First Hatchet

I believe Snow and Nealey makes a youth model hatchet. slightly smaller bit. I have ordered 4 Husqvarna hatchets online and all of them have been great quality. Only thing I have seen go wrong with a husky is ONE handle in ONE thread did not have the best grain alignment. I have 5 axes from Husqvarna and all have exceeded my Wetterlings in quality. Everyone of them has been as good as the GB's I've used and seen.

For a first hatchet, why not go down to Harbor freight and buy a camp hatchet for 10 bucks and let him beat on it. Once he has his technique down, buy him something nicer.
 
Plumb hatchet from junk store or antique shop. Do a rehab on it. Make a sheath with him. Have him date it and put his mark on it. He will have it for life and will pass it on to his son.
 
Loosearrow said:
Plumb hatchet from junk store or antique shop. Do a rehab on it. Make a sheath with him. Have him date it and put his mark on it. He will have it for life and will pass it on to his son.
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I keep hearing about those Plumb Hatchets, they any good? Are they tempered well with good steel? :)
-Bruce
 
Gerber/Fiskars, Kershaw, and Outdoor Edge all come for under $30, and all are great, well made, and simple hatchets. Don't overthink things for your needs. Go simple.
 
echoscout said:
Council Tool Hunters Axe (hatchet) is a good one. 1.25 lb. head and 14" handle.
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I've had four axes by Council Tools and the quality of manufacture of three of them was so bad that they should have never left the factory. I won't buy one of their products in the future unless I can inspect it first.

coloradowildman said:
The recent Wetterlings and Wetterlings made Husky hatchets don't have metal wedges
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Buying one of these and fitting a wedge sounds like a much better choice, given the amount of effort required to make the Council Tool product into something that approximates an axe that can be used. However, if your price limit is $80, that's awfully close to the price of a Wetterlings hatchet OOB, but the comment about erratic quality is valid (as it also is for Gransfors Bruks axes from my experience). One thing to consider is asking the store to inspect the axe before they ship it, if they will do that. Ben's Backwoods will, and I highly recommend it. If they don't know how to inspect an axe but are willing to learn, this page might help them
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16606&p=221074#post221074

I am curious, however, of the source that Husky hatchets are made by Wetterlings.

And, BTW, there are several reviews of hatchets in this forum that are worth reading and might influence your choice when you buy.
 
rg598 said:
I would go with a $10 Graintex hatchet: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2010/12/graintex-single-bit-camp-axe-ca1754.html It is a great axe that comes at an even greater price.

http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/
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Very interesting to find that an inexpensive tool would match up so well with the expensive GBs and receive nice reviews.

As much as folks might want to recommend other fine hatchets (Estwing, Wetterlings, GB, Fiskars, Gerber, Husquvarna, Plumb, etc) I can't see why you wouldn't buy the Graintex.

Too bad I don't need another hatchet, but if I ever do I will be looking very closely at spending a measly $10-$15 on the Graintex.
 
Tentmaker said:
I went with the Graintex Single Bit Camp Axe. I'm sure he'll get a kick out of it.
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From what I know and have read, you done good. :)

Don't get me wrong, lots of other good choices, but it seems hard to beat the value of that Graintex.
 
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