Big Knife vs. Hatchet

R

Ron Athay

Joined
Mar 12, 2006
Messages
541
This is my second try at posting this. The last one was long and then disappeared when I tried to post it. I am looking for honest information. I AM NOT TROLLING. Please help. I recently bought a large "chopper" (Dog Father). Already had several others. I have spent several weekends out in the woods test my choppers and a Gerber Brush Thinner and a Fiskar 14" camp Hatchet.
Summary of resutls (tested several differnet types of woods and sizes). My medium sized choppers (SE6 LE, RD7, BK7, etc) really are not much good at chopping. My BK9 was better. The Dog Father was the best knife. The Gerber Brush Thinner (a forward hooked machette on a long plastic handle) out chopped the Dog Father 2:1. on large logs (8") and on small (2") branches it was one chop versus 5.
The Fiskars 14" hatchet easily out chopped all the knives and the Brush Thinner.
My question: Am I missing something? Is this a bad comparison? Will hatchets always out chop knives? Do my big knives need "re-profiling'?
I have years of camping and hunting experience. But I am new to the world of big knives. I love my big knives and will buy more.
I am trying to determine what to carry in my survival pack that always goes in the woods with me. Big Knife or Hatchet or both? If both is the answer the knife will be more like my SE6 or HRLM not the Dog Father. I also always carry a very good folding saw that will out cut my hatchet. As a scout master for 32 years I believe in being prepared.
Thanks in advance for your response. I am open to ALL information, ideas, criticism, etc. I am hoping this will be a learning experience.
Ron Athay
 
I would carry just a hatchet (as far as choppers go). I too have noticed that hatchets will always beat big knives for choppers. If you're looking for a brush clearing tool, a big knife/machette will trump the hatchet. I like to carry a 14" Wetterlings hatchet when I hike. I also have the 14" fiskars hatchet, and like it a lot. One bit of advice: reprofile the Fiskars hatchet, it will chop even better, and never get stuck! Do a search, someone once posted a nice long how-to on reprofiling that hatchet. As for knives, a 6" knife as well can't hurt, I find a hatchet/Mora/SAK combo to be perfect for me.
 
A large knife can chop, a hatchet cannot baton thick logs very well.

I'd say a large knife is a better "all around performer" than a hatchet.
 
I Love big knives but find myself more and more gioing for a Fiscars/gerber hatchet to carry in the woods. I find the blade angle to split wood better without the need to baton as often. I also find that weight wise you get a bigger bang for your buck i.e. a hatchet that is about the same weight as a 6 inch bladed knife chops more like an eight or ten inch.

This is just my experience YMMV. :D
 
David E said:
A large knife can chop, a hatchet cannot baton thick logs very well.

I'd say a large knife is a better "all around performer" than a hatchet.
Click to expand...

thats true, but I personally haven't batoned with an axe or hatchet. But I have split with one, many, many times ;)
 
when taking a wilderness trip for less then 3 days I'll take a large chopper like my battle rat. If I go for a week or more I bring a small axe as my chopper.

up to 3 day -Battle Rat, 4 or 5" knife and leatherman wave

more the 3 day -Small axe, 6 to 7" knife and leatherman wave

and depending on the type of weather and terrain will determine which knife- steel to bring!:thumbup:

Jules
 
westllen said:
when taking a wilderness trip for less then 3 days I'll take a large chopper like my battle rat. If I go for a week or more I bring a small axe as my chopper.

up to 3 day -Battle Rat, 4 or 5" knife and leatherman wave

more the 3 day -Small axe, 6 to 7" knife and leatherman wave

and depending on the type of weather and terrain will determine which knife- steel to bring!:thumbup:

Jules
Click to expand...

That's a very good idea~~~~

Thanks Jules
 
I am going to try to answer your question to the best of my humble ability, so here goes nothin'.

A hatchet is an amazing thing, I have great ones from Sears, to custom MMHW to a great Tomahawk thats primitive and has no name. I love them all, they all chop wood well, better than any knife (esp hardwoods). THe Tomahawk and MMHW would make great all around camp tools, no doubt about it. But I will take a think bladed knife of 10" blade 10 out of ten times over any axe for being in the woods.

Why?

1. Self defense comfort level-I feel better equipped to defend my life from all critters great or small with a large knife, more control, deeper pentration and great slashing ability. SOme people may not agree with me on this or consider it top priority, to each their own.

2. Bushcraft-I am a two knifer, one either a big Siegle bowie or a BK9 paired with a smaller knife (Usually an Echo). With the big blade I can strip limbs of bark, hack undergrowth and dig in a pinch. All of which are harder with an axe for me due to the small head size and cutting surface.

3. the "jack of everything" factor-a knife can simply do more things, with better results than an axe. This is totally speculative and my own feeling, I know with a knife I have a pry bar, step, wittling tool, plane, awl and machete. Can you do all that with an ax, sure but it really just comes down to preference in hand.
 
If you read the various threads on this you will discover that there is no one answer. It really is situation specific. In Australia, where I am, most of the timber in my area is hard wood. I mean HARD wood. I find that the folding Fiskars saw with hardened teeth goes through faster that a chopper. That works for my situation. But there are situations described on this forum where a large knife would be better and others where a tomahawk (Granfors, etc) would be better. You should look at your situation and decide which would be better for you. Maybe a large knfe might be better as an allrounder or you might prefer to carry a tomahawk. It is really what you feel works best for you.
 
Thanks for the responses. I have found and read some other threads. One of my main questions was "was my results normal". From what I have read and knowing I was chopping fairly hard wood, it sounds like my results were fairly normal. On big HARD wood, hatchet probably better. Big knife has many other good uses. Thanks again.
Ron Athay
 
For car-camping or similar a hatchet is tough to beat. I still use a Estwing I got with green stamps (anybody remember those?) as a grade-schooler over 30 years ago for sentimental reasons. But when you are carrying everything in a pack the versatility of a knife is tough to beat, even if it isn't better than a hatchet for pure chopping.
 
Also, its going to come down to what works, and what you like. I like messin' around with my bk7, But for me I have found the axe works better, I grew up with one, and plainly know how to use one better.
 
Depends how much gear you want to hump into netherland. A hatchet middle blade and pocket knife seems excessive when one large 7+ chopper will get you through with more utility and less weight than carrying 3-4 blade types.

Reprofiling the edge of your large blades to 16-18 degrees and making them convex will increase chopping ability 2-3 fold.

Its a trade off so only you can answer.

I personaly carry one 7.5 chopper and a SAK and never needed more in the back 40 but I am not building log cabins either. If you are car camping then hell bring a chainsaw.

Skam
 
Something else to consider is a Khukuri. Great all around tool and will chop just as well as a hatchet.

The reason many people on here prefer a large knife rather than a hatchet, is that you can do all sorts of things with the knife that you can't do with the hatchet, even if the knife isn't as good of a chopper. The downside to the hatchet is limited functionality and weight. If weight isn't an issue and you have serious chopping and splitting to do (like prepare a few cords of firewood) then forget about knives, khukuris, and hatchets altogether and bring a two hand axe, a maul, and a splitting wedge. But in most cases, weight is an issue and the knife wins for versatility and light weight.
 
skammer said:
Depends how much gear you want to hump into netherland. A hatchet middle blade and pocket knife seems excessive when one large 7+ chopper will get you through with more utility and less weight than carrying 3-4 blade types.

Reprofiling the edge of your large blades to 16-18 degrees and making them convex will increase chopping ability 2-3 fold.

Its a trade off so only you can answer.

I personaly carry one 7.5 chopper and a SAK and never needed more in the back 40 but I am not building log cabins either. If you are car camping then hell bring a chainsaw.

Skam
Click to expand...

Exactly! one must use different knives and tools to see what works best for each purpose and enviroment. Remember a knife, gun, axe, etc. is a tool and is only as good as its user.:thumbup: "A knife and it's user must always remain sharp"
Jules
 
IMO, if you are carrying an 8 inch blade, then weight really isn't the first concern. an axe or hatchet will always out-chop a knife because that is what it was designed to do. Unless you are caught in an "emergency" situation, chances are you've thought about what you were going to pack, and, if that is the case, then an extra two or three pounds for a suitable tool shouln't be a problem.
I was recently "corrected" for commenting on the true functionality of the monster knives refered to as choppers. I just can't help thinking that the true desire for these huge knives is a leftover adolesent sentiment from watching Rambo with his all-purpose survival knife(I think they make those with built-in microwave ovens now).
Saws and hatchets are lightweight these days, and a giant blade is awkward when it comes to most cutting chores. I don't see practicality in anything larger than a camp knife. It's this consideration that is making me reconsider my 4 inch Harsey as an edc.
Preparedness is a top priority for survivalists(or so I've read -- I can't consider myself one). If I were caught in a survival situation, I wouldn't want to have to depend on one of those big knives. Consider the expedience of building an emergency shelter with a camp saw and hatchet versus one of those big knives with the crappy saw teeth on the spine. I know, I know, those teeth are for cutting notches for setting traps(thanks, Mooseman), but is that what the buyer is thinking when purchasing that knife?

Truth be told, I don't know why those big knives piss me off so much. Maybe it's because I don't own one.
 
Here is my take on it.

If it is the only thing you will carry, then the big knife is the only way to go. It can do everything you need to do, the hatchet cannot. It has much more cutting surface, works as a machete for clearing small limbs etc. It can pry wood out with the tip, can be batoned, can be used to dig and trench with, can cut well, slice, etc.

If I were carrying a small knife on me like a 4 inch blade or a leatherman, then I might go with a good quality large hatchet. Since all my knife needs are taken care of by the leatherman or small blade, the hatchet can serve duty for what it was intended, chopping.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top