It's time to take a closer look at another set of throwing knives from the Czech brand AceJet. This time it is a completely different type of knife than the Appache I presented last time. The latter can be seen as the Swiss Army Knives of throwers in such a way that they can be used for most things. Today's review objects are significantly more focused on doing one thing and doing it well. The knives are called Stinger and are also designed and tested by Adam Čeladin like all products from AceJet.
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| AceJet Stinger |
What can be somewhat confusing is that there are several models with similar looks that can boast of being designed by him. It is partly Stinger but also the models' Vengeance and Top Dog from Wulflund. And to make it all even more complicated, these knives are also available in a "Breaker" version from AceJet, which means that they are slightly longer and a full 10 mm thick! Then it should be added that all knives of this kind are based on the model "Arrow" designed by the German No Spin thrower Thomas "Tom Tom" Hampich.
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| Acejet Stinger at the top in comparison with the larger Wulflund Vengeance |
Looks and measurements
I have pointed out several times that I actually prefer throwing knives that look like knives. This model does not. A good friend put it fairly accurately when we were knife throwing together and he said he preferred the "tent pegs" over other knives. Because that is what they kind of look like. Certainly overgrown and very strong tent pegs, but still.
The length of the knives is 23.5 cm and the width over the handle is at most 33 mm. The narrower part, the blade if you want to call it that, measures 16 mm. Most impressive is probably the thickness which, although this is not the extra thick version, is a quite hefty 8 mm. There are several advantages to the dimension in addition to the knives being durable, which I will return to later. In this case, it makes for a weight of 248 grams.
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| Stinger offers a, for the style, typical arrow shape |
Like many arrow-shaped throwing knives, this one actually lacks a handle and transition between it and what would normally be called a blade.* The knife has "edges" that are 7 cm long and they have been achieved through four reasonably symmetrical grinds. However, they do not meet and the "tip" itself is chisel-shaped. That is, it's flat and sharp instead of looking like a traditional knife. It gives a more durable tip which is good. Especially as No Spin takes some time to learn which results in many misses.
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| With a thickness of 8 mm, they do not break easily |
At the rear end, there is an indexing hole that can also be used to hang the knife on a hook if you feel like it. Like most throwing knives, these ones are delivered without a sheath.
The finish is a longitudinally brushed satin finish. A finish that is sympathetic but which, like all knives made of this material, has a tendency to darken fairly immediately. At least if the knives are used. Then it should be added that the knives you see in the pictures are polished with both sandpaper and Autosol on repeated occasions.
Material
Speaking of finishes, the steel is brushed in the same way as most basic models from AceJet. The material is also the same**. It is Czech spring steel with din-number 14260. This in combination with good hardening, which means rather soft in this case and the thick stock, makes the knives extremely impact-resistant. These specific knives have received their fair share of beating, I can promise. Should you succeed in breaking one of them, it is a lifetime guarantee against it. However, I have a very hard time seeing that it can happen.
The tips, on the other hand, do get beat up, especially when they come in close contact with other knives. It is also that treatment that gave the knives the battle scars you see in the pictures. The better you get, the more such hits happen paradoxically.
To Throw
Stinger was my first set of knives intended for just No Spin throwing. They were thus also my first throwing knives with this typical arrow shape. The appearance entails a balance that is specific to the type. It's back heavy as the shape indicates. The balance point is found 13.5 cm from the tip, which places it a few centimeters backward from the center point.
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| The balance point is located 9.5 cm from the rear end |
It affects the properties in such a way that the knife tends not to want to start a rotation as easily as a neutrally balanced knife. This is not only advantageous with No Spin but also with half rotation techniques such as Military half spin. For the same reason, these knives are not at all easy to use for rotation techniques, but it is of course possible even if it feels forced.
- Rotational Throwing
For purely physical reasons, this is not the strength of this knife that I have already touched on. The offset center of gravity means that the knife does not, of course, rotate around its center but where the center of the weight is located. It produces an "irregular" and more difficult-to-control rotation. The knife is thus unnecessarily difficult to throw with this technique. I have to admit that I personally do not master rotation techniques with these knives at all. If you are good enough and used to it, it may work, but it is not something I recommend. There are better knives in AceJet's range for this type of throw.
- Half Spin
If this knife is adapted for anti-rotation throwing, it can also be said that it is at least as good for half-rotation techniques. The rear-heavy knife makes it very easy to throw Instinctive Half spin, for example, where you grab the knife at the blade but place your index finger on the back of the blade/handle. The weight distribution makes it easy to feel when the knife wants to turn in the air, which is very late. This in turn facilitates longer distances. Even without being an expert, my record with this technique is around eight and a half meters. In addition, to give a hint on the rotational speed, the weight contributes to the throws being very hard. The "whipping movement" that is performed when the wrist turns is amplified by the fact that the mass ends up far out in the movement itself.
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| "Target Destroyer", Stingers penetrates deep into the target during a half-rotation throw |
This in combination with the shape means that these knives have a tendency to dig very deep into the targets when throwing "Instinctive". The advantage of this is that they rarely or never fall out once they have ended up in the right direction. The downside, of course, is that they eat targets for breakfast. There will be deep, basically square holes in the targets. Sometimes as deep as five centimeters. They are therefore also a bit difficult to remove from the board. Once is never, but after a few hundred throws it starts to feel.
The precision with Stinger is very high with both Instinctive half spin and Military half spin. It is basically just aiming and shoot. It's important to "trust" the knife thought. It manages to turn around even if you do not think so. It's in very close range, say 2-3.5 m, that you have to help the knife around with a little wrist flick because it doesn't want to rotate.
- No Spin
Stinger is made to be difficult to rotate. The center of gravity shifted towards the handle helps with that. A feature that is especially desirable when throwing "No Spin". The quotation marks come from the fact that the knife actually rotates even with this technique, but only a quarter of a turn from the time it is released until it hopefully hits the target with the tip first.
The balance point, however, is only an aid to achieve this, the main part of the work is handled by the index finger and the timing in the actual "release" of the knife. This is where the rotational speed is determined. It is also here that the thickness of the knife comes into play. The basic version of the Stinger is 8 mm thick and I would say that 6 mm is minimum to be optimal with this throwing technique. When the thickness increases, the finger gets more surface to push against, so to speak. It helps prevent "bullet rotation", ie the phenomenon that the knife wants to turn around its own axis. Throwing knives should only spin in one direction and it is easier to achieve this if the finger does not push the knife sideways by mistake. Using other techniques, you usually hold the knife with your whole hand, which of course becomes more stable.
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| The grip I use when I throw No Spin with Stingers |
The soft drop shape on the handle also helps with the actual "release" of the knife. This is especially true if you use the technique where you "brush" or swipe over the handle itself with your index finger to counteract rotation. As the handle gets wider the further back you go, it amplifies the force of that movement. This is the throwing technique that Celadin himself prefers and most often uses in his videos. That the shape of the handle or the blade helps amplify this force, is especially important when you want to throw longer distances with this technique. Then more force is needed to counteract the knife's natural forward rotation.
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| Warm-up throw before No Spin at this year's Swedish Championships in Arboga |
If you hold the knife in a firmer grip where you release directly without the "sweeping" motion of your index finger, the shape plays a slightly less important role. The same applies if you throw with Skanff-technique. But regardless of grip, the rounded rear end is comfortable against the hand. Because in all No spin techniques, the handle of the knife ends up against the palm in some way. In order for it to be comfortable, the entire knife is beveled around the edge by the way.
In the air, the Stinger is predictable. If the release is correct, it flies very straight. In fact, the balance even helps to compensate for less perfect throws. The knife wants to straighten in the air, which is a welcome feature. Especially with a beginner like me.
To Conclude
In Stinger, you will find a really sympathetic knife for No Spin throwing, whether you are a beginner or a more experienced thrower. The knives facilitate as much as they can with the technique. On top of that, you get knives that are equally sympathetic to all variants of half-rotation techniques, Military- Instinctive- or Natural half-spin. The foundation for this model is found in a classic Arrow which is then refined according to the preferences of Adam Čeladin.
The material used is spring steel in the basic version and the finish is brushed. However, there are now a number of different variants that are more or less exclusive. Both even thicker knives, "Breaker" and in other materials such as D2 steel. The most decorated version available has a pattern with gold inserts. It's nothing I would throw because throwing knives get their scars and "combat damage" when used. But they undeniably look great!
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| A typical Saturday morning in the garden |
In that respect, there is not much that affects a Stinger apart from other Stingers. For various reasons, these knives have hit gravel as well as stone and asphalt. It is barely noticeable on the tips. What makes its biggest mark are "Robin Hood" hits, when the knives hit each other where they sit in the target. It has broken the tips of all these knives. That's when you take out your file and grind it. There are not many knives you do that with, but real throwing knives can withstand that treatment. This in turn erases the fact that the tips looked a little different when the knives were new. But it's not something I'm annoyed about. Rather, it shows that the knives are partly handmade.
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| Acejet Stingers helped me to a silver medal in No Spin |
These were the knives that helped me to a silver medal in precision throwing in No Spin during this year's Swedish Championships. Therefore, I have to recommend them of course. In any case, I could not blame the material for not being good enough.
Price is always interesting and Stinger are not the cheapest knives on the market. But it is a stated goal on AceJet's part, to manufacture knives that aim for the highest quality rather than to compete with price. A set of Stingers currently costs € 247. For that, you get among the best that can be obtained for No spin throwing. This is also proven by the fact that AceJet backs the products with a lifetime warranty. Therefore, I would still argue that they are affordable.
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| If you decide to buy a set of these knives or any other products from AceJet, you will receive a 5% discount if you enter the code "JOHN" when you arrive at the checkout. |
Specification:
Steel: 14260 spring steel
Length: 235 mm (stated 240)
Width: 16/33 mm (blade/handle)
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight: 248 g weighed by me with some grams filed off (stated 242 g)
Point of balance: towards the back 13,5 from the tip/9,5cm from the back
/ J
* Which makes it somewhat unclear whether it will be approved according to the new rules for No Spin knives presented by Euro Throwers within short. It stipulates, among other things, that the blade must make up one-third of the knife. In this case, however, it may be sufficient to prolong the edges three, four millimeters for that requirement to be approved. In the same way, it is mentioned that a knife should have a handle that can be "discerned" or something similar. There you can round the rules by filing a simple pattern at the back end, then that requirement is also met.
* Which makes it somewhat unclear whether it will be approved according to the new rules for No Spin knives presented by Euro Throwers within short. It stipulates, among other things, that the blade must make up one-third of the knife. In this case, however, it may be sufficient to prolong the edges three, four millimeters for that requirement to be approved. In the same way, it is mentioned that a knife should have a handle that can be "discerned" or something similar. There you can round the rules by filing a simple pattern at the back end, then that requirement is also met.
** Although they now also have options in D2, which for me is a somewhat strange choice of material.
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