Brend Hatchet Questions and comments

[alphamaniv]

Hello All,
I have some comments and questions so here they go.
First off, a big THANKS to Justin for taking care of a few concerns about my Brend Hatchet.
Great products and great service!
Next, how sharp should this thing be? It is sort of sharp now, but I am going to have to sharpen it up a little. I have a sharpmaker from spyderco, I figure that should do it. Any advice will be appreciated and applied.
I plan on giving this baby a toss tomorrow. I have never thrown much of anything other than baseballs and footballs, so I could use a little help there too. I have already checked out the video at ATC, but more input is fine if anyone has any.
Also, I have wrapped my handle in what I think is a pretty cool way, and it was very simple. I will try to post pics tomorrow, I’ll have to get my wife to take them and help me post them. Well that’s about it. I am planning on trying to buy another hawk in a few months. Maybe a VT or a next gen ranger. I just have to get a couple of busse knives and maybe a new pistol first. It seems like I am always saving my pennies for something. Start the advice posting now

 

[Andy Prisco]

Alpha,

...on the sharpness question, all our products leave the shop shaving sharp. If your Brend Hatchet doesn't shave right out of the box, we want to know about it.

In terms of equipment, the Sharpmaker is an excellent device and should work well on the Brend. You may need to use the medium stone first to establish the working bevel per the jig's fixed angle, but I would start with a few passes using the white stones and see how it works for you. You may not need to go to the medium at all.

On the throwing question...the Brend has a forward pitch or "raked" angle, so it leaves your hand with more forward momentum than a Hawk with a straight or perpendicular handle, like a NG Ranger, Vietnam, or RR Spike. Due to its 13" overall length, start about 12-13 feet from the target, feet planted. If you're right handled, your left foot is forward, right foot back. Some folks naturally extend their thumb on the spine, while others enclose the handle completely, like using a Hammer...it doesn't matter really...just do whatever is more comfortable for you and easily repeatable.

Raise the Brend Hawk straight up over your head (be mindful that a BIG windup is not necessary, and could also bury the spike end in your shoulder blade) like you're about to Hammer a nail at waist level.

Keep the wrist reasonably firm and get a feel for the weight of the piece by extending your arm straight at the target...point on. At a one turn distance, you will NOT need to calibrate for drop by aiming higher.

After a few "air pitches" to feel the weight, like a golf practice swing, let it rip by letting the weight of the Hawk do most of the work in terms of leaving your hand and spinning toward the target. Remember to keep the wrist reasonably firm. Wristy throwing is hard to do the same over and over again. Keep the Hawk straight up and down when you throw it...at least at first. Master that, and then you can try some sidearm craziness, like Justin or Peter LaGana...they can throw from just about any angle. I prefer just to throw straight up and down. It's probably a military thing!

As Peter LaGana liked to say when coaching a new thrower winding up to cut his Hawk loose, "just turn it over"...

If it hits handle up, move up. 12-13 feet permits the Brend to turn once before hitting the target.

Each person has an individual single turn distance so don't be concerned if you find you have to move closer or further. Just be patient and make sure you deliver the Brend the SAME way over and over again, until its a matter of simply establishing your single turn distance.

Feel free to call me with your number and if you have a cordless phone, Justin or I will be happy to coach you right over the phone while you're doing it.

Otherwise, you should be sticking in a VERY short period of time.

 

[Rev. Pete]

Next, how sharp should this thing be?

I think they come about as sharp as they need to be; any sharper and the edge wouldn't hold up to chopping. I also have the Spyderco Sharpmaker and I already touched up the edge of my Brend hatchet because I was throwing it at the end of a log in a hillside and dinged the edge on a stone. It looked bad but it turns out the damage was almost all cosmetic. After a few swipes on the Sharpmaker the edge was back to perfect. I'm interested in your Brend sharpening technique with the Sharpmaker. Rather than try to sharpen the entire curved blade with one pass I sharpened the top half of the blade with the handle pointing toward me, then turned it around and sharpened the bottom half of the blade with the handle facing away. Not very scientific but it splits watermelon just fine .

 

[alphamaniv]

Thanks for the throwing tips. I will try not to bother you on the phone for throwing coaching. I know that you guys are busy. So, when the time does come to sharpen the hatchet, will the 40-degree angle change the factory angle? Or would it be better to lay the stones down in the back of the base and try to freehand it? I truly appreciate the lengths you go to to keep everyone happy. You time on the boards is something that a lot of folks won’t do as regularly as you do. It seems like you are running a company the best way you can and I will be happy to throw you some more business in the future. (No pun intended)

On another note, I am an EMT and when we did auto extrication class we used a full sized fire axe (Pulaski I think) to chop all the way around a windshield and the used the spiked end to puncture the glass in the center and pull out the whole thing. This is pretty fast and very effective, but the full size axe was unwieldy at best. I was thinking that if the Brend model was a little thicker and heavier it would kick ass in this role and be much easier to use and faster too. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but that could be a whole other market for you. Maybe some other EMS or fire personnel will chime in. Anyway, it’s just a thought. I know that you are already a success, but more is always better.

 

[Andy Prisco]

Alpha...

I thought the Sharpmaker uses a 25 degree angle...if you have a 25 degree option, that's the way to go. If its wider than that, then free hand it.

Your remarks on rescue applications with a Hatchet or Tomahawk are not new. We have some prototypes being tested by some of the best in that field and will share more as we make progress.

Thanks for your kind words about us as well.

 

[alphamaniv]

No thanks needed for the kind words. I never hesitate to speak up if I am not happy so I try to do the same when I am pleased. You earned them. Glad to here about the posibility of a rescue version.Maybe I can take that one off my taxes. Otherwise it's just a good reason for another one. My sharpmaker has one 40 degree side and a 30 degree setting. Thanks for the info.