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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. Hooked On Throwing - by Mike Kolisch 3. Recreational Knife Throwing Video 4. Knife Throwing 101 - by Scott Gracia 5. Contact Info/Reprint Guidelines ======================================= 1. WHAT'S NEW Good Morning knife throwing brothers and sisters! Hope you're all doing great! I was setting up the indoor targets for a while today. Hanging 3 new log rounds in the spare bedroom. (It is awesome having a girlfriend that throws knives!) Then I noticed it was actually kind of nice outside... I think it was in the 40's. (Yeah, laugh it up Carl... It may get cold here, but I can't remember the last time Wisconsin had an earthquake :) So anyway, I went outside and threw for a while. And it was great! The neighbor kids were swarming me after about the 3rd "CLANGING" sound they heard. So I let them throw for a few minutes and then went back inside to finish the targets. Now its indoor throwing... BOY what a change! NEW WEB POLL Be sure to stop by and cast your vote in our newly updated Web Poll. It's on our home page. Bottom right. Thanks!! (Results of our last Web Poll are listed below.) OTHER UPDATES When you visit the site you'll also notice a brand new QUICK IDEA and lots of great new posts on our Great Throwzini Discussion Forum! Be sure to check them out! http://www.throwzini.com PREVIOUS WEB POLL RESULTS I wasn't very surprised at the results of this poll. I agree with the majority of the participants... I LOVE THROWING... "KNIVES"!!! But you should try new things every once in awhile or you'll get bored. Throwing tomahawks, spikes and the rest are also a great time, and switching between these items will also make you a more versatile thrower. Anyway, thanks to everyone who participated. The final results were as follows: What is your favorite thing to throw? Knives - 52.9% Axes/hawks - 22.3% Stars - 11.6% Spikes - 7.0% Other - 6.2% Total Voters: 342 Doesn't matter what you throw... as long as your having a great time doing it! Keep On Chuckin'... Scott Gracia sgracia@wi.rr.com http://www.throwzini.com Thanks again to everyone that submitted their info/pics!!! ======================================== 2. GUEST COLUMN: HOOKED ON THROWING by Mike "Ironpost" Kolisch This past weekend I attended a logging festival. They had an axe throwing competition going on! Sunday morning I was out at the wood pile at day light getting the old "double bit" out and throwing it at my hawk block. Throwing a full size axe is somewhat like throwing a tomahawk, just multiplied 10 times. Instead of one handed throwing, it takes two hands. I tried throwing over head, but could not even hit the block. Finally I came up with a new style, one hand on the end of the handle and one hand in the middle. The hand on the bottom just holds the thing steady and the hand in the middle does the pushing. With this technique I got fairly accurate. THE COMPETITION The event was to start at 10:00am. So I arrived at 9:00. but everyone was slow at getting up and going. Finally at 11:00am, I found someone that knew what was going on. They decided they would start at 11:30. I was told that I could only enter with the amateurs. To throw with the big boys I had to throw on both days. This was fine, I was going to get to throw in competition! The closer it came to 11:30, the more nervous I got. Eleven thirty was here, time to get started. When the rules came out, it was decided that everyone would throw the same axe. It was not the double bit I had practiced with all morning, it was a "timber axe". (This is like a camp axe, only larger.) Now it was time to get more nervous! (The targets are similar to the AKTA targets.) I watched the first couple throwers and they had obviously thrown this axe before. I kept telling myself, "it is just like riding a bike", O' Sure! My turn came. I went up to the line holding the axe, (it felt like it weighed 20 lbs!), I got in the hawk throwing stance and let it fly... Bullseye! Just like I knew what was happening! This is when I really got nervous. It was a good thing that the judge retrieved the axe, because my legs were starting to shake pretty good. The second throw went flying and Bullseye! Now I was feeling pretty good :) On the final throw it felt just as good, and Bullseye! A perfect score! Everyone was giving me grief about being a professional. I tried to tell them that I had just started throwing axes that morning, but no one believed me. A while later, out came the big boys. They all threw the big double bit I was trying to throw earlier, except theirs looked more like something from the medieval ages! The blades were like something they used to chop peoples heads off. These axes would stick no matter what part of the blade hit. The top score was 32 out of a possible 42. After the men were done, they let the ladies and kids try. Most could not even throw this big axe so I suggested they tried the tomahawk I had in the truck and this worked great! Everyone was atleast able to hit the block, and even had some sticks. By the end of the round everyone was wanting to get a tomahawk. I even found a few guys that want to start throwing knives. I can't wait until next year! Now that I know what is happening, I will be ready. By the way the logging committee asked me if next year, I would be willing to put on a knife and hawk demonstration. Maybe we will get some more people hooked! Article Contributed by: Mike"Ironpost"Kolisch mkolisch@yahoo.com http://www.ironpost.com/ ============================================= 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. KNIFE THROWING 101 by Scott Gracia I recently gave my first throwing lesson! Well not really the first one. But the first time that it wasn't a personal friend. I got an email from Colin a while back saying that he would be heading this way to visit his mother. He was wondering if I could give him a few pointers. Its hard enough for me to get my friends to throw with me when its sunny and warm outside, so I jumped at the chance to get one more day of throwing in with another person, even if it was gloomy and freezing out there! I told him if he could take the cold weather, so could I :) I find that with alot of beginners, they try to start out from too far away. Colin had this problem. He showed me where he usually stands when throwing and he was atleast 18' - 20' away from the target. Thats about 2 full spins. (Meaning if you throw by the handle the knife will make 2 full rotations and come into the target point first, atleast that is how its supposed to work.) This isn't a far distance once you have been throwing for awhile, but for a beginner you should always start out with a "1" turn throw. This is done from about 11'-13' away from your target, depending on your style of throwing. First thing I did was explain to him how important consistency is! Knife throwing is really very easy... all you have to do is: Grip the knife in the same exact place, with the same exact grip, stand in the same exact place, throw the same exact speed, and release at the same exact point, everytime you throw. Piece of cake! Right? Sure, it looks great on paper... but wait til your outside trying to do it :) The smallest change in your throw can make quite a difference by the time the knife reaches the target. The best tip I can give anyone when starting out, is this... WATCH THE HANDLE of your knife! If you can see where the handle of your knife is when it hits the target, you'll be sticking them in no time! If your handle is pointing down, towards the ground, when your knife hits, you must back up a few inches. The knife didn't have enough time to spin before reaching the target. If the handle is pointing up, towards the sky, when your knife hits the target, you must move a few inches closer to the target. The knife had too much time to spin before reaching the target. Remember to move only a couple inches at a time, and make your adjustments until you get the knives to stick. Once again, piece of cake :) Anyway, within 10 minutes or so, Colin was sticking 2 out of 3 knives, and by the end of the session he had 3 out of 3! We threw for a little while longer but it was pretty frigid outside so we decided to call it a day. Knife throwing is definitely an acquired skill, and like any other skill, it takes time and dedication to perfect it. Once you understand the basics, its all about practicing! But thats what makes it so worthwhile. If anyone could pick up a pointy piece of steel and fling it from 30' into a log, or a drywall nail from 10' into your buddies garage door, or a bamboo chopstick into an apple from across the kitchen... ... it just wouldn't be as cool :) I had a great time Colin! Stop back again next year and you can teach me some new tricks! If anyone else is going to be in Southeastern WI and wants to come by and throw some knives, just drop me an email a few days in advance! Its an open invitation to everyone! Article Contributed by: Scott Gracia The Great Throwzini 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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