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This is a quick first look type review at the cold steel Axe gang hatchet. I bought this specifically to replace a hatchet that was stolen from my car a few weeks ago, the gransfors bruks carpenters axe/hatchet:
Which is shown here next to a husqvarna carpenters hatchet. I loved the GB because it had great ergonomics, a thin edge, great balance and it was light weight enough for carving and smaller tasks instead of squaring up building logs.
The Axe Gang hatchet comes looking like a prop piece, which is to say that it looks altogether to pretty to be real. The handle is too thick and it comes up flush with the head, yet the eye is of a standard shape compared to the perfect rounded corner rectangle of the haft. That worries me since as the head is jarred it's bottom will be resting on a flat surface, vibrating away from it and off of the handle. I can't verify that until I've used it, but it seems weird and worrysome. The paint job is nice but not needed. There is no edge, just like their machetes, they didn't even grind it far enough for the two bevels to match. The edge was thickish, nothing that a few minutes with a file didn't fix. The 'sheath' is a rubber slip on thing that only covers the edge. The corners (sharp and pointy) jabbed through within a few minutes of me shaving down the handle, so it's only really functional for storage.
Once you thin out the handle and grind down the edge it's a nice fairly light weight carpenters axe. The edge is really really straight with sharp corners. It could use more of a pole to make the balance better, but it's perfectly functional for carving. Even though the edge isn't as hard as the gransfors - it does ring when you tap it and it isn't like butter when filing so it's hard enough to maintain it's edge compared to the newer cast metal axes produced en masse. For under 30$ it's a great deal.
Specs from cold steel:
"Specifications:
Overall Length: 20 1/4"
Hawk Length: 5"
Primary Edge: 4"
Steel: Drop Forged 1055 Carbon
Weight: 35.5 oz
Handle: American Hickory"
Pictures:
Next to a wetterlings forest axe that I rehandled onto a straight haft.
No edge at all, totally squared off.
The sanded down side vs. the one with paint residue from wire brushing it off
You can see this better in the video, but the hamon rests above the paint line and is visible but not bright.
and a video of the acid etch, and an explanation of it. sort of. I hate trying to explain anything that I can't cite in a chemistry book, and in this case I haven't done good enough research to do so. But it might be helpful as a first glance at acid etching if you've never done it before.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqp4R6oOukU&
[youtube]Tqp4R6oOukU&[/youtube]
Which is shown here next to a husqvarna carpenters hatchet. I loved the GB because it had great ergonomics, a thin edge, great balance and it was light weight enough for carving and smaller tasks instead of squaring up building logs.
The Axe Gang hatchet comes looking like a prop piece, which is to say that it looks altogether to pretty to be real. The handle is too thick and it comes up flush with the head, yet the eye is of a standard shape compared to the perfect rounded corner rectangle of the haft. That worries me since as the head is jarred it's bottom will be resting on a flat surface, vibrating away from it and off of the handle. I can't verify that until I've used it, but it seems weird and worrysome. The paint job is nice but not needed. There is no edge, just like their machetes, they didn't even grind it far enough for the two bevels to match. The edge was thickish, nothing that a few minutes with a file didn't fix. The 'sheath' is a rubber slip on thing that only covers the edge. The corners (sharp and pointy) jabbed through within a few minutes of me shaving down the handle, so it's only really functional for storage.
Once you thin out the handle and grind down the edge it's a nice fairly light weight carpenters axe. The edge is really really straight with sharp corners. It could use more of a pole to make the balance better, but it's perfectly functional for carving. Even though the edge isn't as hard as the gransfors - it does ring when you tap it and it isn't like butter when filing so it's hard enough to maintain it's edge compared to the newer cast metal axes produced en masse. For under 30$ it's a great deal.
Specs from cold steel:
"Specifications:
Overall Length: 20 1/4"
Hawk Length: 5"
Primary Edge: 4"
Steel: Drop Forged 1055 Carbon
Weight: 35.5 oz
Handle: American Hickory"
Pictures:
Next to a wetterlings forest axe that I rehandled onto a straight haft.
No edge at all, totally squared off.
The sanded down side vs. the one with paint residue from wire brushing it off
You can see this better in the video, but the hamon rests above the paint line and is visible but not bright.
and a video of the acid etch, and an explanation of it. sort of. I hate trying to explain anything that I can't cite in a chemistry book, and in this case I haven't done good enough research to do so. But it might be helpful as a first glance at acid etching if you've never done it before.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqp4R6oOukU&
[youtube]Tqp4R6oOukU&[/youtube]
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