hatchet vs big blade

B

beyondmyken

Joined
Dec 23, 2000
Messages
217
Would like any experiences voiced using a hatchet vs a big blade for work such as butchering an elk. A friend of mine uses a hatchet to quickly go through elk tendons or spine but I would like to try a sammi style knife. Have used a saw before and the teeth gum up too fast and it was slower than the hatchet. I prefer not to bone out the elk if we cannot get to a freezer quickly.

------------------
It is better to light one candle than curse the darkness.
 
Hi Beyondmyken,

A good question that has been discussed several times. It would be good to hear if any new openions are out there. For previous conversations on this subject, check out these links:

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000130.html

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000179.html

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000470.html

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000670.html

Each discusses the likes (or dislikes) of using an Axe, hatchet, and/or big knife.

Best,



------------------
Greg Davenport
Simply Survival's Wilderness Survival Forum
Simply Survival's Web Page
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?
 
Greg, thanks for the archived threads. Those spirited debates remind me of the two vs. three blade broadhead debates on the stickbow.com site. I am primarily interested on processing a large critter like an elk or moose. I have a backpack hatchet from Texas Knife and Gun supply that only is 5/32" along the poll. I am thinking of polishing the poll like the Granfor bruksx game axe for skinning.
 
Ever considered a smatchete?

------------------
I can draw any knife I want, I just can't afford to make it, or buy it.....
 
Well, this may be heresy, but a chainsaw (with no lube oil) works great for large critters like moose. Splits the backbone real nice. An ax is also useful for splitting the breastbone and the skull for chopping out the antlers (don't chop the antlers, though; they'll put nice notches in your ax's edge). Also useful for skinning except in the tight parts (an ulu would be handier). And for splitting the big leg bones to get at the marrow (slurp!). But a good skinning blade is also essential, IMHO... CS Master Hunter/Elk Skinner/North American Hunter/F1/Russell Belt Knife (Grohman's)/Fieldcraft all work great.
 
AE, I'd love to see you whack a moose apart with a chainsaw! That would be a sight!
biggrin.gif


------------------
Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
AE is right a chainsaw makes short work of moose critters...Have used this tool for several field dressing efforts..
 
An elk carcass is so large that one of your highest priorities is usually to quarter it. This involves cutting and seperating a lot of bone. The classic tool for this purpose is a very large cleaver. Some custom bladesmiths make field cleavers for this purpose. The slickest approach I have seen is using two small square-backed hatchets. You put the edge of one where you want to cut and whack the back of the blade with the back of your other hatchet. This lets you zip through the tough areas quickly and precisely.

I like to travel light. I carry a single small Gerber hatchet or Normark skinning hatchet (along with my general hunting knife). I work on bone and heavy gristle with my hatchet and use my knife for anything softer.

 
Thanks for the opinions guys. I can't see backpacking a chainsaw, maybe I can slip one in my hunting buddy's pack without him noticing?!?!? I am leaning toward the use of a small knife plus a hatchet. Jeff, where did you get the Normark skinning hatchet? I think the hatchet that I will modify is going to work well.
 
Hoodoo,
It is a messy job, all right. Our usual practice is to roll the critter onto a tarp, gut and skin it, then remove the front and rear quarters. Once that's done, we use the chainsaw to cut down the backbone to separate the two sides of the rib cage (it is a good idea to stand off to one side to avoid bone chips, but you're already pretty messy anyway). My hunting buddy and I took two hours to do the last moose we got, from initial cut to loading it into the boats. We were drifting a northern BC river in two boats, one a six-man inflatable, the other a west coast driftboat, either of which could accommodate half a ton of passengers and gear, so there was plenty of room for a chainsaw. If we were hiking in after elk/caribou/moose, an ax would do the job. I have used a big meat saw to cut the backbone in half, but that's a fair bit of work.
 
Jeff, That sounds like a neat solution, I imagine you could also use one knife and a baton.

beyondmyken- Well, either works. But I think that many choose the big knife because of the greater cutting edge, and generally higher quality of knives. But, I really like axes, and axettes.

------------------
Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye mdpoff@hotmail.com

My website, guided links, talonite/cobalt alloy info, etc....
http://www.geocities.com/mdpoff

>>--->Bill Siegle Custom Knives<---<<
-http://www.geocities.com/siegleknives-

"To wait for luck is the same as waiting for death." -Japanese Proverb

"Place you clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark." -Lazarus Long
 
Great story, AE. I'm envious as hell. Seen a lot of moose in the wilderness but never had an opportunity to hunt them. What little moose meat I've eaten tasted great.

------------------
Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
:
You might try something like this.
Uncle Bill posted pix of this khukuri that I made a wooden prototpe for. I believe you could call it a cleaver and it has small knives for the soft work.
smile.gif

I am just a fan and collector of khukuri's. I don't have any ties to the company. Since I designed this khukuri rig Uncle Bill named it for me. I am quite proud of it
smile.gif


http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum53/HTML/001129.html


------------------
>>>>---¥vsa---->®

Each person's work is always a portrait of himself.

---- Samuel Butler.

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
personally i would want my fathers butchers cleaver sharp enough to shave with but tough enough to hack through bone in one good chop, ive seen him use it on deer bull and moose along with a butcher saw it is a quick task to quarter most beasties, other may try a band saw.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top