My estwing sportsman’s axe

JM2

JM2

Basic Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
Messages
2,195
Well I have been using this hatchet a good 7 years or so. And I’ve tweaked it some.

I thinned the pole so that it isn’t as hollow ground or as heavy. And I’ve polished it to 600 grit.

I reshaped the handle some. Still don’t care for it so I’m thinking of redoing the handle to make it better shaped to suit me. Part of it is that it’s too thin.

It is a neat little hatchet though and overall I like it.

https://imgur.com/mDyuqbz

https://imgur.com/qgSOnoZ

https://imgur.com/LYIsjAR
 
That is a good looking hatchet. I prefer a handle that you can choke up on to do carving with. The estwing will last a few generations, though.
 
Eh, I've choked up on Estwings plenty without issue when I the call arose. In the context in which those hatchets are usually selected it tends not to need doing very much anyhow. A lot of folks act like the neck is made out of razor blades or something. It's true it's not as comfortable for it as a wooden handle is, but it's far from unusable. It's not meant to be a carving hatchet.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Eh, I've choked up on Estwings plenty without issue when I the call arose. In the context in which those hatchets are usually selected it tends not to need doing very much anyhow. A lot of folks act like the neck is made out of razor blades or something. It's true it's not as comfortable for it as a wooden handle is, but it's far from unusable. It's not meant to be a carving hatchet.
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Can confirm, as I’ve even used it as a carving hatchet. Doable, but definitely harder on the hands- usually in the form of fatigue. I’ve often wondered if something like a para cord wrap wouldn’t help the situation.
 
I’ve choked up on mine occasionally. It’s not super comfy but if I need to I can.

Mostly I just like trying new hatchets (as well as knives and such). And I like modding stuff.

I probably will redo the handle as it fatigued me pretty good when using for any length of time. I didn’t like it to start so I reshaped it and of course you go smaller not bigger with a belt sander. Think I’ll switch the end cap to brass maybe. But I’ll have to put a shim so it don’t touch the leather and verdigris.

I love how thin it is now. Much better chopping. Though not as good splitting of course. I don’t split wood with a hatchet much except for kindling.
 
A friend of mine has the matching hammer inherited from his late father, so when I found a hatchet like yours I bought it for him. It was covered in some yellow varnish-y stuff that I removed, and wire wheeled the rust off. Then I sharpened it and the gift was ready to present. No leather sheath like yours.

He’s not very outdoorsy, so he’s probably only ever used it to split fireplace kindling, but it and the hammer sit on a bookshelf in his den, and his wife told me she occasionally finds him asleep in his chair holding them.

I don’t know what that means, but if I find a sheath that fits it, I’ll probably buy it. Either that or dull down the edge, for safety’s sake.

Everybody knows axes and booze don’t mix, perhaps the same is true of snooze.

Thanks for the memory trigger.

Parker
 
C catspa that was a nice thing you did for your friend. That hammer must mean a lot to him. Incase you didn’t know. Estwing made a matching knife. With the same handle and pommel.

I looked for one for years and finally found one.

I love the looks of the leather, but very much prefer their blue rubber grip for using.

view


view


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Beautiful hatchet. I have the same in a Estwing carpenter's hammer. I need to add that hatchet and pair them up.
 
Thanks all for sharing.


I had no idea they ever made a knife. I’d like one of those. I like the picture atleast.
 
eveled said:
Incase you didn’t know. Estwing made a matching knife. With the same handle and pommel.
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I did not know that, never seen one. Thanks for contributing to my education.

Same boat in terms of handles. For much of my career I used blue grip Estwing hammers and drywall hatchets almost exclusively, but kinda drifted away from them when I started carving my own wood hafts. Still have a bunch, though.

Parker
 
I use 2 Estwing’s frequently and I use a sportsman’s to strip bark off of beetle-killed spruce before burning in woodstove (I prefer clean wood to burn). I have found when choking up on it, putting my index and middle fingers on the cheek area helps with comfort and accuracy.
 
catspa said:
I did not know that, never seen one. Thanks for contributing to my education.

Same boat in terms of handles. For much of my career I used blue grip Estwing hammers and drywall hatchets almost exclusively, but kinda drifted away from them when I started carving my own wood hafts. Still have a bunch, though.

Parker
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I had a blue handled, waffle headed, 28" Estwing hammer back when I built pole barns. I whacked my thumb one time when the waffling was still very pronounced and that dang thing looked like a hamburger patty. Thought it'd never heal. Those hammers are tough as 60 penny nails.
 
Served up a batch of 28oz chowder myself once, not my thumb but my left index finger. Hurt all the way down to my toenails. Profanity was uttered, and decades later it’s still not quite the original shape.

At least the pain has subsided now, just a fond memory. Still recall which jobsite, made quite an impression on me.

Parker
 
When I was a kid, they gave me a 16oz estwing ripping claw hammer. I had it 20 years. Now I have the same but it’s only 7 years. Bout the best all around hammer I ever used.
 
If you were logged onto HammerForums, they’d be telling you to complete your set with the 20, 24, and 28oz models. I don’t know if they still offer the 32 anymore, but I’ve got one left over from back in the 90s.

Dang bunch of enablers, those HF guys.

Parker
 
Knife forum I can see, axes forum. But hammers, come on now!
 
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