Defence against throwing weapons.

Hi peeps,

There are hundreds of threads about defence against a sword, against a knife, against this, against that etc.

And now we will be talking about defence against throwing weapons. All this talk about people blocking people who attack you whit knifes and using this techniek and using that techniek. What if some one is able to throw a knife...what than? Which techniek do you use than?

I'm quite intrested in any idea's on a defence techniek against throwing knifes. Please tell me all your idea's about this one.


Koen


P.S. Why does no one ever thing about being attacked whit a throwing knife.

 

DODGEBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But seriously - take the bit he's throwing at and move it.

 

Try to throw a knife into a target and see how many times you can successfuly make the knife stick. Once you accomplish this move back 2 steps and try again. I bet you miss. Now move forward . I bet you miss again.
Anyway, the point being is that throwing a knife with any deadly force is movie fodder and knowing this is good for your defense. Certainly this does not mean that I would ever invite someone to throw a knife at me, but if I thought that one was to be thrown at me I would run away. The odds are that even if I am hit with the knife it will be the flat or handle that hits me.
So. A long answer to simply say that to defend against a throwing knife is to run away. (zig zag of course)
The best block is not to be there.

 

Well, I bought my self a throwing knife and I have practiced a lot. Got really annoyed many, many times and have thought at least a hundred times that I should quit trying. But now I'm really making progress, 1 in 3 throws is a success (different lengths)

And I think that a throwing knife can do some serious damage. The blade of my throwing knifes are 4 inches long. If you get one in your guts... You won't die the moment you get hit, that happens whit no weapon but it can cause you serious harm.

I forgot to mention that there are throwing knifes and flying knifes. And flying knifes go straight how ever you throw them. They always fly tip first.
The only thing you have to do whit flying knifes is; throw horizontal


I agree whit you about running. Running is always the best defence.
But my point is that people never keep in mind that people whit knifes may throw them. Because you don't secpect it (that why I try to learn knife throwing) because only circus people can throw knifes. And in combat you must be prepaired for the worst.

Koen

 

I hear what you're saying, and in my opinion there should be no "buts" about it. A noble warrior is supposed to avoid fights in any way possible. I would say running or atleast putting yourself out of the knife's direction is really the best defense of all. There's very very little chance you can bring out your bo staff or whatever weapon you have and allow the knife to plow into the weapon to guard you, and even if it does, you still increase the risk of it hitting your hand because you didn't move fast enough.

As an expertise with weapons, I must say the best thing to do in any situation of throwing knives is to find something broad to hide behind, or make sure they can't hit you while increasing distance from them so the dagger will lose momentum and fall short. Either way, you don't want to be IN the way of a throwing dagger. It's really that simple if you use common sense.

I don't mean to flame, and sorry if it sounds like it, but a throwing knife is the exact same concept as a bow and arrow.

 

My defense against a throwing weapon? Run away!

(has anyone detected a theme in my responses to the "how defend against this, how defend against that" threads? ).

 

Dude, running IS my theme of life. And believe it or not, it's not cowardly at all. It's called a "tactical retreat".

But yeah, my phrase for life is that a true warrior avoids a fight at all costs possible.

 

Nine times out of ten at twenty paces. Of course, that's actual throwing knives rather than just a plain knife.

I'd still call on the running away defense though, or diving for cover then running.

 

If I couldn't run I'd probably try to block with my arms.

Rather get a cut in the arms then stabbed.

 

I agree..

 

Well, I side with gojuman in this dispute. You say yourself how difficult it is to aquire any skill with the throwing-knife. How big are the odds for encountering a bloke willing to engage in a messy knifefight with you based on the consept of throwing his sole weapon instead of using it for cutting you to pieces (which the knife is horrendously good at)? I'd bet the odds are low enough that you can all but ignore this potential threat; it's better to learn the trafficrules to avoid beeing run over by a car....OK, there is the flying knife, but again, I ask how big are the odds of meeting someone that have taken the bother to aquire such a knive and then going out to pick a fight? My gutfeeling is that the ones wanting to pick fights go for the most effective, and with all due respects; I don't consider knifethrowing particularily effective...

To become master of defence vs. knifethrowers, there are 3 things you must know:
1. He have now thrown away his weapon; pick it up and run away, or charge him with his knife, your knife or your bare hands. (I allso side with the "run away'ers", and would personally choose that option, unless there were no escape and/or my children were at stake.)

2. Know that this throw is motivated with your opponent's false belief that it will harm you. This is not true, the odds for a thrown knife to hit somewhere where it will put you out of the fight is all but non-existant! In order to penentrate flesh with more than 1 inch, it takes quit a considerable force! Buy some bacon in the shop, and try to throw a knife into it, and you will see...Thrown knives can only do damage by impaling (or do minor bashing-damage with the handle), and I know a bit about impaling, as I study a medieval knifemanual that only uses stabs, and there's not that many places to aim for; places that means that the knifethrower have to be above, behind or below you when throwing. How many killings have you heard of on the news that was caused by one single stab? -Let alone from one single thrown knife??? Use this knowledge to sett your opponent off; there's nothing as intimidating as someone pulling a knife out of his thigh while grinning and saying "now it's my turn"

3. Be aware that the throw can be motivated by an urge by your opponent to divert you, so that he may charge you or get away. So when the dagger comes flying, and with point 2 in the back of your head; pay more attention to what the thrower do than where the knife goes!

 

I totally agree whit you, except that you must never underestimate you enemy. Never! It will be quite chocking if you think that you enemy is coming for you whit a stab or slash and instead throws the knife at you. You can't defent against an attack you didn't know of.
If some one points a gun at you the chance that he is going to shoot is quite small. You don't murder some one if you only want his money for instance. But the chance is always there. In combat it's to risky to say: the chance that he can throw this or do that is so small, well just forget about it.

And if you take the bother to buy any knife why not a flying knife. You can buy those in the same shop.

I would never carry only one throwing knife (I don't take any whit me when i go out). Throwing knives is like playing darts. You don't have one dart you have tree. So I would take at least tree knives whit me and I'll keep the last one to fight in close combat.

 

I totally agree with you, and I dont advocate underestimation of enemies, hence pt.3; I rather "underestimate" the potential danger that a knife can present when thrown, hence my rather rash statement that you really don't need to learn a defence against a projectile thrown against you, rather brace for what your opponent does next after throwing it.

(Since your thread involves "weapons" and not only knives, I'd like to add a theory on Viking mass-combat tactics, where one thinks that the brought javelins is used for throwing en-mass towards the enemy ranks at a short distance; perhaps only 20 meters, then simultaniously charge him, so that you arrive only split seconds later than your jarvelin, that -provided you know your spearthrowing -is stuck in his shield or body, thus hampering him, making it easier for you to dispose of him) I believe thrown/flying knives/stones/sand/shurikens can be used in the same manner -eventhough they don't present the same danger as a thrown javelin weighing around 1,5 - 3kg

 

I didn't think about it that way. That's very intresting .
You don't realy plan to do damage whit the throwing weapon you just want his defences down and/or attack your enemy of gaurd.

Nice


Koen

 

What did I say and what does my signature say? There should be no "buts" about it, any weapon is dangerous and the best thing to do IS defense.

 

Knifey

One of the old Irish/Scottish practices which was probably used to drill dodging spears, darts, stones & knives was a form of DODGEBALL!!!!!!!!

They practiced with metal balls (sometimes described as apple shaped) which they used for juggling (hand-eye coordination) and for chucking at each other!!! The 'skill' part was probably to catch the ball mid-flight and return it.

There are accounts of warriors being able to catch knives mid-flight and send em' back!!!

Old UK 'games' like Knifey which I played as a child are probably rooted in knife throwing/dodging drills.

Louie

 

I've played 'catch' with a spear before.

We were a few metres apart and the throws were such that we were able to get out of the way and catch the spear by the throwing grip. Looked nuts, but was pretty easy.

 

????????
I'm not sure that I follow...
Anything is dangerous, but you cannot walk around paranoid just because of that. In the world of MA, there is a lot to adopt defences against, and few of us have no time for learning a bit of everything. I choose not to prioritize defence against thrown objects, as I
1: don't find it very likely to be encountered by a knifethrower
2: don't find it very likely to be seriously incapasitated should the event occur
3: I know loads of other stuff I find more fun to train

I prefere to learn -in the following priority:
1: how to be reasonable adept with a longsword
2: how to be reasonable adept with the thrustingdagger
3: how to be reasonabely adept in Fiore del Libere's wresteling
4: how to participate in re-enactmentfights with a 1H sword and shield
5: how to be reasonabely adept in javelinthrowing.

As I live in peaceful Norway, I hardly have to think about self defence in real life, especially not vs. throwndaggers, as the Robberswieldingthrowingdagger -community in Norway is very little

 

Stolenbjorn lol.

Crimson Demon, c'mon, you cannot be serious about the best thing to do is defence! Reaction does not beat action, especially at close range. Attack is the best form of defence!

If people really want I will look up some quotes

Regards
Rob

 

Yes we do!