Multi Purpose Hatchet(/Hammer/Prybar) - any good?

R

Raptor#

Joined
Jan 22, 2006
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27
Hey folks, i noticed this Multi purpose Hatchet on ebay and woundered if it might be halfway decent.
I'm somewhat sceptical, because at that price... well, i really don't know.

However, i like the concept of having multiple tools in one, especially for BOB's... so, does anyone know a better version of something thats basically the same tool?
 
Well, I have something like that in my furshed....it's OK for light hammering, chopping off beaver feet, prying nails, etc. Not a serious chopping tool.
 
Works okay for a beater till it breaks on you...:grumpy:

Watch out for flying pieces of metal...:eek:
 
That design is an old box tool from way back in the day when everything shipped in wooden boxes. They are decent light duty tools but not really great at any one thing. I sharpened one for a friend and didn't think it was as hard as an axe blade should have been. It was far from soft but under a file it cut a little too quick for my tastes. I might consider one for an up and coming child to learn on but I don't put them in a serious tool catagory.
 
Looks like its based off of an old Fencing hatchet for installing barbed wire fences. You can get a much better one at a hardware store.
 
How do they squeeze 13 functions out of that?

If it has a proper heat treat (unlikely) and uses a semi-decent steel (even more unlikely), its probably ok. I mean, its better than a hammer at chopping, and better than an axe at hammering, but not by much. Of course, in a SHTF situation, you want something you can count on... that is not it.
 
I have a couple of those. To be perfectly honest, they're not as bad as you might think. Adequate for what it is: a lightweight, small hammer/prybar/hatchet. The steel is soft, easy to sharpen. Being so light and small, it isn't a fantastic chopper or hammer. But being so compact, it may go places a decent hatchet or hammer wouldn't go. This is the kind of tool where someone with good skills can make due, someone with lesser skills would need a better tool.

Locally, they sell for about $4. I wouldn't pay more.
 
Thanks for your responses. :)

Well, i assume one of the problems even with better versions could be the heat treat... asfaik, axes need to be rather hard, but a prybar shouldn't be extremly hard, it needs to be able to flex and bend before breaking... So they'd have to settle for different heat treats for the hatchet blade and the prybar. (correct me if im mistaken here.)

I thought this little thing might be useful, because its easier to carry than multiple other tools. But then again, packin' a hawk with a hammer end and one of those stanley lightweight prybars doesn't take up much more space that just the hawk and they are tools that i can count on.

1whitefoot said:
Works okay for a beater till it breaks on you...:grumpy:

Watch out for flying pieces of metal...:eek:
Click to expand...
Judging from the other posts it uses rather soft steel, so i think it would rather bend than break.


I may still get one, but i certainly won't rely on it.
 
Raptor# said:
Judging from the other posts it uses rather soft steel, so i think it would rather bend than break.
Click to expand...

All I can speak of is from my own experience, other's mileage may very.
But then I was using one of the Made in China models with the wooden handle.

For just a few dollars, get one and judge for your self. :thumbup:

I remember my Dad having something similar back in the late 1950's so I know that the general idea is not new.
Wish I could send my eyeball of memory back in time to take a closer look at it :)
 
Raptor# said:
Thanks for your responses. :)



I thought this little thing might be useful, because its easier to carry than multiple other tools. But then again, packin' a hawk with a hammer end and one of those stanley lightweight prybars doesn't take up much more space that just the hawk and they are tools that i can count on.


.
Click to expand...

Stanley Wonderbar....... A good friend to have around.

Have one in the truck, in the toolboxes, in my bike bag, in my BOB, in my camping gear..... you name it.
 
I've carried one of those in my truck for years, got it at Harbor Freight if I recall.
Folks are correct , it's not something I would want to solely depend on but yet it does come in handy for unpleasent tasks that you would not want to possibly ruin a finer tool with.
 
That guy got ripped. They go for $2.99 locally- he paid almost $10 when all was said and done. I keep one of those around for doing light stuff and that's about what it's good for.

If you try to use the pry tool, it will snap.
 
I bought one for $2.99 at my local closeout store and keep it in my trunk. Can't beat it for the price...you woulden't think twice before digging with it or throwing it on the ground...just a solid chink of metal. I have a dedicated prybar in my trunk to; I haven't used the pry head on the hatchet.
 
I've had one of the wood handled versions in my camp box for probably 15 years.
I've hammered countless stakes with it.
I haven't sharpened it and probably wont.
Mainly because I don't do much chopping and because the tool is a poor splitter due to the large hammer head.
The reason it still stays in the box you ask?
The claw, with the assistance of a handy rock (they're almost everywhere) for a fulcrum is perfect for levering tent stakes out of the ground.
The second reason it stays in the camp box is that it was a gift from my wife :D
 
You're kidding, right? That's rock bottom quality Chinese garbage! Don't waste your money on crap like that. The design is as lousy as the materials it's made of. Get yourself a real tool.
 
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