I carry my Condor Classic Scout Hatchet it wights a little over one pound with sheath and a Mora or two or three most of the time at least three different sizes I like the feel of the wood handle so I bring the classics #1, #2 and my fav #3 the long blade a lot of fun Almost aslong as my hatchet but if I just have a #2 and my Condor that is about all I need to do all my wood work.
Last edited by kelly24179; 04-09-2012 at 09:03 PM.
I'll have to agree with BushTramp and Scottman - Batoning with a hatchet works well and the hammer poll on the back of my old cheapo hatchet makes a great target to beat on.
"The tendencies of democracies are, in all things, to mediocrity, since the tastes, knowledge, and principles of the majority form the tribunal of appeal."
-- James Fenimore Cooper - "The American Democrat" (1838)
Mora classic #3 and Condor Classic Scout Hatchet
I read on Ross's review that hatchet (2011 VERSION) splits very well. Do you chop with it at all?
I still want to get some dirt time with a roselli.
The size of wood I end up splitting with my hawks is usually about as thick as the bit extends from the handle. Usually I can split that same size wood with my CS shovel. I'm tempted to pick up one of those 12 oz construction hatchets at the hardware store- they are a more gentle sloping head and would work better Then a traditional hawk for splitting with a baton.
Last edited by scottman; 04-10-2012 at 08:09 AM.
Second that. But you can't baton with a Nessmunk-ish double-bladed hatchet... just pointing that out...Originally Posted by Fat Old Man
With the hawks and removable heads, you can stick some wood in the socket and baton that. The CS spike hawk has a much more gentle slope up to socket- still slightly balloons out to the socket- not as good a splitter as an american axe, or a more purposely "wood splitter designed spike". It will still split wood usually about as thick as the bit extends from the handle.
If you have a split started you can just work the bit out of the wood- this is quite easy with the amount of leverage you can get on a hawk handle/hatchet/axe handle. IF the split is wide enough, you can insert a wedge there. The scandinavian axes have a bit that is thickens out quicker then most hawks, so they leave a wider crack.
A polymer felling wedge weighs 3 ozs.
And here I thought I was strange for batoning a hatchet.
I have a new big knife, its a Becker/Kabar Machax, I found with the little I've used it it batton's pretty well, almost as good as my Gerber hatchet.
The message for constant caution comes through here clearly. The other day I managed to saw my fingernail in half crossways with a Dremal tool and vacationed at the VA for 4 hours while they xrayed for metal particles and flushed and cleaned the wound. Just one moment of carelessness when I knew I should have put that cable end in a hand vice while cutting taught me a lesson. You can imagine what it's like right now on this keyboard for one who has learned to type using the home row technique and having one of the most used fingers out of commission. (left index by the way)
I've found no substitute for mechanical advantage. If you only have to break the bond of straight grain wood a knife is no problem- even a thin knife. ONce you have a crack though, mechanical advantage will greatly aid your knife/bit.
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