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Cheap, good quality Shuriken throwing star

by Andyman3k on March 21, 2007

Table of Contents
Cheap, good quality Shuriken throwing star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Intro: Cheap, good quality Shuriken throwing star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Getting the stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Prepping the plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Drawing the base square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4: Drawing the star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 5: Drilling the holes (optional but looks way cooler) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 6: Cutting it out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 7: Cleaning it up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 8: Sharpening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 9: Finish! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

Intro: Cheap, good quality Shuriken throwing star

I've searched and searched, but no where could I find instructions on how to make a nice, high quality, amateur throwing star. In this instructable, I will guide you through
the process of making a steel shuriken for under 10$ (if you already have the tools).
DISCLAIMER: This is a WEAPON and is not for just throwing around at people, pets etc. It can SERIOUSLY injure or even KILL somebody. The blades are extremely
SHARP. I am not responsible for anything that you do with this. If you are foolish enough to throw it at a person or a pet then just stop reading now.
Have fun and BE SAFE!!

Image Notes
1. It even made the wood bleed!!! :P

Step 1: Getting the stuff

A minimum of what you need:
-A metal plate of some sort, relatively thick. It should be no larger than 5 inches or you will waste a lot of material. I used a galvanized steel electrical box cover I got from
home depot for about $0.60. This works VERY well.
-An angle tool, or something that can measure and draw straight lines exactly perpendicular to the sides of the plate
-A pencil
-A jigsaw OR:
-A hacksaw with steel cutting blades (much slower and harder)
-If a jigsaw, high speed steel cutting blades. A pack of 3 cost me about 5 bucks.
-A bench grinder or equivalent (steel belt grinder, dremel, etc)
-3/8" steel drill bit. Mine was a zirconium coated bit from a big set my dad got. You could also buy a cobalt bit, but a 3/8" one would run you about $10. Ouch
-A drill that can run at least 800 RPM, hopefully with a lot of torque
-Metal file
-240 grit metal sanding sand paper (needed to make the pencil marks show up on the plate)
OPTIONAL:
-A drill press (I didn't have one so I was just careful. It isn't vital for the holes to be that precise)
-Some silicon carbide metal sandpaper (60, 120, 240, and if you want it really smooth, 400 and/or even 600 grit paper. Whatever you want to do.

Image Notes
1. I took this off because it kept running into the clamps.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

Step 2: Prepping the plate

In order to draw on the plate with pencil, it needs a rougher texture than the glass smooth-ness that it comes with. You only need to prep one side.
Start with 60 grit silicon carbide sandpaper if the metal has lots of bumps. If not just use 240 and sand in small circles until the whole thing is done. You should be able to
make a mark with your pencil.

Step 3: Drawing the base square

Find two touching sides that are perfectly flat. If all of them are flat, then just pick a top and a side and scribble close to the very edge. Only put the flat of the right angle
tool on these sides and only measure from these two sides. Now measure and draw a 2 1/2 inch square in the very center of the plate. For example, on my 4 inch plate, I
had to measure in 3/4 of an inch in from the edge and drew a line. Then I measured 2 1/2 inches farther and drew a line there. So now I have 2 parallel lines that are 2
1/2 inches apart. Repeat this in the other direction and you will have a perfect square. Now, find the midpoint of each side of the square and mark them. Now draw a
straight line between them. You should now have 4 small squares. The picture can better show what I mean.

Step 4: Drawing the star

From each midpoint, measure 3/8" straight in and mark there. These are the inside points of the star. From there, draw a line from the two nearest points of the square to
the newly marked spot. Repeat this 4 times on each side. You should now have a basic star shape. See the picture if you don't quite get it.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

Step 5: Drilling the holes (optional but looks way cooler)

Now if you have a drill press, this step will be a breeze. If not, then, like me, you just have to be careful. You are going to be drilling at inside star points. It's kind of hard to
explain, so look at the image for reference. You are going to use the 3/8" drill bit for these holes. If you don't have a drill press, it would probably be easier if you use a bit
about half the size to drill a hole first. It's hard to get a big bit to go exactly where you want in one shot. You can be more precise with smaller bits. Also, if you want to
counter any wind blowing it off target, drill a hole in the center.

Step 6: Cutting it out

Now it's time to cut the thing out. If you have a jigsaw and you drilled the holes, start from the inside of the holes and go out. If you didn't drill the holes, then you just have
to start from the outside. If you don't have a jigsaw, then don't bother trying to start from the inside of the holes. You need to clamp the plate down, I shouldn't need to
explain the reason for that.
(The ideal tool for this step would be a bandsaw, but most people don't have one of those, and they're pretty expensive. However, you could go down to your local
machine shop and see if they'll cut it out for you)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

Image Notes
1. I took this off because it kept running into the clamps.

Step 7: Cleaning it up
Now you need to clean up the edges of the star, since they will probably be pretty rough. So, using the grinder, flatten the edges up, or use a file, which will take a lot
longer.

Image Notes
1. Hehe, I lieks makin teh sparks...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

Step 8: Sharpening
This step is semi-optional, but I would recommend it. Now that your sides are flat, use the grinder (or a file) and grind edges onto the star. They should be at about a 45
degree angle. When you finish grinding an edge with the grinder, quench it in some water and slosh it around to cool it off (its SUPER hot).

Image Notes
1. Freshly sharpened; very sharp edges

Image Notes
1. The metal got discolored because it's so hot

Step 9: Finish!
Now your star is complete! If you want, you can make the edges razor sharp with a fine file, or whatever, but remember this isn't super high quality steel, so it probably
won't hold an edge for long.
Now remember, Have Fun but BE SAFE!!!

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

Altoid Ninja Kit

by Toxicity

Comments
50 comments Add Comment

view all 276 comments

Otaconmgs says:

Sep 11, 2008. 7:13 PM REPLY

The reason it gets discolored is because it's tempered metal. The discoloration indicates the temper being taken out of the metal, causing it to be brittle, and
more easily chipped.

Andyman3k says:

Sep 16, 2008. 12:00 PM REPLY

Actually, I thought that the softer a metal is, the less likely is is to break but more likely to dent and bend. Its the really HARD steels that are more subject
to cracking and fractures. Also, ALL steels will discolor if heated, even the non tempering and non carbon steels. Temper only relates to a metal losing
hardness, but this metal was never hard to begin with. I think the discoloration might have something to do with rapid oxidization during heating.

ninja of suburbia says:

May 31, 2010. 4:39 PM REPLY

your'e both right. the softer a metal is the easier it is to deform. the harder it is, the more likely it will break. All commercial metals are hardened
and tempered. The discoloration is due not only to losing its temper, but impurities in the metal coming to the surface. Or, if the metal turned a really
dark blue, congrats! you just tempered the metal as far as it will go. btw, metals only change color if they are heated really hot, like with a blow torch.
as for oxidization, it depends on the metal. personally i doubt it, seeing as you would have to get a very low grade steel or high grade iron, which is
not made very much anymore. props for the ninja stars, though! fyi, plasma cams are easier, if you can get ahold of one.

K.hall86 says:

Jan 14, 2011. 4:07 PM REPLY

in order to nip this whole issue in the butt...just constantly cool the metal in a water bin as you work. In doing this, the grain structure of the
material will stay in tact and keep you from altering the properties of the metals..
as a note, when you super heat the metal...(lets just say anything too hot to handle with with thin gloves or bare hands) if the metal is dunked into
a water bath (quenched) it has become much harder...in a cool natural state, the molecules of the metal are in a Body Centered Cubic (BCC)
pattern, which is very structurally stable. when heated, the molecules transform into Face Centered Cubic (FCC)...if allowed to cool slowly over
time, the material will return to its original structure, if quenched the molecules will the shape of the Body Centered Tetragonal (BCT)...this is
where the weakness comes from...the larger molecular structure adds hardness, and like you mentioned brittleness...if you want to fix this all you
have to do is heat the metal up and allow it to cool slowly over time...this is called annealing
yet another note...you are using galvanized steel...who cares?? if you had cobalt tool steel, then you worry about heat effects on the metal...other
wise, it was a good instructable, and keep having fun!

ninja of suburbia says:

Jan 15, 2011. 3:20 PM REPLY

that is one way to soften the metal, you are right, but tempering the steel will also return the metal to a more stable pattern, with the benefit
that,by watching the colors in the polished metal, you can get it very precisely softened, depending on the task at hand, for example a very
light temper on a chisel, but a deeper temper on a knife

netbus says:

Jun 26, 2010. 6:52 AM REPLY

Guys, I miss most of the mentioned tools, so I will attempt using a frying pan as a plate and a hacksaw(with a steel cutting blade). Think it gonna work? I'm
too lame for that project(lol) so I will also use a file. I just don't want to buy anything especially for this... Darn, I'm not sure if I'll make it to the end...

coocooachoo568 says:

Jun 20, 2010. 10:21 PM REPLY

yesss! i made this and it is amazing! i used the exact same metal electrical box cover you used! thanks for this instructable! turned out great! :DD

the_burrito_master says:

Jun 1, 2010. 11:09 AM REPLY

If you make the square on a 45* angle then you can make them bigger.

the_burrito_master says:
I love this instructable I've made a few ninja stars from it. here's a batarang that your instructable inspired me to make.
used an electric panel for the blade and some sheet metal to hold the 2 parts together.
Gonna stick it in my forge and try to smelt them all together soon.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

May 5, 2010. 8:32 PM REPLY

ninja of suburbia says:

Jun 1, 2010. 7:14 AM REPLY

um dude, smelting is the process of melting the ore out of stone. welding is putting two pieces of metal together. also, unless your forge can turn the
metal white, where its like bubbling and spitting sparks, your best bet is to get a welding torch. just saying.

spenfisher12 says:

Mar 25, 2010. 2:19 PM REPLY

if you heat it up to red hot and throw it in water it gets harder but more brittle its a give take thing it can hold an edge or not chip or break

ninja of suburbia says:

May 31, 2010. 4:43 PM REPLY

actually, you want an orange heat on the steel, and yeah throw it in oil, heads for flare-ups. also, when you're done with that, polish it with sandpaper,
and then take a blowtorch to it. the polished surface will change colors, so pay attention. when it hits a gold to dark yellow color, let it cool and you're
good to go. don't hold the torch in one spot, though, keep it moving so you get an even temper.

harley_rly says:

Mar 27, 2010. 11:15 PM REPLY

i've heard of doin somethin similar, its just instead of water, you use oil, and it increases the carbon content of the steel, of coarse with thowing weapons
you typically dont want something very brittle, due to the amount of shock force caused from impact

ninja of suburbia says:

May 31, 2010. 4:40 PM REPLY

heads up with galvanized steel. when heated, it releases a deadly gas. work in a ventilated area!

ShadowofaNinja says:

May 16, 2010. 1:19 PM REPLY

oh i didnt follow this step, mine failed... :(

Don,t try this at home says:

May 16, 2010. 7:49 AM REPLY

So why do you have a hole in one star and not the other does the one with the hole make it fly better???

DestroyerOfWorlds says:

Apr 20, 2010. 4:29 PM REPLY

Umm, just curious...what do you mean by "Find two side that are perfectly flat"

Speedmite says:

May 3, 2010. 7:29 PM REPLY

edges.
or draw a template on graph paper like i did.

Speedmite says:

May 3, 2010. 11:52 AM REPLY

This is a really good instructable. I made one of my own, and it looks epic. Also made a 6 pointed one. I used a drill press, a hacksaw(horribly slow) and a
bench grinder

cowscankill says:

Oct 3, 2008. 1:33 PM REPLY

I like this. I really like this. Do you know how to make poison? that would be cool to use on shurikans, kunai knives, and blow gun darts. I still can't find how
to make poison anywhere...

geodez says:

Apr 12, 2010. 1:13 PM REPLY

the most dangerous poison in the world is, spoiled potato salad.

Andyman3k says:

Mar 20, 2010. 3:39 PM REPLY

Seriously?? Poison isn't "cool," it's not something you play around with, you need to seriously think about what it is you're doing.
I really wish you people would quit these pointless, immature and irresponsible discussions on how to make poison to put on homemade weapons. You
might as well be asking "Hey, leik how do i make a nerve agent??" or "Do you kno where i can getz sum anthrax? It wud be kewl to have some lol"
It just seems like you people haven't used your brain to make the connection between POISON and DEATH, or what death is

ninja of suburbia says:

Jun 1, 2010. 7:17 AM REPLY

yeah, im with you man. guys, this isn't even something funny. these are actual weapons that could kill someone. you could literally cripple or kill
someone by screwing around with these. as for poison, unless you have studied them extensively, and know precisely what you're doing, you could
kill yourself, not whoever you're aiming for. a knife that is poisoned enough to kill someone you don't know the metabolism and other stuff could
easily kill you from a scrape across the knuckles. don't mess around with poisons guys. play it smart.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

reoga13 says:

Apr 18, 2010. 1:38 PM REPLY

wow you should never compair an un-tracedle natural poison goten from a special seed to anthrax thats just wrong

cowscankill says:

Mar 20, 2010. 6:02 PM REPLY

You think I am an irresponsible kid that doesn't understand how to handle weapons.
This post is 2 years old. I'm pretty sure that I don't need poison anymore, and if I do, I already have some.
I know many people on the internet seem stupid, but at least check their background before assuming people don't have any credibility.
Well... I'm glad we got a few things cleared up.

Andyman3k says:

Mar 20, 2010. 8:27 PM REPLY

Sorry if it sounded like that last post was directed at you, it was more a generic message after countless email notifications of a new comment
that 90% of the time were about making poison.
I rarely see a comment about the actual instructable anymore; its always about making poison ;_; and it's spamming and cluttering the comments
section.
Also, i dont know how a 2 year old post appeared above the most recent comment...

cowscankill says:

Mar 21, 2010. 12:55 PM REPLY

If someone replies to the comment, then it gets bumped up.

No problem about the misunderstanding, happens to the best of us.
You should just turn your email notifications off.

Vladamier says:

May 26, 2010. 1:11 PM REPLY

Now now, Cowscankill, what would Mr. La'flesh think about you asking about poison?

minipancho94 says:

Mar 13, 2010. 11:49 PM REPLY

easy posion would be apple seeds posionus but you need to get throught the tough outside and i dont know how potent it is but its a posion.

PikminRed says:

Mar 20, 2010. 7:16 AM REPLY

Uhh apple seeds aren't poisonous... I don't know who told you that, but that was stupid... (things kids say.. A kid told me taco means 'curse' in
Spanish...)
They wouldn't give them to kids if that was the case..

minipancho94 says:

Mar 20, 2010. 12:50 PM REPLY

actualy im prety sure theres a poison in the seeds dont know how affetuve it is though or if its worth and extracting. and nicotine seems the best
by far though.

PikminRed says:

Mar 22, 2010. 1:46 PM REPLY

Actually, I'm pretty sure there is NONE in it. You must not have studied biology in school yet.

Novur says:

Apr 2, 2010. 5:08 AM REPLY

...yeah, your wrong. Sorry.

www.snopes.com/food/warnings/apples.asp

PikminRed says:

Jun 23, 2010. 2:14 PM REPLY

How do you know that is a reliable website? If they did, I would be dead. I eat the seeds on purpose all the time. I am still alive.

Novur says:

Jun 24, 2010. 7:02 AM REPLY

Did you even bother reading the entire article, rather than just the first paragraph? Read the third paragraph. It explains why you
haven't died from apple seed ingestion. Unfortunately, it doesn't explain why you haven't died as a result of your own stupidity.

harley_rly says:

Mar 27, 2010. 11:19 PM REPLY

dude, there is a possibility there, just cause people eat apples, dont mean taht its ok to eat the seeds...i mean hell peach seeds can
contain sodium cyanide sometimes, and by sometimes i dont mean 1:20,000 i mean theres actually a fair chance of coming across one
with an adequate amount of cyanide

WerdnaN says:
That may be so, but when was the last time you accidentally bit through a peach pit?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

Apr 12, 2010. 3:52 PM REPLY

harley_rly says:

Apr 15, 2010. 5:44 PM REPLY

im not sayin its a problem that the poison is there, just acknowledging the fact that it is indeed there, and that it isnt all to crazy for
apple seeds to be poisonous, it takes one batty person to go munchin on apple seeds, and peach pits

PikminRed says:

Jun 23, 2010. 2:19 PM REPLY

DO you have a problem with eating the seeds. Dude, something is wrong with you.

your dog says:

May 12, 2010. 10:04 PM REPLY

its even worse for dogs...

Questor says:

Feb 28, 2010. 4:54 PM REPLY

nicotine . . .very effective

admiral001 says:

Oct 31, 2009. 8:43 PM REPLY

Ricin. an oldie, but effective...

wenpherd says:

Mar 3, 2010. 7:13 PM REPLY

Ricin............

admiral001 says:

Oct 31, 2009. 8:39 PM REPLY

You have the entirety of human knowledge at your fingertips. It's on the internet, i've checked.

Jakecrash says:

Jun 21, 2009. 12:48 PM REPLY

There's alot of poisons out there, even tomato plants are poisonous, the leaves and stem contain the largest amount. The amount found in the fruit
however isn't enough to harm a person (animals are another story). If you want to know more about poisons then let me know.

PikminRed says:

Mar 20, 2010. 7:18 AM REPLY

Uhh no.. If that was the case my dog would be dead, and so would I..
I grow tomato plants every year, and when a branch gets whacked, and wont grow back, i chew on the stem and give some to my pup... Just like I
said.. that's dumb of who told you.

I3uckwheat says:

May 22, 2009. 7:09 PM REPLY

you could use mercery

yerjoking says:

Feb 1, 2009. 6:14 AM REPLY

I have an idea for a numbing dart, sorta like the "Tiki" darts that people near me say to mean numbing darts. Its pretty simple really: 1) Get alcohol 2)
Cover object in alcohol 3) If required, feed prey alcohol covered chips For a realistic and possibly working numbing thingy 1) Obtain those alcohol wipes
that numb skin 2) Apply the wipe to the object, rubbing all around the edges, and being careful not to injure yourself 3) Let the object absorb the alcohol.
4) Use when neccessary.

Goedjn says:

Apr 13, 2009. 2:43 PM REPLY

Alcohol is not an anasthetic, it's an antiseptic. Coating things with alcohol makes them hurt more, not less.

1thadeaus1 says:
wow...seriously? what an obscene comment...lol going hunting??? lol

view all 276 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap%2c-good-quality-Shuriken-throwing-star/

Jan 28, 2009. 11:55 AM REPLY