Hatchet/Hammer?

[Johnboy]

I need a hammer for pounding in tent stakes. I'd also like to have a hatchet for splitting small pieces of wood for my Wifi tent stove. Is there an all-in-one preferred/recommended go-to hatchet/hammer? Or should I just use a rock to pound in stakes and cut small sticks for wood, skipping the hatchet and/or hammer altogether? Weight is a consideration.

Thoughts/suggestions/criticisms are appreciated.

Box Tool - Lee Valley Tools

Fiskars 14 in. X7 Hatchet-78506935 - The Home Depot

Husqvarna Axes Hatchet

 

[WoodBow]

I made a hatchet/hawk to suit my needs. I bought a hatchet head at a flea market and put it on a rapid weight loss plan. I shaped it into a more hawk like shape and thinned it significantly over all. I then made a light weight maple handle for it. I'm not sure of weight but it is a good balance of light weight while not being too light for light chopping tasks. I like keeping the ribs from game and it works very well to just chop down both sides of the spine. After taking it on some hunts, I wonder how I ever got by without it.

I guess that doesn't help you much other than supporting your line of thought.

 

[Johnboy]

Sounds interesting, WoodBow. I probably won't go to the trouble of making one, but I'd like to see a pic if you have one.

 

[SHTF]

JB I own that Fiskar axe it works great for splitting and hammering. Its pretty lightweight too so it won't weigh you down much. Im happy with it.

 

[Remington Hunter]

I don't use one anymore, but I used to. When I did I used a hawk because I can replace the handle if I was being stupid and broke it. The one that I have is very similar to the link that I listed below, super light weight. I used it for everything from cutting firewood to cutting poles for trapping beaver.

PATHFINDER SCOUT TOMAHAWK

 

[COlineman78]

I have tried quite a few different hatchets and my goal weight has been around 1lb. The one that I can for sure tell you is crap is the UST Camp Axe. I took a huge chunk out of the blade on the first outing. I have the Gerber Sport Axe and it works fairly well, but the blade is coated with something slick so it can be a bit of an issue splitting. One other item I have that would't really work well as a hammer, but mostly at high altitude the ground is soft enough that I can just push the stakes in, is the Gerber Gator JR. It has an okay, but not great saw on the back and the machete can be used for splitting wood by batoning. The last one that I have the probably works the best as a pure hatchet is the Schrade Old Timer Hatchet. It's a little narrow on the back, but probably could be used to hammer a stake in a pinch. One that I want to try that I have read good things about is the Morakniv Boron Steel Camping Axe, which also has a thin back that is also curved so hammering is probably not recommended.

 

[The John]

I used to work for Gerber so please heed my advice, go with a Fiskars and not a Gerber brand axe/Hatchet.

FYI Gerber is owned by Fiskars.

The Fiskars ones are a far higher quality and have better fit/Finish. I own several of the Fiskars and they are sharp, durable, and my go to axe for just about everything.

 

[MontanaMarine]

I've got a Fiskars X7 too. Nice tool.

 

[COlineman78]

I've got a Fiskars X7 too. Nice tool.

With my Gerber I found the following issue and I was wondering if you had a similar issue with the Fiskars version. Most hatchets for backpacking don't have enough weight to split wood efficiently, so it usually take a couple swings to get through. There are 2 approaches to this: 1) remove the hatchet every time and try to hit it in the same spot and eventually get through. 2) hit it and get it as far as you can and keep the head in the wood swinging it against another log till it makes it though. I usually opt for the latter option, but the problem I had with the Gerber is that the coating was too slick and it would slide right out of the wood all the time. Maybe I've been doing it wrong and someone has a better method for splitting wood with a lighter hatchet. Some may say that I am trying to tackle too big of wood (5" or so), but a lot of the places I go aren't too far from treeline, so the selection of downed wood is usually pretty limited and you have to make whatever you can find work.

 

[colonel00]

I have an X7 and find that I have to "baton" (hitting the handle with another stick close to the head) quite often unless the wood is completely dry.

 

[WoodBow]

 

[philos]

Nice work!

 

[Felix40]

I've been using a cold steel fronteir hawk for a little while. You get a lot of chopping power for not much weight with that long handle. A big red oak came down in the yard a while back and I can chop through an 8 inch diameter limb with very little effort. The steel isn't the highest quality but it does ok for the price as long as you don't pound it into rocks or something.

 

[MontanaMarine]

With my Gerber I found the following issue and I was wondering if you had a similar issue with the Fiskars version. Most hatchets for backpacking don't have enough weight to split wood efficiently, so it usually take a couple swings to get through. There are 2 approaches to this: 1) remove the hatchet every time and try to hit it in the same spot and eventually get through. 2) hit it and get it as far as you can and keep the head in the wood swinging it against another log till it makes it though. I usually opt for the latter option, but the problem I had with the Gerber is that the coating was too slick and it would slide right out of the wood all the time. Maybe I've been doing it wrong and someone has a better method for splitting wood with a lighter hatchet. Some may say that I am trying to tackle too big of wood (5" or so), but a lot of the places I go aren't too far from treeline, so the selection of downed wood is usually pretty limited and you have to make whatever you can find work.

I haven't had any trouble splitting up dry firewood. But everything is a compromise, and with the X7 you are giving up weight. I try to make up for that with plenty of velocity. Haven't tried splitting up wood that was still a bit green.

One thing I noted when looking at the different Fiskars hatchets was that some are designed primarily for chopping (the X7 is one of the choppers), and some are designated as splitting tools. The splitters look to have a more wedge shape head, and heavier.

 

[LBFowler]

Whatever you decide, under NO circumstance get the Lee Valley Box Tool. Utter crap in design and execution, one of the heaviest lowest performance tools you can get.

Cold steel trail hawk is a light option but pretty low on the utility spectrum in my experience, but a good starting point. the Gerbers are good hatchets but mediocre hammers.

between 15" and 25" handle is the sweet spot for me on packability vs. usability. Most of the time I don't bother with a hatchet or hammer (a small saw and a small knife can do wood prep and cut you a baton to hammer with) but when I do I step it up to a Gransfors small forest axe.

 

[inupiat1]

I like the Gransfors Bruks Hunter's Axe because of the 19 inch length, grip and ability to use the poll to skin game. I gave one to my brother for our moose hunt and it worked great for processing woodnasnwell as cutting through the thick moose hair and hide.

I carry either a Gransfors Bruks Outdoor Hatchet (wedge shape for splitting, but also fells trees) when I want to pack light. For longer trips, I carry a Ray Mears (Gransfors Bruks) Wilderness Axe, also wider profile for splitting, heavier and great for two-handed work.

The hatchet works well, but lacks weight and the handle doesn't allow for the most effective two-handed work on large diameter wood.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

 

[unsuccessful]

I forged my own hawk out of an old rasp. I would have just bought a cold steel or a crkt, but I wanted to be able to use mine as a hulu knife as well. The rasp had enough carbon in the steel that it would hold a good edge. I made the handle out of a piece of oak and then carved a shorter replacement handle out of branch while I was hunting. I also made a kydex sheath with a belt clip. I've used my hawk on a few hunts now and have skinned and boned an antelope and an elk. Absolutely love having it on my big game hunts.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Felix40]

I like that. Looks similar to a cold steel Norse hawk with what I'm guessing is better steel. So you use it like an ulu knife for fleshing a hide or just random jobs? I think tomahawks are really under appreciated. I know i can get more power from mine than any similar weight hatchet just because of the extra handle length.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Woodbow, that is a pretty cool hatchet.

OP, I don't think you'd be disappointed with a 14" Fiskars.... I certainly haven't. Best $15 I've ever spent.... yeah, I've had it awhile. Hate the plastic sheath thing, had a leather made and now it goes with me everywhere.
Hunt'nFish

 

[Nick762]

I added a modded cold steel rifleman's hawk to my pack last year and it was well worth it, I wouldn't make a trip without it now.