Disappointed!!!

J.S. Carter said:
ESTWING Sportsman Hatchet

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I have owned one of these for over 30 years.

It has been a Dependable Ax.

I bought the long handle brother to it last year and have been using longer handle Axes more in the last couple of years.
 
I found an old Estwing with the leather washer handle rotted for 2$- Took it off and made a 550 cord wrap handle and convexed the edge. Have flogged it hard for 15+ years. Rides in the pickup with the BOB most of the time. Great hatchet!
 
Ebbtide said:
The GB with the broken blade...was that replaced?
Was the replacement OK?
.
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Yes and Yes. Of course the wood that broke the first was really unique as far as being tough. I'm not sure I have run into anything as rough with the replacement.
 
Morablades--

Thanks for posting. I have 3 of these hatchets, so am also disappointed, especially since I could never bring myself to fully trust a hatchet with a wood handle. I don't know the weight of the Estwing Sportsman but it looks like it would be on the heavy side for carrying all day.

Having back-up tools is always a good idea but when carrying everything on my back it's not real likely I'd pack 2 hatchets, in case one breaks. Warranties are also nice but don't mean much when a critical tool or piece of equipment fails deep in the wilderness.
 
(Referring to BaldTacoII's pics of the Estwing above)
I always thought they were Shinglers hatchets.
Either way it has a blade and a blunt end for hammering tent pegs/whatever etc.
Looks sort of Tomahawk-ish.
I almost bought one kinda like that years ago.
I really wanted a leather handled Estwing hatchet
but shinglers hatchets were all they had.
The one i handled did have a nice balance and the blade was thin enough to chop with.
It could have worked as a decent hatchet.
In the end i didn't buy it because i finally found a Estwing Campers axe.

The new Estwing shinglers hatchet now have a weird attachment thing on the blade.
Haven't seen a new one up close, just pics online.
I'm not a roofer so i don't know what the extra do-hickey is for, lol.
:)
 
Mtn Hawk said:
Having back-up tools is always a good idea but when carrying everything on my back it's not real likely I'd pack 2 hatchets, in case one breaks. Warranties are also nice but don't mean much when a critical tool or piece of equipment fails deep in the wilderness.
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And that's why you have to test before considering them field ready. Take a look at Himalyan Imports khukuris, for example. In their forum, they seriously advocate testing a khukuri (in numerous ways such as prying and hammering with their spines) before considering it ready for field use where it must not fail. Of course, even the heaviest test won't make it 100 % impossible that the tool will fail on the field, but that is the nature of life - uncertain. I don't know of any manufacturer of any item that has never let out a defective item on to the market.
 
stingray4540 said:
Please tell me you are not using a drywall hammer as an axe/hatchet!
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Nope, that's why I described its as urban.

It was one of two test bits given to me by a roofer that had no use for it as they all tend to use claw hammers. I wanted to know how well an Estwing would colour up as I think it is a better general purpose urban bashing device than many of the hawks and so on marketed as entry / exit crate smashers and whatnot. The blade side is very thin and ideal for some things but poor at what an axe proper is good at. Similarly, it isn't an ideal hammer, the deep rough hatching on the face alone sees to that. What with that superb nylon grip and the fact it's easy to mod away from the horrible new blue, and the above, I'll stand by “urban twatting tool” as a particularly good description.
 
pitdog said:
You have the same Butt pack as I used to use bro !!!
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I remember yours from your Rat Chat pics amigo. I've never wanted a stronger heavier one so I did wonder why you did. I intended to ask at the time but figured I was surrounded by Maxpedition fanboys so it was prudent not to.
 
I love my Estwing Campers Axe as much as my Fiskars but i think anything can break under the right circumstances.
I think this is definitely a case of an individual flawed Fiskars.
Really manufacturing defects do occur in the mass production of anything. there will always be the odd dud.
Show me more instances of Fiskars breaking and i'll start to worry and i'll hold my Fiskars in reserve.
If i was doing any major expeditions or really long trips i'd be tempted to carry a regular wooden handle axe instead of the Fiskars or the Estwings simply because you can in a pinch make a new handle for it.
 
baldtaco-II said:
Nope, that's why I described its as urban.

It was one of two test bits given to me by a roofer that had no use for it as they all tend to use claw hammers. I wanted to know how well an Estwing would colour up as I think it is a better general purpose urban bashing device than many of the hawks and so on marketed as entry / exit crate smashers and whatnot. The blade side is very thin and ideal for some things but poor at what an axe proper is good at. Similarly, it isn't an ideal hammer, the deep rough hatching on the face alone sees to that. What with that superb nylon grip and the fact it's easy to mod away from the horrible new blue, and the above, I'll stand by “urban twatting tool” as a particularly good description.
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When i looked at the Shinglers hatchets (back in the early 80's) i could not find any decent small hatchet where i lived.
Even the full sized axes were cr*p with 1/4 inch thick blunt "cutting" edges.
I was in Cub Scouts at the time and had a hatchet that was one of those afflicted with a 1/4 inch thick cutting edge. It was totally useless.
When i saw the Shinglers axe it was the first time i saw something with a reasonably thin usable cutting edge.
It would have been better hatchet than my "real" hatchet because you could actually cut wood and split with it.
Luckily i did finally find an Estwing Campers axe years later. But the cr*ppy too thick axes led me into the big knife phase of my collecting career.lol.
Now i'm an axe guy again because of Estwing/Fiskars and Wetterlings.

I actually still have the old too thick scout hatchet, i rehandled it and reprofiled it so thats its actually useful now.
:D
 
I don't imagine anything bad ever happening to the nylon bit of an Estwing but the shaft looks to me like I could bend it without a massive amount of lateral force. I've not seen that happen to an Estwing ever though, including the hammers. It may do. I think the head of the Estwing hatchet is way inferior to the GB hatchet head. That's a bummer 'cos I'd love to colour one the same way as I did that thing above. Also, chocking up the grip on an Estwing is a nightmare. Though in fairness, if folk shouldn't bitch about not using a knife as a hatchet, those same people shouldn't bitch about not using a hatchet as a knife.
 
tholiver, hola

“I actually still have the old scout hatchet, i rehandled it and reprofiled it so thats its actually useful now.”

Yeah, I really want to set up a belt sander at the other house. Most of my fun stuff happens there [away from the city]. There's a new Martindale golok design I want to rub up one of those for a start. Hours of fun. ;-)
 
parnass said:
My old Estwing has held up ok.

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Cool! I've always loved the look of those!
Is that the 12 inch or the 14 inch?
Whats the weight on those? Even a rough estimate would help as Estwing's website doesn't list weight.
I know i will buy one eventually but i've only ever seen them online.
 
baldtaco-II said:
tholiver, hola

“I actually still have the old scout hatchet, i rehandled it and reprofiled it so thats its actually useful now.”

Yeah, I really want to set up a belt sander at the other house. Most of my fun stuff happens there [away from the city]. There's a new Martindale golok design I want to rub up one of those for a start. Hours of fun. ;-)
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I've modded two axes, actually the above mentioned hatchet and another similarly afflicted camp sized Canadian Tire 9$ axe.
Believe it or not i did both in my bedroom with a bunch of files and a dremel tool with little sanding drums. Took a long time though, lol!
Yeah a belt sander is on my "gotta get" list as well. That would make reprofiling so much easier.
 
I'm reminded of one of Horn Dog's postings elsewhere. He took a Swamp Rat [or Scrapyard] offering to a belt and pushed it further than I suspect most would. Some may have considered it damaged. I thought of it as a marked improvement in cutting performance that I would do on purpose.
 
baldtaco-II said:
tholiver, hola

“I actually still have the old scout hatchet, i rehandled it and reprofiled it so thats its actually useful now.”

Yeah, I really want to set up a belt sander at the other house. Most of my fun stuff happens there [away from the city]. There's a new Martindale golok design I want to rub up one of those for a start. Hours of fun. ;-)
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I've been meaning to pick up one of those Martindale Goloks!
They are supposed to be pretty good!
:thumbup:
 
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