Knife Throwers Would Throw Knives at Living Spinning Targets
Most of us can agree, if we are hurling projectiles towards a target, it is probably because we are playing a game of darts with friends. Getting hit by this bar staple might could leave some uncomfortably small puncture wounds, or, worse case scenario, “poke your eye out”; but the likelihood of you dying from a game of darts is virtually zero. Few of us raise the stakes outside of tiny darts and and the bullseye. However, in the late 19th and early 20th century, there was a throwing game with a lot more to lose than just your projectile throwing reputation. What if your target were no longer plastic or wood but rather a living, breathing human target and your tiny darts were traded with long, sharp knives?
Knife throwers were huge successes. They gathered attention and crowds. For the audience, it is not difficult to see why such a show would be fascinating. One minute, you could be watching amazing feats of skill and precision. The next minute, you may be watching a murder. The knife throwers could have used steady, inaminate objects to show off their precision throwing skills, but blocks of wood do not hold the same entertainment value as watching a knife thrower hurl his sharply bladed tools at beautiful assistants. It is not until a living being is introduced onto the scene before knife calling is called it’s more sinister sounding name: impalement arts.
One particular variation of this death defying act that gained popularity in the early 20th century was none other than “The Wheel of Death”. The ominously named device was a large wooden wheel affixed to a base. Attached to the wheel were cuffs, often leather or another sturdy fabric. The assistant, often blindfolded to increase the fear factor, would then be attached to the wheel by the cuffs. The knife thrower would give the wheel a good spin, and perform his knife throwing act, also sometimes blindfolded. It is said this particular spinning death wheel act originated in the United States in 1938 by a husband and wife team working for the Ringling Brothers Circus.
Balloon puncturing, assistant dodging, wooden targets were all under the mercy of the puncturing artist’s finely sharpened blade. Surprisingly, few accidents or even deaths can be blamed on impalement arts. While many injuries have occurred, most have been by amateur knife throwers who did not exhibit nearly as much skill as their more seasoned counterparts. Reducing the number of accidents or deaths relies entirely on the knife thrower and his relationship with his knives. Balanced knives that carry equal weight in both the blade and handle are necessary requirements for a successful non deadly act. Many amateur knife throwers are unable to differentiate a true balanced weight from a knife that may be more handle heavy or blade heavy.