Throwing a Knife

[Aurelius120]

Homework Statement:

I have heard that if you spin a knife it hits harder than if allowed to fly tangentially

Relevant Equations:

NA

They say that a rotating knife thrown is more dangerous than a knife thrown straight

I find it weird

• If the knife is rotating, it will experience more air drag than if thrown straight which will also depend on plane of rotation(For some reason, I don't know, it experiences more drag if rotated in horizontal plane than if in the vertical plane)
• One end of it will have greater velocity than it could have in pure translation but hey! There is no saying which end will hit the target and that end will probably have maximum velocity(as in rolling motion)

So does that actually mean any advantage

 

[haruspex]

It is easier to get a high velocity with a throw that spins the knife from the point instead of one that throws it like a dart.

 

[berkeman]

They say

Can you post a link to where you have read this please? As @haruspex says, there are other considerations...

 

[Aurelius120]

https://www.quora.com/Throwing-knives-is-no-spin-throwing-better-than-throwing-with-spin

 

[berkeman]

https://www.quora.com/Throwing-knives-is-no-spin-throwing-better-than-throwing-with-spin

Quora is not a valid scientific reference. Do you have any links to more scientific sources?