Big Knife vs. Hatchet

As the results of the test I posted over on the axe forum, I think that a small hatchet and small FB knife is the way to go. My GB Mini and SYK SS4 together weigh almost exactly what my Kershaw Outcast does, and are more versatile. I'm sure I could go with something lighter than the SS4 if I wanted, but it's what I have right now.

Note that my reprofiled Outcast did outchop my GB Mini, but I think it was my inexperience.
 
Skunkwerx, Cobalt and a few others on here have finally convinced me that I am a big knife guy, I still staunchly deny it but I guess it is true. If I had to chose one knife and one knife only it would be my schrade 13ot. If I can carry what ever I want it will be my 13ot, kalista neck knife and a 14" tramontina machete. In my neck of the woods a machete is real hard to beat and makes short work of my chopping needs, a folding saw works very well and is very precise but is no where near as versatile. For example, cutting stakes for my tarp with the machete, a matter of minutes, with a saw and my belt knife it would be considerable slower. Chris
 
Fonly said:
man, its starting to sound like axe users are a dying breed :p :D
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Not at all, if I lived where you do I think an axe would be one of the first things I would take. Down here in the thick, brushy south a machete works better. My grandfather was an old mountain man and a medium size double bit axe was always with him. Chris
 
Fonly said:
man, its starting to sound like axe users are a dying breed :p :D
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no way. Axes are great tools, just not as versatile. I have carried them often when I had the room and smaller knives to do what the axe cannot.
 
Rich_S said:
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.
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Rich I am starting to come around to the Kuk way of life...just got the Ang Khola 18" as a present and my god what a beast.
 
This is really a bit of a silly debate in a vacuum. What's a better weapon, a Spyderco Civilian, a PPK, a Barrett M82, or a thermonuclear warhead? What's a better vehicle, a Honda Civic, Ford F150, BMW R1200R, or 747? What's a better tool, a hammer, screwdriver, power planer, or prop puller?

The questions are too vague without further information.

For the boreal forest environment up here, an axe makes a lot of sense, whereas a machete isn't all that useful. Go to an equatorial jungle and the situation might reverse itself. If you're hiking through crown land in Canada with no trails, you'll want more woodworking capacity than hiking the well-travelled trails up the west coast of the US. I would think that the wise man would be familiar with a wide variety of tools, and pick the one(s) appropriate to the occasion.
 
FoxholeAtheist said:
This is really a bit of a silly debate in a vacuum. What's a better weapon, a Spyderco Civilian, a PPK, a Barrett M82, or a thermonuclear warhead? What's a better vehicle, a Honda Civic, Ford F150, BMW R1200R, or 747? What's a better tool, a hammer, screwdriver, power planer, or prop puller?

The questions are too vague without further information.

For the boreal forest environment up here, an axe makes a lot of sense, whereas a machete isn't all that useful. Go to an equatorial jungle and the situation might reverse itself. If you're hiking through crown land in Canada with no trails, you'll want more woodworking capacity than hiking the well-travelled trails up the west coast of the US. I would think that the wise man would be familiar with a wide variety of tools, and pick the one(s) appropriate to the occasion.
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Amen to my northern friend!
 
I prefer a large knife. :D

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Scott
 
The Chef said:
Rich I am starting to come around to the Kuk way of life...just got the Ang Khola 18" as a present and my god what a beast.
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That is a beast isn't it?:D How do you like it? It is a much better balance and overall weight than the 22 inch Ang Khola. Years ago, the 18 AK was the blade I used for my routine chopping duties, it's very forward balance was perfect but not excessive.
 
Cobalt said:
That is a beast isn't it?:D How do you like it? It is a much better balance and overall weight than the 22 inch Ang Khola. Years ago, the 18 AK was the blade I used for my routine chopping duties, it's very forward balance was perfect but not excessive.
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Amazing.

I was never a kuk fan, I always thought they were off balanced and just odd. Now this...and I can see why people are feircely protective of HI.
 
In my opinion there is no better khukuri than HI and I have owned them for a long time. In fact I am the original owner of the first 18 inch AK ever made. I sold it last year like the moron I am.
 
Well, I'm a knife noob so I can't really speak intelligently on how to best choose and sharpen a knife for chopping. But I can say that from a physics perspective that an axe has obvious chopping advantages, all things being equal.
 
digispam said:
Well, I'm a knife noob so I can't really speak intelligently on how to best choose and sharpen a knife for chopping. But I can say that from a physics perspective that an axe has obvious chopping advantages, all things being equal.
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I don't think anyone would argue that, if the blade and edge geometry is the same and there are quality axes that have excellent geometry. However, it is more an issue of versatility for me anyway. I have many axes and hatchets, as well as khkukuris, machettes and big knives. The compactness and versatility of the blade is better for my use.
 
I've only just picked it up so I can't make too many broad judgements about it, but I'm really enjoying my Fiskars hatchet. The blade came sharper than a lot of my fixed blades have come. It's not visited the woods with me yet, but it has made some fuzz sticks and started some fires when messing around in the yard. It's a really great chopper.

The only very large knife I have is my Junglee bolo, which has been pretty effective. If I were somewhere with lots of dense brush or vegetation, there's no doubt at all that the hatchet would stay at home and the bolo would be in my pack. In central Kentucky, it's generally a lot more helpful to have a hatchet (for me) than the larger blade. Location, location, location.

I haven't gone through too many of the 8-10" types of fixed blades, though, and will eventually give those a try. Blades around 7" have left a bad taste in my mouth so I've hesitated to do the 'jack of all trades' thing anymore.

To each his own..
 
SpookyPistolero said:
I'm really enjoying my Fiskars hatchet. The blade came sharper than a lot of my fixed blades have come.
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I have one of those too (its the same as my gerber gator II combo - I have both)

SpookyPistolero said:
Blades around 7" have left a bad taste in my mouth so I've hesitated to do the 'jack of all trades' thing anymore. [QUOTE/]

Me too - I think that size 7" is not big enough to take on the chopping role, but still big enough to be inconvenient for small carving and such...in otherwords it has the disadvantages of a much larger blade, but not the advantages - a poor comprimise. Anyone else with more large blade experience agree / disagree?
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