Hatchet

I have a 10 inch collins axe which is effective and costed about 12 bucks. I put about half an hour into thinning out the grind and putting an edge on the thing. Even though it's heavier than my hawks, it still doesn't bite anywhere as deep. I'd say pick up an HB Forge Shawnee or Cold Steel Frontier hawk-19 inch haft, which gives you much more leverage. As previously said 10-12 inches doesn't give you ANY leverage, and the entire motion comes from and goes right back to your joints. A nice light thin bit tomahawk with a 19 inch hickory haft is very easy to carry, easy on the joints and a very nice deep biting chopper. Price range is 20-40 bucks, to boot.
 
CapitalizedLiving said:
If you have logs to chop and/or split then a full sized axe probably would work best.

For hatchet work try a chopper like the Junglas instead, I think you'll like the difference.

And of course pack a bowsaw as well, as it will do what an axe, hatchet, and chopper cannot.
Click to expand...

Not sure why everyone's recomending a bow saw. What campsites do you guys stay at that you would ever use one? Not to mention the fact that sectioning wood, if you did down a tree in a campground:confused:, is a waste of energy. Just limb it with the axe and feed the long trunk into the fire as it burns down. Save your energy for exploring or playing with kids or drinking beer. :D
 
Shotgun said:
I have a GB mini which I believe has similar geometry to your wetterlings and I can't believe that you had problems chopping with it. It's not going to perform like the full size axe that you're used to sure but it's going to out chop any knife of similar weight.
Click to expand...

I think with the GB Mini or other small axes you have to rely on the sharpness rather than brute force.
 
Shotgun said:
Not sure why everyone's recomending a bow saw. What campsites do you guys stay at that you would ever use one? Not to mention the fact that sectioning wood, if you did down a tree in a campground:confused:, is a waste of energy. Just limb it with the axe and feed the long trunk into the fire as it burns down. Save your energy for exploring or playing with kids or drinking beer. :D
Click to expand...

There's a lot of places in the Monongahela National forest where you can camp and then go right into the woods and pick up wood. Wouldn't be as much downing a tree as maybe cutting a 3 or 4" limb or picking pushing over a dead tree that size.

I normally do the feeding thing into the fire you mention rather than sectioning, but in some areas where the woods are fairly picked clean where I find something say 3" in diameter and 15 feet long and that's about all I can find I have to cut it in smaller sections just to keep the fire going, can't either burn it in half fast enough.:thumbup:
 
Only slightly related to this but I keep thinking about these saws:



http://www.nwbackpack.com/products/sawvivor_saw.php

OK so if it's really true that this saw is 15" long and weighs in at only 9oz, I would think you could pair that with a GB Mini, which is 10 oz and you'd be coming in at only a little over 1 lb but you could cut fairly large stuff and then even use the mini to split with a baton?
 
Were you planning on involving any of your daughters in using any of the tools suggested? I started with mine at a young age (5-7). I let them use an old, beat-up and dull Craftsman hatchet. Misses were painful but no cuts.
 
4555982642_fc0f7730e6_z.jpg


19" with a 2.2lb head, I believe. For me this is perfect, I can use one hand if I want for delicate work on limbs, or two hands if I need.

4555983174_5d617e61e8_b.jpg
 
Shotgun said:
.......I can't believe that you had problems chopping with it........
Click to expand...

I guess if I were chopping for the love of swinging a hatchet, it was OK, but it was more work than it was worth to me to nibble through dead wood with it. If I need a single section of dead wood from a log (say 4" or so) to get some kindling from, it would be as easy to saw a single section out or use the BK-9 (which bites deeper and wider compared to my Wetterlings) if I could not break it. No slight against the tool, I am just saying that it cetainly is not (an likely not meant to be) a fuel-producing tool, so it is relegated to kindling or making small fuel for a small fire, in which case I find my big ugly knife more efficient.

Not something I readily admitted to myself either, as I like axes but found that the adorable little Wetterlings was not the tool I needed. What chopping I can accomplish with it does not make it worth lugging along (or keeping it), so I let it go. Not out of disdain for the tool, it just wasn't for me.
 
jw2n said:
Were you planning on involving any of your daughters in using any of the tools suggested? I started with mine at a young age (5-7). I let them use an old, beat-up and dull Craftsman hatchet. Misses were painful but no cuts.
Click to expand...

...and starting them on something long enough that the head is far enough away that they cannot chop their toes or shins is something else to consider, safety-wise. For the younger ones, a "boy's axe" (24" or so) might end up being a compromise to consider. Not as small as a hatchet, but not as big as a full sized axe. Still pretty handy.
 
As it seems you are looking for a lite worker, small branches ect. I would get the Junglas for a number of reasons. 1 it will split any wood that size with ease! 2 very easy to carry because of it being about half the weight of most axes of any size. 3 it can do all of the other work the axes won't, use for food prep, 4 carving about anything you can think of, 5 holds an edge better than 90% of the 100+ knifes I have tested. 6 has a lifetime warrenty. 7 can split Bigger logs by battoning if needed. 8 easy to use in small spaces. Well thats just a few reasons if you're goin lite to get a Junglas. Its an awesome allaround tool. enjoy edgy. :thumbup:

Oh 9 can take down large trees better than some small axes I've used. And 10 for self defence.. its hard to beat. :D
 
OP: Did you re-profile the Wetterlings, or leave it stock?

The reason i ask is because I have the 13" Wetterlings wildlife axe and, while the factory profile was better than a cheap axe, it didn't chop seasoned wood all that great at first. The factory bevel is kind of obtuse. I took it down to 40*, and now it chops like a fiend.

I didn't even use a grinder: a few minutes with the corners of the coarse grit stone of my 'sharp maker' fixed it up.
 
GB Scandinavian Forest axe -- not a full size axe, but far from a hatchet. Unless you are logging or cutting a cord of firewood, a 24" single bit axe should do all you need.
 
sixof1or2 said:
Somber,

What brand of axe is this and where did you purchase it?
Click to expand...

It's a Tosa Uchi-Hamano Kinma-style in White Steel, I purchased it here through Carter Cutlery.

4555982100_2aaec0b88b_z.jpg

front side - It is the perfect hatchet

dnhald said:
somber the head on that thing is sick how much does it cost?
Click to expand...

It was pricey, but well worth it. It's a high quality tool. Price is dependent on what model/steel and handle you get. I had the sheath custom made for me, too (as it's monogrammed).
 
Shotgun said:
Not sure why everyone's recomending a bow saw. What campsites do you guys stay at that you would ever use one? Not to mention the fact that sectioning wood, if you did down a tree in a campground:confused:, is a waste of energy. Just limb it with the axe and feed the long trunk into the fire as it burns down. Save your energy for exploring or playing with kids or drinking beer. :D
Click to expand...


A thinking man's reply.


If the OP wants a hatchet, I say get a hatchet. In fact, get one axe of each size. Sharpen them and take them to the backyard, and experiment with chopping stuff to feed the fireplace or backyard firepit.

Swing the short stuff safely. If it misses, the arc usually wants to carry it into your leg.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top