Introduction
The basic idea was to expand the arsenal with another set of premium knives for rotational throwing. It is hard to find your favorites if you do not test different models. I am not dissatisfied with my old faithful knives but I wanted to see if the grass perhaps was greener on the other side.
The eyes therefore fell on something designed by Werner Lengmüller. He is a giant in the field and has several models that are widely used by other throwers with great success including his "Werner's Pirates".
But sometimes you don't want to be like everyone else, and I therefore looked at and chose a slightly later model in the form of the Spinning Butcher.
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| WL Custom Blade Spinning Butcher by Throwingzone |
Werner used to make knives himself but nowadays they are licensed under the name WL Custom Blade. One thing that should be noted in this context is that in the USA they are made by Prince Steel Knives and in Europe by French Throwingzone. They are a small company located in Normandy.
Appearance and Dimension
The name Spinning Butcher may well be more or less correct. Spinning yes because there is a big hole to stick the index finger in. But the Butcher part I'm more doubtful about. I have worked in the meat processing industry for several years and there is nothing that even resembles this blade shape.
If, on the other hand, as a knife enthusiast, you look towards Japan, you will actually find a type of boning knife that goes by the name Honesuki, which this one is quite similar to. Perhaps that was the one intended?
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| The hole for the finger that makes the knife a "Spinning" Butcher |
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| This particular handle is 3D-printed |
This translates to a straight edge that meets an equally straight back, which in this case is broken in a false edge down towards a pronounced tip. The typical design feature of this knife is the angles. The aesthetics are distinct.
The grinds are just under eight millimeters wide and meet in an "edge" that is 3 mm thick. All edges are broken so they don't feel sharp. The finish is a fairly rough brushed one and on one side is the WL Custom Blade logo.
Then the handle is very green on this specimen. In addition to the color, the material can also be varied. If you feel more traditional, you choose leather, but if you are more adventurous, these 3D-printed grips are available.
The Spinning Butcher is a relatively large knife with a length of 31.5 cm and a height of the blade that measures 5 cm at most. The handle is 31.5mm high at most and then tapers to 26.5mm before the rounded rear end takes over. The thickness of the knife is 6 mm. Those measurements give a total weight of 455 grams.
The balance is neutral and the balance point is found just in front of the ring, 15 cm from the rear end, and 16.5 cm from the tip.
Material
Often when it comes to throwing knives manufactured under the auspices of Throwingzone, they stick to Swedish steel in the form of Hardox 450. It is a steel that may not be the most exclusive, but at the same time well adapted for throwing knives, tough and durable as it is. It is not a material that cracks in the first place.
This version of the Spinning Butcher comes with a quite rare detail for being a throwing knife. Namely, how the handle slabs are made. They can be obtained in two different versions as mentioned above. Partly in traditional leather but also like here with a 3D printed handle. It also means that the material is some form of plastic that is suitable for printing. I don't know exactly which one. But it has proven to be relatively durable. The thickness is 2.5 mm per side and they are glued and screwed in place with two Chicago screws.
To Throw
Spinning Butcher belongs to the very straightforward type of knife if you put it that way. This is a knife for rotational throwing and it shows. It is large, heavy, and well-balanced. When the rotation is correct, it hits the target with authority. The fact that it is well designed is evident not least in how easy it is to find the right grip on the knife, whether you hold it by the handle or the blade.
For me, the screws on the handle also help index the knife. Otherwise, the rounded rear end is something to go for as it fits well at the base of the hand.
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| If only the thrower is consistent, so are the knives. Spinning Butcher behaves very civilized in the air. As you can see, mine leans slightly to the right, that's how I throw. |
The blade is also well-shaped. By that, I mean that on a good rotational knife, if there is one, the belly or the swedge is shaped so that it is easy to find the right angle on the knife when throwing from the blade. It is in this case.
The angle you get if you hold the knife with the "edge" towards you and the swedge against the board with an index finger near the spine of the blade is the correct one. Then it has to be fine-tuned depending on the throwing technique, of course. But the knife provides the basics, so to speak.
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| Despite their size, the knives are good precision tools |
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| Here's a cap that isn't doing so well |
Another sympathetic detail is the weight of the knife. That, in combination with the length, means that the knife spins rather slowly if the thrower does not speed it up. That in turn makes it easy to calculate rotation speed. In other words, the Spinning Butcher is a relatively easy-to-throw knife.
It is also easy to aim with as the tip is found near the center line of the knife. It sits neither low nor high. That, too, is a likable quality.
- Rotational
Basic throws from three meters are a joy with these knives. The only thing that must be taken into account is, of course, weight and length if you are used to smaller knives. Larger knives spin more slowly, which means that either the thrower has to contribute more energy by forcing the knife to rotate faster, or you have to let the throw "evolve" at its own pace. If the knife is allowed its time, it will stick both hard and with accuracy.
A few throws with a basic grip in the handle from 3m
My natural grip is with my thumb level with the screw closest to the blade. The grip is semi-firm and the angle will give itself if the grip is relaxed in this case. With my technique, I have a fairly long start-up phase and retrieve the knife behind the shoulder with the point down towards the back. Others throw with a shorter snappier motion.
Here is an example of a throw from 4 m from the blade
The second basic technique is, of course, from 4 m gripping the blade. Here, too, the blade design gives a good hint as to how the knife should be held. Three fingers fit on the swedge and the index finger naturally curves around the blade above it. If the knife is held tight enough, the angle will be good here as well. But personal taste and, not least, which technique you use always matter. Therefore, I hold the knife a little harder when I grip the blade and angle it up slightly for a somewhat faster rotation.
Then the feeling is more that I "turn the knife" into the target than that I throw. My mantra is "calm but firm". A throw, even a loose one must be a real throw, I often say. If any force is to be added, it is the elbow that must go down, which accelerates both forearm and hand.
From 5 m it is time for the handle again and two rotations. The Spinning Butcher has to be held a little further out on the handle the way I throw from five meters. Otherwise, it won't make it around. The alternative is a harder throw, of course.
When the distance increases to 6 m, it is important to not use brute force but let the knife do the work. These knives fly powerfully through the air and the impact force is great, so extra power is not needed for that reason. On the contrary, from six meters it helps to be cool and keep the elbow down and the hand close to the body so the knife moves in a small circle and starts to rotate. In addition, do not make the throw too fast if you retrieve the knife as far back as I do. If you do, you don't have time to feel the knife in motion. That is a feeling hard to explain.
From seven meters the Spinning Butcher is very pleasant to throw. Easy to calculate in terms of rotation and easy to stick. When mistakes happen, it is definitely my fault, and not the knife's can be ascertained. Glaring at it like tennis players often do with their rackets doesn't help.
Then I have relatively recently discovered and learned that the rotation and throw from nine meters is quite similar to that from seven. Not much force is needed to reach the target. It is only when you throw from distances farther than 11 m that it becomes necessary to use some more power to reach the target. The longest I've thrown so far is 13.40 m. Modest I know. But I will work on that detail in the future
- Half Spin
This knife is really not good for this type of throwing. I really prefer dagger shapes if I have to throw half-spin with larger knives. Spinner Butcher is not made for this and of course, you can tell. Because the knife is not symmetrical and has a wide blade, it likes to capsize in the air and, in addition, it is too heavy to feel comfortable. However, the blade is easy to grip so that bit works well.
This is not the same as not being able to throw it with half a rotation. Everything can be thrown, just more or less good. Therefore, I also think that the Spinning Butcher is better for underhand throws than overhand throws if you absolutely must throw them this way.
- No Spin
The title is really redundant. The knife is simply too big and heavy for normal no-spin techniques. As above, you can throw Spinner Butcher without rotation. It's just not good for it. Possibly if you're into "Thorn-Style" which to some extent overrides the usual rules of knife size in a no-spin context. But other than that, it's no good for this task.
Conclusion
What I think about these knives can probably best be summarized by saying that they are my competition knives at the moment. As such, they have helped me to two third places in The Swedish Championships (Walk Back Rotation) so far, as well as a couple of medals in long-distance throwing and one in silhouette throwing.
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| The last competition with Spinning Butcher resulted in a third place in the Swedish Championships-2024 |
If Spinner Butchers are to be described more generally, they are quite easy to throw with as I said. This means that the rotation and aim are fairly easy to calculate. Then, of course, it is not easy throwing a knife, but that is now another question. In any case, the knives are not an obstacle in this case. They are good enough for everything from the amateur to the world champion.
The important thing is to take it easy and let the throw mature, so to speak. The knife does the rest. But of course, if you want to use power throws, that's fine too. This is because the knife is neutrally balanced and can thus be brought to the correct fast spin. But it requires some strength.
In any case, they hit like a freight train out of control. The feeling with each throw is that it is a considerable force that is focused on the target. Not least the sound the knife makes contributes to that.
Part of the explanation is found in the weight. They are heavy without being the heaviest with their weight of around 450g. This in turn makes the Spinning Butcher excellent for longer distances. They spin just as calmly at seven, nine, eleven, or thirteen meters. Probably on much longer distances too if you are more competent in the area than I am.
The quality is, as usual with knives from Throwingzone , excellent. It has been on all the knives I've reviewed from them.* The steel is tough, but of course, if you hit it hard enough there will be marks. But the steel has more of a tendency towards dents than chips. A tough material in other words.
The handles were a bit of a gamble. My other knives with handles have leather grips and most of them are also made by myself. Here I chose 3D printed handle sides because I was curious about how they would feel and perform. It can immediately be said that they last really well. The plastic itself is quite durable and can withstand an oblique hit or two without cracking. But mine look horrible nowadays mostly because I often throw three knives at a single target whereupon they hit each other from time to time. It's inevitable when you throw as many throws as I do. The only way to avoid it is to have three targets, something that has not always been possible for me.
In addition, I throw outdoors surrounded by nature, so the occasional visit to a rock or two has also happened, although it is quite rare nowadays.
What the plastic does is that it allows a greater color variation. The grip itself is satisfying. Higher friction than leather offers but not so much that it ruins the feeling when throwing. The sides are attached with both glue and two adjustable Chicago screws. As usual, they need to be tightened sometimes. A dab of thread lock helps.
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| WL Custom Blade Spinning Butcher made by Throwingzone |
Quality comes at a price. At the time of writing, these beauties cost €305. But then it must be taken into account that they are partly handmade in small series. It is something you buy for life and not just for the moment.
Overall, I am delighted with my Spinning Butchers from Throwingzone. I can do nothing but warmly recommend them to anyone looking for a throwing knife with its distinct design language and excellent throwing characteristics for rotational throwing at the highest level.
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| Throwingzone |
Specifications:
Steel: Hardox
