Hatchet vs. Large Wilderness blade??!

[GRIM 62]

It's easy for me,Hiking (fixed blade),and camping (axe).

 

[shockjockey24]

if youre worried about keeping weight to a minimum...a folding saw would be my choice...my gerber wont even register on a traditional kitchen scale, but it feels equal in weight to an Izula with the sheath. Its the 6" blade sliding model and costs around 10 bucks...and Ive cut up to 8" logs with it. I can keep it in my back pocket and not even notice its there...Ive gone to cut a piece of wood before and looked through my whole pack before I realized it was in my pocket

 

[kinskibrain]

For me its easy too. I live in Sweden and in this type of northern climate an axe is more useful than a big knife being more effective on larger wood. Big knives are for brush.

I take a GB SFA backpacking if I know I'm processing a lot of wood. But on 80% of my hikes I'm perfectly happy with just a 4 inch knife.

Weight? For example: an ESEE Junglas with sheath weighs about the same as a Gränsfors small forest axe

 

[Vaunripped]

I have been trying to figure out this same question for some time now. I got a bit of advice that really simplified this hole topic for me. I asked my dad one night what he thought. "Well if it was me I'd go out a few times with each and figure out what works for you best and take that one and say screw the other." having a big knife and a hatchet both (not that they are the highest quality) I plan on doing just that. I have a saw that I take with for the felling so its more of a splitting/chopping tool for me, and for fine work I have a belt knife ~4" blade that works really well for that kind of thing. IMO this will most likely be the best way to figure out whats best.

 

[A.P.F.]

I can chop down and process a tree quite a bit faster with a 19" Wetterlings than I can with the 10" blade Ontario RTAK II and both weigh ~ 2 lbs. Using the large blade would use MORE energy in my case.

For me, it's also much more of a pain in the ass to sharpen a 10 inch blade than it is to sharpen an axe. The only advantage the large chopping knife has (FOR ME & IMO) is precise batoning for splitting wood. The axe wins everything else in my book. I have yet to encounter a situation my axe and 4'' belt knife cannot tackle.

Others results might be different than my own. Use what you are comfortable with because 90% of it is user skill and experience.

Very well said! :thumbup:

 

[Arathol]

Get a good small hatchet and a decent midsize fixed blade. Use the hatchet for chopping and the knife for cutting, thats what they are made to do. Gransfors Bruks makes a couple small hatchets that are just what you want, the 10" belt hatchet and the 14" wildlife hatchet. The smaller 10" model can do a surprising amount of work, much more than you would think. If you take the time to learn how to use it properly, you'll find it can do most things that a knife can do- from making fuzz sticks and cutting up veggies to skinning and butchering a deer.

 

[Krull]

For me I'll take a med size knife (4-4 1/2 blade) and a kukri,I don't foresee going after a full sized tree,at most I'll be splitting and chopping for firewood,the kukri can do that.

 

[Blitzkreig]

ok what do you guys think about having a corona 10" folding razor tooth saw and fiskars X7 (14") Hatchet along with a 4 or 5 inch belt knife? that sounds like the best combo i can come up with after researching and studying about all this alot. saw for felling dead standing pine trees 6" in diameter or less, hatchet for helping the saw fell a tree if its bigger than 6" and hatchet for also using it as a mallet to hammer a wood wedge to split the tree then 4" belt knife for carving fine smaller work ect ect. ive researched sooo much info and i EVERYTHING EXCLUDED USING A BIG "WILDERNESS" TYPE BLADE (unless in a swamp or jungle). i believe everyone gets all twisted around at what they should need simply because of all the false HYPE of say Big Wilderness survival knives. (which i think it all happened after all the Rambo movies of him doing everything with a big bladed knife. but what it doesn't show is how if he had to use that damn big blade knife for everything he'd be dead in survival situation!!

 

[Chocula]

You can do a lot of research and get a lot of opinions but I'd recommend just going out and trying different combinations for yourself.

A few years ago I was having the same dilemma and initially decided on a large fixed blade--technically it is an axe but with a really long head, so i figured it would be most practical. After much money (busses are expensive) I decided to try a gb wilderness hatchet and I liked it more than all the large blades I tried. Large blades aren't fun to carry for long periods. Also, questions of safety are irrelevant--if you are stupid, you will injure yourself with any tool.

A small fixed blade is always good but I'd recommend something around 3.5 to 4" blade and a full sized handle. It is easy to get caught up in the "bigger is better" knife philosophy, but the smaller knives are really more comfortable to use.

Also, thanks JMAN86 for the vids, never thought to search for that but it is interesting material.

 

[Arathol]

Those Corona saws are pretty much for limbing, not cutting down trees. A good sharp hatchet with a properly designed head and a good edge will cut smaller wood just as well as those saws.
If you are hiking and/or backpacking, what reason would you have for cutting down large trees? Surely not for firewood, theres plenty of smaller stuff that would work as well with far less effort. Making a lean-to, same thing, you aren't going to build a house, you don't need 6" logs. Add to that many places may frown on chopping down trees, especially if you are in parklands or some other public land area.

 

[sambo.]

trying to get agreement on this particular topic is like trying to herd cats.

personally, i prefer my hatchet/5" blade/3" blade combination for outdoorsy stuff.

 

[cziv]

I'd back-pack into wilderness with only my Esee Junglas for shelter building, wood processing, or hard use.

Either the RC-4 or USMC Ka-Bar for camping duty, along with my multi-tool in (big old Wenger SAK - can't recall the model) it has "everything" but a folding handgun in that big sucker. :thumbup:

 

[Bill1170]

Silky brand Japanese folding saws are the ones for me. They range in size from small trim saws with many fine teeth and a 6" blade to a 13" bladed monster with very coarse teeth very adapted to green wood cutting. This is in reply to the poster who requested saw recommendations.

 

[me2]

but what it doesn't show is how if he had to use that damn big blade knife for everything he'd be dead in survival situation!!

Come on. It's Rambo. You could have stuck him out there with a Mach 3 and he'd be well fed and smooth shaven.

 

[BITEME]

does'nt one of the small axes gerber/fiskar have a hallow handle for small knife storage and what about a cable saw or hand chain saw ? what do you guys think?

 

[Ankerson]

Depends on what you are doing....

Car Camping - Saws, AXES, Hatchets etc, even a chain saw is possible...

Walking way out in the middle of no place (Hiking) - Knife and a Lightweight saw.

Axes and Hatchets can be extremely dangerous to use if one isn't experienced with them and can cause very serious injuries. That's something to think about when 15 miles out in the middle of nothing and something that could get someone killed.

Axes and hatchets are best left at home if one isn't experienced in using them, one little mistake can be devastating....

It sure wouldn't be too macho for someone who thinks they are Davy Crockett or someone to have their Girl or buddies haul their butt out because they did something stupid.

 

[chiral.grolim]

A hatchet or half-axe is not heavier than a large fixed blade knife, and in cases where it is heavier the difference is only a few grams...
...a wooden handle with some steel at the top weighs about the same as 15+" of .25" thick steel (including both the handle and blade length, that's a heavy knife)...

I must admit, I am confused.

Is the OP working off the assumption that a heavy machete (15+" long, 0.25" thick, 1.5+ lbs) is the standard for a "survival"-style knife??

That is a REALLY big knife. My backpacking tool that replaces my need to ever carry a hatchet is my Cattaraugus 225Q or my RatManDu - 10.5", 0.6 lbs. IMHO, either of those knives is lighter, more compact, safer, more versatile, and just as efficient (if not more-so) at preparing wood for a small camp-fire compared to a 1.4lbs, 14" GB Wildlife hatchet.
I used to carry a hatchet or tomahawk backpacking - not anymore.
Backpacking, chopping at all may be an over-expenditure of energy if you have the proper tools for batonning, a safer and often more efficient method of splitting wood (even across the grain) to a desirable size - "weight distribution" doesn't enter into it.

If you are chopping down trees or prep-ing cordwood at home, long term use recommends an AXE - it is probably the best tool for the job, has the proper weight distribution, etc. BUT, you should NOT need to be chopping down big trees on a backpacking venture.

Now, the GB Wildlife Hatchet weighs ~1.3 lbs at 14" long, the Forest Axe weighs ~2.25lbs at 19" long. There are videos comparing chopping performance between the Forest Axe (superior in chopping to the hatchet) and a Busse Battle Mistress (~2lbs at 16" long). Viewers can draw their own conclusions regarding chopping superiority, or go out and perform their own tests. THEORIZING about superiority does not make it so.
If you think the BM can compete with a 19" 2lbs axe, is it hard to think that a 16-17" 1.4lbs Junglas or RatDaddy can compete or compare in performance to either axe for chopping?

How about an HI AK or (in my case) a 15" 1.4lbs HI Vojpuri (like an AK) - there is a tool that is weighted for chopping but extended like the heavy-machetes just listed - I personally consider it less safe than a hatchet, but man is it ever superior in performance, imho!

But again, these are not the tools I'd take backpacking - there are lighter, more compact tools, like a folding saw (e.g. Bahco) and your 10" knife. But if your most comfortable with a tool that size and don't mind the weight, then of course you could strap one to your pack. If your headed for the jungle or through thick brush, I'd take the machete; if the path is more open and well wooded, take the axe...

An axe can can also fashion wedges and pound them to split wood - a knife can't pound at all. Pounding wedges is so useful in splitting large logs... I can't believe I rarely see that skill posted.

A knife can fashion wedges every bit as well as an axe, and a baton (made from the same wood as the wedges) can pound them I've used that technique before. No superiority for the axe there, sorry.

AND, in my humble opinion, an axe is better at fine work than a large knife due to the simple fact that you can hold the axe right under the head. Bam. Now you have a ~3" knife. I've skinned game with my axe before and it wasn't too cumbersome. I can't say the same about trying to manipulate the belly of a 10" survival knife through deer hide.

I agree regarding a 10" blade being cumbersome, but a well designed 10" knife (like the RatManDu mentioned above) is much easier to manipulate for finer tasks than either axe or machete. If I'm carrying either an axe or a machete, i hope I'm also carrying something smaller, an SAK even, to handle such chores.
For me at my skill level, an axe held at the neck is NOT a 3" knife - more cumbersome, less safe, more limited in employable techniques... Oh, I can manage (have done so), but prefer the actual knife.

To conclude, I prefer a 10-11" oal knife for camping/backpacking to either a hatchet or a 15+" heavy blade.
If I had to choose between hatchet vs heavy machete, my answer would depend on the environment and familiarity with the tool - thick brush recommends machete, thick logs but open path recommends the hatchet, and I am more familiar with hatchet use. Also, if you think you need a hatchet, bring a folding saw as well. There, my $0.02.

 

[Bruno10]

When faced with the choice btw a large knife vs a hatchet for chopping, keeping weight in mind for long backpacking and hiking treks I chose a Buck 757 camp axe. It has performed better than expected. I usually take this along with a mora clipper or another light fixed blade. If theres a lot of wood processing to be done I sometimes take a very light Sabercut Saw or a light folding saw along as well. The Buck 757 is 1lb and made of 1045 carbon steel, I've found it very easy to sharpen, it has a yellow handle for visibility and a lanyard hole and I think I picked mine up for around 40 bucks. A GB would have been my first choice but I couldn't see spending that much for a hatchet, at least for my needs. The Buck has performed very well for me.

 

[BARBARIAN-X]

I carried an axe in the woods for 20 or so years but have since preferred a big blade for it's versatility. I only take an axe now if I know I will be doing a lot of chopping. Large kukri, Busse Bushwacker, NMFBM, FFBM or FBM LE are all nice subs for a small axe. Matt Lamey is building me a nice 18"+ monster that will be my main pack carry for the foreseeable future.

 

[cziv]

Not to get everyone fired up lol, but honestly hatchet with not much weight (able to backpack with) vs. large fixed blade wilderness/"Survival" knife i know they are designed for different things and i

know this is a weird comparison

. i know the hatchet obviously usually wins in chopping but i need a more all round tool, large wilderness blade is better at more precise things then pure chopping and spliting performance. also considerations are where energy expendature is critical in backpacking senario so consider lugging heavier big hatchet up mountains which is more energy expenditure vs. wilderness knife less struggle and energy carrying it up mountains but more energy expendature when trying to use it compared to a hatchet which lets say for chopping would get work done easier of good size tree (talking about felling trees, not delimbing) but for spliting the logs big knife you can batton with less energy expendature compared to hatchet spliting would which i think is less efficient for splitting wood. so help me out with what i should pack out of the two which one is better for all round? which one is more energy efficent around the backpacked camp site? add any and all opinions! feel free to argue amongst eachother as well lol

This is the OP and I have highlighted some areas that I think should be paid attention to. The OP wants us to...lol....argue amongst each other.

He wants a blade or axe that will be back-packable, fit for wilderness, and suitable to be back packed up and down muntains.

I don't think he has a bit of experience in these matters or he would already have his answers based on experience. Back packing through wilderness and up and down mountains is not something a suburban guy does on the weekend or is taken lightly by experienced mountaineers/survivalists.

Seems as if Blitzkreig wanted to make up a thread to stir up the kettle and get people arguing about his calory burning math problems. I'm content to let him answer the questions he's posed by himself. I could be wrong?

I don't even know how back packing up and down moutains led up to the topic of machete conversation either, but "feel free to argue amongst yourselves."

Take a good 10" knife lashed to your pack Blitzkreig and a smaller camp knife on your belt, pocket, or around your neck. That's all you should need.

Avoid climbing mountains and camping in clear cuts where all that's available for fire is large logs that require major amounts of "splitting wood."

I'd personally stick with my Esee Junglas, Dogfather, Busse BWM and others like the BK series, for larger peices of wood and taking down anything from small limbs to batoning larger chunks of wood. You'll need a solid folder or small fixed blade for tasks around the camp. I'd do my fine cutting with something other than my large chopping knife for that.

Post back after your backpacking/wilderness/mountaineering expedition. I want to know what you encountered and what hatchets/axes/machetes/large fixed blades, you used!