Looking for a Good Traditional Style Hatchet

[Morablades]

Any Recommendations? Trying to keep the price low. Recuperating after the holidays.

 

[savagesicslayer]

Hatchet or hawk?Cause I'd recomend the frontier hawk from cold steel if that's what you want.

 

[Morablades]

I'm looking for a hatchet, not much into the hawks.

 

[littleknife]

I would recommend the Wetterlings Wildlife hatchet (SAW13H):

http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/e...Wetterlings&Search.x=7&Search.y=13&SKU=SAW13H

It has a 1 1/4 lb head and about 13" hickory handle, hand forged and hardened, tempered to 58 RHC. It is not polished as the hardware store cast or drop forged axes, or the $80-100 Gransfors Bruks Wildlife hatchet (1 lb head, 14" hickory handle), but is an excellent piece and a great value.

If you want more substantial hatchet, I recommend the Wetterlings small Hunter(SAW16H), which has 1 1/2 head, 15" hickory handle:

http://www.wisementrading.com/knifeandsaw/camp_axes.htm

or the Wetterlings Large Hunter (SAW20H), which has the same 1 1/2 lb head, but on a 19-20" handle:

http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/e...Wetterlings&Search.x=7&Search.y=13&SKU=SAW20H

The similar SAW20C has a really rounded poll for skinning big game, which is not suited for pounding tent stakes.

Wisemen Tradings are great people to deal with, and Smoky Mountain Knife Works is an excellent company too. Wisemen would try to accomodate your special requests and SMKW now has a free shipping.

 

[Morablades]

Does anyone know of any that have rosewood handles? I'd like one to match my Case Ridgeback and Case Trapper.

 

[pauldulson]

Get a Gransfors wildlife hatchet . I find mine is the best little axe I have .

 

[Dusty One]

Does anyone know of any that have rosewood handles? I'd like one to match my Case Ridgeback and Case Trapper.

Rosewood..Hard to keep the price low, probably have to be custom.

 

[pinetree]

You can try staining the handle. I just stained my Mora handles with a rosewood stain.

 

[Dusty One]

http://www.gardenerstoolshed.com/penobscot_bay_kindling_ax.html
Snow & Neally made in USA

 

[CitizenQ]

You can try staining the handle. I just stained my Mora handles with a rosewood stain.

And don't forget the cord wrap!

 

[Morablades]

http://www.gardenerstoolshed.com/penobscot_bay_kindling_ax.html
Snow & Neally made in USA

I think I found what I am looking for. :thumbup: Thanks for all the help guys. Yea, looks like I'm going to have to stain the handle.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

The S&N Penobscot is a great hatchet, I'm sure you'll like it.

 

[Liam Ryan]

Marbles makes some nice litle hatchets.

 

[littleknife]

The new Marbles are made in China and have quite soft edges (RHC 50-52 according to their website):

http://www.marblesoutdoors.com/cutlery/axes/safetyaxe5.html

The RHC on the Snow & Nealley would be higher, and the Wetterlings with their RHC 58 are the highest known to me amongst the contemporary production hatchets and axes with good temper (i.e. both hard and tough).

The new ones appears to have oak or beech handles, which are appropriate woods for the these short hatchets. I don't know how easy is to stain them to appear to be rosewood though.