My newest Hardcore Hatchet

P

PlaceKnives

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Apr 7, 2003
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Here's my latest Hardcore Hatchet. I made this one for my friend Roger at Custom Tactical Creations. It's serial number 002 and sold for $300.00.

It's got a 4" cutting face, 10 1/2" overall, 1/4" thick 440C with Cryo quench, green/black linen Micarta scales, sandblasted finish. This one incorporates my chisel feature on the corner of the blade. The chisel is handy for prying at things so the primary cutting edge doesn't get damaged.

I'm working on 2 more right now made out of 9/32" 154CM with removable scales.

Let me know what you think.

http://www.zombatcommand.com/gallery.htm

-J. Place
 
That looks like a hardcore tank of a hatchet! Nice work. All your knives are looking real good too. :thumbup:
 
Ya know, I thought this would be some mall ninja stuff..but that looks nice and useable.Be a nice substitute for a camp knife.
 
Looks good, looks handy in the same way my cane-knife is handy. I reckon I'd use that one as my primary if I owned it- but 300 is a bit steep for me ;)
 
Zombie slayer, eh? I like it. It's like a hatchet and a meat cleaver met up at a bar, the cleaver got roofied and violated in the alley, and nine months later your Hardcore Hatchet was born.
 
It bears a strong resemblance to the Busse Paul's Hatchet...

busseph1.jpg


and the Swamp Rat Paul's Ratchet...

srkwratct1.jpg


I own both and I like them, so expect yours is similarly a good design, and it looks like you made it well.
 
Yes it does bear a resemblance to those hatchets, with the exception being mine is an inch longer at the front and almost an inch longer handle too. Also mine has the chisel, is stainless steel, is bead blasted, has 3 bolts, not rivets holding the handle on, and although it can't be seen, this one has a skeletonized tang which helps put more weight up front. Also, the one pictured here is the last one I'm making with permanently attached handles. The newer models will have removable scales and a more streamlined handle.
Thanks for all your kind words, glad you all like it.
-J. Place
 
Mr Place, That's a handy looking little critter. :thumbup: Allow me to ask however, why 440C as the steel of choice for an impact edge, as opposed to some of the traditional carbon steels (L6, S7, 5160, etc)?? Was making it stainless the primary priority? Just wondering.

I concur with Evolute on the similarity to the Busse/Rat mini-hatchets. But I suppose there are only so many ways to arrange a haft and head to make a hatchet before you've morphed it into something that is "not just a hatchet anymore". Search here on BFC for the Busse Megalodon to see what I mean. ;)

These thin stock little hatchets (as opposed to thicker cast-/forged-head hatchets) must appeal to quite a few folks, in that they seem to be fairly common on the market. For commercial makers, besides Busse and Swamp Rat, they are made by TOPS, Bark River, Ranger Knives, RMJ Forge, and the folding-handle Uluchet. For custom makers, I've seen thin-stock hatchets from Mineral Mountain Hatchet Works, John Greco, Jensen Blades (RIP), and Bowles Knives.

wolfmother said:
looks handy in the same way my cane-knife is handy.
Click to expand...
Any chance you could post a picture of your cane knife? The square-nosed clan (cane and corn knives, plus others) are sadly under-represented here on the forums, in spite of their common appearance among the indigenous peoples of the world.
 
PlaceKnives, about your avatar...Why?WHYYY?

Are you an...OPERATOR?

In some live-action roleplay...


:rolleyes:
 
Yeah, I answer phones in my spare time.:p Anyway, that was a picture of me at Halloween years ago. I can't change the avatar until I get a pay account.

About the steel, I chose 440C because I wanted a stainless blade and 440 was available in 3 inch widths. Also, I can sandblast stainless with less chance of it rusting immediately. I just like the sandblasted look. I made 2 in 154Cm and I'll probably make the next batch out of O-1 or 1095. When I do some carbon steel models I may DuraCoat them or something. I can't get L-6 or S7 and since I don't forge my blades, I can't do 52-100 either unless someone knows where I can get sheets of it?

Thanks.
 
I'm glad to see that you are going to make your next batch out of carbon steel. The stainless steel on the one shown here is the big question mark/borderline-deal-breaker for me, in regard to considering such a purchase. I imagine there are a lot of others who, like me, have a strong preference that a chopping/high-impact knife not be stainless steel.
 
Reports from the field so far have been very promising. I hope my father keeps up his rigorous torture testing and keeps reporting back to me. Thanks for the input.
 
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