By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV
Delton Webb is a self-proclaimed “jack of all trades, master of none.” Over the years, he has worked in construction, welding, cabinetry, and electricity. So when he decided to start an axe throwing business, he built it by himself from the ground up.
“I called my pawpaw and asked him if he knew of any old trailers I could buy,” Delton remembers. “He said he had one out in the woods I could come check out.”
It was covered in brush with trees growing through it. Some people would have taken one look and moved on. But Delton likes a challenge…and saw an opportunity.
“I brought it home, stripped it down, sanded it, primed it, extended it back and up, and painted it,” he says. “My dad and I had all the materials around from other jobs; the only thing I bought was the boards and the lighting.”
It took him about six weeks from start to finish. “All my plans were in my head, so I planned as I built.”
Hauling Axe?
Delton wanted to start an axe throwing business for a while now. With their popularity rising, he saw it as a good business opportunity while doing something he loved. But when it came time to name it, he confesses that it was harder than he thought it would be.
“I had it all built, but I couldn’t figure out the name,” he recalls. “Then one day we came up with ‘Hauling Axe’ because that’s what we’re doing–hauling axes all over the place for people to have fun.”
Stress relief
Delton enjoys throwing axes because it’s good stress relief. And his axe throwing trailer is available for rent at parties, festivals, fairs, and family get-togethers.
It will debut this Thursday at 5:30pm on Edgar Avenue in Ronceverte outside The Sportsman Tavern.
“We’re doing a fundraiser for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease),” Delton shares. “You can pay $20 to enter the competition. The winner gets half, and the charity gets half.”
Residents can also pay the normal rate to just throw for fun–$8 for five throws or $10 for eight throws. Hauling Axe will also be open Friday and Saturday during the Ronceverte Food Truck Festival.
Private bookings are available by contacting Delton on Facebook or Instagram. You can also call/text/ him at 304-520-8865 or email him at haulingaxellc@gmail.com. The trailer can be rented for $250 for two hours, with discounts offered the more hours you rent it.
Safety first
Delton takes customer safety seriously. He constructed the trailer to provide people a safe, fun experience. He also asks everyone to abide by basic safety rules including: no open toed shoes on the trailer, only two people throwing at a time, axes must stay on the trailer, no trick shots, and observers must stand at least six feet back from the trailer.
There is an age restriction. You must be 12 years old to throw, and if you’re below 18 then you must have signed parental permission.
“We just want to be safe,” Delton says, “and we also want to offer fun games for kids, so we are working on some options for smaller kids to offer soon.”
Stay tuned for additional information and check out Hauling Axe this Thursday-Saturday in Ronceverte.
