Introduction
Acejet is a brand that initially focused mainly on making knives for No Spin throwing. Something they became very well known for.* They didn't jump on the bandwagon for rotational knives right away. That's why this knife was only their third attempt. Before that, there was the Spinner Bowie and Maximus, knives I've previously reviewed here on the blog. Things are different now that they are about to launch a major investment in rotational knives. It will be exciting to see where that investment ends up.
The first thing that can be said about this model is that it is beautiful to look at, especially in this version. That was the first thing I fell for, I must admit. It is called, as the title already suggests, Acejet Achilles. This version, however, has a longer and rather descriptive name, as it turns out. This version is called Acejet Achilles Shadow Vintage.
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| Acejet Achilles |
The reason for this is, of course, that this knife comes in several different variants. To start with, it can be had in a standard version or as a "spinner", i.e. with a hole in the middle for better playability. Then you can choose between getting it with or without a leather wrapped handle and what colour the steel should be.
However, none of those choices answer how it feels to throw, and I intend to elaborate on that a little more here.
Appearance and dimensions
One thing that you, as a thrower, will sooner or later have to decide is what type of throwing knife you prefer, as there are several basic models. Two of the most common are Bowie-inspired knives or, like this one, those based on a dagger of some kind. There are more, but we'll leave them there for now.
That feature is, of course, the first thing you can see; the second is the striking colour combination between the white handle (well, when it was new anyway) and the dark steel. It is also the two details that give the knife its full name, as mentioned.
The black or perhaps more purple steel is called "Shadow Steel" in Acejet's catalogue. Its validity or otherwise can be debated for practical reasons. But it is very nice to look at, especially when the knives are new.
But that means that it is blackened in a shade that resembles black/purple/gun metal, depending on how the light falls. Pleasing to the eye, but it has its drawbacks. Something that is quickly discovered if, for example, you miss the target or get a side hit and have to look for the knife among leaves and grass. "Shadow" is correct as it blends in extremely well among shadows.
Like all coatings, it also wears out over time, which can be seen in the pictures. The only marking on the knife is, as usual, Acejet's logotype neatly laser-etched on the blade.
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Nice to look at, but short, thick and light is probably the best summary of the look |
The second part of the colour combination consists of the handle, which is created with a long leather cord that is wrapped around and through the handle. It is also available in three different shades. White as here, alternatively brown or black.
The third detail that is obvious is that Achilles is kind of latticed. This applies to both the blade and the handle. Whether that is good or bad can also be discussed. More on that later. What it does is that it lightens the knives, and the question is whether it was needed or not.
This model is certainly a massive 8 mm thick, but in return, it measures no more than 12" or 30.5 cm in length, which is short for this kind of throwing knife. The width is at most 35 mm just in front of the symbolic finger guard. Above that, the knife is 43 mm wide.
Overall, however, this means that the knife weighs in at a relatively low 325 g, and that's with a leather handle. This makes it belong to the lighter class of rotational knives.
Material
Acejet's main material is a Czech steel with the designation 14260. It is used in all models, although there are deviations in the catalogue nowadays, such as D2.
Spring steel is an excellent material in general when it comes to throwing knives that have slightly special requirements compared to a standard knife. The impact force produces strong vibrations, and the knives hit various targets with different hardness. It wears out any knife, and we haven't even talked about misses yet! In addition to pure broadsides and oblique hits that break against the tips, this also includes ricochets. They can end up almost anywhere, which can mean close contact with a little of everything, such as concrete, asphalt, stone and not least other knives. It takes its toll.
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| This one, like most of Acejet's throwing knives, is made of Czech 14260 spring steel. |
For this reason, throwing knife steel starts out much like any other knife material, but in the process of hardening and heat treatment, the Rockwell number (HRC) that is boasted of in other contexts, if it is over 60 in these cases, is usually around fifty. All to get a more durable product. If, against all odds, you manage to break a piece of 8 mm thick spring steel with the right hardening, Acejet offers a lifetime guarantee. You simply get a new knife. However, I have a hard time imagining that it is any greater cost for them. It seems that not many break like that.
Then, as a buyer, you should be aware that very few professional throwing knives are stainless steel, so they require some maintenance.
To Throw
Achilles is said to be a rotational knife, but of the three models that were available when it was released, this is the most all-rounder.
I have developed a lot as a knife thrower since my first reviews of this type of knife, and now have many hundreds of thousands of throws behind me. This is, of course, reflected in how I view the tools, since I use all types of techniques. Therefore, I can say that the inherent properties of Achilles make it more of a multi-tasker than a specialist.
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| At shorter distances, the Achilles is a precision instrument. This was my very first throw with this knife last fall. |
One feature that immediately made me a little skeptical and which later turned out to be true, was the design of the tip. Achilles has a chisel grind, but the "edges" are only cosmetic, and the width of the tip is a full seven millimeters and the blade also widens relatively quickly. After 4 cm, it is already two centimeters wide and then it is not a sharpened knife we are talking about but an oversized screwdriver. Overall, this gives a rather poor penetration ability.
But the weight feels good, the balance point is found 16 cm from the tip or 14 cm from the end of the handle, depending on how you look at it. Fairly neutral with a light rear weight, which is excellent!
- Rotational
It is actually in this area that the Achilles shows its greatest weaknesses compared to other knives with the same pronounced focus, strangely enough. But what it loses here, it makes up for in other areas, it would turn out. What I mean is that the Acejet Achilles is not completely easy to throw from distances other than three meters.
From short distances, i.e. three and four meters (1 and 1.5 turns of rotation), this is a pure precision instrument. Since the knife is light and short, it spins very quickly. This is an advantage from three meters, as the knife does not need to be accelerated in any way but manages to turn around anyway. In addition, it makes the flight path feel very straight. Something that is then confirmed at longer distances, where it is a factor. In addition, the power is sufficient from close range to get good hits even on half-bad targets. So far, no worries, but rather the opposite. Achilles gives a very good impression.
My first tentative throws with Achilles
However, one of the knife's peculiarities is already apparent from a distance of five meters. As mentioned, Achilles spins very quickly, which in turn means that the thrower must throw the knife towards the target, so to speak. That's because the start of the rotation must be postponed conmpared to a larger knife. If not you will get an overrotated knife.
But Achilles also requires great precision and a very straight hit. Otherwise, the knife will not stick. This is especially true if the targets are dry/hard or if they are fresh, which makes them tough, or if they are slightly frozen. In other words, anything other than perfect circumstances will complicate the throws. The reasons are found in the relationship between the weight and thickness of the knife and the design of the tip.
Achilles has no actual edges that thin the blade, which means that the chisel tip is a full 7 mm wide. Most knives for rotational throwing start at 5-6 mm thick before they taper.
With a correct hit, the penetration is sufficient, but with the slightest over- or under-rotation, it twists out of the target. It is as if the wood fibres are unable to hold the thick blade, and the knife falls. In some cases, the knife even bounces backwards out of the target. That is annoying.
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| A comparison between two targets, an old and worn one on the left and a fresher, unused piece of wood on the right. In the latter, a large part of the throw bounces off the surface, and when they stick, it is only about a centimetre deep or so |
It is possible to compensate for this phenomenon by adding slightly more power into the throw, but this often results in poorer precision. The knife's natural rotation requires a lighter touch, so if more strength is used, you have to force the knife to spin correctly, and this is at the expense of the aim. This is what starts to be noticed from five meters.
At six and seven meters, what I described above is reinforced, with the exception that the knife actually feels quite easy to throw from seven meters. A large part of this can be attributed to the fact that here the feeling forward and the straight flight are an advantage. This is assuming you don't use strength of course. Then the knife over-rotates easily. A feeling TOWARDS the target is the trick.
Then I am generally not a fan of the wrapped handle. In my opinion, it provides too much grip and thus friction, which means that the knife does not slide out of the hand as easily as it should. This is especially true if the leather has become the slightest bit damp from sweat, rain or snow. Then the thrower has to release the knife by opening his hand, which is not good.
The leather grip also makes the knife feel significantly different depending on whether you throw with a grip on the blade or the handle. A matter of habit, but worth pointing out. Especially when daggers often have the advantage of being more symmetrical in that regard, which is usually one of their advantages.
- Half Spin
What Achilles loses by not being perfect for rotational throwing, it makes it all the better in other areas. Half-spin techniques, bot military and instinctive, are good examples of this.
Simply put, it feels like these are the techniques the knife was primarily developed for. The grip for underhand throws from the blade, for example, is exemplary. Just the right width and thickness. What can be a disadvantage when it comes to sticking the knife into the target make this knife easier to hold. The balance is also very good for the purpose. It is found just in front of the intended finger guard. The knife would probably be somewhat worse in this regard if the leather were removed.
Then the notch in the blade, which is also ground on the inside so that it does not feel sharp, makes the knife extremely easy to index in the hand. This makes Military Half Spin an excellent technique with this knife. The thumb easily finds its place laterally but also longitudinally.
The same can be said about the Instinctive Half Spin. The taper of the tip lies well in the hand, and the side of the blade is so thick that the index finger has a lot to push against. This makes the knife easier to control.
This in combination with not too much weight, makes Achilles a superb knife for half-rotation techniques of all kinds.
- No Spin
This is where I get most confused. I certainly tend to claim that you can throw anything with No Spin techniques. This also applies to larger knives, and especially if you use techniques inspired by R Thorn. But despite that, larger Bowie knives are rarely the best for No Spin. This knife, on the other hand, even has a handle length adapted for a No Spin grip. Especially since the back of the finger guard works great to place the index finger, which is so important in this context. If you were to remove the leather wrap, that feeling would be even more pronounced, I believe.
That said, the Acejet Achilles is probably one of the best rotation knives I have used for No Spin. I wrote something similar about another model, "Maximus", and that impression remains. Both of these models are clearly made by a company that primarily launched knives made for throwing without rotation.
It is therefore possible to throw No Spin with the Achilles even if it does not beat its more specialised siblings, such as knives from the Raven or Stinger families.
Conclusion
There is no denying that the Acejet Achilles Shadow Vintage is a knife that looks good in pictures. It is simply a stunning model.
One of the problems with good-looking throwing knives is that they usually do not remain so after they have been used. Sooner or later, often sooner, you hit other knives, hard surfaces, bad hits on the targets and so on. This leads to handles getting dents, getting scuffed or breaking a little, depending on what they are made of.
In this case, edge hits on targets lead to the leather cord that makes up the handle partly loosening and partly breaking. A problem that is multiplied if the leather gets wet. I think I glued these handles at least three times. That is not the only problem with this handle. The other is that I think it makes the knife a little too thick. Especially as the difference between how the knife feels when thrown from the handle and the blade becomes greater. A feature that is important for rotational knives. At least according to my preferences.
Then there was the Shadow Steel phenomenon. The steel does not remain blued in the long run, I can tell you. First, the colour on the tips rubs off, then the whole knife. The best proof of that is my older Raven IIs, which are almost pure steel colored at this point. It hasn't really gotten as far with the Achilles, but that's because they've been thrown less.** Then there was the problem of finding them if you throw them outdoors and miss. It's never easy, but dark blades don't make it any easier.
To that can be added that the coating tends to discolour your hands. Or at least they do in bad weather, that is, cold and wet.
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| This is still seen through a camera lens; the reality is worse |
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| Then this is a result of the coating. I thought it would be on the blade, not on my hand |
As with all other models from Acejet, the Achilles feels solid, not least because it is sturdy with its eight millimeters thickness. But I quickly became a little suspicious of the length and how it would affect handling, and those fears turned out to be true.
Thirty centimetres is short for a rotational knife, and just over three hundred grams is light in this context. The result is a knife that is certainly very all-round, something I described earlier, but also the properties that are desirable for a good rotational knife suffer. For example, a smaller knife does not rotate as calmly and does not behave as predictably in the air. The thrower also needs to use more strength from longer distances, which can negatively affect precision.
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| Here is the Achilles compared to some other throwing dagger tips. The almost twice as wide blade on the right has better penetration thanks to its thinner edges |
Another detail I'm not entirely happy with is how thick the steel is, especially in combination with the thickness of the tip. Now I don't always have access to perfect soft log rounds, but I have to throw what I have access to, which sometimes includes hardwood and older, dry and hard targets. Then it quickly becomes apparent that with the original tip, the penetration of these knives is not very good. Unless you hit completely straight from a short distance, of course. Then there are rarely any problems.
But a lot of it is determined by the thrower's preferences. If you prefer lighter knives, this might be something for you. The positives are, for example, that it is easier to practice with them without overexerting yourself and that they are more reminiscent of other types of knives (read No Spin) if you switch between styles a lot.
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| Acejet Achilles, not a contender for the throne for best rotational knife, but a really good knife for all-around throwing |
Overall, I therefore do not think that the Acejet Achilles Shadow Vintage is the best choice for those who want the ultimate knife for rotational throwing. Especially not in this variety. In that case, choose a "naked" version without the black steel. Not as nice but significantly more practical.
BUT, and that is a big but. If you want a very well-made knife for all-around throwing, this is a viable candidate. It is much better for half-rotation techniques whether you throw over, under or from the side. In addition, it is actually good for throwing No Spin if you want to add that technique to your ability.
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| Acejet Official |
Specifikations:
Steel: 14260 Spring steel
Length: 30,5 cm (12")
Width: Blade 35 mm at most, finger guard 43 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight: 325 g (Weighed by me)
Point of Balance: 16/14 cm measured from tip/back end
/ J - botanising among Czech knives
* For example, I myself have won several Swedish championship titles with different models from Acejet, such as the Stinger and Raven II.
** We are talking about the order of magnitude of about 2500 throws compared to 42500 throws.
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