hatchet vs. big chopper?

[tholiver]

Estwing sportsman hatchet

I need one of those! Maybe just for the aesthetics alone!

I used to be a big chopper guy but lately its hatchets (Fiskars and Wetterlings).

I just rehandled two old axe heads i've had kicking around, a 1 1/4 pound hatchet and a monster sized fireman's axe!
I'm on a bit of an axe kick lately, now hawks are starting to look good as well!
lol.

 

[3wolves]

Well I guess it looks like the hatchet wins. Now to tac up that little hatchet I have in the basement somewhere.

 

[Foilist]

I'd say hatchet because that's what I have experience with. Good enough for Nessmuk. I have never actually had a large chopper. I suppose that's as good an excuse as any to go try one!

One thing I can imagine a chopper doing better than a hatchet is if you want to harvest a whole lot of branches off a pine tree for ground insulation or roof materials.

 

[sketchbag]

Big bowies and axes have both been around for a long time, axes have worked their way into sheeple territory and are quite common. Anywhere you are going to want a fire and axe will be better, though in certain ecosystems I would rather a machete certainly.
It is all preference, of course, But a good axe will provide a lot more firewood then a chopper, IMHO.

About the gransfors bruks, I have heard the edge is too fine for chopping trees down, and is best for limbing. Is this true? If that's the case then I don't think it's quite the tool
everyone says it is. (I have a sfa)

RB, for cheap quality in axes, wetterlings are the ticket, though need some work on the edge apparently.
For choppers, not so sure on that.
Machetes are cheap as heck, you can get a good one for the price of a mora.

Last weekend I used my Scandinavian Forest Axe (25.5") to fell 2 dead, frozen poplars both around 10-12" in diameter. The axe took nice big bites, and got through it pretty quickly. It took a lot more effort than a bigger axe, but thats just unavoidable since you have to compensate for the weight with speed.

I dont think i'd even bother chopping anything like that with a knife, even a big 9-10" chopper. With less weight and even less mechanical advantage swinging it you'd really have to put everything youve got into every swing, and it'd still take a lot longer.

Limbing is a breeze with that axe.

Splitting is a bit trickier, youve gota just hit it with the top 3/4 of the axe head, it's so narrow that if you hit the center of the round that the handle will hit it before it splits.

I did some batoning with smaller knives (biggest being an Ontario TAK-1) and it's a big step down from using the axe. It's much slower, uses more energy, and the impacts arent pleasant on either the knife hand or the baton hand. And this was seasoned poplar that was being split, this wood splits so nicely they say it'll split just by looking at it, but because the narrow profile of a blade it doesnt wedge it so youve either gotta pry it apart or drive it most of the way through.

 

[Cobalt]

I was wondering which one you would rather carry if you could pick one. A hatchet, or a big chopper like the dogfather or kershaw outcast. When you comare the two they seem like the same weight and you can use a large knife for other camp chores like food prep etc. but the hatchet is only good for splitting wood and using as a hammer (unless you have one of the flat one piece ones.) So if you could carry only one, which would you carry? name the make and model. Im still looking for the perfect woods carry. (4-6 inch fixed blade, folder, multitool and chopper or hatchet.)
thanks

So you are not just carrying one, you are carrying 4 items. 4-6 inch blade, Folder, Multitool and CHOPPER or HATCHET. If these 4 items is in fact the case I would go with HAtchet sincey ou already have a fixed blade in your kit.

However, if you remove the fixed blade from your kit, then I would go with a chopper. So 3 items total and the big chopper does the work of two because it can.

 

[Bushman5]

wiat i have to choose between a chopper or a hatchet? and here all along i have been carrying a hatchet, a chopper, a large knife, a med knife adn a folder.

now i have to choose!

 

[1Tracker]

The Fiskars is really quite comfy to choke up on and use like an ulu. Works this way as a cleaver or a dicer fore stews. Slices fine, too.

I was going to say the same, and agree the hatchet can be all around in camp more comfortable for me to use than a large chopper. I've come to the conclusion that I don't mind carrying the hatchet, Fiskars, along with a few smaller knives, and beating the hatchet to death rather than one of my knives, just the way I like to camp YMMV. Skinned plenty of deer, elk, moose with a hatchet in the past, but not a cheap thick edged clumsy one, Fiskers rule for thin edged inexpensive hatchets IME.:thumbup:

 

[Erasmus]

I went with the hatchet. As long as you have a decent hatchet along, that frees you up to carry your usual small pocket knife along, and not be underequipped.

 

[Lorien]

Hey Pit! Let's get in a hike one of these coming Sundays. You're welcome to carry any of my knives and try them out if you like. This coming summer we oughta head up to the lakes for a little fishing too.

 

[pitdog]

Hey Pit! Let's get in a hike one of these coming Sundays. You're welcome to carry any of my knives and try them out if you like. This coming summer we oughta head up to the lakes for a little fishing too.

Sounds good.....I'll have to check my up coming shift's as i now work 4 on then 2 off !!!!

 

[Lorien]

:thumbup::thumbup: