Digitally Fixing the Hardcore Hammers Survivalist Hatchet

Rig Builder's Hatchet:

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Standard Half Hatchet:

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Park Swan said:
That's a great endorsement. I didn't know about the collared version from Vaughan, looks like it costs about twice as much as their regular riggers axe.
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Their riggers axe didn't used to be collared until sometime In the past 10 years I believe.
The non collars heads they make are half hatchets like 42 has posted.
They've got riggers axes, half hatchets, flooring hatchets ( looks like an un-collared riggers axe and weighs less )
 
Gotcha. If the hardcore hatchet has the build quality it appears to have, as well as being USA made from 4140, and if they implemented a properly shaped bit as suggested by fortytwo, and made some tweaks to their handle shape, then I would consider the $135 price tag very reasonable.
 
I don't understand why anyone would trust the manufacturing process of a company that thinks a new hatchet looks like this:

hardcore-survivalist-hatchet.jpg


If you don't even know what one looks like I doubt you've learned much about how to make one.

$135??!!??
I wouldn't give $15 to Harbor Freight for that POS. And I would be extremely slow to ever trust the maker.
 
Square_peg said:
I don't understand why anyone would trust the manufacturing process of a company that thinks a new hatchet looks like this:

hardcore-survivalist-hatchet.jpg


If you don't even know what one looks like I doubt you've learned much about how to make one.

$135??!!??
I wouldn't give $15 to Harbor Freight for that POS. And I would be extremely slow to ever trust the maker.
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I completely agree.
Even if they had gotten it right, there's the price tag that is not justified by the so called " upgrade " of the steel which I believe they only use for marketing.
People see a fancy steel listed as well as a high price tag and think " this seems like a premium tool that I can brag about "
 
Square_peg said:
It's amusing to see the anvil on the side of a tool that is clearly cast and not forged. What's the anvil for?
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Because of total hardcoreness bra, wassup bra doncha know anvils are hardcore bra.
Only the hardcorest of the hardcore tools have anvils on them bra.
 
Definitely dumb marketing... but then some folks fake-age their tools because they think it's way cool to have old-looking tools :D
 
Square_peg said:
I don't understand why anyone would trust the manufacturing process of a company that thinks a new hatchet looks like this:
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Fair, but FWIW all of these american companies are in that category for me (skating by on the thin benefit of the doubt). I've had bad experiences with vaughan, and estwing is a joke.

I want them to succeed over the chinese **** peddlers, so even if they have issues at least they aren't selling out completely. Also FWIW I hold myself to a much different standard.
 
The company is well regarded for their hammers, and folks I've spoken to regarding the quality of their hatchets speak highly of their toughness and the quality of the steel/heat treatment. I think they just tried jumping in on something they didn't quite understand the form factor particulars for, and it at least sounds like they're willing to learn from the experience. I genuinely wish them the best. I just also would advise people looking to drop that kind of money on an axe to consider looking elsewhere until that form factor is fixed.
 
Park Swan said:
Definitely dumb marketing... but then some folks fake-age their tools because they think it's way cool to have old-looking tools :D
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I don't do that to all of my tools, I just aged one harbor freight hatchet. And the only reason I did that was because it's the cheapest easiest way to cover up all of the tooling...ect marks. I'm not going to have a very crappy looking head, nor am I going to spend more on different grits of sandpaper than the thing is worth. I smoothed the surface out as well as I could with an old sharpening stone and scrap of sanding belt then let the rust / resulting patina cover everything up.

I know all companies can focus a bit too much on marketing once in a while, but it really doesn't look good when a relatively new company makes something like this.
This may be a bit critical, but their name and use of anvil in their logo strikes me as an all marketing company. I've heard great things about their quality but I'm still sceptical of them and will not be a customer any time soon.
Their tools are expensive, called hardcore, and they don't know enough about their own market not to realize their designing a pre-worn head.

How could they get this wrong ?
Standard riggers axe + standard hatchet bit curvature = hardcore hatchet.
I'll bet that Vaughan would get this right the first time if they introduced something similar.
 
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That thing isn't in the same class as a rigging axe. It's only 19oz.
Here is a typical YouTube review. From folks that feel the need to swing a 19oz head on a short handle two handed.

 
"....we designed the curved blade for both optimal cutting and splitting wood."

I'd like to meet that design team. lol

"Made from top quality 4140 tool steel (AKA “Ordnance steel” because it’s commonly used for making breech and barrel parts for guns and cannons)"

Oh, my! That sounds impressive. Doesn't it. 4140 is the cheapest lowest carbon steel that is fit to make a passable axe. It's good for tooling and hammers. My favorite straight peen is 4140 and it's a fine hammer. But 4140 is far from being any premium steel for axes. And that "ordnance steel" crap. Pure marketing. They are trolling for suckers - and apparently finding them.
 
Square_peg said:
"....we designed the curved blade for both optimal cutting and splitting wood."

I'd like to meet that design team. lol

"Made from top quality 4140 tool steel (AKA “Ordnance steel” because it’s commonly used for making breech and barrel parts for guns and cannons)"

Oh, my! That sounds impressive. Doesn't it. 4140 is the cheapest lowest carbon steel that is fit to make a passable axe. It's good for tooling and hammers. My favorite straight peen is 4140 and it's a fine hammer. But 4140 is far from being any premium steel for axes. And that "ordnance steel" crap. Pure marketing. They are trolling for suckers - and apparently finding them.
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The head weights and general head shapes are odd.
I really think they took existing half hatchets or other similar heads, modified them , built up the surface to add their personal design details, then made molds based off of them.
I've see people with cut down riggers axe and half hatchet heads, and the clocked weight was about the same as these.
Think about it, why does the larger one have a collar while the smaller one doesn't , just like you see with Vaughan heads ? Probably the same reason Vaughan added it , but these aren't riggers axes. I think it's because the master started off as one.
Why would they design a modified existing tool head to cast / make from the ground up as something else ?
Technically they're not a modified head , but that's basically what they are when you get down to it.
Why would you want to make and sell a tool that looks like a poorly done aftermarket modification ?

Btw what does framing hammer technology have to do with a " survivalist hatchet " ?
Im not going to say these aren't a good tool, but they just don't seem right for some reason.
 
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I have no dog in this fight, and think FortyTwoBlades' version looks worlds better, but I do have to chuckle at the comments on 4140 being a "fancy steel" or being chosen because it's cheap (beats me, I haven't compared prices with other alloys in the same size stock I buy it in). The description on the website is slightly flowery, but if you are gun shopping, you will see the barrels often listed as being made from 4140, its higher-carbon brother 4150, or "chrome/moly" steel, which describes 4140. "Ordnance steel" is a legitimate term. It's also used for sway bars, axles, roll cages, etc. etc. etc. Not quite as imagination-inspiring, of course.

4140 is darn good ax steel. Based on my own experience with it, and that of plenty of other folks making axes from it and demonstrating their tools' capabilities. Is it a "premium" steel? No, I don't suppose it would fall under that category. But, done right, it will fit the bill for a high percentage of ax needs. Those that have more specialized needs will pay for premium steel, as well as specific other "premium" features.

A well-tuned small block 350 will handle a lot of folks' hot rod needs. Some want a 572 with a big blower on top. 4140 and related alloys are common for a lot of different applications for a reason. I know from my own experience in building tools that the material cost is often the smallest factor in the final price.

Buy one of these or don't, it makes no difference to me. Own the tools that make you happy.
 
Well said James.

There's this weird thing with steel where people think if you add more to it it must necessarily be better, when really it's a better question of does what's in the steel let it have the attributes I want for the job at hand. I've used Council Tools 4140 FS Boy's Axe, and I would be hard pressed to tell a difference between it and the edge holding of my harder 5160 axe. And by hard pressed, I mean I couldn't.
 
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