USA HALF-HATCHET MYSTERY

[the-accumulator]

I brought this half-hatchet home from a trip to my friendly scrap metal recycler. I figured it was probably worth the $1 he was asking for it, seeing that it is American-made.



But how was it made? Cast? Drop-forged? All I did to it was wire-brush it. And why is the eye so much larger at the bottom than at the top? So far, I have way more questions than answers. Anybody familiar with this addition to my accumulation? T-A

 

[Hickory n steel]

This does look like it was cast.

I have no clue why the eye would be so much smaller on top, that's definitely strange.

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

I brought this half-hatchet home from a trip to my friendly scrap metal recycler. I figured it was probably worth the $1 he was asking for it, seeing that it is American-made.
View attachment 1358916

But how was it made? Cast? Drop-forged? All I did to it was wire-brush it. And why is the eye so much larger at the bottom than at the top? So far, I have way more questions than answers. Anybody familiar with this addition to my accumulation? T-A

Is it #5 or possibly HL5?
I have seen pics of Marion Tool Corp' half hatchet handles marked (production code) 51HL and 52HL

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Almost certainly drop-forged rather than cast. But the eye is definitely odd. Makes me wonder if it slipped through the stage where the top of the eye gets drifted and it was only done from the bottom.

 

[the-accumulator]

Makes me wonder if it slipped through the stage where the top of the eye gets drifted

Not long after I acquired this hatchet, the haft on which it was hung simply slipped right out of the eye. Not surprising with the geometry as it is. But it's hard to believe that the worker charged with installing the haft wouldn't have rejected it on the spot. There's no reason to believe that this head and a haft would ever have stayed married without lots of epoxy! T-A

 

[garry3]

Sure looks cast to me.

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Almost certainly drop-forged rather than cast. But the eye is definitely odd. Makes me wonder if it slipped through the stage where the top of the eye gets drifted and it was only done from the bottom.

I have found couple more pics of half hatchets with identical USA markings and tiny top of the eye opening. Not sure if Barco had such a bad QC that let unfinished heads leave their premises or maybe it was done on purpose.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Well, I know their QC sure wasn't great. If you had an entire production run that got botched and weren't the most scrupulous it'd be easier and cost less to sell the assembled hatchets and replace any that were sent back rather than yank all the handles and re-heat them, re-drift the eyes properly, and redo the heat treat.

 

[smitty0331]

It's definitely cast. I've seen older hatchets with slightly tapered eyes, but nothing even close to that.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

It's definitely cast. I've seen older hatchets with slightly tapered eyes, but nothing even close to that.

An oddly tapered eye isn't an indication that a tool is cast. You can cast a proper eye shape as easily as any other.

 

[Square_peg]

I agree that it was likely drop-forged and that they missed drifting the top of the eye.