Big knife vs. hatchet

fishface5

fishface5

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OK, I know this has been discussed but the search function isn't working for me right now. I have owned several big knoves, a Busse Basic 9, a Cold Steel Trailmaster and now a Siegle bowie that's practically a short sword. I take them out camping and enjoy using them, but I keep thinking wouldn't a hatchet be more practical? And a big camp knife is balanced for chopping, not for fighting, so it doesn't have much advantage over a hatchet or hawk for self-defense. And you still need to bring a smaller knife for basic kitchen chores. So far it seems like with my Spydie Perrin Street Bowie (MAN that's a great, useful knife!!!) and a hatchet I can cover pretty much any task. I suppose a big knife is better for digging deeper narrower holes that a hatchet, and a big knife can be used as a draw knife, but I never seem to have needed to do any of those things. Are there any reasons I'm missing why a big knife is especially useful?
 
I have been taking my Cold Steel Kukri out everytime I backpack for over a year now, and I love the thing... recurved blade gives it the same hit as a hatchet and its got plenty of weight to support the chop, the long blade makes it a good machete when it has to be (fact that its Carbon V and retains a great edge through alot of punishment don't hurt either), and I can dig and pry with it due to its (some might say excessive length). As a matter of fact, I can take that and a buck for skinning and other more delicate camp tasks and be set. As for the self defense factor... well, I'm told they are the exclusive Ghurka combat knife and those guys are not to be trifled with.

Guess its a matter of perspective, but I say the right big knife beats a hatchet for versatility.
 
a little help for you.
Thread: going out camping, hatchet or big knife? Author: Huh

Thread: hatchet vs big blade Author: beyondmyken

but surprisingly enough, there haven't been more than a few threads actually dedicated to that discussion. altho it's been covered many times on a smaller scale, mostly in threads when ppl bring up a big camping knife.

personally, if i had to choose between the two, i'd take a hatchet. i just have more faith in its construction than a big knife. and i can make due with cutting with a hatchet better than i can make due with chopping with a big knife.

but my first khukri is coming to me in the form of Himalayan Import's 12" Ang Khola, so my opinion could change.
 
BlindedByTheLite said:
a little help for you.
but my first khukri is coming to me in the form of Himalayan Import's 12" Ang Khola, so my opinion could change.
Click to expand...

I have a feeling it will. They have a tendency to change your perspective on a lot of things. Blade size especially. :D There aren't many other circles in which an 8" long blade is considered small. For myself, I have used both and greatly prefer the khuks for versatility. Although a well built hatchet is a very useful too as well, it's just not as versatile.
 
Most of the time I spend in the woods I carry a HI khukuri with me. The dimensions and weights vary, but 18",27oz to 2+lb are the average. I can chop firewood, make shelter, etc. with the khukuri. My favorite khuk has two karda,(accessory) knives of enough size, 9 1/2" and 8 1/2" oal length that any other practical light duty chores can be done with them. I have not found a need for the hatchet/ axe since I got into khukuris. :D YMMV
As an asside Fishface, did you sell a khukuri that you won many years ago (it seems) on an auction to me? I thought I got it from you. It was a Ghurka House khuk, and one of only two made of that style (Reiger). If it was you, THANKS!! :D ;) You started me on a quest for more and better khuks. I now have 30 something of them and they are my greatest knife collecting treasures. That first GOOD one from you was the beginning of a long ongoing journey. Thanks Again.
Back to topic :o I think that the right large blade can replace at least the hatchets function in most cases and still be used as a knife, thus cutting down on the number of tools you carry afield. I find my khuks do this for me more than my Busse BM does, but most of that has to do with the design of khuks and the fact that they are so thick and heavy with the weight forward design, that lends itself to chopping. Even carrying the khuks like I do, I would never be afield without my trusty SAK and a Leatherman.
I think I carry too much :rolleyes: Thus my bad back. HeeHee
 
One thing to consider is that some states have regulations about large knives in state parks (NY does), but no such restrictions about hatchets.
 
Marcelo Cantu said:
One thing to consider is that some states have regulations about large knives in state parks (NY does), but no such restrictions about hatchets.
Click to expand...

I can't seem to find the regs that you speak of for NYS. Would you please point me in the right direction?
 
The longer blade length on the bowie makes it more functional for limbing and cutting light vegetation in general, of course it also in general works better for any knife specific task, from whittling to cleaning fish. The hatchet will work better for cutting very thick (wide woods), and unassisted splitting.

-CLiff
 
JGenerica21 said:
I have been taking my Cold Steel Kukri out everytime I backpack for over a year now, and I love the thing... As for the self defense factor... well, I'm told they are the exclusive Ghurka combat knife and those guys are not to be trifled with.
Click to expand...
I'm sure the kukri or khukuri is the standard Gurkha knife but I'd be surprised to find they use the Cold Steel model.
 
For those of you who have compared directly a fighting-style hatchet (like an ATC tomahawk) versus something like a GB, how much performance are you giving up by going to the tomahawk? 50% 70% No comparison at all? Surprisingly close?

Thanks!
 
i have a atc rr spike and it is an awesome tool but i still continue to use my busse bm-e because it is far more versatile. if all i had was the big knife i could still handle about anything that comes along in a survival situation and with my sak i would really be set

as far as a weapon the hawk has an advantage in that it hits with an unequaled force but a big knife esp. one like a bowie has the advantage of speed, good power, and the thrusting capability which i find pretty important.

also a big knife is just easier to carry i think :p
 
Interesting replies! Hey Archangel, yes I sold you that Reiger Khuk a couple years back, it was a sweet knife but I just couldn't bring myself to mess up something that nice by using it. As it happens, the reason I've sold off my big knives is that I generally fall back on a CS LTC bolo khuk, a factory 2nd, that works great for light camp chores & chopping - and it even throws, for entertainment value! But while it wieghs as much as my Siegle it's not very heavy-duty and I wouldn't want to have to rely on it in a survival situation. Maybe I'll have to start re-thinking towards a bidder badder khuk!
 
Hi, Sorry, should have been more clear. I'm looking for a comparison of some of the better tomahawks versus a good hatchet (e.g., GB), for woodworking. The comparison versus big bowies and the like, for uses like weapons, is interesting. But I"m wondering specifically how much woodworking performance someone is giving up if he chooses to carry his NG tomahawk rather than his comparable GB. Thanks!

Joe
 
I'm going to have to put another vote in for a khukuri. A khuk can fill the role of a big knife, small knife (karda), axe, shovel, machete, hammer, and weapon.
 
I find that a small Granfors hatchet plus a small fixed blade to be an ideal combination for me. The Granfors weighs only 1lb, is only 13" long and hence is very portable/packable. They are hand forged, sharp as hell and feel like a custom job. My mini is a joy to use and I have found it far more useful and versatile that my Swamp Rat Camp Tramp. Cost is about $65US
 
Joe Talmadge said:
Hi, Sorry, should have been more clear. I'm looking for a comparison of some of the better tomahawks versus a good hatchet (e.g., GB), for woodworking. The comparison versus big bowies and the like, for uses like weapons, is interesting. But I"m wondering specifically how much woodworking performance someone is giving up if he chooses to carry his NG tomahawk rather than his comparable GB. Thanks!

Joe
Click to expand...

I compared a GB Hunters Ax to one of the first ATC Next Gen Ranger Hawks.

The GB Ax could out chop and out cut the ATC Next Gen hawk by a wide margin. I haven't measured everything to give precise numbers, but in my experience, the GB is more efficient.

The ATC hawk is lighter, thus less cumbersome and is more weapon oriented. It also has a thicker secondary bevel to prevent damage. Unfortunately it also reduces chopping depth. The edge is thick, so slicing is not as easy as the GB either. We have to keep in mind that this edge is designed for a throwing and fighting hawk, so it is kept thick to maintain its structural integrity. Lastly, the spike in the rear would probably pierce body armor.

The GB Hunters Ax is larger, heavier, has a more ergonomic handle and has a thinner convex edge. This ax loves to eat up wood. The chops sink deep and the edge seems to hold its razor edge for a long time. Due to its size, it is much more cumbersome to carry for long durations.
 
wallymuk.jpg


Ebb-muk
:D


As far as big knives go...I really like my Martindale Golok.
Where we camp, you can only take dead wood from the forest floor.
The golok is great for chopping off all of the thin stuff. I do this against a stump for both convenience and safety.

If I'm cutting wood for warmth, I go straight to the bow-saw and an axe to split the rounds. I have to say that I was surprised at what I could split with the golok, even if it was a little more work.
 
I have used a HI Khukuri (12" blade), Estwing Hatchet, ATC Tomahawk, Ontario 18" Machete, and a few large fixed blade knives including a Busse Basic 9.

I have used all of them out in the woods for various chores such as chopping down small trees (4-6" diameter), clearing branches for shooting lanes out of deer stands, and general clearing of trails which usually includes thick brush, weeds, branches, and those thorny thickets where pesky wabbits live :p .

I prefer the Khukuri/Hatchet/Tomahawk when I need to chop large branches or small trees. I prefer the Machete when clearing trails on the ground. And I prefer a large knife when clearing branches out of a tree.

But, if I want to carry just one, it is always a large knife like the Basic 9. The Khukuri/Hatchet/Tomahawk are great for larger pieces of wood, but I dont like them for clearing trails or shooting lanes. The Machete is great for clearing trails on the ground, but I find it too long to swing in many trees, and lets face it just gets in the way a lot of the time being so long (climbing trees or mountain sides). Now the Basic 9 is great for clearing shooting lanes up in the trees, it also works damn good on larger branches/trees, and it works just about as well as the Machete when clearing trails. So to sum it up, I dont like to carry 10 lbs. of tools on me when hunting or hiking, so I just grab the Basic 9 or another knife with a blade in the 8-10" range and I'm good to go no matter what I encounter :D
 
12" Ontario machete...$25.00 sheath included.

Get the one with the molded-on D handle and cut off the D.

Last weekend I split an 7" dia. X 6' tall piece of bamboo by batoning my machete from one end thru to the other..no sweat! (I'm making a bamboo bow)

It's just a big knife without the high price!

I like using axes too...the GB Small Forest Axe is my favorite!

I think it's good to have both, a large knife/short machete and an axe...both have their uses.

Collecter
 
as a clarification, I meant that Khukri knives in general were carried by the ghurkas, not the cold steel versions...
 
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