These little guys are growing on me

[screened porch]

My dad had a couple of these, one of which my mom gave me years ago. In the past two weeks I've bought two of my own, and I really think they're the first two I've seen. The flat-topped half-hatchets(?) are much more common around here, so much so that I've stopped buying them some time ago.

The dark-handled one is a Ten Eyck Edge Tool Co (incorporated in Cattaraugus NY in 1883), and the other is a Craftsman (oval cartouche).
These are pretty close to Nessmuk's illustration of the old George Washington Mount Vernon pattern that he prefers to the clumsy hand axe. I like to think that when Kephart spoke of the hardware store hatchets, with broad, bevelled blades, generally made of poor, brittle stuff unfit for a woodsman's use, he was thinking of those flat-topped half hatchets. Anyway, Kephart had his notions. He hated sleeping bags.

The two lower left are what I mean by half-hatchets. The lower one is beautifully hard, and I wouldn't say poor or brittle.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I like the flat topped ones personally but I'd love to get my paws on some like those as well. Regarding Nessmuk I think the man had some very valuable information but that he has proven more influential than he necessarily merits. He wasn't infallible whatsoever--I have yet to find a man who knows the whole truth and always says it so. I reckon you're right about your little hatchets there are right handy tools.

 

[Square_peg]

Quite the happy little gathering you've got there. My favorite is the claw hatchet at center right.

 

[screened porch]

Quite the happy little gathering you've got there. My favorite is the claw hatchet at center right.

That C Hammond is a beauty.
Funny there aren't more of those about.
The only other one I have shows some splitting in the poll, so I wonder how well the claws held up to hard hammering.

 

[halfaxe]

Those are nice to carry if you anticipate any nailing as well as chopping, instead of messing up an axe poll. I have a Ten Eyck hewing hatchet, they made good tools.

 

[screened porch]

I like the flat topped ones personally but I'd love to get my paws on some like those as well. Regarding Nessmuk I think the man had some very valuable information but that he has proven more influential than he necessarily merits. He wasn't infallible whatsoever--I have yet to find a man who knows the whole truth and always says it so. I reckon you're right about your little hatchets there are right handy tools.

I like the flat-topped ones too. They feel stouter to me. And they vary, of course. I have one out in the shed that seems barely harder than a fingernail, and the lower one in my picture offers very hard filing.

 

[screened porch]

Those are nice to carry if you anticipate any nailing as well as chopping, instead of messing up an axe poll. I have a Ten Eyck hewing hatchet, they made good tools.

Nice to know. I never heard of them till I cleaned off this hatchet.

 

[daizee]

I like that little pair. My own is an AATCO #0. I see a '1' marked on one of yours.
The half-hatchets tend to have so much cutting edge below the top of the head that I find them a bit awkward.

 

[screened porch]

I like that little pair. My own is an AATCO #0. I see a '1' marked on one of yours.
The half-hatchets tend to have so much cutting edge below the top of the head that I find them a bit awkward.

The 1 is probably for one pound weight. (it's 1 lb 4 oz with the handle). The Ten Eyck stamp is below that, toward the edge.
By the way, my thanks to you all for not saying anything like "What d'ya mean, 'cleaned up'"? This one had nickel plating, which I've recently found reacts badly but unpredictably to vinegar.

 

[M3mphis]

Nice! I'm definitely partial to the full hatchet over the half hatchet. Far better looking IMO and I like the shape better when carving something out on my workbench.

 

[screened porch]

One thing about these I only realized a few days ago is they look very like the 18th century Iroquois tomahawks. Draw the hammer out into a spike, and there you are. (Saw them on a website called furtraderstomahawks.tripod.something)

Nothing to do with their function, of course. And there will always be room for personal taste in hatchetry.

I may have to do a comparison test. I have a Plumb half hatchet only a little heavier than the Craftsman above. Maybe add a scout hatchet and a little HB. I'm not sure it would prove anything beyond my preferences, but it's an excuse to get a handle on that Plumb.