Blowguns: The Breath Of Death (Paperback)

~ Michael Janich (Author) "The blowgun, sometimes also called a blowpipe or blowtube, has a long but not necessarily well-documented history..." (more)
Key Phrases: spring steel dart, syringe dart, wire darts, The Breath of Death (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The blowgun is a mysterious tool of silent death. Michael Janich reveals the many secrets of its capabilities and uses: how to buy or make your own blowgun and darts (including "special" projectiles), shoot the weapon, devise custom targets and customize, maintain and store your gun. This is the best book on this fascinating and deadly device.

About the Author

Michael D. Janich is one of the foremost modern authorities on handgun point shooting and one of the few contemporary instructors to have personally trained with the late close-combat legend Col. Rex Applegate. In addition to making his own martial arts equipment, noted martial arts author and instructor Michael Janich has designed and engineered everything from blowguns to knives, including the highly acclaimed Masters of Defense Tempest folding knife.

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press (March 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873647076
• ISBN-13: 978-0873647076
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #413,989 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book on an important primitive weapon., July 15, 1999

By	J.R.R.Abrahão (aka) "Mad Abe" "jrra" (São Paulo, SP, Brazil) - See all my reviews

This amazing little book tells everything a layman wish to know about one of the most fascinating, efficient, and seldom-know of the weapons of the World: the Blowgun. Blowguns history, construction, and usage; conventional projectiles making and usage; advanced projectiles making (such as stun-type, mace-type, target, hunting, broadheaded, incendiary, explosive, even poisoned ones). A chapter on poisons, but from a modern, urban-household point-of-view: how to use common products as deadly poisons; how to prepare true chemical-warfare-type poison from common inseticides. This book is a must for any weapons buff, collector, hunter, or survivalist. Afterall, wich makes a good weapon? It must be cheap (so cheap you can put it into the garbage anytime you want - or need!), precise, silent, easy-to-use, easy-to-conceal, easy-to-destroy, and, most of all, deadly. And, the Blowgun is such a weapon! Today, South-American Indians still kill animals and men alike with theyr primitive Blowguns, using poisoned-coated darts. No survivalist can skip such a weapon!

Professionally, I'm an attorney, journalist, and published writer of 3 books & 26 booklets. I have hunted with every conceavable weapon, from British double .577 rifles, to .44 Magnum revolvers; from primitive bows & arrows, to advanced compound crossbows; from Argentine bolas, to ancient atlatls; and hear me: hunting with a Blowgun is fascinating! Go and buy this book NOW! You'll wonder how you lived without it! Good look with this unique work!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting, April 12, 2000

By A Customer

Author Janich writes on a subject shrouded in mystery-even to a primitive weapon enthusiast-here in Europe the blowgun as a real hunting weapon is almost totally unknown.It's hard to comprehend the force your own breath transfers to a razor sharp dart(as the name of the book implies).Janich's work is pretty well rounded,although I was somewhat disappointed about the lack of actual hunting experiences and the effect of a hunting dart on a real life situation.Janich has a slight twist towards an anarchist point of view(slashing tires,harassing people with special shots etc.),but for me that was just an amusing flavor within the informative context.An important,if not the ultimate book on blowguns.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Introduction to a Unique Weapon, November 24, 2006

By	Michael Chesbro (Rainier, Washington USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Blowguns are unique and interesting weapons, enjoyable for sport and capable of killing small game in hunting or survival situations.

In "Blowguns: The Breath of Death" Michael Janich discusses the history of blowguns, their advantages and capabilities, and provides instructions on how to make your own blowgun at home.

The accuracy of blowguns is explained. The average shooter can quickly learn to consistently hit a `grapefruit' size target at 40 yards. And the power of a blowgun is shown where darts are capable of easily penetrating a 3/8 inch piece of plywood.

Michael Janich also shows how to make special projectiles for your blowgun, such as injector darts to inject poison into large game being hunted and broad-head darts using `X-acto' knife blades for hunting small game. There is also a brief introduction to using making and using poisons on your blowgun darts.

I first read "Blowguns: The Breath of Death" about 10 years ago, and after re-reading it again today I found it just as interesting and informative as when I first read it.

Enjoyable and highly recommended.