5 unusual axe-throwing records to make you dream, amaze and thrill...
1/ The world's oldest axe
To throw axes, you need a good dose of courage, a touch of madness and above all... axes. A little history. Western Australia's Kimberley is home to the world's oldest axe. Pieces dating back 46,000 to 49,000 years have been found by archaeologists. Previously, the oldest axes found came from Japan and were dated to around 35,000 years ago. The tool became popular much later, 10,000 years ago, with the rise of agriculture. Axes were used for a wide range of purposes, from hunting and farming to construction and warfare.
The advantage of a multi-purpose tool has faded with technological development (chainsaws, military rifles, etc.). However, it remains a very common tool today, and was even used by GIs during the Vietnam War...
This type of axe may have been used for hunting (by throwing), felling trees or collecting bark.
If you're interested in the diversity of axes and all their uses, we recommend these two excellent books:
- Axes, by Daniel Boucard. This book lists hundreds of axe models, classified by corporation/function.
- A La Hache, histoire et symbolique de la hache dans la France Médiévale du 13ème au 15ème siècle, by Christiane Reynaud, available here
2/ 15 meters and 55 tons for this XXL axe
Have you ever wondered where the world's biggest axe is? No ? Neither have we, until this article. Well, if you really want to know all there is to know about axe-throwing and its culture, let's take a trip to Canada, the land of the lumberjack. Nackawic is home to the world's largest axe. At 15 metres tall and weighing 55 tonnes, this giant axe symbolizes the importance of the forestry industry to the town of Nackawic, designated the Forestry Capital of Canada.
Now you know where to go for an unusual selfie 😉
3/ The competitions unusual saw, axe and chainsaw competitions!
The STIHL timbersports series is a series of logging events. These international competitions involve many countries, including Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
The competition includes :
- 3 axe tests
- 3 sawing tests, including one using a 2-meter-long hand saw to cut a 46-cm disc of wood.
The sport has already seen the emergence of some exceptional lumberjacks. But if there were to be just one, it would undoubtedly be Jason Wynyard. This 44-year-old New Zealand giant is 1.95m tall and weighs 135 kilos. Introduced to cutting at the age of six by his lumberjack father, he has won no fewer than nine World Champion titles and holds world records in two event categories (9.395 seconds in the Single Buck, and 12.11 seconds in the Standing Block).
4/ Lucky Luke axe throwing
Does American Horror Story ring a bell? Yes, you know the famous moment when Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange) fires a knife at a human target?
Well, some have trained hard for it. Such is the case of Weng Shengli, who in 2012 set the unusual record (still held) of throwing 12 axes at a human target in just 21 seconds! Impressive, isn't it?
This activity, although dangerous, has long been common practice in circuses, sometimes resulting in serious accidents. Sometimes, these tricks are nothing more than illusions, designed to deceive the spectator's eye.
If you'd like to discover axe throwing at Les Cognées, don't worry, it's not yet practised at our center 🙂
5/ The world's longest axe throw
The world record for axe throwing distance is currently held by OIivier Féret with a throw of 27.53m. Enough to turn a few heads 🙂
Did you like this article? Discover the history of axe throwing. See you soon!