The Great Throwzini
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The Great Throwzini
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by Scott Gracia sgracia@wi.rr.com http://www.throwzini.com ======================================= This newsletter is a FREE service you requested. You are on this list because: * You subscribed at our Great Throwzini web site * You inquired about our products or promotions * You requested our free knife throwing tips or other information. If you'd like to be removed from this list, simply reply to this message with 'remove' in the subject. ======================================= IN THIS ISSUE 1. What's New 2. Making Handles on THrowing Knives by Matthew Rapaport 3. Recreational Knife Throwing Video 4. Another Dart Player Converted 5. Contact Info/Reprint Guidelines ======================================= 1. WHAT'S NEW Hello everyone, I have some great news for all you throwers who just can't seem to get enough throwing knives :) A while back I mentioned a knife maker named Jeff Koch. Well, Jeff is at it again! He just sent me some more of his designs :) I was literally drooling looking over the new ones! They looked so beautiful I didn't even want to throw them. I was thinking of putting one of them on display... but that feeling didn't last very long. 5 minutes later they were soarin' through the air!!! Anyway, a few of Jeff's other designs, are now available from our Throwzini Store. Be sure to check them out! http://www.throwzini.com/jkoch_designs.html When you visit the site you'll notice a brand new QUICK IDEA and lots of great new posts on our Great Throwzini Discussion Forum. There are also a few new competitions listed under the Events link. Like The Mountain Man 2000, and the AKTA 2000! Stop by and check them out at: http://www.throwzini.com Now on to the good stuff! Thanks again to everyone that submitted their info/pics!!! ======================================== 2. GUEST COLUMN: MAKING HANDLES ON THROWING KNIVES by Matthew Rapaport Most of the handle materials used on factory production, handmade, and custom knives, will not withstand the abusive vicissitudes of throwing. Handle material will crack, crush, splinter, and loosen when held by pins, bolts, or epoxy. There are *some* materials like Kraton and other rubbers that will withstand repeated lateral impacts. These materials are frequently used to surround the tang rather than be slabbed onto it as is the case with every handled throwing knife I have seen. Eventually there may be some slab-handled throwing knives using some of this, though the matter of rugged attachment must still be addressed. Throwing knife makers who do affix handles use either a really thick piece of solid leather, or a vulcanized cardboard like material that makes for a harder, yet durable handle with less friction than leather. Both materials tend to be affixed with large rivets that are pounded down into wide washers to spread the area over which the handle is gripped by the mounts. Even so, these can come loose once in a great while, or, in the case of the vulcanized material, crack. I've done both, but after many many hundreds of really abusive impacts, even strikes by other knives! Handless throwers are perhaps more common in the professional arena. They are pretty much indestructible, but when they miss and slap the target with the bare steel handle they can make a terrific CLANG which can be something of a distraction. Also, some hands seem to fit a handled knife better. Some throwers feel it improves release, or makes the knife less uncomfortable to hold. In the summer of 1996, Bob Karp taught me a way to make inexpensive, functional, and easy to replace handles on otherwise handleless throwers. The technique is described below. Start with a strip of linen about 1 or so inches wide. An old sheet, or even a tee shirt may do just fine. Wrap this linen up to three times around the knife handle letting each turn overlap the one under it a bit. Leave an inch or so of steel protruding at the end of the handle, and make sure you start so as to make the LAST LAYER of wrapping go UP the knife. If, for example you put three layers on, start at the end of the handle and wrap up, if only two, or four layers, start at the hilt end and go down. The point of this is that if the last layer goes UP, the overlaps will go DOWN, and will not catch in the hand to interfere with release. After wrapping with linen, do the same thing with two or three layers of common black electrical tape, again making sure the last wrap layer goes UP the handle. The inch of steel you left exposed at the end of the handle when doing the cloth will give the tape some place to get a grip on the handle. You now have a very rugged handle that will make the knife more comfortable and suppress the CLANG if you should miss! It adds some weight to the back end of the knife, but not very much. You can control this to some extent by using fewer layers of cloth and tape. If you want you can simulate slab style handles by cutting the tape and cloth away from the spine of the knife (on both sides of the handle), and then finishing with just ONE more layer of electrical tape to hold your now-slabbed tape-covered cloth onto the handle of the knife! Have fun! Article Contributed by: Matthew Rapaport mjr@crl.com http://www.crl.com/~mjr/makehandle.html ============================================= 3. RECREATIONAL KNIFE THROWING VIDEO If you want to learn the insider SECRETS, TIPS and TRICKS that the masters use to hit their mark every time, then John Bailey's Recreational Knife Throwing Video is for you. Here is a taste of what you'll get: - 9 inexpensive target designs - 11 demonstrations - How to eliminate the most common throwing error - Master grips, stances and throws and so much more! For a limited time, you can have the ultimate knife throwing video for only $19.95. By acting now, you'll save 33% off the regular price of $29.95 For a full description and ordering details, follow this link: http://www.throwzini.com/tgt_video.html AOL USERS LINK ============================================= 4. ANOTHER DART PLAYER CONVERTED! by Scott Gracia I had a few chances to throw outside the past 2 weeks. The weather is still fighting me about 75% of the time, with rain and wind. But it'll be over soon. Sunny weather is just around the corner! I met up with another one of my old "dart-playing" friends a few days ago named Paul. I told him all about my new hobby and got him to come over and give it a try. I gave him a quick demonstration on how to hold and release the knives. About 2 minutes total. Then I handed him 5 of my 13.5" Pro Target Dragons, and stood back... way back... :) He missed the first 2 knives but stuck the last 3. I could see the small "spark" start to light in his eyes! (I think I've converted another dart player into a knife thrower!) Within 25 minutes he was throwing from 25' and sticking about 3 out of 5 of the knives. (He was doing better than me, and I'm the one teaching him???) Paul called it "beginners luck", I called it "good coaching" ;) Anyway, I am hoping to put together a few teams of throwers this summer and have a couple "get-togethers". When this happens, Paul will definitely have to be on my side! If you live near WI and want to come and play, just drop me an e-mail. Once I get some dates figured out I'll pass on the info! Well that's it for this issue. I hope you all enjoy the warm weather, and have a great 2 weeks! Until next time... Scott Gracia sgracia@wi.rr.com http://www.throwzini.com ============================================= If you have any questions about throwing that you would like answered in one of our upcoming issues, simply send an e-mail to: sgracia@wi.rr.com with QUESTION FOR NEWSLETTER in the Subject Line, and your name and question in the body. ============================================= (Copyright 2000, Scott Gracia, The Great Throwzini.) Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears in full: Reprinted with permission from Scott Gracia's The Great Throwzini Newsletter. Get your FREE 101 KNIFE THROWING TIPS and Newsletter, filled with lots of great throwing tips and ideas to help you with your throwing game, at The Great Throwzini web site. http://www.throwzini.com ============================================= Scott Gracia, The Great Throwzini, 5321 4 Mile Rd. Racine, WI 53402-9791 Phone 262-681-7942, E mail: sgracia@wi.rr.com http://www.throwzini.com It's free, and there's no obligation. |
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