How to Throw a Tomahawk

Getting Started

Get a proper throwing tomahawk. Throwing a camping hatchet or an axe around might seem like fun, but it's dangerous and not recommended for the mechanics described here. Get a traditional throwing tomahawk made for the purpose. These are weighted appropriately for throwing, offering a smooth action and a lightweight, making them ideal for the purpose. You can even shop on Amazon for throwing tomahawks, which range anywhere from $20-30 dollars for entry-level quality models.

Get a target stop. You need something wooden for the tomahawk to stick into, preferably dead wood that won't be harmed by the dings you're going to put in it with your expert strikes. Regularly tomahawk chuckers will typically use a slice of dead tree stump, at least 4 or 6 inches (10.2 or 15.2 cm) thick, mounted on a stand. Aside from hurting the tree, throwing tomahawks at a rounded target can cause the 'hawk to glance and bounce unpredictably. Even if you're practicing proper safety, throwing at a live tree is a bad idea. Never throw tomahawks at targets it won't be able to stick into. It might seem fun to knock cans off the fence, but you risk damaging your tomahawk and wearing the head down considerably. It's also dangerous.

Keep the blade dull. Tomahawks don't stick into soft-wood targets because they're razor sharp, they stick because they're thrown correctly and accurately. Don't risk serious injuries by honing your tomahawk blades to paper-cutting sharpness. It's unlikely that you'll ever need to use the tomahawk for any reason other than fun target practice, so keep it dull and keep it safe.

Always be aware of your surroundings. Only throw tomahawks outdoors. It's important to practice all the safety you'd practice if you were firing a gun when throwing tomahawks. Find an open area to set up your target that's clear of any underbrush or obstacles that'll get in the way of your flying tomahawk. Make sure no one walks behind you or behind the target at any point during your throws.

Standing and Gripping Correctly

Get into the ready stance. Throwing a tomahawk is all in your arm motion and letting the tomahawk come out of your throw as naturally as possible and at the peak of your motion. Your stance needs to be upright and level, with your feet shoulder-width apart and comfortable. Your arms should be loosely and comfortably at your sides and you should be standing square with the target.

Hold the tomahawk correctly. With the handle pointed straight at your body, grip the handle as if you were giving it a firm business handshake, about an inch or two from the end of the handle. Wrap your thumb around the handle as you would a hammer, not placing it on the back as you would a knife. It's very important to not put your thumb on the back of the handle. This affects the spin greatly, causing the tomahawk to rotate differently in the air, usually ending with a loud clang against the target when it fails to stick. Wrap your thumb around comfortably. Alternatively, if you're standing in the right spot and getting too much spin on the 'hawk, you can put your thumb up to slow it down. Practice some to get a feel for how it spins and the proper throwing motion to get a feel for what's right for your throw.

Keep it straight. As you stand holding the tomahawk, you want the edge of the blade to be perfectly perpendicular to the target. If the blade's axis is off just a little bit, the tomahawk will fly through the air all wonky, resulting in an inaccurate toss. To get it level, loosen your grip some and the let the tomahawk fall slightly (don't let go entirely!) to let gravity do the work of straightening it out for you. Because it's top-heavy it should settle naturally into the right position.

Practice letting it swing at your side. To test if you're holding the tomahawk correctly and standing properly, let your arm fall naturally to your side. The blade should be parallel to your leg, neither with the blade pointing in toward you our out away from you. If it isn't, rotate the handle slightly by loosening your grip, leaving your hand in the same basic positioning, and getting it properly situated.

Throwing Accurately

Take the appropriate number of steps back. One of the biggest tricks of throwing a tomahawk accurately is getting the proper distance from your target. It's not a long distance activity. To throw a tomahawk, start with your back at the target as if you were in an old-timey duel. Mark off five normal steps and turn abruptly, squaring yourself up with the target. Consider marking the spot in your target area so you won't have to count if off every time you want to throw. Mark a line in the dirt with your toe, or with sticks to make it easy on yourself.

Bring the tomahawk up in a slow, straight, controlled manner. Keep your arm very straight, holding onto the tomahawk firmly. Let your elbow flex slightly when you reach the apex before you start bringing the tomahawk forward. At this point, your elbow should be roughly next to your ear. It's not in the wrist. Using your wrist won't only make you less accurate, the weight of the tomahawk will put stress on your wrist which can potentially lead to wrist pain. Be very careful. If you bring the tomahawk back too quickly you may lose control, accidentally release it too soon, and throw it backwards.

Bring it forward. At the same speed you brought it back, start bringing it forward. You won't bring it very far forward before you release it, but the motion is similar to an overhand football or baseball throw. Stay standing very straight, keeping both feet on the ground. Don't take a step forward or backward as you throw. Throwing is about the weight of the tomahawk and your natural easy motion, not a quick flick or an aggressive pitch. A common misconception is that you must throw the tomahawk with all of your strength, but in fact, the proper technique involves a fairly slow motion, focusing on maintaining that straight line and keeping the tomahawk on track.

Release the tomahawk. When you see the middle of the handle in the top right corner of your field of vision, let go, letting your arm follow through and complete the motion back down to your side. By the time your hand is level with your eyes you should have already released the tomahawk. Don't release later because the tomahawk needs to spin and releasing too late will make it spin into the ground. Likewise, releasing too early will send your tomahawk flying too high. It'll take some practice, but after a few throws you should have your timing dialed in.