Axe or machete for chopping?

I LOVE IT. SO MUCH. And that's coming from a staunch machete guy.
 
Yup! Basically. The head is larger than on the Estwing Carpenter's Hatchet but it's the same pattern, just with enlarged head and a milled face on the hammer poll. That and the longer handle are the real differences. It's a very handy size--just large/long enough to do some serious chopping, but small enough to be very controllable. The nail puller notch works great for pulling/dragging old wire fence and sweep of the beard is good for lifting pots off the fire.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Yup! Basically. The head is larger than on the Estwing Carpenter's Hatchet but it's the same pattern, just with enlarged head and a milled face on the hammer poll. That and the longer handle are the real differences. It's a very handy size--just large/long enough to do some serious chopping, but small enough to be very controllable. The nail puller notch works great for pulling/dragging old wire fence and sweep of the beard is good for lifting pots off the fire.
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That hatchet is becoming interesting. :)
 
Seriously, I normally don't geek out over axes so much, but the Carpenter Hatchet and Rigger's Axe are some seriously cool pieces of work that don't get nearly enough attention. The only downside is that factory sheaths aren't available, but there are plenty of ways around that.
 
I have an Estwing Long Camper's Axe and while a nice tool, I find I prefer the wood haft axes in this size (20" or less length). The short, steel hafts seem to kind of take away some of the power of a stroke with a similarly-sized wood hafted hatchet/axe, especially in a hard or well-seasoned wood. Just my two cents.
 
DrivebyTrucker said:
Like what? Are there after market sheaths to be had? It looks like a complicated piece to make a sheath for.
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No readily available aftermarket ones, but there are tons of makers on the boards that could do the job if you didn't want to do it yourself! All it really needs is an edge cover--not a full blown sheath. Cardboard and rubber bands would even do fine, if ugly. For carry you can just use a Maxpedition UFBS. :)

Sulaco said:
I have an Estwing Long Camper's Axe and while a nice tool, I find I prefer the wood haft axes in this size (20" or less length). The short, steel hafts seem to kind of take away some of the power of a stroke with a similarly-sized wood hafted hatchet/axe, especially in a hard or well-seasoned wood. Just my two cents.
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The steel haft of the long Camper's Axe definitely detracts, and does so a little on the regular Camper's, but the neck of the Carpenter's and Rigger's are a little thinner/narrower and I feel little loss of power with them. Of course, they're shorter than the long Camper's as well.
 
I'd go with a Hatchet/axe, Machete and a saw. Then you would have all your bases covered.

Monday I was testing out a few 18" Khukri's, splitting logs, smashing knots and cutting up some old 4x4 posts. Both Khukri's worked as well as I would have expected having used lots of them over the last 11.5 years. After I was done I put the Khukri's away and grabbed my 18" USGI Ontario machete for some testing. It bit deeper into the 4x4 post then the Khukri's did. Got stuck most swings, but if I though about each strike it cut the post in half faster then the heavier Khukri's. I was not expecting that. Thinking I need to make a sheath for my Ontario so that I can carry in on trips. It earned a place in my machete rotation that day.

Got an inexpencive hardware store 2.5# axe with a 24" or so handle. Edge was way to thick from the factory so I worked at thinning it a bit with my belt sander. Still isn't as thin as I would like for a Chopper, but it sure makes a good splitter. So it pulls splitting duty around the house and on campouts. I either need to get a new blade for my Bow saw or a 15" or 20" Stanley saw and I'll be all set for any wood processing that I'll need to do on a wilderness excursion. :D

Pick what apeals to you and let us know how you like it.
 
crowmagnon said:
*UPDATE*

I have decided on an axe, but I'm still stuck between the Fiskars that M.L. suggested and the Condor Greenland.
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I've done a lot of backpacking with my Fiskars hatchet. The thing is legendary among my camping buddies, and most of them are die-hard pruning saw devotees for camp wood. They'll all take a turn with that hatchet though. Holds a very fine edge for a lot longer than I would have expected under some tough use. I have the first generation, I'd like to pick up one of the newer ones but can't justify it when the old one works so well.
 
I guess my quest is over guys.:eek: I was at Lowes and impulse-bought a Kobalt 15" 1.25 Lb hatchet with a hickory handle. I just got home and put an edge on it with the belt sander. Seems to work great so far, plus it was 1/4 the price of a Wetterlings.
 
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