Hatchets and Large knives

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grant4353

Joined
Aug 15, 2003
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What do you think is better, a large knife or a hatchet? I've been looking at the Gransfor belt hatchet. Would a large knife be safer?
 
It depends on where you are and what you are doing, because they are different types of tools. One gives you more leveraged and more focused chopping power for deeper penetration, the other give you more length of cutting edge and a point.

It also depends on how you use it. I prefer a large knife, in most cases; but I make sure to use a knife which can easily attached to a stick for use as a pole-axe, when necessary--much more effective than a hatchet (which tends to be harder to attach to an extended handle, too).

Regarding safety: it seems to me that big knives are safer than hatchets, for chopping, in the hands of those whom are less than expert. There seems to be less likelihood of swinging into yourself. I probably still fall into the somewhat inexperienced category, myself; more relevantly, in a survival situation, the big knife would likely be safer in the hands of anyone who needed to chop with the knife for me, should I become seriously injured.

--Mike
 
What are you going to be cutting?
Vines in the jungle or hardwoods in the north east?
Twigs, branches or logs?
Helicopter skin?

One of my pet peeves is the photo of the latest greatest survival knife with a stack of 'kindling' that could've been broken in your hands. Without even using your knee.

My rule of thumb...
Firewood usually requires a saw and an ax to split.
Kindling, big knife or ax.
Fuzz sticks, sharp, thin(er/ish) knife.
Vines, machete (*they* tell me...I have no jungle experience)
Branches, machete, golok (see above)

I have a full sized ax, a GB Small Forest ax, a Norlund hatchet (found it :) ), full sized bow saw, Sven folding saw and a Martindale Golok. And of course the knife (or three) of the day.
What I bring along is directly related to how far from the car I will be ;)
 
Ebbtide,

Great post. I would add a 7" folding saw can cut 7" to 9" diameter firewood easily. Far easier than an ax or large knife. An ax splits great, but an 11 oz. 7" Leukko (weight with sheath) can be easily baton though 5" dia wood and a 9" or 10" large knife (I have an Allan Blade 10" CPB) can baton though 6" to 7" dia. wood.

If you are in snow country or the Great Northwood’s an ax is probably best. Where I live in California, I will stick with a 7" Leukko, 7" folding saw and a Puukko. The total weight of all 3 is 22 oz.

One thing I might add is Ebbtide is absolutely correct, stay away from an ax if you have not been trained. This is the reason I prefer personally to stick with a knife.

Geoff
 
I prefer a large knife to a hatchet but that is only MY opinion. I know many folks who would prefer the hatchet for the same type of activities. I would suggest trying both a large blade and a hatchet in the backyard and see which works best for you doing whatever cutting you think you might encounter. You could even decide to take both. One on the belt,and one in/on the pack :) Why limit yourself?
 
I prefer a large knife, Khukuri included, over a hatchet for small chopping jobs. The knife will also clear brush and such a lot easier than the hatchet. For limbing, a good sharp saw like the opinel will be more energy effecient than either the hatchet or large blade.
 
This is the sort of question that usually comes down to 2 things: personal preferrence and experience. I've always been a big knife kind of dude (khuks, to be exact) but have recently came to view hatchets a bit more kindly. Pound for pound, without doubt, the hatchet will chop quicker than even a good khukuri. That's simply physics: the hatchet has a smaller head on the end of a lever (handle) that puts all of the available energy into the chop. But a large knife is by far safer, either when the user is tired, injured or inexperienced.

Also, the knife will, by design, be more versatile, if not as efficeint at chopping. The only things a hatchet truly excels at are choppng, and to a lesser degree, hammering. The large knife is an adequate chopper, and with a knife with either a thick spine or heavy buttcap, it too can hammer, although not quite as handily as the hatchet.

But the large knife is easier to use with a baton, as once the head of the hatchet is buried in the wood you're trying to split, that's as far as it can be batoned. But a large, stout knife design can be batoned on its spine all the way through a piece of wood that's at least an inch or so smaller in diameter than the knife's length. The knife is also easier to use for other chores, such as shaping wood.

If you need a LOT of wood in a night, such as in the Far North, nothing will beat a full sized ax except a chainsaw. But for anything less than wholesale clear cutting, a large knife (7 to 11 inches) and a good folding saw such as an Opinel or Sierra saw will provied plenty of wood to keep your campfire burning and build you a nice shelter into the bargain.

Hope that helps. Of course, it's basicaly the same as Ebbtide and backpacker said, just more long-winded. :) ;) :rolleyes:
 
There's a post in BF somewhere in which Cliff Stamp reports comparing a khukuri to a good hand axe as chopper. Khuk was better up to, I think, 6" diameter wood. After that, the axe came into its own. He explains why.

As for really getting quantities of wood in, I believe that's traditionally been mainly work for a saw -- even if man-powered, with the axe used for limbing and splitting. If you had only one tool for such work, I suppose it would have to be the axe -- more versatile.
 
GB small forest axe, GB? is that Gerber. I think I read somewhere a good way to practice using an axe is to put a match in a log and try to split. Ya I live where we get snow, right now we have a little over 2 feet.
 
As stated before, personal preference.

If I was going to carry just one "Do It All," that would chop as well, it would be the Tracker Knife or Beck WSK.

Personally, I travel light, a simple fixed blade and a back up are all I carry. Just tried a Bark River Woodland Special - so far so good.
 
Hi Grant,

You don't actually mention what situation your going to be using either tool in, that obviously has great impact on what you choose. For instance are you working out of the back of a vehicle, or are you backpacking? What other cutting tools if any will you be carrying?

Also the environment you are going to in will have a big part to play in your choice.

And finally as several other guys have pointed out, your experience with axe and knife has a large part to play.

I myself carry a GB small forest axe, a folding pack saw, and a four inch fixed blade knife. This has always covered my needs in my environment, however this set up will not fit every environment adequately.

I find my most usefull tool in shelter building and fire wood gathering is the folding saw. My saw has an eleven inch blade and with this I have cut very large diameter wood. I have even cut and then used breaking methods to deal with even thicker limbs than a saw of this size could normaly deal with if just cutting was employed.

I love my GB axe. I use it for spliting firewood, shelter building, carving camp equipment such as blanks for spoons and pot stands etc and have even used it to garaolch a deer. Having said that I was taught by my Grandfather at a very young age how to use an axe safely without chopping off fingers or burying it into my own shin.:eek: I would suggest to anyone thinking of getting an axe or hatchet for the first time to use it in the backyard for a while to get used to it, at least medical attention is easier to come by than when your out in the wilds. I believe GB axes still come with a very informative panphlet which gives good expanations of safe techniques.

I must admit I haven't really ever carried a large knife, it sounds stupid but one reason is that large knives seem to be frowned upon in the UK by sheeple yet if your found in the wilds of the highlands with an axe it seems more acceptable, (go figure). I can certainly see why some people are recommending a large knife due to their brush clearing abilities, but again for me this is not a problem due to the environment I usually find myself in.

Whatever you choose, as I have said before, get accquainted with the tool before you go off into the middle of nowhere.

Cheers,

Tony.
 
I want a tracker, it's just that is cost $300, the most I ever spent on a knife is $20. Maybe when I take the Standard Class i'll buy it then. I was looking at the GB small forest axe, and also the one that is smaller then that, I forget what it's called though. Thanks for all the input. They knife carry around and use mostly in my Mora Clipper, and sometimes my Mora with a laminated blade, I likr the clipper more bcause it has a guard. I think i might get the GB.

I guess for uses i'd be looking for would be cutting wood, perhaps on wild game, and anything else that might be required. What woudl be a good way to practice with it and build up skill before going out into the wilderness and using it?
 
Well, I don't have near as much experience as I'd like to be able to say that I do, and I know that some of our venerable Forum brethren are truly the real deal (listen when they speak, they are treasures),
but FWIW from my own experience so far, one would be hard pressed to need for more if they were equipped with:
-a full-size Wyoming saw
-a Gerber Camp Ax
-a Becker Knife And Tool BK9
(and hopefully one's EDC would take care of what finer tasks should show up.)
 
Grant - wait till after you take the Standard, you may change your mind as your attitude will definately be different.
 
Ok, I guess. I'll probably be taking next fall, i'll be old enough then. Quiet bear what do you use?
 
Grant,

I always have a Simonich Bitteroot on my key chain for good luck and back-up. Then I rotate between a Mnandi, Small Sebenza, or if I am going to the woods, a fixed blade.

For a fixed blade I was carrying a non-stainless Frost Mora, great knife, particularly for the money. Now for a fixed blade I have been carrying a Bark River Woodland Special with which I am happy.

I do have a Tracker Knife and if I was in a survival situation, that would be my first choice. Problem is I like travelling lite and my primitive skills have gotten better, so I never carry it.

If you are not sure, I suggest getting a Frost Mora (non-stainless) and a decent pocket knife. That seems to make a great combination and all you need for the Standard.

Hope that helps.
 
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