Axe Throwing

[Phil Berghan-Whyman]

Has anyone done much (or any) axe throwing? Anyone know much about historical axe throwing?

[Stuart]

Yep, have done a bit of that. Ideally you need a selection of matching balanced axes, and a big piece of soft wood on which to practice. ..And lots of time. It takes about one hour per day for a month to get any good. If in doubt, throw the axe and whatever you hit, call it the target !

[Oskar der Drachen]

I've done a bit too, and double bitted are way easier than single. If you can get them. There are a number of sources online for the handmade ones. If you know anyone that might be at Pennsic this year, they are always on sale there in multiples of the same style. Roughly $15-20 US each last time I bought them. They have an axe range most years.

The target I built was a log section about 500mm across and 300-400 thick. It was bolted to a strong folding wooden tripod with the face of the log as the target. I had a brace of six single bitted axes. The biggest hazard is replacing split handles. Throwing one at a time is OK but when you have multiples the incoming axes hit the bedded ones from behind. Get more handles than you have heads in other words, because you'll need them.

http://www.ragweedforge.com/ThrowingCatalog.html

http://www.viking-shield.com/axes2.html

http://www.amazon.com/BRAND-NOT-SPECIFIED-Double-Throwing/dp/B000W4BR24/ref=pd_sbs_sg_njs_title_5

[Bogue]

on the subject of chuckin things:-
Craig Broughton has a set (Bowie and Hawk) with the hawk handle designed to shoot forwrd out of the head in the case of impact from something else . I think they are Hawken Brand from USA.

Knife and axe throwing are buckets O Fun. At one stage the national knife and axe champ was a 13 year old girl, so it ain't jist about big hairy men.

The secret is get it right once and then do it the same every time after that.

For a quick and dirty target take short lengthss 4x2 scrap stack so you have an even end grain on one end and wrap a tied down around them and pull up real tight. makes a solidish block. Better for knives than axes.

You may be better to start with knives for a while to understand the rotation mechanics of the thing.
Theoretically any blade can be thrown to stick in a target, I know of throwers in the States who steal steak knives from restaurants just to see if they can be thrown.

Cheers

Bogue

[Phil Berghan-Whyman]

Thanks guys. While browsing on the web I came across an article on throwing tomahawks. These pics look a bit naf, but what do you think of the technique?

...[T]ake aim, not by sighting along the hatchet, but by fixing our eyes on the mark, and so holding our weapon that its edge formed part of the vertical line A B, Fig. 233.

When the tomahawk is brought back from position in Fig. 233, over the shoulder as in Figs. 234 and 235, without turning the edge to one side or the other, and thrown from this position, the blade cleaves its way straight through the air, and the air itself tends to keep it true to its course.
How to Score a Hit

Take aim, as in Fig. 233, bring the tomahawk back over the shoulder, as in Figs. 234 and 235, then bring your hand quickly down, following the line A B, Fig. 233, and, swinging the body forward, let fly the tomahawk as in Fig. 236.
tbp236.gif (17936 bytes)

Note How the Hatchet Strikes Its Edge
Between Turns Shown by Dotted Line

The weapon will turn over and over, as shown by the dotted line in the diagram. At a distance of about ten feet it will make two turns and stick (C, Fig. 236). Of course, you must learn to gauge the distance so that at the end of the last somersault the hatchet will strike the target with the cutting edge, as in Fig. 236, so that it will stick.

If the distance of the throw is to be increased, one must be sure to step back far enough to allow the hatchet to make another somersault and a rise before the cutting edge can bit. It is generally safe to count on a revolution and a half to make a hit, and one soon learns to gauge this distance, and can add or subtract a hitting distance by stepping forward or backward, as the case may be. Not only can this be done, but the novice will learn to measure a distance with his eyes, and, even at a long throw, will instinctively know whether to step forward or backward in order to make a hit, and he will also know just how his hatchet will strike the target.

Fig. 233. Correct Position for Throw



Figs. 234, 235. Keep the Blade in a Vertical Line



Fig. 236. Note How the Hatchet Strikes Its Edge Between Turns Shown by Dotted Line

[Bogue]

Did a bit of a search,

http://www.inquiry.net/OUTDOOR/skills/axe/axe_throwing.htm not just for it's throwing but also for all the other info on the site

http://users.rcn.com/comlogic/knife/ But this is one of the best chuckin reference sites

Have fun
Cheers
Bogue

[Oskar der Drachen]

Yep, that's about it. You can also control how many turns the axe will take at a given distance by how hard or by how much "whip" you give it on the release. Even a soft throw with an axe has a lot of kinetic energy on target.

I've had a go with throwing full sized axes too. That is far too much fun to be fully legal. I once scared a guy at a local Renfaire one afternoon by hoisting three of his double bitted axes into three heart targets on his cut-out line up.

WhipWhipWhip Crunch!
WhipWhipWhip Crunch!
WhipWhipWhip Crunch! Mmmmmm Caaarnage......

"O O Ok, t th that was s supposed to b be one at a time, but here is your Certificate. Have you seen the Mallet Strike booth (way) over there?"

[Phil Berghan-Whyman]

[AndyMc]

Ohh, this sounds like far too much fun.

I have a couple of throwing knives and a hand axe. Shall I bring them along to Archery practice on the 14th? There are plenty of round log ends at the park that could be used as targets.

[Phil Berghan-Whyman]

[AndyMc]

[NZArcher]

Interested in throwing things ?you may find some interesting stuff arrives if you email thrower@nzthrowers.com with name address ccontact etc. Competition being held at the Outdoors NZ Ancestral Skills (2 1/2 day) Rendezvous this Auck. Anniversary Weekend