The love that axe throwers have for their axes (and, subsequently, the hatred axe throwers can feel for an axe that doesn't "work" for them) is inescapable. We give them names, we talk to them between throws - hell, sometimes we (I, at least) take them out of my axe bag just to look at 'em like a parent realizing just how special their kid is.
But, for some of us, caring for our axes just doesn't really cross our minds, OR we want to make sure we're protecting our special lil' axe baby, but don't know exactly how. So if you didn't grow up in a household where you called your father "pop" and often heard the phrase "chopping wood warms you twice," here are a few beginner tips on taking care of your axes between leagues and tourneys!
If you're cold, they're cold.
This first tip is one that Otter Guy (who actually knows what the hell he's doing with axe care) told me: keeping your axes in your car trunk or outside your home is a great way of making sure the head gets loose. See - extreme temperatures (hot or cold) makes wood swell or shrink. Over time, that growing/shrinking can loosen the connection of the handle to the eye of the axe, making it likely that it will get, in the technical sense, all wiggly. So try to keep your axes in a place where the temps aren't so variable - your bedroom, for instance. On a special little axe pillow for your axes to sleep on.
Every couple of months, give your axes a spa day.
Wood is/was a living thing, and time comes for us all. Wood can get too dry, resulting in less springiness and a higher chance of damage when hitting, say, the floor. Fortunately, axe throwers can help mitigate this by having a sensual moment with their axes every once and a while.
So put on some sexy-time music - maybe something like Unchained Melody - and treat your axe to some massage oil.
And by massage oil, I mean Walrus Oil or axe wax.
These products help hydrate and protect the wood of your handle, keeping it well hydrated, smooth and oh so pretty. Fortunately, you typically only need to do this treatment once a year or so, and the steps are, more or less, application, waiting, and then wiping off.
What's especially nice is that most products for the handle can also be applied to the head of the axe to help prevent against rust. So like, it's a once-and-done process all around.
A pro tip: don't have the money or access to axe wax or fancy tool oils? Olive oil can work, too. Just use a rag or paper towel and apply the olive oil until your axe stops absorbing it. Then wipe the excess off the handle, and apply beeswax from a candle (or wherever you can get beeswax), rubbing it in with your hand. Boom, you've got a handle protected from water and well hydrated for less.
Sharpening
This is kinda an as-needed thing, but make sure to check out how sharp your axe is. Now, I'm not one of those throwers who thinks their axe needs to be razor-sharp all the time, but if the blade is dull, I'll resolve that. There are plenty of YouTube videos that highlight the process of sharpening an axe so I won't go into that, but I will say checking every once and a while can help you keep your axe throwing sharp without being surprised by unexpected drops on especially hard targets.
Use a sheath, but not forever
Keeping your axe's bit covered is a requirement of IATF, and it's also a great way to make sure you don't damage yourself, your friends, or your edge. But if you're planning to store any of your hatchets for a long period of time, you gotta make sure to remove that sheath every once and a while, or figure out a storage solution where you aren't covering the axe bit at all.
Steel breathes. Seriously. It needs to get air every once and a while. If you sheath your axe for a long time, it will affect the steel of your axe bit (rust, discoloration, etc.). So make sure you're letting your axe see the world every once and a while during long-term storage.
Give your axe a once-over
It's easy to overlook little things about your axe, especially if you're the kind of person who throws, packs 'em away, and doesn't bring them out again until the next throwtime.
Every once and a while, give your axe a real lookie-loo. Check the handle for cracks or damage, check the eye of the axe to make sure the handle hasn't shifted around, and make sure the mechanical connection is still tight between the handle and the axe head. I'll tell you this from experience: fixing a little wiggle is a lot easier than fixing a really loose axe head (and a really loose axe head can be a portent of a handle that breaks in the eye of the axe, which hurts. Hurts real big).
And that's pretty much it. Keep it comfortable, keep it fed (with hydration), and keep it pretty. Now you (and your best buddy axe) look like champions.
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