Hatchets are better than big fixed blades. Change my mind.

Hatchets are better than big fixed blades

  • True

    Votes: 34 60.7%

  • False

    Votes: 22 39.3%
  • Total voters
    56
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Living in Latin America and other places prior to Alaska, I think it is important to consider location and seasons when trying to pick a good cutting tool. My off-grid cabin is 6 miles from the road and my driveway is 1 1/2 miles long. In winter there can be lots of trees and tree branches that get weighed down or broken creating a blocked trail. Many times I need to cut frozen bent overhanging branches above my head while on snowshoes or even from my snowmachine to get clearance to continue. Certainly not a situation to swing a hatchet, but I do use a hatchet to knock off branches from downed trees to enable a path over them or for a clear cut with a saw if on a large tree.

As I mentioned in a previous post I like options, and I keep a machete, loppers, hatchet, chopper, Silky bigboy, and a chainsaw on my machine ( and usually a spare in the cargo sled). There are times I never need any of them, and times I use most.

One of my favorite trail tools is a Milwauke ‘hatchet’ battery operated pruning chainsaw. It looks like a toy, but allows me to pull down on overhangs or free- hanging branches and zip through them using one hand safely. Has truly been a time saver and a great option at times. I have cut up to 6” birch branches with it. When it is below zero and branches are covered with ice- it isn’t fun regardless.

Please forgive the long post. I love all things that cut!
 
sgt1372 said:
The way I look at it, "hatchets" and "choppers" are just a specialized types of fixed blade knives.

There is no "one-type fits all" kind of knife. So, just choose the one that best fits your needs. :cool:
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How about a “Two size fits all”?

I say recip saw + hatchet fits all. Well, maybe not all, but for Buckthorn trees, at least.

eveled said:
Everyone has pointed out your knife of choice was not really a good chopper.

The same could be said about your hatchet. I have a lot of big knives made to chop, and I’d take my Estwing hatchet over any of them.
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This little Fiskars hatchet is awesome. I don’t see any advantage to having weight other than behind the bit on a hatchet. I’ll take it over an Estwing any day.

Sibyrnes said:
A hatchet, or axe, will always out perform a knife - if you want to carry one. But you know what out performs both and weighs less?
View attachment 2318440

It was determined decades ago that the saw is the best tool for cutting wood.
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Not for the thinner stuff. 3/4” branches are cut in one stroke with my Fiskars hatchet. Much quicker than any saw can do.


Blues said:
Both, but Salma in her prime.
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I’m a bit disappointed in the mods trying to derail the thread. Even with Salma. ;-)


91bravo said:
Smaug Smaug you’re gonna be in for a treat using the BK9 as you described in your OP!
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Can’t wait!
 
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Smaug said:
How about a “Two size fits all”?

I say recip saw + hatchet fits all. Well, maybe not all, but for Buckthorn trees, at least.


This little Fiskars hatchet is awesome. I don’t see any advantage to having weight other than behind the bit on a hatchet. I’ll take it over an Estwing any day.


Not for the thinner stuff. 3/4” branches are cut in one stroke with my Fiskars hatchet. Much quicker than any dad can do.



I’m a bit disappointed in the mods trying to derail the thread. Even with Salma. ;-)



Can’t wait!
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I can snap cut through 1” green pine saplings with one swing. I’ll put my laser sharp edge on it so you can do the same. Use it over the winter and report back!
 
I’ve found that machetes are great for targeting lighter foliage that tends to move when struck my heavier tools like hatchets and axes. Vines, tall grass, briars… etc. can do saplings, but it will stick sometimes, and it’s not ideal.

Brush axes to great with stuff from briars up to saplings, maybe as big as two inches in diameter.

Hatchets and axes are unmatched for the bigger stuff, period. By the time you start swinging a 3.5 lbs axe, you can fell redwoods.

I have found chopper knives like the Skrama 200 to be a cross over from knife to hatchet. More of a Jack of all trades, but doesn’t have the same capability as a purpose built smaller knife or bigger hatchet.

Long story short; everyone will have preferences, but the purpose built tools exist for a reason.
 
Smaug said:
I guess which one is more all-around versatile was my supposition. Or if not, I did mention and illustrate my use case here: breaking down small trees. (let's say ≤5" diameter trees)

I used the reciprocating saw for trunks/branches 1" and thicker and the hatchet for everything else.
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The following views are soley the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of our host and sponsers.

Each have their place and which performs a task better has lots of factors.

For taking a tree down I prefer a saw ... whether manual or powered. If we are talking about something you can carry easily on a hike or hunt etc ... my go to is an Agawa Canyon Boreal folding saw. I like the 21" size and carry an all purpose blade with a spare blade or during hunts I can switch one of the blades out for a bone/meat saw blade.

My choice for a "big" knife Becker BK9 or a "chopper" a CPK Medium Chopper on the big side. I use full size axes more than a hatchet by far, but the GB Small forest axe is about the perfect size for a decent compromise that packs fairly easily.

The big knives and choppers I think are way more versatile than a hatchet or axe. The things axes excell at they have an edge over a chopper. But in my experience and opinion (and it's worth exactly what you paid for it) a chopper does far more things well and unless your splitting big rounds at home ... batoning with a big knife/chopper is safer for most people.

I can take a fair sized tree down with either, but again I prefer a saw to fell a tree 95% of the time. And if we're being honest about it, I doubt many fell any trees in a camping or survial situation. There's plenty of fallen trees and limbs to use. So for me, I have almost zero need for an axe away from home or cutting wood for the winter.

So for me my Agawa Canyon Boreal 21" with a BK9 or CPK MC and a sturdy belt knife is my usual setup. The GB Forest Axe gets some pack time just because it's fun to switch up now and then.

Now we return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

P.S. you'll love that BK9 with Jonny's edge on it. Salut Jonny 91bravo 91bravo ... swing it in good health Smaug Smaug
 
I doubt a big knife can compare to a "real" hatchet with longer handle (and lighter blade so to be used comfortably with one hand).

Seeing what is on the market, it is confusing the predominance of falling axes over splitting axes, and the hatchets being with too- short handles. Such simple tools shouldn't be more expensive than $20-25 if made here in America, and $10-15 if from less a developed country. Once these tools go into toy cathegory, for example hatchets 11"-15", the price sure can go five times higher. Curious one kitchen cleaver can do better job? Please correct me if I am too unorthodox in my view of the topic.
 
Let me know when your hatchet can stab something...

Also, that's not a big knife as others already said. Get a proper chopper like a really big knife or a kukri.
 
LostCause said:
Let me know when your hatchet can stab something...

Also, that's not a big knife as others already said. Get a proper chopper like a really big knife or a kukri.
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Like what do you want to stab, and why?
Hatchets have been used for slaughtering animals, processing game, and as tools of war. The phrase “bury the hatchet” even means the end of hostility.

The hatchet is no slouch.
 
EngrSorenson said:
Like what do you want to stab, and why?
Hatchets have been used for slaughtering animals, processing game, and as tools of war. The phrase “bury the hatchet” even means the end of hostility.

The hatchet is no slouch.
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Perhaps his point is that it can? If the conversation is about versatility and to a larger extent which is "better" the large chopper knife can do everything the hatchet can do and still have unused edge real estate for tasks that require shaving or near shaving sharpness.

I don't think this conversation takes anything away from a hatchet or the role it's played through history. It acknowledges modern steel capability, durability and usefulness. Pound a busse through a 12in round thousands of times watch it flex and return to true, maintain excellent edge stability and have pretty high corrosion resistance, 100 years ago that wasn't possible.

The significantly increased edge length has serious advantages, for path clearing to spanning larger diameters for splitting and more.

Can a hatchet clear a path through dense bush? Yes. As effectively as a 13" razor sharp 1311? Hell no. And the 1311 will be nearly as or more effective than some hatchets in biting into wood.
 
One thing I didn’t expect from this thread was for the machete to come in so strongly.

I don’t think it would’ve been great for my case, but it seems pretty versatile anyway. It needs the tip speed and room to swing to knock off the little branches, which the hatchet really doesn’t; just choke up and a wrist-flick.

I do think re-sharpening a hatchet with 1075 or whatever will be a lot less of a chore than re-sharpening a chopper knife with any halfway-decent blade steel. Maybe a half hour with a file and then five minutes touching up the edge with a stone.
 
Here is the child of the two, the chosen one who will end this ancient fight. (Or a bad try)

Edit: Damn. He also had a saw and a hammer. I guess he really is the chosen one.

images-3.jpg
 
shinyedges said:
Perhaps his point is that it can? If the conversation is about versatility and to a larger extent which is "better" the large chopper knife can do everything the hatchet can do and still have unused edge real estate for tasks that require shaving or near shaving sharpness.

I don't think this conversation takes anything away from a hatchet or the role it's played through history. It acknowledges modern steel capability, durability and usefulness. Pound a busse through a 12in round thousands of times watch it flex and return to true, maintain excellent edge stability and have pretty high corrosion resistance, 100 years ago that wasn't possible.

The significantly increased edge length has serious advantages, for path clearing to spanning larger diameters for splitting and more.

Can a hatchet clear a path through dense bush? Yes. As effectively as a 13" razor sharp 1311? Hell no. And the 1311 will be nearly as or more effective than some hatchets in biting into wood.
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Oh no, I understand- It just comes off rather flippant. “I need the stabbing function so much that a chopper is my choice.” Is a legitimate statement.

I was just wondering where all this stabbing is going on.

Smaug said:
One thing I didn’t expect from this thread was for the machete to come in so strongly.
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If that’s the good that came from this discussion, then it was worth it. A machete fills a gap that nothing else really does; it’s the hacking device that will probably get the most use in my lifetime. Let’s face it, there’s nothing better at that price point for eliminating that fast growing foliage that creeps into our yards.
 
EngrSorenson said:
Like what do you want to stab, and why?
Hatchets have been used for slaughtering animals, processing game, and as tools of war. The phrase “bury the hatchet” even means the end of hostility.

The hatchet is no slouch.
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When it comes to needing to stab something - that's when you know you need to stab something. Piercing stuff can often come handy.

Yes, hatchets were used for slaughter, but you could use a kukri too to be honest. Hatchet is not first thing on my mind when it comes to game processing, but it can be done. Big knives were (and some still are) used in war.

Agreed that hatchet is no slouch, but I'd rather pick a big knife and actual axe for axe jobs.
 
Smaug said:
One thing I didn’t expect from this thread was for the machete to come in so strongly.

I don’t think it would’ve been great for my case, but it seems pretty versatile anyway. It needs the tip speed and room to swing to knock off the little branches, which the hatchet really doesn’t; just choke up and a wrist-flick.

I do think re-sharpening a hatchet with 1075 or whatever will be a lot less of a chore than re-sharpening a chopper knife with any halfway-decent blade steel. Maybe a half hour with a file and then five minutes touching up the edge with a stone.
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The ones I really like are in 1075, doesn't take long at all to sharpen. At least after getting the initial edge on them, they aren't sharpened at the factory. Then again, most axes require a lot of work these days too.
 
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