$.25 Estwing

[Boattale]

I bought this Estwing hatchet for $.25 at a yard sale. It was marked $.50 but it's mandatory to bargain at yard sales, so I got it for a quarter. It was in terrible horrible awful shape. Had been out in the weather for who knows how long but quite a while. The leather was completely shot and every square centimeter of the surface was rust covered. I stripped the leather washers off and went to work with WD40 and steel wool. It cleaned up pretty good IMHO. Had to do something for the handle and I'm not a fan of paracord wrap and replacing the leather washers seemed to be more trouble than it would be worth. So I had a roll of bike handlebar grip tape and used it. Works just fine - actually very good - and the foam tape included the stuff to finish the wrap permanently. Sharpened it up with a file and Arkansas stone and called it good.

Turned out to be a pretty fair tool for a quarter and some bike tape. Have maybe four dollars in the thing total. I kind of like it. Stays in a handy spot out in my shop.

 

[gazz98]

Nice find! I have yet to find anything like that at a garage/yard sale over the years.

 

[catspa]

Very cool. The Estwing rock hammer I got at a swap meet last weekend cost me 8 times your investment, but was too young to have a leather washer handle. Blue rubber era instead. However, I think it will be quite serviceable for rockhounding.

Parker

 

[Boattale]

Very cool. The Estwing rock hammer I got at a swap meet last weekend cost me 8 times your investment, but was too young to have a leather washer handle. Blue rubber era instead. However, I think it will be quite serviceable for rockhounding.

Parker

A two dollar estwing anything is a good deal.

 

[Brent Halverson]

Good job. This is why I don't understand anyone who looks at buying new axes and hatches for hundreds of dollars because they are fashionable or trendy.

 

[FloridaDad]

Good job. This is why I don't understand anyone who looks at buying new axes and hatches for hundreds of dollars because they are fashionable or trendy.

*Stares at 7 Gransfors Bruks in the corner of my garage*

Yeah, I don't know either. They must have been watching too many Youtube videos and thinking they're Dick Proenneke.

 

[Square_peg]

Estwing tools are all tough and well made. But that said their axes and hatchet are too thin cheeked to be decent choppers. Thin cheeks = sticky.

 

[Boattale]

Estwing tools are all tough and well made. But that said their axes and hatchet are too thin cheeked to be decent choppers. Thin cheeks = sticky.

But! Is it worth a quarter?

 

[Square_peg]

But! Is it worth a quarter?

Hell yeah! I'd of bought it. And then I would have abused the crap out of it.

 

[EngrSorenson]

Good find (incredible bargain). It'd have been a steal for two quarters.
I like my A24- its the perfect beater hatchet.
Is it as nice as a wood hafted variety? naw, but I can get through thick brush or chop my way to the trunk of an evergreen pretty quick without beating up the metal haft.