Norlund hatchet?

ac700wildcat

ac700wildcat

Joined
May 24, 2011
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Was searching the bay and found a Norlund hatchet with like eight minutes left and didn't have much time to search and see if they were good or not. I bid a couple times and ended up winning the hatchet. The description says the head is 6" long and the cutting edge is 3 1/2" and the length is 17 1/4" The seller wasn't sure if it was the original handle or not and has a small crack at a knot by the head, so that will probably end having to be replaced. I'm not sure if we can link to an ended ebay auction or not, if so I'll post a link later today.
 
Lot of guys like em for the head style and the name. Overall good camping/wildlife workers, and overall I would say seen in a positive light.
 
Thanks for the link. I don't think the one that I bought is there tho. I'll have to see what its like when it shows up.
 
It showed up today and some pics will follow. The head is a bit loose on the handle and it also seems a bit too big for the handle. Other than that its in pretty fair shape and I think I might make it my first re-handle. The total weight with the handle according to my scale is 2lbs 6.4oz.

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I can't find anything about this particular hatchet/axe. I'm kinda leaning more towards that it was meant to be a smaller axe and was re-handled with this 17" long hatchet handle. I took the head off a while ago and it weighed in right at 30oz. There has been a small amount ground off at the back of the head so I suppose it could have been around 32oz at some point. The handle has a crack right under the head and I'm thinking it will need to be replaced. Any suggestions on the length of handle to use?
 
I'd figure out what I wanted to use it for, first. At first glance, that head looks a little thick, making me think it would make a nice, midlength small splitting axe/hatchet, good for car-camping use and such to split up gathered firewood. Good kindling-maker, too. I'd probably go with something in the 20 inch length for that purpose.

Of course, it's probably also go well on a "boy's axe" length handle, 26-28 inches.


Nice to see a "different" norlund. Almost all you see these days are the Hudson Bay style heads.


Good catch!

-ben
 
When I was looking, I wanted a hatchet to take with camping. I already have a 2.5lb medium sized axe, so I think I'll probably take your advise and try finding a handle around 20 inches. Here is a picture from the top:

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I know a few crosscut saw people who use those as saw assistants. I would go for a 26" handle. I never cared for anything under 25", really kills the versatility in my opinion.
 
G-pig said:
I know a few crosscut saw people who use those as saw assistants. I would go for a 26" handle. I never cared for anything under 25", really kills the versatility in my opinion.
Click to expand...

crosscut saw assistant........talk about a lost art!


-ben
 
G-pig said:
There are still a few of us lunatics who cut wood by hand :p Another thread though!
Click to expand...

let me know when you start that thread...............I didn't cut ALL my firewood by hand this year, but I did get the last 4 loads with only an axe and a handsaw (and it *all* gets split by hand). next year, next year........no chainsaws allowed!


-ben
 
you're probably one of the guys that sniped me then-I've bid on 7 different norlund and swedish made hatchets over the last two weeks for a young fella who approached me in the bowling alley and said " Is that a RAT3 in your pocket? Do you know what bushcrafting is?" His birthday is this weekend and I've been at wits end trying to find a good hatchet that will inspire him to continue developing skills before Saturday. Gonna hit the thrift shops hard tomorrow, maybe I'll get lucky
 
Well, I hope you found something to get to him in time. I think there was only eight minutes left in the auction when I first saw it, so I tried doing a little research quick and put in a couple bids and the second one stuck.
 
You probably got your money's worth, fantastic head and the handle has some nice character to it even though it didn't work out. I found a really nice 4 inch, 2 pound carpenter's head and put it on a 19 inch haft-not a bad gig, set me back 20 bucks, should make for a nice bushcrafting tool.
 
Very cool of you, Payette! I hope to run into you in a bowling alley sometime...

How old is this young man turning? Any pics of the axe?

Matt
 
I'll get photos up as soon as I can get my computer to recognize this new camera... drivin' me nuts. I'll put it in my own thread so that I don't hijack. He's turning 19, trying to get him active on the forums here. He's all over IAWoodsman's bushcrafting vids on youtube and he's already hooked on Ray Mears.
 
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