David LaPell
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I'm looking for a decent camp hatchet, something like the old Marbles safety Hatchet, and made here in the US.
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Looking for a good camp hatchet
- Thread starter David LaPell
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If you insist on a U.S. product look at the Snow & Nealy Penobscot Bay Kindling Axe. If you are willing to look at an import, the Swedish made, hand-forged Granfors Bruks Small Forest Axe is probably the best-of-breed, and priced accordingly. It's a very nice piece of equipment, with a 19" handle that's much safer and more useful than a small hatchet.
There is a "sticky" titled "Axes & Hatchets" or something similar on AR15.com, in the "Outdoors", "general discussion" forum, with links to a number of axe and hatchet manufacturers' sites. If you end up acquiring a Gransfors Bruks product, handle with extreme caution lest you damage other equipment or yourself. I immediately discarded the factory sheath and fashioned a more effective one of Kydex sheet.
There is a "sticky" titled "Axes & Hatchets" or something similar on AR15.com, in the "Outdoors", "general discussion" forum, with links to a number of axe and hatchet manufacturers' sites. If you end up acquiring a Gransfors Bruks product, handle with extreme caution lest you damage other equipment or yourself. I immediately discarded the factory sheath and fashioned a more effective one of Kydex sheet.
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Years ago I remember seeing a nice hatchet, although rather light, from Buck, but I don't know if they still make it.
Krull
Member
Try this guy,he's custom making a sword for me,there's some rather larger axes he offers too......
Forged in Time - Handmade Axes - Throwing Axe - Wild times for everyone...
Tell'em Login sent ya!
Forged in Time - Handmade Axes - Throwing Axe - Wild times for everyone...
Tell'em Login sent ya!
TDR911
Member
I also have a all metal thru the laminated wood handle Estwing. Great hatchet.
Look at a woodsmans pal as well.
Utility Blade Knife Stores, Knife Accessory, Buy Machete from Woodmans Pal - Pro Tool Industries
Look at a woodsmans pal as well.
Utility Blade Knife Stores, Knife Accessory, Buy Machete from Woodmans Pal - Pro Tool Industries
ar15ed
Member
i have the buck one. i use it for backpacking. it is crazy light, but if you need something bigger to do the job, it is still crazy light! i will freely admit to being a "weight-weenie" on the backpacking stuff, and i have been happy with the little buck, but if it didn't directly have to be carried in my backpack for long distances, i would probably use something a little heavier.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
I have a Woodsman's Pal that is an absolutely beautiful piece of work. Never have used it.
I have a couple of rusty old cane knives that I use all the time and touch up with a file-they work great. If it's too big to cut with the cane knife-I get my chain saw. I've got a hatchet around somewhere but have not seen it in a while. If I find it-you can have it.
I have a couple of rusty old cane knives that I use all the time and touch up with a file-they work great. If it's too big to cut with the cane knife-I get my chain saw. I've got a hatchet around somewhere but have not seen it in a while. If I find it-you can have it.
gregintenn
Member
I bought a Gerber with a yellow composite handle of some unknown material for camping. It wasn't expensive, but so far it has served well.
Frank237
Absent Comrade
+1 on the Granfors Bruks Camp hatchet. Something about them...like owning a piece of History...HOW something USED to be made by hand...not stamped out in Japan.
Gränsfors Bruks
Gränsfors Bruks
Broker50
Member
I believe Estwing or Cold Steel are probably a good value.
Snapping Twig
Member
I've been using a roofer's shingling axe. Big flat blade, good weight, works well for me.
My Dad got it somewhere, wish I could steer you to the source.
Another to have is a mini wood maul. Size of a regular hand axe, heavy head. Splits logs like butter. I have 3 of them for various vehicles I go camping with. Don't want to leave that tool behind.
My Dad got it somewhere, wish I could steer you to the source.
Another to have is a mini wood maul. Size of a regular hand axe, heavy head. Splits logs like butter. I have 3 of them for various vehicles I go camping with. Don't want to leave that tool behind.
I will have to vote for the Estwing. I have had one for just over fifty years, when I was a Boy Scout. It holds a good edge and is still made in the U.S.A. I just recently saw how they were made on the t.v. program "How It's Made". They are sold locally in our farm supply store. Options are either a leather ring handle or a blue composite handle.
DGNY
Member
Camp Hatchet
Snow & Neally or Estwing if you want new. Handle both to get preferred feel.
I have had good luck finding used forged hatchets at estate and garage sales. Priced right, also. Then you can have a spare for each car, your camp kit, etc. BTW, the new Chinese 'forged' ones seem to shatter on impact [had two do this], with a misblow to a rock. Real pain miles from anywhere.
Good luck,
Dyson
Snow & Neally or Estwing if you want new. Handle both to get preferred feel.
I have had good luck finding used forged hatchets at estate and garage sales. Priced right, also. Then you can have a spare for each car, your camp kit, etc. BTW, the new Chinese 'forged' ones seem to shatter on impact [had two do this], with a misblow to a rock. Real pain miles from anywhere.
Good luck,
Dyson
JOERM
Member
Exactly what I was going to suggest, very nice hatchet indeed. Sharp and stays sharp with steel handle that will never break. A one time hatchet for life. The sheath is a bit wimpy but not bad.
Texas Star
US Veteran
Fiskars owns Gerber now, and their hatchets and axes differ only in the brand name, I've read that you can get a Fiskars at a gardening store for less than a sporting goods store sells Gerbers for.
I think I got my Gerber at either Academy Sports or Home Depot. It's been a few years. I like the Gerber and Buck because the synthetic handle encloses the head, which can't fly off, as it may from wooden handles.
I think I had to have both sharpened at a cutlery store before using them.
I think I got my Gerber at either Academy Sports or Home Depot. It's been a few years. I like the Gerber and Buck because the synthetic handle encloses the head, which can't fly off, as it may from wooden handles.
I think I had to have both sharpened at a cutlery store before using them.
Farmer17
Member
I have a big, Buck 124 hunting knife that is about as big and heavy as anything I am willing to carry and works about as well for chopping as a lightweight hatchet.
Hello David,
I'm not sure if my situation is close enough to how you camp for my prefered hatchets to work best for you but I'll comment anyway. I use a lot of wood for heat so hatchets are a tool used daily but not packed around with me. I find the most usefull hatchet to be what is sometimes sold as a house axe or hearth axe. In other words a 2 1/4 pound boys axe head on a 17" wood handle. Good US manufactured ones with forged heads like older Vaughns ran around $20 5 to 10 years ago. Some of the tools that have been suggested are unnecessarily expensive. I have an old Estwing but they run $30 to $40 now and that stretchs whats reasonable. Also, like all steel handled hatchets and hammers, Estwings have too high a percentage of their weight in their handles so they make you work harder. There is no problem with wood hatchet handles breaking anyway. Hatchet handles aren't subject to the kind of stresses 3 ft. axe handles are. It is nice to have a light approx. 1 1/4 pound hatchet for making kindling out on old cedar shakes and other easily split wood but the hunters hatchets made out of flat stock by Western and Buck are so light they are worthless. An old favorite with a great compromise weight is an older forged 1 3/4 pound head Vaughn riggers hatchet/hammer. New ones run $25 to $30 dollars but have cast heads that have to be thicker and heavier to have adequate strength. Even though they are still sold as 1 3/4 pound, my newer $25 Sears-Craftsman branded Vaughn cast rigger's hatchet is 1/2 pound over weight. That's too heavy to sink a lot of nails with but it's my favorite 2 1/4 pound house axe because its straight handle is more comfortabe to grasp in the middle for splitting small kindling and its hammer head is occasionally usefull.
Best Regards,
Gil
I'm not sure if my situation is close enough to how you camp for my prefered hatchets to work best for you but I'll comment anyway. I use a lot of wood for heat so hatchets are a tool used daily but not packed around with me. I find the most usefull hatchet to be what is sometimes sold as a house axe or hearth axe. In other words a 2 1/4 pound boys axe head on a 17" wood handle. Good US manufactured ones with forged heads like older Vaughns ran around $20 5 to 10 years ago. Some of the tools that have been suggested are unnecessarily expensive. I have an old Estwing but they run $30 to $40 now and that stretchs whats reasonable. Also, like all steel handled hatchets and hammers, Estwings have too high a percentage of their weight in their handles so they make you work harder. There is no problem with wood hatchet handles breaking anyway. Hatchet handles aren't subject to the kind of stresses 3 ft. axe handles are. It is nice to have a light approx. 1 1/4 pound hatchet for making kindling out on old cedar shakes and other easily split wood but the hunters hatchets made out of flat stock by Western and Buck are so light they are worthless. An old favorite with a great compromise weight is an older forged 1 3/4 pound head Vaughn riggers hatchet/hammer. New ones run $25 to $30 dollars but have cast heads that have to be thicker and heavier to have adequate strength. Even though they are still sold as 1 3/4 pound, my newer $25 Sears-Craftsman branded Vaughn cast rigger's hatchet is 1/2 pound over weight. That's too heavy to sink a lot of nails with but it's my favorite 2 1/4 pound house axe because its straight handle is more comfortabe to grasp in the middle for splitting small kindling and its hammer head is occasionally usefull.
Best Regards,
Gil
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Ivan the Butcher
Member
Camping axes are like camping firearms. You make 2 or 3 informed choices and then try them out. A almost perfect one can become "The One" with new wood. Handles can be cut, reshaped or replaced in a few min. The 18 inch California Framer handles make a so-so hatchet into a good throwing hatchets if you sand off the big swell at the end. I've carring a K-BAR or if I need lots of fire wood a folding saw [lots of ounces lighter]
