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Thread: Ok folks, help me chose a new small camp axe/large hatchet.

  1. #11
    Site Supporter rob_s's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Totem Polar View Post
    I’d like to say that this is for overlanding with our rooftop tent, or all the rucking into deep woods Idaho that I’ve been doing, but honestly, the real impetus is our fire bowl out front. With the reality of the 1st half of 2020, we really don’t go anywhere, or do much of anything besides read, work, and hike. That and spending too much time in between all that stuff screwing around surfing P-F.

    Our firebowl has become a main pastime, with more than a few cocktails and a Jack Carr novel or 3 passing by while a log or two burned. Hence, the “small axe/large hatchet” need: I’m mostly looking for something to split kindling off the edges of chunks of pre-cut firewood. Pretty tame duty, so I don’t need a woods axe or log splitter.
    The bit in red is the key here to me.

    If your intended use was something to stick in the truck or camp box until needed, and that need was rare, I'd go with the Fiskars 14" X7.

    But, if you're anything like me, the home use and wifely involvement may skew the selection to something more fancy, in which case I'd be looking at some of your original options, or something else in the ~$100 range that adds a little panache. if you're alone, or your wife doesn't care about such things (or, you don't blame her for every aesthetic choice around the house so you don't have to admit you like nice things, the way I do ), or you're planning on just leaving the thing out in the rain and not doing much to take care of it, then the Fiskars seems like a good home option as well.
    Does the above offend? If you have paid to be here, you can click here to put it in context.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by momano View Post
    I'm a retired construction craft laborer; Estwing is a trusted brand. I have two; the camp hatchet with leather rings handle, and the 16" tomahawk axe. The tomahawk axe I use in my gardens, also.
    X2, I gave my son an Estwing for Christmas several years ago and he's used it VERY hard.
    If you later decide you want a higher end option, it's still a solid useful tool.

  3. #13
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by momano View Post
    I'm a retired construction craft laborer; Estwing is a trusted brand. I have two; the camp hatchet with leather rings handle, and the 16" tomahawk axe. The tomahawk axe I use in my gardens, also.
    I have been returning to the hatchet idea off and on since the P-Fhandler or whatever the modified FUBAR thread is called came up.

    I'm kind of at the point where, based on the money, I'd go with the Estwing leather rings handle and be done with it. Classic, solid one piece forged steel, made in USA. Affordable. Apparently, the blue polymer handles can deteriorate with age. I have an Estwing hammer that sat in a tool box drawer with a chisel handle touching it, and some of the chisel's silkscreened logo transferred to the blue hammer handle. So for long-term durability, I'd bet on the leather.
    .
    -----------------------------------------
    Not another dime.

  4. #14
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    I really like my Estwing.

  5. #15
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    I have one of these and I like it.

    Estwing Fireside Friend

    I like something a little more persuasive for driving big stakes camping, and this is way classier than the Harbor Freight 2.5 lb mini sledge it replaced in my camp box.
    'Nobody ever called the fire department because they did something intelligent'

  6. #16
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
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    My old school Estwing has to be thirty years old. The lacquer is starting to crack, but it's had a hard life.

    https://www.amazon.com/Estwing-Sport...KZCWZG2V8&th=1
    "Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA

  7. #17
    (IMO)
    As you know, I bought the Hults Bruk Tarnaby. Great hatchet, but I find it is just a touch top-heavy. Even so, it is very capable for limbing, debarking, making kindling. With a little refinement on the edge I am sure it would be a good skinner and carver too. I like it.

    However... If I was looking for a one-and-done tool, I would buy this. It is indeed heirloom quality, but it's all about utility. Capable of all chores from carving to felling within reason.

    https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/pro...ll-forest-axe/

    This is based on research, but not first-hand experience. Seems to be a tool of choice for many wildland firefighters and bushcrafters.

    I have a Gerber/Fiskars hatchet. Great and very athletic feeling tool. Light enough to get great head speed, but still penetrates deeply. (Provocative. I know) The things I don't like about it? The handle can not be replaced. The edge is fairly fragile and requires frequent sharpening, roughing in the edge every time. The plastic handle transmits much more hand shock than a good old straight grain American Hickory haft. (I wrecked the edge on it the first time splitting the sternum on an elk)

    One other thing I thought I would throw out there. Husqvarna seems to be a great value in Swedish steel, but I have read numerous accounts of the heads coming loose. The theory seems to be that they are hung green and come loose when the hickory dries.

    Estwings are bulletproof, but the steel is a lot softer than forged Swedish, and the full tang transmits a lot of hand shock. (first-hand experience)

    I am sure you know by now. Buy once, cry once. (IMO)

    If you want to save a few bucks and have a project, maybe buy a used Swedish axe head on eBay and restore it, then hang it.
    Last edited by cornstalker; 07-03-2020 at 10:14 AM.

  8. #18
    I live all the way North in Wisconsin and have heated with wood most of my life. I think that many small axe types are seriously overrated unless you are carrying them deep into the back-country on foot. Also, fiberglass and metal handles suck compared to good hickory.

    For an great all-around tool at a great price, the Cold Steel Trail Boss is hard to beat ($35ish). 1055 steel and good Hickory handles. They are shaped better for splitting than most of the expensive Scandinavian 'hand and a half' axes, but they will also chop well, and more safely, with the slightly longer handle. You just have to sharpen them yourself.

    For whatever reason, I've always preferred to make kindling with a 'boys axe' than use a hatchet. You can easily grab a Trail Boss short and work it one handed. They aren't very heavy. But you can still use it to take apart a tree if you need to. It's a serious tool.

    I carry one in my 4Runner at all times; we get trees down on the back roads and trails around here.

    To me it's like the Glock 19 of axes.

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  9. #19
    Member Greg's Avatar
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    I bought 2 Gransfors Bruks (sp?) hatchets years ago and I paid under a hundo for both of them combined.

    When I see what they charge now I'm amazed.
    Don’t blame me. I didn’t vote for that dumb bastard.

  10. #20
    Site Supporter Bigghoss's Avatar
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    I have a Fiskars that I bought 20 years ago and I used to just leave it out on our annual church camping trip for whoever needed it. That thing has seen some stuff and just keeps coming back for more. Lowes and Home depot carry a couple different versions. They're like the SD9 of axes. Cheap, plastic, works well.

    Condor Tool and Knife makes pretty good axes for the price. Get one from www.baryonyxknife.com/ and select the special grade where they reprofile and sharpen it for you. The guy knows his stuff and everything they carry is good.

    I bought an HB forge tomahawk and was kinda disappointed. The head/handle fit was almost as bad as I see from Cold Steel, but at least the materials were better.

    If you really want to get a Wetterlings or Granfors you probably won't regret it but it doesn't sound like you need anything like that.
    Quote Originally Posted by MattyD380 View Post
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