Wilderness Canoe Trip & Carried My Hatchet

David Martin

David Martin

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I thought you guys would like this.
I went on a wilderness river canoe trip last week. Shortly after the start I broke my oar in rapids. The little light high tech type. I got to a gravel-bar and tried to repair it by driving a wood dowel into the two ends. This did not last. So, I chose a camp site and got a fire going to dry things out and proceed with supper. After thinking on it during the night. I cut a suitable size sycamore tree the next morning and began hewing it using my Estwing. In a short time my new oar was taking shape. In about an hour I had it the way I wanted. Some what thicker than needed to withstand the slams into rocks during rapids and I was back in the water, on my way. This Estwing hatchet is a workhorse and can make the chips fly. I'm glad I packed it because if I would have only had a saw and large knife. Using those to make it would have taken a Lot longer. Thanks gents for giving me pointers here on using hatchets. DM
 
Yep, I do like this. Sounds like a very satisfying trip. I hope you kept your hewn oar. I am sure I am not the only one that would like to see pictures of it.
 
Yeah! Pics would be awesome to go along with the great story. Sounds like a great time...I'd hang that oar on the wall!
 
Nice post, and credible yarn! No need to be shy, let's see some pictures of that field-tested improv.
If you paddle around often enough you learn to strap a spare paddle on to the thwarts of the canoe. Busted paddle out on big water (happened to me on Lake Superior during a sudden offshore breeze many years ago) doesn't afford you the luxury of being able to pull over and carve another one.
 
The photos of this oar & trip are on my daughter's phone. Mine could not have survived this. Her's is the water proof phone. The trip being during Spring Break, she's now back at Univ. and in Air Force ROTC. So, please be patient. I do still have the oar at home. I'll work on getting you gents a shot of it from home. I'm still surprised it didn't take long to make it and Sycamore wood is not that soft. I'd say akin to Mulberry. The other tree options were pine. DM
 
Here you go gents.This paddle helped us make it thru the Gila River Wilderness. A 52 mile stretch. Notice the fraying at the end. DM
 
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I'm starting to get some pictures. This was taken as we were packed and ready to drive to the Gila River.One of those paddles is the one I broke and replaced. DM
 
lol very nice...

Had a similar experience several years ago....I didn't lose my paddle but I did lose my axe :eek:

If I would have lost my paddle I would have had to hew one with only a large knife. That would have, to put it mildly, "sucked."

I know a lot of people love and use the Estwing products but every time I pick one up I fell like it's "cheap" and put it back on the rack. I know they aren't but that's how I feel about them. I'm glad you could make good use of yours.
 
Ray Mears builds one in a video I saw recently. Good job. Makes me want to build one with an axe.
 
'cheap'! A hatchet built with a stacked leather grip and a metal handle.? I run into all sorts of opinions on forums. Through the past 16 years I've put my Estwing thru all sorts of tasks and the blade holds it's edge and the handle has not come loose. Thanks gents. DM
 
David Martin said:
'cheap'! A hatchet built with a stacked leather grip and a metal handle.? I run into all sorts of opinions on forums. Through the past 16 years I've put my Estwing thru all sorts of tasks and the blade holds it's edge and the handle has not come loose. Thanks gents. DM
Click to expand...

I know...I know....but in my own defense I did say "I know they aren't but that's how I feel about them."

And to clarify, they only carry the blue handle hatchets and axes at my 'superbox' stores. Now if I went to the army/navy or lowes [much further away from home], I'd probably run into the stacked leather models more often. Also and for some reason, I'm not a fan of the chromed/stainless steels in tools of this nature. Perhaps it's aesthetics that turns me off? Now that I ponder that question, I think that might just be it....[I've actually pondered this for several minutes before I hit "post quick reply"]....

When I look at a GB, Hult, Estwing and a common fire axe [usually a Collins style] side by side...and NOT taking cost into consideration....I literally prefer the first two to the latter and I simply don't know why....

Same goes for blades. I prefer carbon to stainless. My wife and oldest daughter get peeved at me for using my old wood handle kitchen knives, passed down from my grandparent's, eventually to me [think Old Hickory butcher style knifes but in all forms and styles].

Still....the OP did a great job using his to make an oar. Thumbs up to him for innovation while suffering a need in the field.
 
Ok, thanks. Use what you like. My Estwing was mfg. in 96 or 97 and has the head made of 1055 steel. Which is not real bad about rusting. Unless it's been wet for 3 days like on this river trip. DM
 
Here we are 16 miles in the wilderness with 36 more to go. With one way out as you can't go up river. With limited food supply and my youngest is giving me that look of ''dad your getting us out of here, right?'' I got my non-aesthetics butt in gear, grabbed my Estwing hatchet and built us a way to make it out. DM
 
Here you go. This is a photo of our camp the 2nd night about 33 miles in. A really good spot and the way our fire radiated off that rock wall worked to keep us warm and dry out our gear. DM
 
looks like a nice spot......back side is completely shielded from weather....but what about rain running off that backdrop?
 
The brief mountain showers here (normally)don't come until July. This time of year it would have been snow had they come. We had luck riding with us. Much more could have happened during the unsettled weather of March. The river has it's own language as we sat listening, beside the fire, sipping hot coffee that night. Though I couldn't understand it's voice, I felt good just hearing it as it made it's way toward Arizona. DM
 
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