Axe Throwing Competition? What are your thoughts.

[Logan Pearce]

Short version:

Is having an Axe Throwing Competition at the Arkansas Show a benefit or something you think would be stupid?





Long rambling version:

I know there is an axe section on here, but this effects all of you knifemakers and knife enthusiast that come to the Arkansas Show. If you get the AKS newsletter you know that I'm trying to bring in some forms of entertainment for the people that come to the show, without making it.......crappy.

So! I need as many opinions as I can get.

I want to have a Axe Throwing Competition at the 2020 AKS. I want to do it like I do the cutting competition. Where there is an event centered around this (on Friday) and there is a winner that gets an award, blah, blah, blah.

Then leave the axe throwing area setup and let people that attend the show have a few throws or something like that. <--- Clearly I haven't thought that out completely yet.

It's just that, since I've taken the show, I've mainly went to knife shows, well this year I have been going to other tradeshows. Those shows always seem to have something that gets the crowd to interact with certain aspects of the show. I like that idea and it apparently works for them.

I just don't want to degrade the show. (since I already wear shorts and a jersey to the banquet)


Hit me with what you think. Good, bad, or indifferent.

 

[TRfromMT]

Entertaining, yes. Possibly a distraction to the event?

My wife and I attended a black tie charity banquet. Among other things, they had an axe throwing setup. It was a complete hoot, but seriously, nobody has any clue how to do it and even with instruction it was clumsy. Lots of hatchets went clattering out into the parking lot. Made me cringe every time.

 

[Bmgillum]

Not exactly my cup of tea but then I’m not a fan of the cutting competitions either and, apparently, they are quite popular...

Cheers/bg

 

[brownshoe]

It's a knife show. When I've been to the AK show, I wouldn't have had time to waste on axe throwing.

 

[Lorien]

I prefer sword throwing, personally

 

[3fifty7]

If you would have had it this past years I would have thrown in the morning, then again in the afternoon after having a few drinks with lunch. So there’s that.

 

[Logan Pearce]

Entertaining, yes. Possibly a distraction to the event?

My wife and I attended a black tie charity banquet. Among other things, they had an axe throwing setup. It was a complete hoot, but seriously, nobody has any clue how to do it and even with instruction it was clumsy. Lots of hatchets went clattering out into the parking lot. Made me cringe every time.

Thank you for letting me know your experience! Ours will have a barrier set up around each stall, plus hay bails or something along those lines to catch/keep the hatchets from bouncing around. Plus it will have a waist high guard in front of the people throwing. Buuuut a distraction from the event is what I am worried about. I don't want to pull the crowd away for no reason.

Not exactly my cup of tea but then I’m not a fan of the cutting competitions either and, apparently, they are quite popular...

Cheers/bg

That's true! Apparently tomahawk and knife throwing are too. Thank you for the reply!

It's a knife show. When I've been to the AK show, I wouldn't have had time to waste on axe throwing.

That's very true. Maybe I am trying to cram too much into the event. I don't want that or to distract from people actually buying knives. I do think that the serious buyers would get the knives first and then throw if they wanted to, but whose to say!

I prefer sword throwing, personally

See this was what I was originally wanting. At people, even.

If you would have had it this past years I would have thrown in the morning, then again in the afternoon after having a few drinks with lunch. So there’s that.

Thank you! Most of the pass holders from the last two years have been saying that they would really enjoy the option of this. I think it would be fun!



Mainly, I don't want to bring anything into the show that will hurt the exhibitor's sales. I know that noise could be a problem, but I was thinking of having it out in the lobby area, although I'm not sure how that would work out. On one hand it would cut down on the noise inside the show and the distraction, but I figure the first complaint I would hear is that it was pulling people outside of the show, away from the knives.

What I do know is that there are a lot of people that collect knives that do participate in this. Everyone is always saying to bring the 'younger' crowd in, because it will keep the industry stronger for longer. This was one way that I thought would help. So far my feedback has been 85% for having it. Almost 100% of pass holders are for it. That's why I have been trying to get everyone to weigh in.

 

[Murray White]

It is a Knife show. Why not knife throwing? Axes are fine but knives are better. Maybe chat with Bobby Branton about AKTA and he could lead you to other associations and hobby or pro knife throwers. Many knife throwers also throw axes -- single and double bladed.