Big knives vs hatchets

[Rick Marchand]

Could it be that the reason you find so many small belt axes, shorter blades and small folders is that the folks who acually walked out of those woods(gear intact) had different tools. Maybe the blades you found, suck and the people who used them either died or tossed em'? I wouldn't leave a good blade lying around. The only modern tools I ever see being discarded/abandoned are crap. Perhaps we are finding 19th century crap!

Just thinking outloud... lol.

 

[upnorth]

Fair enough. I will post a few pics and let you be the judge of their age, as I already know due to site research. The prevailing theory on why belt axes and other iron tools are often found at trade sites or along the shore of a site is weight\profit. The heavy iron tools were often tossed to save weight and room for more beaver pelts on the seasonal return trip. The profit from the pelts was astronomical and leaving a few cheap iron tools behind was nothing to a trader, as they expected to trade as much of it off as possible anyway. One or two successful seasons and some men retired with huge sums. Some died along the way, Indian attacks etc. Many posts were burnt down by Indians in Saskatchewan. Women and children were killed at one post not far from were I lived. Another reason for lost iron tools near trade sites was the excessive use of rum primarily by Canadian traders, the British H.B.C. was a little more conscientious in that regard. But North American traders used it a lot because it was so much cheaper per volume than a keg of knives. The rum was usually diluted x 10 with water giving a trader MUCH more than the initial keg, but it was still powerful to natives unused to it. Many belt axes are dated by maker touch marks.

Cleaned\preserved scissors

Below the Becker

French Voyageour buttons

British ''Broom Head'' knife, Broom over Head stamp

Bone grip folder

Scratches\marks on back to show ownership

What was left of a worn out copper kettle, natives cut it up for arrow heads

 

[upnorth]

I find many modern axes every year

An iron strap flatten, flaired and serrated on the end as a hide scrapper

iron and copper kettle scrap arrow heads

Trade rings. Thimbles were drilled or cut with a file as ''janglers\tinklers'' on native clothing

There is much more but this gives a general idea of the volume of material left at old trade\Indian camp sites.

 

[Rick Marchand]

I was only messin around. Dang those are awesome. I just got into metal detecting. I have a cheapo Bounty Hunter Discovery 1100 and am getting tired of only finding nails and tinfoil on the beach.

 

[upnorth]

Rick, I think that as an outdoorsman you will take to the hobby like a duck to water, particularly the more remote bush locations. With an upgraded machine and getting to decent sites, you will be truly amazed at what's out there. I apologise to the O.P. for the tangent.

 

[collecter]

Well, While camping I have split wood AND spread peanut butter & jelly on a sandwich with the same knife. Not sure I'd be able to get my hatchet in the peanut butter jar.

Do you really expect us to believe that you only take one knife with you??? Besides, any self respecting bushcrafter would carve himself a beanut butter spreader!

I never carry only one knife while in the woods. It's always a combination of two or three. I pretty much always carry a vic soldier or pioneer and in the woods I'll add a good wood carving knife like a mora and I'll also bring either a 12" machete, small hatchet or a hawk.

If you already carry a small fixed blade the large knife vs hatchet decision gets much simpler.