Winchester Hewing Hatchet with Phantom Bevel

C

Cam T

Joined
Dec 7, 2022
Messages
20
Just picked this up. Ready for some hewing.

E6nUP06.jpg
 
Very nice Carpenters broad hatchet. It is set up for a right handed person. If you intend to use it I would put a straight haft, like it had on it from the factory, back on. I hope it does not have a back bevel on it. It is not for hewing logs. It's primary use was for a carpenter to resize the width of dimensional lumber.
 
Some people that are more knowledgeable than I say the edge should be curved a bit and the back is not perfectly flat but curves up slightly which makes sense for hewing ( and lifting the chips out ) otherwise the corners of the blade will dig in if the wood is wider than the blade.

The newer bench axes have straight edges with no uplift , which no doubt is fine for working a wood piece narrower than the blade is wide.
 
Pentlatch said:
Some people that are more knowledgeable than I say the edge should be curved a bit and the back is not perfectly flat but curves up slightly which makes sense for hewing ( and lifting the chips out ) otherwise the corners of the blade will dig in if the wood is wider than the blade.

The newer bench axes have straight edges with no uplift , which no doubt is fine for working a wood piece narrower than the blade is wide.
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So if you were looking down the blade from the top it should have a lift that would look like this? (

Trying to figure out what you mean. That does seem like the only way to keep the edges from biting in though
 
When talking about original American pattern broad hatchets like the one shown it is, for the most part, flat toe to heel and also flat edge to poll, because it is not designed to hew logs. Original American pattern broad axes are , for the most part, curved toe to heel and also curved edge to poll, because it is designed to hew logs.
 
Old Axeman said:
When talking about original American pattern broad hatchets like the one shown it is, for the most part, flat toe to heel and also flat edge to poll, because it is not designed to hew logs. Original American pattern broad axes are , for the most part, curved toe to heel and also curved edge to poll, because it is designed to hew logs.
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Gotcha. So it's strictly a big carver like Hickory n steel Hickory n steel said? How big the cutting edge on this thing? (I wish I could read that picture) Might just be the picture makes it seem bigger than it is?

I'm curious cause it sounds like something I could put to use right now on a project.
 
AriesTheCam said:
Gotcha. So it's strictly a big carver like Hickory n steel Hickory n steel said? How big the cutting edge on this thing? (I wish I could read that picture) Might just be the picture makes it seem bigger than it is?

I'm curious cause it sounds like something I could put to use right now on a project.
Click to expand...
Plumb offered 7 sizes of Broad Hatchets (Bench Axes)
#1 1lb 8oz 4 inch cutting edge
to
#7 3lb 12oz bit size 7 inches
BookReaderImages.php
 
AriesTheCam said:
So if you were looking down the blade from the top it should have a lift that would look like this? (

Trying to figure out what you mean. That does seem like the only way to keep the edges from biting in though
Click to expand...

Yes , you are correct ( it is slight but using a straight edge it is there )and it sometimes/always? occurs with a broad hatchet that also can have a flat back that actual is curved slightly even if it is only a little as you approach the cutting edge . again no doubt to get the wood chips out rather than having the hatchet stick in the wood .

I am just getting familiar with broad hatchets , gleaning little bits of info off the 'net , these are "simple" tools but slight differences have noticeable effects in use. They are wood reducers so when on the farm you can split out a piece of wood from a log with wedges and a maul , reduce it with an axe or broad hatchet till you get it close enough to use as is or flat enough for a plane or lathe. It wasn't long ago that these skills were very common before mill sawn lumber was easy to get.

post #10 image of hatchets shows on the bottom right a tool called a Broad or Bench ( hatchet ) with a straight edge and single bevel , in various weights and cutting edge lengths . Also it is available in double bevel at a bit higher weights .

post #11 shows broad hatchets with curved cutting edges , no mention of the curved back but I would hazard a guess that they did have a slight curve on the back.

To me it seems a bench hatchet has a single bevel with a straight edge and flat back with no curve- they can also have a double bevel .

Broad hatchets have the curved edge and slightly curved on the back , especially near the cutting edge and slight uplift ( they seem to be single bevel

Still learning and ready to be educated.
 
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