Introduction
In the presentation of Pathfinder, I already wrote about how, as a knife thrower, you are often on the path to something new. By that, I meant that I have only been practicing knife throwing for four years and therefore have not had time to try enough models to be completely sure what suits me best. Especially not as I am involved in all the disciplines and variants I come into contact with.
But there is no doubt at this point that these creations from the French Throwingzone are good. Especially not, as I have achieved some success with them. I have a few small objections, but I will explain them later. But they quickly became the competition model for No Spin. That could give an indication of what I think of them.
Appearance and dimensions
Pathfinder doesn't really look like everyone else, but it's not completely unique, as there are several models on the market that have been lightened in different ways. However, it's more unusual on quality knives. Often, these details are found on fairly cheap throwing knives sold via Amazon and the like. There, it's just about appearance, and therefore, a few holes are drilled here and there because someone thinks it adds to the cool factor. It's often done without much finesse, and the result is as follows. They mostly weaken the knife.
On Pathfinder, there is a completely different thought behind the design. The holes in the blade and handle are, of course, to lighten the knife, but also for the sake of balance.
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| Throwingzone Pathfinder |
The appearance is quite aggressive with a tip that promises a lot. This effect is not least enhanced by the hollowed-out blade, which in turn makes you really see the thickness of the steel. In this case, it is 8 mm. The knives are also available in a lightweight version for those who prefer it. They are only 6 mm thick. They reportedly weigh 180 grams. That is, slightly less than what I usually prefer.
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| A tip with exceptionally good penetration ability |
This more powerful knife tips the scales at 240 g. In my opinion, an optimal weight for No Spin. The length is the same for both and is 245 mm. The height of the blade is at most 30 mm, and on the handle, 28.5 mm.
Then the knife's handle has a distinct difference between the top side, which is almost straight, and the bottom side, which has a curve. This allows you, as a thrower, to choose how much "kick" you want against your index finger when throwing no spin.
Material
Several French manufacturers have stuck to Swedish steel. Throwingzone uses Hardox 450. Hardox belongs to a group that is sometimes called "wear steel". Typical areas of use are dozer blades, teeth for excavator buckets, dumper bodies, and the like. That is, tasks that require a very tough and robust material. Thus also well-suited for throwing knives.
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| The material is Hardox 450 and the thickness is 8 mm in this version. |
In general, it is very durable, and the rest depends on hardening and heat treatment. Then, it can be added that in this specific case, there are a couple of additional factors. One is actually the cutting as it is done with a laser, and here there are some extra cuts to take into account due to the hole in the blade. How hot the material gets and how it affects durability in the long term can be considered. The risk of the steel becoming brittle is always there when it is heated. Especially when there is not much material left closest to the tip.
Should an accident happen and the knife cracks or even breaks for that reason, it can be safe to know that Throwingzone provides a lifetime warranty on its products.
To Throw
Like many others, I started throwing no-spin with knives that are handle-heavy. They have advantages such as helping to stabilize themselves in the air to a certain extent. But at the same time, after a few years, I can now experience that they do not feel as dynamic as a more neutrally balanced knife. That is one of the reasons why I am exploring alternatives.
However, the Pathfinder is not the first knife that pulls in that direction that I have thrown with. I have previously used, among others, Biting Metal Bug Osetr, Acejet Appache, and Excalibur, and models from Zitoon such as No Reload and The Devil's Claw. They are all fairly neutrally balanced.
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| Pathfinder is really good for precision throwing |
This is another step in the exploration of this type of knife. Pathfinder is as thick as the devil's claws but much lighter. Exactly the characteristics I was looking for. Especially after panicking at the Swedish Championships last year, when several knives fell off the board during the warm-up because the combination of slightly harder targets/heavier knives was not entirely successful. It made me change models at the last second, and that is not a recipe for success in general.
Some of my first throws and impressions of Throwingzone Pathfinder almost a year ago
In addition, the tip of the Pathfinder is aggressive, so the penetration ability is very good. This is despite the fact that the knife belongs to the thicker category. This means that you can also use this knife against plank targets, that is, the type that is often found in long-distance and silhouette throwing. From experience, I have also sharpened them a bit.
- Rotational Throwing
Pathfinder is comme si comme ca in this area, perhaps a Frenchman would say. By that I mean that, of course, it works, especially since the knife has good balance, but it is still a fairly short knife and the design of the tip means that it is not particularly well suited to gripping there. It is simply too pointed.
But if you, as a thrower, still want to throw a few throws from time to time with rotation techniques, this model will not put any obstacles in the way, but it is clearly noticeable that it is not made for that.
- Half Spin
For being a no-spin knife, the Pathfinder is not particularly good for half-spin techniques in my opinion. The contrast is clear, as this type of knife usually is. This is especially true for knives with the center of gravity shifted towards the handle, such as Arrow-like models. They and daggers are usually particularly well-suited for the task. Especially if they have narrow blades that are easy to grip.
But the Pathfinder is, first of all, neutrally balanced and, in this context, relatively short. Even there, the conditions become less optimal for this type of technique, even if the latter is most important at slightly longer distances. This is especially true for underhand throws.
However, what makes me not like throwing half half-spin with this model is the hole in the blade. It is found exactly where I want to place my thumb from several distances. It forces me to either hold very far out on the tip or move my hand far up, almost into the handle. It does not give the options I am looking for. The hole also makes the "release" feel strange as the distinct insides of the blade hole slide against the fingers.
So the Pathfinder is not suitable for this type of throwing. Of course, it is possible, as very few objects with a tip are impossible to throw, but my recommendation is to not do it, as it is not very fun.
- No Spin
But everything Pathfinder is not when it comes to varying rotation techniques; they make up for it when it comes to throwing no spin. Of course, that is what the knife is designed for. To be the optimal knife for that purpose, in Henry's opinion.
I can't say that they are the ultimate knife as I haven't tested them all, but I can assure you that they are very, very good. What can be considered the best is also something that varies greatly depending on your personal technique. No one model suits everyone exactly the same. That is also why there are quite a few different looks to throwing knives.
Details that affect are, for example, your grip, how much side-arm or over-the-shoulder you throw, how high or low your "release" is, and how much force you use. But also whether you throw with a lot of index finger kick or more with a slide technique, and so on. There are many factors to take into account.
Then the distance also plays a role. Should the knife be used mostly for precision throwing at shorter distances or used to try to break records in long-distance throwing? Or do you imagine an all-round knife good for most things?
Some of the earliest throws with the Throwingzone Pathfinder. I have since honed my technique
With that in mind, I would say that the Pathfinder is good for most types of no-spin throwing, but that it doesn't suit me perfectly when it comes to long distance. Now, it may sound a bit paradoxical when I actually won the Swedish Championship in that discipline this year with this particular model. But it's more because I'm relatively confident in Walk Back distances (3 to 7m), and the distance to win this year wasn't that much more.
But in that discipline, I probably want a slightly longer knife and maybe a back-heavy one anyway. I'm not quite finished with that process and will probably come back to the subject.
But for precision throwing, the Pathfinder is really cool. The feeling of having a knife that feels powerful but still light is palpable when you try it for the first time. I appreciate having a solid surface for the index finger to rest against when I'm going to push, and you'll find that here. If you master the technique, this model flies very straight at short distances and is easy to calculate parabolas at longer distances. Then you still miss, but that's another question and not the knife's fault.
Then the tip is just as effective as it looks. There aren't many targets that this knife doesn't get into. Even the "Plank," which is perhaps the most difficult of disciplines, when it comes to that part. But I've sharpened my knives a bit. Not much, but I've narrowed the part that makes up the edge in relation to how they were originally sharpened. It gives a slightly thinner tip but even better penetration if the targets aren't perfect. As a thrower, you don't want to miss points because knives and axes don't stick.
Conclusion
My personal development in no spin has led me on an exciting journey. It started with me mainly using back-heavy knives to move towards more neutrally balanced ditons. I also have throwing knives in different dimensions, from three to ten millimeters thick, but I still prefer to throw with no-spin knives that are 8 mm thick. Although I must admit that there are contenders that only measure 6 mm.
In that respect, the Pathfinder is, of course, perfect. What I am looking for is the large surface area that is available for the index finger, at the same time that I do not want the weight that is often associated with that thickness. As I said, knives over 260 g are not my favorites. Especially not when you are going to practice. One throw is fine and even a hundred, I usually say, but not a thousand throws. Then the arm will eventually fall off. The risk of tennis elbow and other injuries increases significantly.
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| Pathfinder is the knife that is the reigning Swedish champion |
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| But some World Cup medals, including a gold, were also won this year with Pathfinder. |
I spoke a little about successes at the beginning, and by that I meant, among other things, that I have just finished a Swedish Championship in sport throwing, where Pathfinder helped me defend the title as Swedish champion in no spin with a gold in Walk Back. This was complemented by two more golds in Silhouette and Long Distance Throwing, respectively. Earlier this summer, a silver and a gold were won from the U.K.A.T. World Championships in the Czech Republic with the same knives.
In other words, I have learned to handle them quite well, even though I am far from finished or fully trained.
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| Throwingzone Pathfinder is recommended for anyone who wants one of the best throwing knives available for no spin |
This should prove that these are really good throwing knives. It is rather with the thrower that the limitations are found. With that, I can only say that the Pathfinder is among the best no-spin knives I have tried. Then the question is whether I would recommend them to a beginner or not. It is difficult because there is a certain bias. Maybe not because it is not the easiest model to throw, but that is the honest answer. On the other hand, it is good to have something really good to start with because it makes the process easier. So I changed my mind, buy them!
The price directly from Throwingzone is currently 140€ for a set of three knives or 50€ if you want to buy a spare knife
Specifications:
Steel: Hardox 450
Length: 240 mm
Width: 30 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight: 240 g
Point of Balance: 14/10 cm from tip/handle
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