Edge on working hatchet.

[Spongebobby]

I have a small decision to make, and i was looking for some expert opinions on it. I've been inspired by the nessmuk trio, and i chose my Benchmade-Emerson Cqc-7 (Perhaps not the best, but i won't ever leave my side.) An Ontario RTAK (Large, but it's scary sharp all time and can be resharpened on a honing stone easily, i use it the most, so i chose it.) And for a hatchet i went with a Tomahawk/hatchet hybrid (An old briar edge shingling hatchet with a ridiculously thick bade and the top corner rounded off and the edge curved instead of straight, it's fixed to the handle like a hatchet but it's got a straight, longer handle like a tomahawk, i customized like this for myself so it's my favorite.) Getting back on topic my question was if i should leave it with the thick convexed edge that honestly won't even cut paper, but gets the job done, and will never chip out or roll, or if i shoud thin it out with a file and make it shaving sharp, it's never going to do anything besides chop and split wood, bones, or heads. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[bjp]

"it's never going to do anything besides chop and split wood, bones, or heads."


sounds like it's set up correctly as it is. no reason to put the time and effort in to get it to shaving-sharp if it's a skull splitter or wood chopper...........

 

[Dave Behrens]

The few times I have sharpened and axe/hatchet to shaving sharp I found the edge dulled quicker. Possibly because axes and hatchets are tempered to a softer level than knives to handle repeated impact/s. Just food for thought.

 

[Spongebobby]

Thanks for the replies, IMO is the steel hardness is around 58 HRC, or even higher, i'm not the most knowledgeable about those things but it seems as hard as benchmade ATS-34 atleast. Old steel is good stuff.