Tucked into a corner of Scott’s Addition, where the buzz of breweries and new apartments drowns out the neighborhood’s industrial past, Shield N Sheath Hatchet House offers something unexpected: a place to throw sharp objects with purpose. For Dan Pegg, the man behind the business, it’s more than just a venue—it’s a second chance.
Pegg, a world-ranked knife and axe thrower and a member of the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame, spent years in finance before stepping away to follow his passion. “I wanted to take control of my own destiny,” he tells me, standing in the middle of his cavernous, blade-lined space. Before Shield N Sheath, he opened The Virginia Axe Company in Goochland, but Scott’s Addition felt like the natural next step. “It was a no-brainer location,” Pegg says. “Even if I opened during COVID and people thought I was crazy.”
But crazy doesn’t quite cover it. Pegg signed the lease before bars were open again. Workers who helped build the space gave him sideways looks, unsure if anyone would show up to throw axes for fun. Yet Pegg pressed forward. “It was a gamble, but I believed in it.”
Inside the case at Shield N Sheath
From Ninja Stars to World Championships
Growing up in Denver, Pegg got his first taste for throwing as a kid, sneaking off on his BMX bike to buy cheap ninja stars at the local mall. It was a small beginning to what would become a global pursuit. Today, Pegg’s résumé is impressive: international competitions in Sweden, Italy, and Canada, a runner-up finish on the History Channel’s Mountain Men: Ultimate Marksman, and a top-10 world ranking in knife and axe throwing.
“This sport has taken me all over the globe,” he says. “But opening this business let me bring it home.”
Scott’s Addition, he explains, is ideal—densely packed, full of people looking for something new to do. League nights at Shield N Sheath draw over 40 regulars, a mix of beginners and serious competitors. “It’s like one big family,” Pegg says. “The community that’s being built here is something special.”
A Safe Space to Let Go
Of course, not everyone immediately understands the concept. “People hear ‘beer and axes’ and think it’s a recipe for disaster,” Pegg says. “It’s not. We’re the Safety Police, not the Fun Police. Everyone is trained, monitored, and sober. We take it seriously.”
He describes the transformation he sees in people who come through the door—skeptical at first, maybe a little nervous, but 30 minutes in, they’ve found their rhythm. “There’s something empowering about it,” Pegg says. “You can see people’s confidence build with every throw.”
Building Something Out of Loss
Pegg’s journey to opening Shield N Sheath wasn’t just about changing careers; it was about rebuilding a life. When his wife passed away two years ago, he found himself reexamining everything. “I looked back at my career, at all the time I’d missed at home,” he shares. “I couldn’t do it anymore. Life throws tragedies at you, but there’s more to us than that.”
It was then that Pegg decided to commit fully to the business, something he had been building quietly in the background. “Passion doesn’t guarantee success, but work does,” he says. “I knew if I put in the work, I could make this happen.”
Now, standing inside Shield N Sheath, surrounded by league members, first-timers, and the occasional curious onlooker, Pegg’s gamble seems to have paid off. “I’m not Jeff Bezos. I am not rich. But I can make a living, feed my kids, and do what I love. That’s enough.”
More Than a Trend
Scott’s Addition continues to change, with new businesses, apartments, and people filling its streets daily. Yet Shield N Sheath feels like something different—something with a little grit. It’s a place where people can challenge themselves, connect with a growing community, and step out of their comfort zone, if only for an evening.
For Dan Pegg, it’s proof that a little steel and a lot of determination can build more than just a business—it can build a home. “I’m lucky to be here, doing what I do,” Pegg says. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
