# Axe-throwing with a twist
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Tags:** liquor-alcohol
**Created:** [February 7, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015 "2025-02-07T15:08:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/1 "2025-02-07T15:08:24Z")
I just discovered this ad: The Axe House is a _premier indoor axe and knife-throwing facility_ based in Chilliwack, BC and is now a fully licensed liquor establishment."
What could possibly go wrong?
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/2 "2025-02-07T15:10:14Z")
We have several of those in Indianapolis. Seem like a lot of fun. There’s also a “Rage Room” in one of them with a bunch of stuff to destroy.
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### Author:  [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/3 "2025-02-07T15:11:37Z")
It’s the liquor license I thought added a certain je ne sais quoi.
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### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/4 "2025-02-07T15:15:39Z")
It’s not really any more dangerous than bowling. Yes, you’re throwing an axe, but it’s in a very controlled environment. My local axe throwing place is BYOB, though they do say “no hard liquor”.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/5 "2025-02-07T15:17:16Z")
There’s a place like that here. Its main attraction is Kart racing, another activity that’s more enjoyable when drunk.
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### Author:  [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/6 "2025-02-07T15:18:54Z")
Here is the local one (they also have an arcade)
> **[Channel your inner lumberjack downtown La Crosse at The Driftless Axe!](https://www.driftlessaxe.com/)**
>
> Located at the corner of 4th & Jay downtown La Crosse The Driftless Axe is the Driftless regions only Axe Throwing Experience! Ready...Aim...Throw!
Brian
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/7 "2025-02-07T15:29:58Z")
I’ve seen axe-throwing booths at local fund-raisers and at the county fair, as well as at a couple of local bars. I don’t entirely understand the appeal, but then I don’t get the appeal of football or hot peppers or drag queens, so I guess it’s one of them each-to-his-own deals. Seriously, tho, it seems like a fairly specialized skill - not like throwing a ball at a tower of mil bottles. I can’t see someone being able to pick up and axe and successfully hit a target. Or maybe it’s just me.
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### Author:  [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/8 "2025-02-07T15:49:32Z")
I will suggest the venue for our next department retreat and, if I survive, will report back to the SDMB.
To be clear, I’ve thrown knives and I’ve been drunk, but it never occurred to me to combine the leisure activities. My Viking ancestors would be ashamed of me, no doubt.
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### Author:  [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/9 "2025-02-07T16:10:28Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#):
>
> I just discovered this ad: The Axe House is a _premier indoor axe and knife-throwing facility_ based in Chilliwack, BC and is now a fully licensed liquor establishment."
Coming soon: Crack Cocaine Chainsaw Catching!
Having once treated a casual ax injury in the field (user was somewhat intoxicated and decided to split kindling on an elevated stump with a hatchet; fortunately not anywhere close to severing an artery but you still wouldn’t believe the amount of blood that comes flowing out of a deep tissue wound), all I can say is that I hope they have a lot of Quik-Clot and know how to place a tourniquet high and tight on a leg wound. I once trained with dual wielding axes which is a weapon selection nearly as terrifying for the user as the opponent.
Stranger
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/10 "2025-02-07T16:14:54Z")
Bars with axe throwing are about a decade old now. Hardly a new idea.
So far I don’t see too many extra people out and about who’re lacking limbs or have prominent scars across their faces. Some, but not many. 😉 🪓 ☺ 👩🦽
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/11 "2025-02-07T16:50:27Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#):
>
> Seriously, tho, it seems like a fairly specialized skill - not like throwing a ball at a tower of mil bottles. I can’t see someone being able to pick up and axe and successfully hit a target.
I suspect there’s a trick to it so, once you do it and manage to land it blade-first into a wall rather than bouncing off handle-first, you feel all accomplished and think “Wow, that was great let’s do it again”. Just guessing that based on axe-throwing being a hep thing and it wouldn’t be a thing if it came with a 90% failure rate.
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### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/12 "2025-02-07T17:00:52Z")
If only Ed Ames were alive today. I could see him as a celebrity spokesman for a whole chain of these places.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/13 "2025-02-07T17:05:33Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> Just guessing that based on axe-throwing being a hep thing and it wouldn’t be a thing if it came with a 90% failure rate. -
It would certainly cut down on repeat business.
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### Author:  [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/14 "2025-02-07T17:10:30Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> have prominent scars across their faces
That’s just waiting for the upcoming fad of Mensur bars.
> **[Academic fencing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_fencing)**
>
> Academic fencing (German: akademisches Fechten) or Mensur is the traditional kind of fencing practiced by some student corporations (Studentenverbindungen) in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Latvia, Estonia, and, to a minor extent, in Belgium, Lithuania, and Poland. It is a traditional, strictly regulated épée fight between two male members of different fraternities with sharp weapons. The German technical term Mensur (from Latin meaning 'dimension') in the 16th century referred to the specified...
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### Author:  [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/15 "2025-02-07T17:11:27Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> I suspect there’s a trick to it so, once you do it and manage to land it blade-first into a wall rather than bouncing off handle-first, you feel all accomplished and think “Wow, that was great let’s do it again”. Just guessing that based on axe-throwing being a hep thing and it wouldn’t be a thing if it came with a 90% failure rate.
Not so much a trick you just have to adjust your distance to the revolutions of the axe you are throwing. Once you get the distance down it will do about the same thing every time if you throw it the same.
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### Author:  [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/16 "2025-02-07T17:30:30Z")
I’m 2017 Kevin Underhill [speculated](https://www.loweringthebar.net/2017/06/axe-throwing-business.html) about the coming wave of litigation related to axe-throwing bars, but apparently that hasn’t happened, except for a [totally boring dispute](https://www.loweringthebar.net/2020/03/how-many-axe-throwing-coaches-does-it-take.html) about the distribution of tips for axe-throwing coaches, which involved zero drunk people getting injured by axes.
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### Author:  [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/17 "2025-02-07T17:41:33Z")
I watched an axe and knife competition on TV at a sports bar. It was fairly complicated to follow because I couldn’t hear the sound. Each contestant used multiple weapons. At times they were clearly throwing for specific rings instead of the bullseye. Seemed like a heavy metal version of darts.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/18 "2025-02-07T17:46:49Z")
I’ve competed in axe throwing events in lumberjack competitions for years. It’s different than the ax bars in that the bars usually use some form of single edged hatchet which is easier to throw and requires less space, while in actual competitions we use double bit axes and longer distances. Alcohol is available in both. 🙂
It’s all about the release and the number of rotations, and in general is fairly safe unless people manage to walk behind the target or at an angle off to the sides.
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### Author:  [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/19 "2025-02-07T20:03:24Z")
Maybe it’s the Nevadan in me, but I see little wrong with this. It’s up to the venue to ensure it’s done properly.
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### Author:  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2025, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axe-throwing-with-a-twist/1014015/20 "2025-02-08T05:37:49Z")
There is one near me, cleverly named _Throw Axe_. The signage proudly proclaims that they provide _urban_ axe throwing. Presumably out in the country one can just throw axes anywhere at all.
“Like **darts on steroids** …”
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