husqvarna carpenters axe for multi purpose?

[j_d]

Greetings. I only want to carry one axe for camping and bushcrafty endeavors. I am considering the Husqvarna carpenters axe. I have a couple of staves of dried hickory that I want to turn into self bows along with other wood projects but I also want an axe that will help process some fire wood for camp. Am I asking too much of this tool?
Thanks,
Josh

 

[David Martin]

No, you're not asking too much out of a hatchet. Much is dependent on the guy behind the tool. Also look at Gransfor Burk hatchets. DM

 

[markv]

the Husqvarna is well made and will do the work you want it to do.
the price is right also.

 

[aikonen]

It's a good woodworkers tool, but I think it's not ideal for bushcraft and camp chores, it will work tho. I believe you'd be better off with a 'real' multi purpose hatchet.
The carpenters axe is a good deal, buy one, try it out, sell/keep it! Nothing to lose but fingers and toes! :thumbup:

 

[littleknife]

While the Swedish style carpenter’s hatchet is not ideal for processing firewood, it can handle moderate chopping, splitting small diameter wood and will easily handle kindling. If you pair it with a folding saw, you can use it as a kindling hatchet without a problem. It is not a camp axe. If you don’t expect it to process large amount of firewood in a short time, it should be just fine.
As for shaping dried hickory, it will probably do the job, but you have to try and find out what is the optimal edge for this task. Hickory, especially dry hickory is a harder wood than almost any wood used traditionally for construction carpentry in Scandinavia.
Until recently, similar bearded carpentry axes and hatchets were (are) in use in South-East Europe (Bulgaria, Serbia), and they were used to carve dense hardwood like European beech, local oak species etc.

 

[markv]

what littleknife said about Hickory is true. when seasoned it is very difficult to split with a froe or small axe.
the big difference in axe performance between Euro axes and American made axes is profile.
softwood and hardwood are not the same.

 

[littleknife]

For shaping already split hickory staves, as intended by j_d, the Euro-style carpenters hatchet’s profile is more than adequate, the only issue is the edge, because hickory is such a hard wood. I guess, the hatchet could be used even to further split the staves, especially if done not through the ends, but this is just a guess. What I am talking about is the type of splitting promoted by the original/early boy scout manuals.
For shaping clean, dried wood, a thinner edge might be necessary.
For splitting smaller diameter green wood with the dirty bark still on or in a dirtier environment with sand on the wood, a thicker, sturdier edge is required.
IMHO the hatchet in question can handle both, since the blade is not much thinner than that of the boy scout hatchets of old.

In the image below, the Husquarna Carpenter’s Hatchet is in the middle, between a 4 lb Kelly felling axe and a 2 lb hatchet:

http://s274.photobucket.com/user/lastvisiblecanary/media/sales/P1160378_zpseee63037.jpg.html

The image is taken from an older BladeForums thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...arna-carpenters-2lb-AA-amp-T-for-a-GB-carving

The Husquarna has the thickest blade of all, so it is thick and heavy enough to handle limited splitting. It is probably more efficient for outdoors use than the wast majority of tomahawks ever used for such purpose. Just don’t expect it to process a lot of firewood quickly, or to fell and buck trees larger than saplings, and you should be fine.

People have reported that they have successfully used American (Vaughan made) carpenter’s half hatchet as outdoors hatchet, and that has a much thinner blade than the Husquarna.

 

[Square_peg]

People have reported that they have successfully used American (Vaughan made) carpenter’s half hatchet as outdoors hatchet, and that has a much thinner blade than the Husquarna.

I like a claw hatchet in that role.