boys hatchet/hawk

Runs With Scissors

Runs With Scissors

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Dec 3, 2000
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I've got a dilemma...

My sons turning nine on April 12th, and is becoming a real big fan of his scouting, and the outdoors. He's already got most every knife anybody would ever need in a lifetime, but he's needing a hatchet/hawk/woodcutter. If price weren't an issue, I'd go straight to a GB Mini, but...price is actually a HUGE issue right now, even if we weren't considering the fact that he's a boy, and boys are known to lose things. (Never mind that he still has every single knife I've ever given him)

Best candidates thus far are the Fiskars hardware store specials, bullet proof, but not attractive, and not well proportioned to him.

Eriksson hand axe- untried, but the size looks about right

Wetterling small hunter- perfect, but a tad expensive, and outta stock in a couple places I checked.

usefulness is top priority, followed size, and price. aesthetics would be nice, but not necessary.

what would y'all suggest we look at?
 
I've handled and swung several modern (cheap) hardware store offerings:

-Did not like the handle geometry on the Fiskars hatchet. Was apalled by the plastic handle material too (esthetics).

-Handled several modern, Chinese-made Home Depot axes and hatchets. The Chinese put either Ork handles or Planet of the Apes handles on all those axes. They were simply appalling, and not even remotely shaped for human hands.

-Gransfors Bruks SFA Aah! Finally something I can respect. My hand is happy to hold it, and swing it. The Wetterlings will have similarly good handles.

So, I think you should buy him a Fiskars to make all his youthful mistakes on, and then a Wetterling once he understands the basics, and is ready to take good(safe) care of his sharpened club.

Personally, I'm particularly happy to have a GB SFA.

Safety First,

CHEERS
 
I would definitely get a Fiskers or a Gerber to let him loose or break and then get him a better axe if needed when he is a little older and responsible. If he can break a Fiskers/Gerber I would speak softly to him and make sure he has all the ice cream he wants! The Gerber is same axe as Fiskers but it has a black handle. It may be a little easier to look at and definitely easier to loose. I can't speak for the better axe to get in the future. Bark River is developing several new axes that should be top notch.
 
If you wanna go the hawk route maybe check out www.hbforge.com. They have a few smaller models, the small camp axe may be good for chopping and such and he could probably learn to throw a hawk with it as well.
 
I'll give a strong second to the Fort Turner suggestion. Very reasonably priced, very good product. Drop Dana an email.
Bob
 
The Rainier Scout is something we've been supplying to the local Boy Scouts. It's a great size and has a lifetime warranty. Spare handles are always available but I've personally found that the shorter handles are less subject to breakage.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, y'all!

Love the hawk suggestions thus far, although the hardware store Fiskars might be nice for simplicity of the operation. (and budget!)

Northstar: I would dearly LOVE to buy him a BM hawk, but the simple fact of the matter is that he dang sure aint gettin' one, until I can afford to buy one for myself! (greedy, stingy old man that I am!):D
 
I'll bring up the Kershaw 1018, just as an option to look at. It performed well for me in Afghanistan, and while it won't be as good of a woodcutter as the Fiskars, it might suit the hawk/hatchet categories as well or better.

Also, considering my experience with Gerber, and other opinions and testings posted here on this forum, I'd suggest the Fiskars over Gerber. In addition to a colored handle Fiskars actually uses a better steel than Gerber. This has been confirmed to me by several sources, but beyond that I have no evidence other than the clear evidence here and elsewhere that Fiskars hatchets and axes hold their edge longer and deform less than Gerber hatchets and axes of the same design. If it is the same steel, then the evidence points towards a better heat treatment coming from Fiskars.

Looking at HBForge and fortturner though, you've got some options with a lot of character that won't be as maintenance free as a Kershaw or Fiskars. Might lead to some good "pride in and care of your equipment" discussions your son can carry with him for the rest of his life. Not to mention you'd be supporting American blacksmithing... I don't care what anybody says, that HBForge Lady's hawk looks like something I'd like to own!
 
To my hands, the Fiskars Hatchet was not all that bad as far as Ergonomics; Not the best, but not "ork hand" bad. After several uses, and without sharpening, The head still maintains an edge sharp enough to shave with. Fiskars products are durrable, and are made of good steel. This being said they DO lack the level of esthetic ambiance and detailed craftsmanship of similar models produced by Wetterlings or Gransfors Bruks.

For a Tomahowk, the Fort Turner line looks like quite a bargain. The Trappers Hawk looks quite tempting.
 
After much consideration.....

It's currently looking like the choice will be a Fort Turner Trapper Hawk. It's pretty affordable, looks very nice and has recieved some nice reviews here.

I was gonna go with an HB Forge Small Camp Axe, but..I looked at the ordering, and realized that they don't take orders online, which would really slow down the shipping process, and I need it in by April 12th.

Suzanne was kind enough to offer me a very gracious package deal for BM Hawks, but...as sweet as the deal was, they're still out of the realm of affordability for now. (Wouldn't be so bad if I could move some of those &%$#!! Helles from my collection) Maybe look at a BM for Christmas if the FT goes over well. Some day there WILL be one or two BMs in this household!!:D

I did decide to go with a Hawk rather than an axe just for the coolness factor with kids. As effective a tool as a decent Fiskars hatchet or something like that is, it just plain lacks the "wow!" factor for a kid- Besides that, it would go better with his Ruger Bearcat and his Winchester rifles :D

There's also the throwing factor I considered...

On a sidenote...it would appear that my wife is aquiring a taste for hawks...

She started out picking one out for Jonathan with me last night, and before too long she stumbles across RMJ Forge. It took me an hour and a half or so to pry her away from that site!! Guess what she wants for her B-day in August?:rolleyes:

Anyhoo, thanks for all the input and suggestions, all of them were greatly appreciated, and as you can tell, I did take some advice from this thread...:D
 
Done the deed...:D

Ordered the Trapper hawk and an extra handle for him, and I couldn't resist a camp hawk and an extra handle for myself.

Hopefully the shipping charges can be worked with...they were automatically calculated, and I'm currently looking at $36 for shipping!:eek:

That being said, I hope they get here by his B-day on the 12th.


EDIT:

Just got off the phone with Dana himself. One helluva nice easy goin' guy, helpful, and informative. He knocked the shipping price in half, and gave me some additional info on the hawks. the Trapper has a 1.5 lb head and the Camp Hawk is at about two pounds. RC hardness was much higher than I'd expected. (58 as I recall?!) It's really nice to talk to real live people once in awhile, I'm impressed he took the time to call.

Can't wait 'till they come in!!
 
You will be very happy with your choice. I have been using a Camp Hawk for a couple of years now and it also is a very good throwing hawk. I did not shorten the handle as I did with my other throwers since I like the length for chopping.

BTW- I had the pleasure to meet Dana at the Cascade Mountain Men show in WA last month. He had a line of spike hawks at the show. You may want to consider this at some point too.

I hope you and your son will enjoy many afternoons of hawk throwing as my 9 year old and I have and continue to do almost daily.
 
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