Small Hatchet Vs Big knife

T

tigercasual

Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
76
Hey guys,

I posted a similar question in the knife forum, but I also wanted to get the axe/hatchet side of things. I've been looking at the Tops Wolf Pax 2

http://www.battlebladesknives.com/topsknives.php#.VEFgwmddVA0

I'm trying to decide if it is worth buying such a small hatchet vs a big knife, like say the Ontario SP50, Ratak II etc. In other words, when it comes to such a small hatchet, do you really gain chopping power or is just better to get a big knife?

Thanks,
TC
 
For that price I'd only buy a Gransfors Bruks Small Forest or Wildlife. The easiest answer from personal experience is to buy both though. Sometimes I want a saw, others a large knife, and sometimes an axe.

If you don't have a small axe you should get one. Maybe buy the Husqvarna hatchet and the SP50. I actually just bought the SP50 and love the look and feel more than any large blade I own. Both of those together should be less than the Gransfors. The Husqvarna is a solid hatchet, but if money isn't a problem buy a Gransfors and the SP50.

Throw in a Silky Pocketboy with medium teeth and you will be set for anything.
 
If your looking for a respected name and willing to spend the coin then do whatever makes you content. However, if you want to be a little more pragmatic then I'd suggest taking your price range down a notch (or three), purchase one solid example of each and use them as they were meant to be used. Whether it's a week or a year...only you know what conditions you have experienced and which tool proved it's worth "in weight" (so to speak...hey, somebodies gotta carry this junk).

Make it simple...set a comfortable budget and divide up the percentage for each.

Lastly, if you're on the fence regards which is more useful (safe to say since your here posing the question) or, at this point, even what brand/type to purchase then I'd say you're not ready to fork over your wages. All the lunchtime chatter around here won't help you one little bit. Until you pick up both and actually test them in the field our opinions are worth exactly what you paid...nada.

Have a wonderful day :thumbup:
 
Just me personally but a hatchet really loses its effectiveness below 14".

I have the Wildlife and Love it- along with other hatchets I have in the 14-16" range. From there I go to 26". Knife is usually 4-5"

Bill
 
It really depends on how you want to use the tool, get comfortable with both, then your decision can be made by your terrain and comfort. A good saw, machete, compass, et. et. et. et. et.

Get them all and use them, then decide for yourself.

For me personally, the benefits of the small axe outweigh those of the big knife, I have plenty of big knives but prefer a tomahawk. If I lived in the swamps I may choose a machete (really big knife) over the hawk. YMMV
 
There is a lot of difference between a big knife made for chopping and a machete as well. Search super assassin on YouTube to see a sword that outchops most axes. The point is that while there are advantages and disadvantages to different classifications of tools, it really depends on what tasks you are specifically using them for and what tools you are specifically comparing.
 
They are different tools. Get the one you need. I don't want a big knife when I need a hatchet. I rarely need a big knife other than a machete. They do have some overlapping abilities but one is not a substitute for the other.


chuxwan said:
Search super assassin on YouTube to see a sword that outchops most axes.
Click to expand...

Ludicrous.
 
Square_peg said:
They are different tools. Get the one you need. I don't want a big knife when I need a hatchet. I rarely need a big knife other than a machete. They do have some overlapping abilities but one is not a substitute for the other.




Ludicrous.
Click to expand...

Wow. Just think what he could do if he learned a proper grip and follow through. Seriously; get that guy into and Iaido class and he'll be cuttin' through telephone poles. I kinda' want one of those now.

edit: after poking around I found a price mentioned around four grand. I don't want one that bad.
 
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Square_peg said:
They are different tools. Get the one you need. I don't want a big knife when I need a hatchet. I rarely need a big knife other than a machete. They do have some overlapping abilities but one is not a substitute for the other.




Ludicrous.
Click to expand...

Sticks a little!:D
 
I don't really have much use for what folks commonly refer to as "big" knives. I use folders for things that require fine motor skills, or perhaps a fixed blade of 5"-6" or less. For big tasks that require gross motor skills, I use my 18" bladed bowie, but could settle for a golok, machete, or similar. To my mind, a properly made knife doesn't have worthwhile chopping power until the blade is at least 13" or 14" long. And I don't want to try adding chopping power to a shorter blade by adding weight- I'd much rather just have a longer blade at the same weight, so you can get the advantage of speed.

I don't have a "small" hatchet, either. The hatchet I normally grab is a Swedish Axe Works with a handle around 20" long or so (I've never measured it; just going from memory). Again, if weight is your concern, I'd probably be more apt to take a tomahawk with a long handle, vs. a heavier hatchet head on a short handle.

As to which one you need, I'd first evaluate what you're planning to cut. My big knife out chops the hatchet until the wood is solid and thick- somewhere around 5 or 6 inches thick. So if you plan to chop and split wood bigger than this, I'd go with a hatchet. (Well, actually, I'd go with a chainsaw.) If most of your work will center around saplings and limbs 3 or 4 inches thick, then the very big knife would be preferred. And of course, a hatchet is the next thing to useless against brush, brambles, and free hanging smaller branches. So generally speaking, I prefer a very large knife for most of what I do. If the large knife can't easily handle it, then I use gas and diesel powered equipment.

I think you'd get a lot more work out of a 16"-18" golok and a folder, versus an 8 or 9 inch bladed camp or bowie style knife. But if you aren't interested in getting a knife with more than 13" of blade, then I'd go with a decent hatchet to handle the bigger jobs.
 
I have an old Plumb hatchet which has been with me for quite a few years. The edge profile has been thinned quite a bit due to field sharpening and some yearly tune-up sessions with the scotch brite wheel. If I had to pack a cutting tool way into the bush I would go for the small hatchet if hardwood processing were on the agenda. Mine is razor sharp and has a wonderful heft to it. The vintage handle fits my hand perfectly. In my case, I am confident with the tool although I feel it takes more skill to wield one of these than a chopping knife of similar weight.

It boils down to personal preference but I give the nod to the properly tuned axe when hardwood is on the menu. As has been pointed out here: each tool has a targeted use. Some overlap, others are more specific in nature. Of course, the person using the tool is a huge factor. Skill and experience levels vary!

Which brings me to Dan's videos. He is a master bladesmith that knows how to rock and roll with large sections of M4. His skill at chopping competitions is well known and he pushes himself to the limit by making efficient use of a powerful upper body coupled with smooth chopping technique. His swords can cut trees and he has proved that point. Most normal folk would have difficulty cutting as well as he can even if they did have one of his M4 beasts.

The serious woodsman competition chopper smiles in amusement knowing that a five pound race axe with a half bananna grind is going to leave ANY sword in the dust when it comes to cutting large, stubbord sections of hardwood. The sword and the axe have different purposes. These days, the king of the hill is the chainsaw. You'll likely see few axes in the modern logging camps of today. Times and seasons change along with technology, but there might be just a tad of satisfaction in knowing that if we HAD to, we could use hand tools of yesteryear to conquer even the most bullheaded ironwood stumps. I suppose you could cut down a giant redwood using a SAK married with sufficient determination.
 
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