Where to Buy Wetterlings?

wintermute

wintermute

Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
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I'm thinking about picking up a Wetterlings wildlife hatchet and have read that there is some QA/QC issues with this brand. Is there any particular on-line retailer that people have had good luck with? Would hate to buy one just to find out that the haft is going to snap the first time I use it. Thanks.
 
I have never read complaints about the Wetterling handles snapping during the first use.
However, there is a frequent complaint about edge and bevel grinds, sometimes head alignement, or the hickory grain orientation being not optimal. The last issue is mostly a theoretical one, since most shorter axes or hatchets are not used heavily and consistently enough to create real problems.

I had excellent experience regarding Wetterlings with Ragnar:

http://www.ragweedforge.com/ThrowingCatalog.html

He seems to be out of stock right now for most of the models though.

I also had excellent dealing with the gentlemen at Wisemen:

http://www.wisementrading.com/knifeandsaw/camp_axes.htm

http://www.wisementrading.com/woodworking/gransfors_axe.htm

http://www.wisementrading.com/woodworking/gransfors.htm

The URLs say Gransfors, but they list there some Wetterlings too.
 
I guess I was using a bit of hyperbole when I mentioned snapping on first use, although I've read on some forum that the Snow & Nealley haft grains are sometimes are so mis-aligned that they snap. How the mighty have fallen.
 
What hatchet/small axe size does everyone find most useful (size,power versus compactness, weight) for making kindling, limbing branches, say up to 4-6 inch dia., general camp chores, etc. in camping and hiking situations?

I guess I should mention that I am looking at the Wetterlings Wildlife (13") and Small Hunting (15") axes as my most likely purchases.
 
I picked one up personally at Smoky Mt Knifeworks. Had it for about 9 months and it has not presented any problem. You can also look at their web site www.eknifeworks.com and type in Wetterlings and they will come up. Also have Knives of Alaska hatchets and Gransford Bruks hatchets.

Good Luck,
 
It is fairly small. I think 14" overall I think. Price with tax was about $32.00+ or -.
 
Wintermute, I have both the SAW13H (12.5-13" handle) and the SAW16H (15-16" handle).

For your purposes, I would pick the SAW13H. It has a 1 1/4 lb head, 2 3/3" edge, well balanced. Even though it is a 1-2" shorter than the Gransfors Bruks Wildlife hatchet, but it is slightly thicker and better suited for splitting hard wood. It is large enough to handle the job, but small enough to easily fit in a daypack (personally I would not hang it on a belt).

The SAW16H has a 1 1/2 head and a heavier and thicker handle, which would suit you better if you were a really big guy. It will handle faster the 4-6" wood, but honestly, how much wood of this thickness you would want to process during hiking or even a short camping. If you are going to process a lot of thicker wood, I would pick rather the full sized chopping axe (SAW32H).

http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/e...Wetterlings&Search.x=8&Search.y=13&SKU=SAW32H

SMKW (www.eknifeworks.com) is a good source, has competitive prices and good customer service. You can get right now the SAW13H for $30 total or the SAW32H for $40 total (with free ground shipping and no handling fee).
 
Bensbackwoods.com is another option. Only bought some paracord and firesteel from him, but I would buy from him again in a heartbeat.
 
Wetterlings discontinued a bunch of the old styles and everyone has has a hard time importing any new ones. There are a few that I can get like the 13H & 16H, the 20C and the 31 Carpenter's Axe.
 
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