Axe, Tomahawk & Hatchet Photo Thread

My Jenny Wren

Iv2mKCA.jpg
 
My brother got himself a Walk by Faith 777 hawk a couple weeks ago. It's a beautiful thing and I think, a pretty amazing value as long as we keep it in context. For a handmade item, that a guy forged, finished, sharpened, fit the handle, made the sheath, etc. in today's market, it's amazing. The handle is absolutely perfectly fit. The sheath is quite impressive as you'll be able to tell in the pics. There are some wood (or some other goobers) smears on it now, but anyway, everything is even and straight and it is razor sharp. And holding the edge impressively well. I guess I don't fall into the criticize Gransfors camp and due to their popularity, price and quality, I think it's not unfair to compare this hawk with GB's spot in the market. I think this hawk is roughly the same money, but not more than $50 more expensive if that, and it's undoubtedly a step up in overall quality. My SFA and Wildlife Hatchet are no more an "axe" in bit geometry than a tomahawk is. So ounce for ounce, they function more or less the same. The GBs have a convex edge, this one has flat bevels. Before I get too opinionated, all I can say is it is extremely well made, you can draw your own conclusions about the rest. Oh, I meant to say, the overall weight is 1lb, 9oz. I presume then that the head comes in at a pound or possibly a pound and a quarter.

777hawk_walkbyfaith by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

777hawk_sheathdetail by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

777hawk_fit2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
 
thumb_DSC_0134_1024_zpshcz3xo21.jpg


These are the axes and knife that I use daily. I use a Stihl chainsaw to cut logs into rounds. Then I use a splitting mall or heavy axe to split the rounds into pieces to dry in my wood sheds. With four wood sheds, I stay about 5 years ahead of my fire, ensuring that my wood is always dry.

When heating season comes, I use the Gransfors Bruk splitting hatchet to split the wood into stove-size pieces. My stove is a Lopi Patriot, the smallest they make. The Japanese hatchet is perfect to turn the clear-grained pieces into large kindling. The knife, a full-sized Rukus with CF scales added, is an awesome knife for the woods: big enough to chop with, if needed, but with a blade with geometry acute enough for normal tasks.

I need only 2 cords of wood a year, usually Doug Fir, which you see here, for heating. My cabin is small — 500 square feet — and super insulated using the German Passive House insulating techniques, which mostly involves removing all thermal bridges, such as studs and rafters. A south-facing solarium gives me added heat and lots of light for the dreary, winter days in the rainforest.

I have also filled all my interior walls with river rocks for thermal mass, keeping the temperature relatively even, even when I use only occasional, small fires.

Great tools.
 
Plumb Rigger's Hatchet.

I am still with out a good blank for the broadaxe, no hurry yet.
Obenauf's on my crude attempt with veg-tanned suede.
 
cityofthesouth said:
My brother got himself a Walk by Faith 777 hawk a couple weeks ago. It's a beautiful thing and I think, a pretty amazing value as long as we keep it in context. For a handmade item, that a guy forged, finished, sharpened, fit the handle, made the sheath, etc. in today's market, it's amazing. The handle is absolutely perfectly fit. The sheath is quite impressive as you'll be able to tell in the pics. There are some wood (or some other goobers) smears on it now, but anyway, everything is even and straight and it is razor sharp. And holding the edge impressively well. I guess I don't fall into the criticize Gransfors camp and due to their popularity, price and quality, I think it's not unfair to compare this hawk with GB's spot in the market. I think this hawk is roughly the same money, but not more than $50 more expensive if that, and it's undoubtedly a step up in overall quality. My SFA and Wildlife Hatchet are no more an "axe" in bit geometry than a tomahawk is. So ounce for ounce, they function more or less the same. The GBs have a convex edge, this one has flat bevels. Before I get too opinionated, all I can say is it is extremely well made, you can draw your own conclusions about the rest. Oh, I meant to say, the overall weight is 1lb, 9oz. I presume then that the head comes in at a pound or possibly a pound and a quarter.

777hawk_walkbyfaith by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Great, now I have something else to save up for...They really have an impressive amount of choice for blade styles and poll types on their website. Given the choice between your GB axes and this, which one would you want to take?
 
asmith80 said:
Great, now I have something else to save up for...They really have an impressive amount of choice for blade styles and poll types on their website. Given the choice between your GB axes and this, which one would you want to take?
Click to expand...

:D Forums are great for thinning out the wallet.

That is a tough question. I feel like based on the edge retention alone that we are seeing from this hawk, I would choose it. It came push cut paper sharp and it has been used for kindling at the wood furnace everyday now since it came in. I have a GB wildlife hatchet next to the furnace doing the same work, and while edge retention is good with the GBs, the hawk seems better. Pound for pound (maybe I should say ounce for ounce), they are very similar tools - GB bits are just as thin as a tomahawk, although with a less abrupt transition into the eye than the hawk, and with a convex edge.

It's a tough choice though. GB axes are good to go in my view for the tasks they are intended for. I think the wildlife hatchet is spectacular for carving - and this is where axe handles of any kind take advantage over hawk handles for me personally. I think the deal for me is, there isn't a huge jump (or any jump) in price for essentially a USA handmade hawk flawlessly assembled with a really well made sheath. When any decent production axe or hawk today is somewhere in the $100-150 price range, that makes the WBF hawks really interesting. I am seeing the Wildlife Hatchet listed for about $150 right now so, yeah this hawk is actually a value in the current market.

So the Wildlife hatchet comes in at 1lb 5oz and the WBF hawk is 1lb 9oz. It's fair to say, now matter how similar they are, they are different. Of course with a hawk there is less poll and a shallow eye but compared directly with the Wildlife Hatchet, there is a little more cutting edge and actually, a thicker bit. I guess I'm just rambling but I feel like you are getting more for your money with the WBF hawk. And I just took a look right now, it's still razor sharp. We've been using a ton of Oak to heat with lately and it leaves all sorts of smears on the edge, more where you strike in the same place all the time - still wicked sharp.
 
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That sure is a beautiful Hawk! :)

I am a raw beginner at sheath making. I have recently been turned on to Obenauf's Leather Preservative, it's not fair to compare it with the last product I used.
 
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Collection has a new home thanks to some old displays from work.





Should have new pics of my Helko Scout that showed up today. It's scary how fast and easy it is to spend money on a new hobby lol.
 



Brought a few home tonight. Collins on the left, Plumb, and a Keen Kutter with a tiny crack (gonna be a wall hanger anyway).


The Collins handle was destroyed. Actually took it off the broken handle a few minutes ago. Add that to the pile I will hopefully be hanging soon. The addiction grows lol.
 
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