What to look for when choosing a kunai knife

Recently, the kunai knife originated in Japan and was used as a farming tool. Most commonly, a kunai consists of an iron blade with a rectangular wooden handle. It is curved just like other knives and has serrated teeth for cutting or tearing through substances. 

As the knife starts to split open, it is fitted with a square hole on one end to pull objects through using its hooked style. Many people have compared the kunai to a grappling hook or rope ladder. This tool was originally used for cutting tree branches and digging holes, however, they eventually started to be used as weapons.

In modern times, it is believed that the kunai has been turned into a very common weapon used among assassins and criminals. Almost anyone can obtain a kunai or some form of it on the black market because it is so widely available. There are many different variations of this one type of weapon; you can get one with a bamboo handle or plastic for example.

Perfect Tool for Throwing

A kunai is a Japanese long pointed knife. The words come from the verb meaning "to cut". It's the perfect weapon for throwing. There are many features that set this tool apart from other knives in use today, including its thin blade, asymmetrical shape and it can be used as a stabbing or slashing weapon. 

More than just an object of terror in action films and video games, there are many instances of a kunai being used defensively in real life. The blade is the sharpened end of the kunai which is sharpened perpendicular to the long axis so it can be used for stabbing or slashing attacks. 

The tip is usually used to pierce through an enemy's skin and then into a vital organ. The tip of a kunai may also be used as a hooking tool, such as when climbing trees, or as a lever in conjunction with the handle.

The side of the kunai knife can also be used in a chopping motion similar to that of an axe. It has enough strength to chop down small trees, hack through ropes and break bones if wielded forcefully enough. This helps remove blood from the blade after it has hit its target, keeping it sharper longer.

How to Choose Kunai?

There are a few things to consider when you are going to buy a kunai for yourself. By following this step by step guide, you can easily buy the best kunai tool. Let’s explore the basics:

  • Size and Weight

Kunai, a Japanese term for "spear like blade", are traditionally made of wood and are typically 2 1/2 to 3 feet long. The weight of a kunai often varies depending on the quality of the materials used to make it. 

Kunai created from valuable or rare woods can weigh upwards of 15 pounds, but most kunai weigh less than a pound and some as little as 14 ounces (425 grams). 

In contrast, one could create the same size kunai out of aluminum weighing about half a pound before starting to cut back on material volume at any point in the process. These days aluminum is easier and more affordable than anything else for making weapons.

  • Blade Material

If you're interested in making your own ninja weapons, one of the most important things to decide on is what blade material and length, especially for a kunai knife. After all, if you can't get the blade right then it's going to be really hard to make a proper kunai knife.

It's a pretty big decision (and one that I've had to make myself now a couple of times) so I thought that I'd put together a bit of a post on the subject. Hopefully you'll find it useful!

A kunai is basically an everyday utility blade that was used by the shinobi (ninja) and samurai in feudal Japan. So, it is important to use high quality materials in the making of kunai. To be honest, it's not all that dissimilar to the old-school Swiss Army knives but with a slightly different purpose.

  • Blade Length

The length of the blade of a kunai knife is usually between 7 and 10 centimeters long, though some may go all the way up to 20 centimeters. 

The main reason why this type of knife is so long is that it allows for more surface area to be used with leverage when cutting or stabbing while protecting the fingers from being cut by its sharp edge during use. Comes from an old Japanese ninja who named it after a type of leaf that he liked.

  • Handle of Knives

A kunai is a traditional Japanese throwing weapon that was traditionally used as a melee weapon in close quarters. It is traditionally made out of wood, with a sharpened blade at one end and weak point at the other. The weak point can be the butt of the handle, or the blade itself can terminate in a spike or knob. 

In either case it acts to reduce its ability to return accurately when thrown. Traditionally the handle was approximately 10cm long. Today, kunai are also produced with metal handles and plastic grips which allow them to be burned from one end, creating a cauterizing effect.

It is traditionally used for farming or as a tool for everyday tasks such as splitting makizushi rolls, used for sushi. In martial arts he was trained with the bo staff to become a weapon effective at both short and long ranges! They're made of high-carbon steel and come in 6", 8", 10" and 12" lengths. Kunai are also available in plain wood or wood + rubber grip.

  • Density of Blade

The material used in a blade also affects its ability to hold an edge. A knife with a high-quality, dense and hard material such as iron is likely to provide a sharper edge than a kunai with a softer material such as copper. 

The density of the blade is also important, since it has an effect on how well it can resist damage. A denser blade will be able to withstand more abuse before breaking.

Kunai knife

Positives of Kunai

The word "kunai" comes from the Japanese phrase "kõnei", meaning "to cut". The kanji for kunai is ??, written before on the table. The quality of a kunai knife is judged by its balance and sharpness. Balance is judged by how well it's able to stand up on its end with only a little pressure applied. Sharpness is usually measured on an arbitrary scale of one to five stars.

A blade with more than four stars should be enough to get through most tasks in daily life and backyard activities. A blade with less than four stars cannot cut anything more than a rock. The primary purpose of using kunai is to make keyholes in metal, whether it's for lock-picking or cutting wire. 

They are also used as a tool to make holes in wood and stone, the common ways they are made is by either splitting the item with it or drilling it into the item. They come in a variety of sizes to fit any size of task at hand. However, beginners must be aware that not all kunai are created equally and there is a difference between good kunai and bad kunai.

Negatives of Kunai

If you're an aspiring assassin or ninja, the kunai knife may be your weapon of choice. But not all is as it seems with this concealable blade. Sure, it's small enough to tuck into your pockets, but that doesn't mean you should forget to sharpen it! In fact, the more you hone a kunai’s edge and upkeep its rust-resistant coating, the longer a kunai knife will last.

It can still be an effective tool even in its dull state, but it is much more likely to break when you need it. A kunai's main use is for digging, prying and chiseling, so if a knife is not sharp enough to dig or pry, this means that the job must be given over to another tool, reducing the overall utility of the kunai.

The blade can be made in different shapes for different purposes. The kunai throwing knives that are used mainly for digging and prying have less fine edge retention than one used mainly for slicing or thrusting, because the function of a digging or prying knife is more about its ability to withstand pressure rather than its ability to retain an edge.