Axes have been especially prevalent these days with the emergence of the sport of axe throwing across the world – but it’s a well-known fact that axes have been used for thousands of years for much more than throwing. It’s one of the oldest tools used by mankind after all.
History Of Axes
Before the modern axe, the stone-age hand axe was used without a handle – only later to be fastened to a wooden handle. The earliest examples of handled axes have heads of stone with some form of the wooden handle attached in a method to suit the available materials and use. Axes made of copper, bronze, iron and steel appeared as these technologies developed. Axes these days are composed of a head and a handle.
Most modern axes have steel heads and wooden handles, typically although plastic or fiberglass handles are also common. Modern axes are sorted by use, size and form. Shafted axes with short handles designed for use with one hand are often called hand axes, scout axes, or hatchets. Hatchets tend to be small shafted axes often with a hammer on the back side. As easy-to-make weapons, axes have frequently been used in combat.
SHOPRO Standard
Axe throwing is a sport in which the competitor throws an axe at a target, attempting to hit the bulls eye as near as possible. Axe throwing is an event in most lumberjack competitions, however in recent years it has gained a significant amount of popularity in Canada, United States, and the United Kingdom.
SHOPRO has several different models of axes suitable for axe throwing depending on experience level and throwing preference. The most popular model (A006650) features the following:
- 1.5 lbs Steel Head
- 14″ Overall Length
- Genuine Hickory Wood Handle
- Round Eye Wedge
- Iconic Yellow Paint Grip
This is one of the most durable throwing axes in the business. While they may break often as a beginner axe, a more seasoned axe thrower can make this SHOPRO axe last for years. The 1.5lbs steel axe head & 14″ handle are the perfect weight and size for axe throwing leagues. The Genuine Hickory handle is an ideal wood to use for the hard abuse of axe throwing.
This SHOPRO axe is the most used throwing axe within the sport, being used as the base axe model of BATL & NATF for several years. The iconic yellow gripped handle is a feature that set this axe out from the rest.
How To Get Started
There are just a few things you need before jumping into the world of axe throwing:
The Axe
For starters, it’ll be best to practice with a small hatchet. You don’t need a sharp axe. If the blade is dull, that’s still okay. It’ll be slightly harder to stick to the target but a fully “knife-sharp” axe isn’t needed, so don’t worry about sharpening the edge too much. If you have a regular axe, that will work too, but you may need to step back a bit further so the axe can do a full rotation and land properly on the target. One thing to keep in mind for axes (of all shapes and sizes), the size and length of the shaft of the axe will determine how far you have to stand away from the target to do a full rotation to hit it.
The Target
You’ll need a target. You can build one of your own using wood from your local store, but this will take significantly more time to put together, ensure it can stand up to the weight of the axes being thrown. So unless you’re a carpenter or a handyman (or handy-woman) we suggest that you use a large circular tree stump. The tree stump that you cut or purchase, should be at least 60 centimeters in diameter (or 24 inches). This type of target will last a lot longer and you’ll find that the axes will stick very easily to them once you wear it in.
Safety First
Since you’re throwing axes, make sure your make sure you follow these rules:
Rule #1:
Don’t throw an axe if someone is in front of you or near the target. Keep a clearance area of at least 6 feet surrounding the target.
Rule #2:
Don’t sharpen the blade too much to the point where you can cut yourself. If it’s as sharp as a knife, you overdid it!
How to Grip An Axe
When you pick up and grip the axe, have a firm grip, similar to how you would grip a baseball bat. An important element to the grip is ensuring that the blade isn’t rotated to the left or the right. It needs to be straight so when you release the axe, the trajectory is perfectly straight and will stick to the target.
Basic Axe Throwing Technique
SHOPRO Axes are available at your local dealers or online at Amazon.ca. Be safe and have fun! You can also check out some Canadian Axe throwing companies listed below
Bad Axe Throwing: https://badaxethrowing.com
Backyard Axe Throwing League: https://batlgrounds.com/
Forged Axe Throwing: https://www.forgedaxe.ca/
You can also read further reviews on our SHOPRO Axe on the following websites.
Axeadelphia: https://axeadelphia.com/top5.html
Clutch Axes: https://clutchaxes.com/product/shopro-axe-throwing-league-hatchet-1-5lbs-camp-axe-14-wood-handle/
Siam Blades: https://siamblades.com/products/shopro-professional-league-throwing-axe-national-world-axe-throwing-league-hatchet