Hatchet recommendation

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Mar 19, 2018
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Hello I am after a good hatchet to take hiking with me, I have $80 to spend on it so I’m liking at the cold steel line, any suggestions on the cold steel or other brands, cheers.
 
I like CS fine but I think the only hatchet they make is the Axe Gang hatchet and I'm not sure it will be good for woods work. They do make a lot of good tomahawks and if you go that way I would suggest Trail Hawk over the rest with the Rifleman coming in a distant second. Can cut the handle shorter for hiking if you don't care for the length.
 
Honestly, for hiking I like the Fiskars X7 hatchet. It's light with the weight is concentrated in the hatchet head. They're not very expensive and they are pretty decent quality - though notedly many come with a little softer edge that needs filing before you find the good stuff.

But it depends on what you mean by hiking. The Fiskars is as much as I will carry on a solo multi-night backpacking trip. If I'm in a group and can spread some weight around I'll step up to a claw hatchet or maybe even a boys axe (a Cold Steel Trailhawk or Trailboss would fit in here). For day hikes it depends how I feel and what I'm doing. Might be anywhere from a little hunters or boyscout hatchet to a boys axe or even a light full size.
 
Might have a look at some Rinaldi models. Good for hiking since they use a slip-fit eye like a tomahawk. Husqvarna is good in that price range, too.
 
Second vote for the trail hawk. $20-25, so light you won’t know it’s there, especially if you trim the handle. It won’t be as sharp or fitted like other brands, but the head itself is bombproof.
 
What sort of hiking are we taking about, day hiking, backpacking trips? What sort of elevation changes will you experience? Will the hatchet be used for trail maintenance, camp chores or something else?

I think the X7 is honestly a pretty decent choice being compact, durable, light, and capable. The two I've taken with me have been my Vaughan sportsman's axe at 12oz being very light and easy to bring along, and my camp axe with a 25" handle weighing 1 lbs 15 oz. I bring one or the other or nither depending on the trip. I'd definitely consider bringing along my Fiskars hatchet in the future though.

I've never taken one hiking though. For day hikes I now just bring along my Victorinox Farmer. For weekend trips where I have extra crap like my kids sleeping bag(s) I might bring the Vaughan, and for solo weekend trips I might bring my camp axe because I enjoy using it.
 
I love my Estwing Sportsman, thing's pretty indestructable but it does have some weight to it.

That said, I've cut some decent sized logs with my trail hawk and it weighs nearly nothing. With the long handle it acts more like an axe with the more fine control of a hatchet. Plus its thin enough to split some pretty fine kindling. You can also use it to take down a bear.



Totally kidding bout that last part. Don't attack a bear with it... unless you're going to have someone post it on Youtube.
 
What sort of hiking are we taking about, day hiking, backpacking trips? What sort of elevation changes will you experience? Will the hatchet be used for trail maintenance, camp chores or something else?

I think the X7 is honestly a pretty decent choice being compact, durable, light, and capable. The two I've taken with me have been my Vaughan sportsman's axe at 12oz being very light and easy to bring along, and my camp axe with a 25" handle weighing 1 lbs 15 oz. I bring one or the other or nither depending on the trip. I'd definitely consider bringing along my Fiskars hatchet in the future though.

I've never taken one hiking though. For day hikes I now just bring along my Victorinox Farmer. For weekend trips where I have extra crap like my kids sleeping bag(s) I might bring the Vaughan, and for solo weekend trips I might bring my camp axe because I enjoy using it.
Thanks for the info it will be used for week long trips I do in the bush so I need it for a bit of everything the sportsmans axe looks like a winner I think.
 
Thanks for the info it will be used for week long trips I do in the bush so I need it for a bit of everything the sportsmans axe looks like a winner I think.

If you mean the Vaughan I should point out that they need a fair amount of sharpening when new. That is to say they come entirely blunt with nothing that resembles an edge. Also they are small, I love mine but admit they aren't for everyone.
 
If you mean the Vaughan I should point out that they need a fair amount of sharpening when new. That is to say they come entirely blunt with nothing that resembles an edge. Also they are small, I love mine but admit they aren't for everyone.
Ah true, the only thing I can use to sharpen are my file and my sharpmaker can they sharpen hatchets or should I use a file?
 
I'm not saying it's the best tool ever, bu
Thanks for the info it will be used for week long trips I do in the bush so I need it for a bit of everything the sportsmans axe looks like a winner I think.

The Vaughan sub zero sportsmans hatchet is a great little hatchet, but it's definitely small.
( Not the original handle )

They're a pretty capable little tool once the bit is thinned / sharpened.
 
Yes a file is what I used to profile the bit on mine. I thinned it out quite a bit to get it to a point where I was happy with it.

Mini Hatchet fire by MJGEGB, on Flickr

It's light, sharp (now anyway), and perfectly capable within reason for it's size. Anything bigger likely wouldn't have tagged along to the camp in the above photo which happens to be just off the summit of a mountain.
 
Yes a file is what I used to profile the bit on mine. I thinned it out quite a bit to get it to a point where I was happy with it.

Mini Hatchet fire by MJGEGB, on Flickr

It's light, sharp (now anyway), and perfectly capable within reason for it's size. Anything bigger likely wouldn't have tagged along to the camp in the above photo which happens to be just off the summit of a mountain.
That looks awesome mate.
 
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