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Hawks and Throwing Knifes for Rendezvous?

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I don’t recall this question being ask before , but I’ve been wrong before...
For Rendezvous compititions in hawk and knife events, are all blades created equally?
Or are there certain ones that kinda’ “stick”out?

Here’s what I’ve got , the hawk was picked up at a CLA show in Lexington Ky. a few years back, different handle now of course.

The knife if memory serves me correctly , I got on a trip to Friendship a few years back.
It originally had flat brads through flat leather scales, which I didn’t like the feel of.

So I wet and stretched rawhide leather around the handle area.
That worked loose very quickly , then I brushed on hot melted bees wax over it and added the wider leather thong in the picture.

The thong has a couple stitches added to help secure it in place, it’s been thrown several times with no ill effects ... so far.

I’m not trying to start a Urinenation match about Who’s the best Smith, just wanting to know what everone else is throwing..

Thanks for any replies! Got pics?
 
Standard mouse hawk and a throwing knife I made from a Farrier's rasp. That said, I tired of the hawk & knife throwing a long time ago and now are loaned to kids that want to play.

20190210_145114.jpg
 
View attachment 4447 View attachment 4448 View attachment 4449 View attachment 4450 View attachment 4451 I don’t recall this question being ask before , but I’ve been wrong before...
For Rendezvous compititions in hawk and knife events, are all blades created equally?
Or are there certain ones that kinda’ “stick”out?

Here’s what I’ve got , the hawk was picked up at a CLA show in Lexington Ky. a few years back, different handle now of course.

The knife if memory serves me correctly , I got on a trip to Friendship a few years back.
It originally had flat brads through flat leather scales, which I didn’t like the feel of.

So I wet and stretched rawhide leather around the handle area.
That worked loose very quickly , then I brushed on hot melted bees wax over it and added the wider leather thong in the picture.

The thong has a couple stitches added to help secure it in place, it’s been thrown several times with no ill effects ... so far.

I’m not trying to start a Urinenation match about Who’s the best Smith, just wanting to know what everone else is throwing..

Thanks for any replies! Got pics?
I don't throw a knife as I stick to what is traditional, & I will not throw my butcher hunting knife. The tomahawk/axe was traditionally thrown.
TOMAHAWK-2-004-REDUCED.jpg

I used to carry & throw this one.
Tomahawk-002-KH-REDUCED.jpg

I have been carrying & throwing this one for quite a few years now.

Keith.
 
For Rendezvous compititions in hawk and knife events, are all blades created equally?

If I recall correctly, NMLRA rules restrict the cutting edge on hawks to be no more than 4".
Most throwing knives have bare tangs for the handle end so it can slide easily from the hand. Not a rule but makes for better throwing. BTW, for me, knife throwing is almost the most impossibilist thing to do thar is. I do like hawk throwing though.
 
Thanks for the replies Guys

Rifleman I was hoping some of you Guys who have competed in the NMLRA Hawk & Knife competitions over the years would chime in..

I didn’t know if there was one or two Smiths out there who specialized in throwing knifes.

I need to dig out my NMLRA rule book and look at their requirements.

I’m looking for other options, besides the heavy , thick blade like the one I’ve got.

I would love to have a usable knife that could be thrown as well....
Maybe I’m asking for too much.lol



Thanks again
 
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I need to dig out my NMLRA rule book and look at their requirements.

I’m looking for other options, besides the heavy , thick blade like the one I’ve got.

I would love to have a usable knife that could be thrown as well....
Maybe I’m asking for too much.lol

The rules can be found online. But, keep in mind, individual events (rendezvous, etc.) may have their own that vary from NMLRA. Pays to check ahead. Most throwing knives are thick and heavy because they throw best. You need that energy to make it stick in what may be a hard wood block. Double duty knives are usually only found in the movies. BTW, my first throwing knife was an antique I bought from Alanta Cutlery. I was very proud of that and took great effort to affix beautiful wood scales to it. First throw the handles shattered and flew off. That is why most throwers have nekkid handles.
 
I got a cheapo off ebay called the apache bowie(????) Bone handles made in pakistan( dont throw manure at me ) knocked the bone off with first throw as was expected and put leather slabs on , heavy carbon blade that holds a decent edge as a camp knife and throws awsome (I throw sharp edge up, just seems to work better for me), I hated carrying one of those big car leaf springs on my belt and not using it for anything else except a bottle opener or batoning it through a log.
 
Back in the day when I would throw some knife and hawk events the best knife I found was the ones produced by the Hawken Shop in St. Louis. Art really had a pair, one "Bowie" and the other Beavertail style blades. They were heavy and threw really well. For a hawk I used a Darrel Meyer hawk. He was one of the first to really forge hawks in volume for skinners. The other popular hawk at Friendship was the Cricket Hawk which was a whole different design....
 
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Picture002.jpg


I carry that smaller camp axe or the knife in this last picture all the time deer hunting or at least have them in the truck for gutting deer. Use the knife and axe both as well out hiking, digging root, cutting walking sticks, just plain entertainment.

Easy to get and keep a razor edge on either one if you want it that way.

I sharpen up that knife every year at the start of deer season. Polish off the rust and blue it and then Mink oil the handle. Makes the thing look like brand new, even better really. I've had a lot of people I meet in the woods think that thing is an original a hundred years old or more, LOL.

I even met one kid in the woods dragging a deer a couple miles from the road. His dad took him hunting a couple times and turned him loose. He finally killed one out in the boonies but "Dad" never bothered to show him what next. I handed him that knife and he learned right there on his first deer. He wanted that knife so bad he couldn't stand it. "I never seen a knife like that..."
 
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Thanks for the replies Guys

Rifleman I was hoping some of you Guys who have competed in the NMLRA Hawk & Knife competitions over the years would chime in..

I didn’t know if there was one or two Smiths out there who specialized in throwing knifes.

I need to dig out my NMLRA rule book and look at their requirements.

I’m looking for other options, besides the heavy , thick blade like the one I’ve got.

I would love to have a usable knife that could be thrown as well....
Maybe I’m asking for too much.lol



Thanks again

HBForge.com

If you don't like what they have, they will make what you like.
 
I must second that question. I don't know hat the outside character of an acceptable throwing knife might be,
My aging son who has absolutely NO interest in Black Powder or Rifle accuracy has been forging all steel throwing knives with which he has become quite gifted either in throwing a knife that turns end over end and throwing a knife that does not rotate. These are All Steel with no particular handle attached which is normal in the knife throwing sport. I expect these would not be allowed at Rendezvous..He has made some for sale to other knife throwers who claim they are quite good.
Just wondering.

Perhaps if he put on a light handle it would throw the balance off.

Dutch

View attachment 4447 View attachment 4448 View attachment 4449 View attachment 4450 View attachment 4451 I don’t recall this question being ask before , but I’ve been wrong before...
For Rendezvous compititions in hawk and knife events, are all blades created equally?
Or are there certain ones that kinda’ “stick”out?

Here’s what I’ve got , the hawk was picked up at a CLA show in Lexington Ky. a few years back, different handle now of course.

The knife if memory serves me correctly , I got on a trip to Friendship a few years back.
It originally had flat brads through flat leather scales, which I didn’t like the feel of.

So I wet and stretched rawhide leather around the handle area.
That worked loose very quickly , then I brushed on hot melted bees wax over it and added the wider leather thong in the picture.

The thong has a couple stitches added to help secure it in place, it’s been thrown several times with no ill effects ... so far.

I’m not trying to start a Urinenation match about Who’s the best Smith, just wanting to know what everone else is throwing..

Thanks for any replies! Got pics?
 
Thanks Dutch, I didn’t know if there was a specific style, design or maker that just stood out over the years or not..
 
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