount of force when throwing the knife. The right throwing knife and target would require moderate force for throwing, so don't exert tremendous force. 

Full Spin Throw: The knife grip and throwing stance are important to review since this is one of the throws that needs more accuracy.  Make sure to always follow safe practices, however. You should equip yourself with safety equipment for throwing the knives, such as hard shoes.  When you drop the knife, your feet will be protected.

Therefore, find the shortest distance between you and your target when launching your throwing knife. When throwing such a projectile, you must normally stand between 10 and 11 feet from the target. However, these distances are estimates. 

  • Overthrows

When you are a beginner in knife throwing, it is recommended that you only practice half rotations and full rotations. A local expert professional can teach you more advanced throws once you have become an expert thrower. 

The advanced throws can, however, be challenging if you love challenges. Over-spin and no-spin throws are common. Try varying the rotational number and distance between yourself and the target.  You can adjust the distance from the target and the rotation to make knife throwing more difficult if you master the art of throwing knives. 

It is the "no spin" technique that presents the greatest challenge in knife throwing. It involves throwing a knife without any spin. This knife throwing technique is most commonly used by experts for close targets. Precision is the key to mastering this technique.

Become a Master Through Practice!

To achieve perfection in any sport, it is universally recognized that practice is essential. Knife throwing requires consistent practice. Experts never stop their practice. 

You will not retain your target-hitting abilities if you stop practicing once you become a knife thrower. This fantastic sport can be taken up as a hobby, involving your friends and loved ones.