What's up with all the chopping

Running boar is conspicuously absent from this can of worms that he opened. I've got to get away too, as I've spent too much money on steel already and now I "need" a hatchet... and an axe. I live in the middle of the city, with central air and heat, for pete's sake.
 
hlee said:
Running boar is conspicuously absent from this can of worms that he opened. I've got to get away too, as I've spent too much money on steel already and now I "need" a hatchet... and an axe. I live in the middle of the city, with central air and heat, for pete's sake.
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Well there you go. When the zombies attack and you have to start chopping up that furniture grade wood they used to make your kitchen table, you're going to appriciate the chopping power of an Axe :)
 
hlee said:
Running boar is conspicuously absent from this can of worms that he opened. I've got to get away too, as I've spent too much money on steel already and now I "need" a hatchet... and an axe. I live in the middle of the city, with central air and heat, for pete's sake.
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You need to go see I am Legend. :p
 
tarmix101 said:
RB I tend to agree with you on most points. I live in Wa State however, and camping in the Fall, or Spring without an axe would not be advised. In Eastern Wa (not Seattle, or west coast) we get snow. Sometimes a lot of snow. It can happen suddenly as well. The saying here is "if you don't like the weather in Spokane, wait a hour". A hatchet, or small axe can make your outdoor life a lot easier around here when weather hits.

I see your point though. ;)
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A fellow Spokanite. I am born and raised in Washington. (with some years spend in Idaho, Utah and Bulgaria) Camping around here, especially in the mountains, you are better off having the tools to survive a few nights in the cold and not need them, than to need them and not have them. So many things can go wrong in the wild, your tent can get smashed, lost, burned, torn apart by a bear etc. Having a large heavy chopper knife is like having a tooth under your pillow. Magical. (axe works here too). A longer heavier knife also allows for battoning.

A larger heavier chopper can do for lighter smaller chores and be ok, the reverse is not true however. If you really need a chopper, a small knife is not going to do you any good.

And besides they are just fun!
 
Hollodweller You are like a chopping God. Great pics, great assortment of chopping tools. I love seeing chopping pics where something is actually being accomplished. Clearing blocked trails, and you get to chop something.........jeaze lucky!
 
tarmix101 said:
I don't know what kind of hatchets these people are using, but I can tell you in all honesty, I have never had a problem with that.

I have chopped frozen limbs up to 3-4" thick with no problems. profile, a hatchet works great.

Not sure I have ever had a hatchet "bounce" off a small diameter branch.
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I am talking about less than 1 inch diameter trees especially green. I have seen and nearly done myself, a hatchet bounced and glance off a small green limb and nearly kneecap myself. I personally find hatchets dangerous.

But whatever works I guess.

Skam
 
Chopping with a knife is fun. Yeah, it's extra work but I can always use the exercise. :D I do it with my own blades for testing purposes. The khuk is definately the king of the choppers.
Scott
 

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BTW, the knife on the left only has a blade length of 6 1/4" but the width is 2". Wider is better for chopping.
Scott
 
Bigfattyt said:
A fellow Spokanite. I am born and raised in Washington. (with some years spend in Idaho, Utah and Bulgaria) Camping around here, especially in the mountains, you are better off having the tools to survive a few nights in the cold and not need them, than to need them and not have them. So many things can go wrong in the wild, your tent can get smashed, lost, burned, torn apart by a bear etc. Having a large heavy chopper knife is like having a tooth under your pillow. Magical. (axe works here too). A longer heavier knife also allows for battoning.

A larger heavier chopper can do for lighter smaller chores and be ok, the reverse is not true however. If you really need a chopper, a small knife is not going to do you any good.

And besides they are just fun!
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Especially in the North Cascades (Lake Diablo area). My Father, Brother, and I got caught in one hell of a Snow storm some years ago in the month of MARCH IIRC. Near whiteout conditions for over 2 hours. We all had large garbage sacks with us, and were able to hunker down under a huge Cedar tree. Dad was able to start a small fire, and we were fine. I had my Grandads Eastwing hatchet back then. It would have come in very handy had we needed to get a make shift shelter going. It was just a day hike so no tents with us. Just the clothes on out backs, and the garbage sacks for backup. We were well dressed however and would have been just fine for much longer than two hours.

Made me realize just how volatile the weather can be in the north Cascades.

Picture of Lake Diablo:

DiabloLake1Big.jpg
 
I carry something to process wood whenever I'm out and about. Multi-tool with saw, pruning saw, hatchet, or big thick knife. Usually 2 of each, or more.;) Is it something I NEED to take with me? No, I COULD survive without it but it would be real hard where I live. REAL hard. In fact I went out around Halloween for a hike and everything, I mean everything, was sopping wet and it didn't rain for 2 days prior. I started a fire for some tea and the only way it was even possible was to split some dead wood to get to the dry stuff. Oregon for ya. Plus I like knives and hatchets. :D
 
bulgron said:
You all are driving me nuts. I'm in the market for a chopper. At first I thought some kind of a Khukri, then I thought a hatchet, and now I don't know. :confused:

Dang it! So much steel to try, so little time. What's a guy to do?
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a chopper huh? whoda thunk it. A khukri would do very well, check out the chiruwa line from HI. Or, for big knives, any knife with a profile approximating those of Busse's (the big knives I am most familiar with) large blades will also work very well.
 
Well all this hatchet bouncing off green wood, and 1" diameter got me motivated. I have about 10 yellow pine trees on my property. One of them has a large branch that has grown into my Kids swing. So out came the Lee Reeves, and Wetterlings medium hunter.

Wetterlings measures 19" OAL. The Lee Reeves is 14 1/2" OAL. Wetterlings is about 24 oz, and the Reeves is about 20 oz.

The Wetterlings was only used to take the limb from the tree, which it did with one chop. The limb at it's thickness is about 2 1/2" in diameter. It's been snowing and raining (warmed up today) for the last three days here in Spokane so everything is wet.

Poor helpless limb didn't know what hit it:
Hatchetpics009.jpg


Here is the branch at it's thickest laying accost a straw bale:
Hatchetpics001.jpg


Using the keener side of my Reeves I took one big swing at the thicker base of the limb and.... well two chops and it was in half:
Hatchetpics003.jpg


Hatchetpics004.jpg


Here is a spot where there was a fairly large knot. Two swings and it was in half:
Hatchetpics006.jpg


The smaller 1" to 1/4" diameter limbs was not even a challenge for the hatchet. With about a 1/4 swing and off the came:
Hatchetpics007.jpg


The only modifications done is a Linseed oil bath for about two weeks for the Wetterlings, and a slight thinning of the edge. I only blunted the thicker edge on the Reeves a bit, and stopped the thinner edge with a charged strop. Pics of the two axes:
Hatchetpics011.jpg


I checked the edge after I reduced the 8' long branch to 6-8 " pieces on the Reeves, and it's still shaved with no problems.
Hatchetpics.jpg
 
ilbruche said:
If it were possible I'd give you rep for that. :thumbup:
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Thanks Brother... glad you liked it. I sure had fun doing it.... though it only took me about 15 minutes even with taking the pics.

All this talk makes me want to head to the woods.;):D
 
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