I generally throw real knives, not throwing knives. I got two sets (a total of 4 knives) for my son to join me in the weekend card game. As for throwing knives, I prefer asymmetrically shaped knives meaning a single edge design such as Gil Hibben's Original Large Triple throwers and the Large Tanto set. While these knives are technically asymmetrical, they are for most part symmetrical and therefore good for beginner. As expected, these throwers rotate consistently making perfect horizontal handle strike without much efforts. For a relatively light thrower, it hits quite hard. It digs almost an inch deep into soft pine wood. Throwing from the handle 12 feet away, my son had no problem cutting a playing card with three knives without hitting any of the knives. I would have rated it 5 stars if they were bigger and heavier like the old 15" thrower Gil Hibben used to sell twenty years ago.

These are two of my favorite throwers. Good balance. Good weight. Sharp blades. I have thown these hundreds of time at wood trees etc. They have fallen to pavement before. They are still in tact. Minimal ware.