The medical clinic where Lady Marilyn works has set the bar for office parties. Friday night, we gathered at Unofficial Logging Co. in Bend. It’s an axe throwing bar. I’ve wanted to throw an axe — or a ’hawk — at more than one office party in the past, but people threaten to call the cops. I know…
This is the first one I’ve been to where such doings were encouraged.
We also got an hour of straight Led Zeppelin before they switched to a regular classic rock mix. Nothing gets you in the mood for hurling an axe quite like Robert Plant proclaiming…
“Valhalla I am coming!”
It has been a while since I’ve thrown a ’hawk or an axe. My first few throws were low, as you can see, but I got dialed in and split the bull pretty consistently. Frontier Partisans represented well. The issue hatchets were steel-hafted Estwings. Utilitarian. Ugly. Not soulful. Unofficial Logging Co. sells WOOX axes and hatchets from Italy. They had a wall full of ’em. Mmmmmm…. very nice. Lady Marilyn spotted me ogling them and said:
“I know that look…”
I exercised powerful restraint.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands…
Rick Schwertfeger says
I have an Estwing. I know, it’s as described. But an hour of Zep while throwing axes!!
Quixotic Mainer says
Good ‘hawk chucking! I visited one of those outfits while we were travelling for a wedding last spring. Compared to throwing hawks at split firewood beside the barn, hitting that flat wall was pretty easy stuff. I bet the use of the Estwing saves them a lot of broken handles.
I recently came across a youtube channel you and the rest of the corps here would probably love; The Lore Lodge. Kind of an intersection of history, outdoor mysteries, Native American lore and a generous dose of Missing 411. I played the Lovelock Caves episode this morning while doing the necessary maintenance after a carbine class.
JimC says
Yeah, those Estwings can take the massive amounts of abuse required. Will dig into The Lore Lodge this afternoon.
lane batot says
Man, I’ve got waaaaay behind on my “Frontier Partisans”! Gotta catch up! But while we’re on this post–did I ever tell you about my tomahawk throwing “contest”, back in my reservation incarceration(college) days? If I have not, you’ll probably enjoy it–if I HAVE related it before, maybe someone reading here has not heard it….. Anyhoo–long, long ago, when I got sent to college as a last ditch effort of my beloved, saintly parents to try and civilize me(which failed utterly–I graduated–eventually–more unreconstructed than when I entered….), Halloween was HUGE on the Rez–parties and activities of all sorts all over the campus. I had made a complete Plains Indian regalia outfit some years before, but of course rarely got an opportunity to wear it, so I looked forward to Halloween, when I could publicly don it, without raising too many eyebrows. I went around to all the carnival venues, participating in some, passing up others. One I COULD NOT RESIST passing up, was a dart-throwing contest, with many balloons on a board as the targets, and if you popped three in a row, you’d get a prize! I asked the girl running this game if it was okay if I used my own dart–she looked quizzically at me, but shrugged and said “sure”. I then whipped out my tomahawk and let fly at the dart board! Hit the board square in the middle, tomahawk blade buried to the hilt, knocked the board completely over, and popped most of the balloons in the process! A lot of people nearby screamed and jumped out of the way, as I went and pried my tomahawk loose from the flattened board. I gotta hand it to that girl running the game–she remained cool as a cucumber, quite without expression, and without a word, just handed me my “prize”–a small plastic travel mug!(which I still have to this day!)
JimC says
That is a GREAT story.
Quixotic Mainer says
Legendary sir! I would take odds that the booth gal, wherever she is, probably still tells her own version of the story.
lane batot says
Ha! No Doubt!
Monk says
Did you have to leave your knife at the door ?
JimC says
No sir! It’s a deep sheath.
deuce says
Sounds great!
Jean Nave says
Very cool!