Rigster Hatchet vs. Carpenter Hatchet questions

[Landodnal]

Good research guys. I've done some of my own today. I've found two other companies that mention the word "Carpenter" when describing their half hatchets: Vaughan and Mann Edge. They don't say what makes them different from their half hatchets. Even the Stanley advertisement calls it the Carpenters Special Half Hatchet. Just depends on the company I guess. But this designation is rare. I've found many many more old catalogs and advertisements that call these half hatchets.

 

[Landodnal]

That's great @Landodnal , thank you for sharing it!. The one labeled Tobacco Hatchet looks like a common half hatchet and not the light weight steel hatchets that I have seen labeled as tobacco hatchets or knifes. Did that picture and label come out of a Keen Kutter catalog? I am no expert in any of this just wondering about that one and it's use.

Hi Garry3. There was only a slight difference between this version of the tobacco hatchet and a half hatchet. The tobacco hatchet had a milled poll or checkered face. The half hatchet has a smooth poll. That's really the only difference. I know what you are talking about when you reference the other tobacco hatchets. I posted a picture below of one. I don't know why there are two types of tobacco hatchets. The picture of the tobacco hatchet came out of a Simmons Hardware Catalog. Here is also Plumb's version of a tobacco hatchet from 1906 and one from Shapleigh Hardware: their Diamond Edge brand.

 

[rjdankert]

https://bladeforums.com/threads/it-followed-me-home-part-2.1190276/page-251#post-17689998


Bob

 

[garry3]

Hi Garry3. There was only a slight difference between this version of the tobacco hatchet and a half hatchet. The tobacco hatchet had a milled poll or checkered face. The half hatchet has a smooth poll. That's really the only difference. I know what you are talking about when you reference the other tobacco hatchets. I posted a picture below of one. I don't know why there are two types of tobacco hatchets. The picture of the tobacco hatchet came out of a Simmons Hardware Catalog. Here is also Plumb's version of a tobacco hatchet from 1906 and one from Shapleigh Hardware: their Diamond Edge brand.

Good sleuthing there. It seems the Plumbs are listed at 2 lbs and the Diamond Edges at 2 1/2 lbs. So I would guess 2 lb heads? By contrast a riggers axe is about 2 1/4 lbs including the haft, where as a common half hatchet will come in at around 1 3/4 lbs. So those are good sized hatchets.
Here is a half hatchet, milled face and the poll leans a little towards a closed hang. It weighs just 1 1/2 lbs, so a common half hatchet size marked "Super Duty USA".


So how where those tobacco hatchets used in the tobacco industry? Did they ship in some type of crates (@quinton)?

 

[Hairy Clipper]

^^^^^^ https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigaradvisor/harvesting-broadleaf-wrapper-tobacco

The first paragraph references harvest tobacco with a hatchet.

 

[rjdankert]

^^^^^^ https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigaradvisor/harvesting-broadleaf-wrapper-tobacco

The first paragraph references harvest tobacco with a hatchet.

also known as

'baccer knives

Bob

 

[Hairy Clipper]

also known as




Bob

Gotta love American slang. Thank you for pointing that out Bob, I appreciate it.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

^^^^^^ https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigaradvisor/harvesting-broadleaf-wrapper-tobacco

The first paragraph references harvest tobacco with a hatchet.

Tobacco hatchets used for harvesting are the kind with the thin machete-like blade to them as shown in some of the above images, not the half-hatchet type that was being primarily discussed.

 

[quinton]

So how where those tobacco hatchets used in the tobacco industry? Did they ship in some type of crates (@quinton)?

I don't have any idea what the hatchet was used for in the industry, but 'baccer knives and a "spear" were used to chop the crop down at harvest.

After wilting and partially curing in the field for a few days the 'baccer was loaded on wagons and taken to the barn to hang, or more popularly known as "housing".

My uncle made tens of thousands of riven white oak sticks to sell to other farmers back in the day. By the 80's there weren't many around with the knowledge to make a stronger, and much preferred riven stick. By then, about all the new sticks were sawn sticks.

 

[garry3]

I don't have any idea what the hatchet was used for in the industry, but 'baccer knives and a "spear" were used to chop the crop down at harvest.

After wilting and partially curing in the field for a few days the 'baccer was loaded on wagons and taken to the barn to hang, or more popularly known as "housing".

My uncle made tens of thousands of riven white oak sticks to sell to other farmers back in the day. By the 80's there weren't many around with the knowledge to make a stronger, and much preferred riven stick. By then, about all the new sticks were sawn sticks.

Do you know what tools your uncle used to make sticks? I can vouch for the effectiveness of hatchets in the riggers class to point the ends of wood stakes of about that size. Yep...

 

[quinton]

Do you know what tools your uncle used to make sticks? I can vouch for the effectiveness of hatchets in the riggers class to point the ends of wood stakes of about that size. Yep...

Basically, a froe and a Kelly Perfect carpenters hatchet. He would make a dogwood maul, and a riving brake from a tree fork on site.

 

[garry3]

Basically, a froe and a Kelly Perfect carpenters hatchet. He would make a dogwood maul, and a riving brake from a tree fork on site.

Dang he was first class! Do you have his Kelly?

 

[quinton]

Dang he was first class! Do you have his Kelly?

Absolutely! I think he said he bought this one sometime in the 70's new at a local hardware store. It has sharpened, and cleaned splinters and rough edges off of thousands of green oak sticks! I also have his old paper label Kelly double bit. The double bit is worn way down, and he did all of the wearin'. Uncle will be 89 on October 13th.