Husqvarna hatchet

[Michael Ray Smith]

Just bought a hatchet that, well, I might use for woodworking, so this isn't too far off topic here. Anyway, I really wanted a Gransfor Bruks or maybe a Wetterlings, but choked on the price. But I was still enamoured with the idea of a Swedish ax (I love my Mora/Frost knives), so I bought a much cheaper Husqvarna. So now, anyone want to tell me why I'm going to be disappointed with it? I haven't used it yet. My first impression from sharpening it is that it seems to take an edge pretty well, but I wonder if it's going to hold the edge -- it seems a bit soft, but no more than I'll use it, I can live with that. I think.

[Jim Koepke]

So now, anyone want to tell me why I'm going to be disappointed with it?

If it is in any way useful there needn't be disappointment.

I have a few hatchets and still open to buying others.

jtk

[Kees Heiden]

Hey, I just bought a "Scandia" hatchet for 12 euros. I had a 25% off coupon, so in the end it only cost me 10. The name Scandia suggests a Scandinavion origin, but I doubt it wasn't made in China or one of the other low cost countries. It isn't really sharp, but that can be ammended. But the size is right, and I plan to use it for spoon carving next summer on the camping place. I wonder why they painted it orange!

[Tony Zaffuto]

Hatchets very BAD!!!! You buy one, use it, like it and wonder what others feel like. Next thing you know, hatchet has multiplied into over a dozen iterations of the original. Hatchets hanging from ceiling joists. Hatchets hiding in the scrap pile. Hatchet under the bed (that one got SWMBO wondering - she understood the 9mm, the .22 and the 12 ga. 870, but wondered what I was going to chase with the hatchet).

Get rid of it NOW - send prepaid to me and I'll stow it away.

[Bill Rhodus]

I bought a new broad axe last year and while researching them read that the husky was made by wetterlings. You may consider googling this to ensure I remember correctly.

[Kees Heiden]

I just sharpened my orange Scandia. It created the most tenacious wireedge i've ever had. Probably not the best steel. Oh well, it's a start.

[David Weaver]

I'm not sure that wetterlings is still making the husky hatchets, but regardless, I hear the husky axes are very good for the money. I'd expect the same to be true for the hatchets. I think gransfors has a high hardness spec and would expect most makers are softer. Vintage axes are tempered to be sharpened with a file and I find my plumb broad hatchet to be plenty hard at that temper.

[Jim Matthews]

The Husky axe is good quality steel, with less finishing than its more expensive cousins.

I was under the impression that Hultafors made them.
If you want a nice all around hatchet for the shop,
get one that is "handed", right or left broadaxe.

I use one to trim rough stock that's too short
to set up the bandsaw but too long to saw by hand.

Then, the broadaxe is like a "speed knife".

[David Weaver]

Hultafors sounds like the one (as with many here, I went through the gamut of the makers of axes and hatchets before just deciding to go vintage), though they could've very easily had wetterlings or anyone pound out some axes for them.

A flea market shopper here will run into a broad hatchet or five sooner or later, and tons of true temper hammer/hatch combos that are actually pretty good quality and do just fine set up as a lightweight double bevel hatchet when sharpened properly.

[Michael Ray Smith]

If you want a nice all around hatchet for the shop,
get one that is "handed", right or left broadaxe.

I use one to trim rough stock that's too short
to set up the bandsaw but too long to saw by hand..

I may use this one around the shop, but I actually got it to take backpacking with me. Last spring I was in the Smokies and needed to get dry wood for a fire after a steady, all-day rain. I managed to cut enough off dry wood off the underside of a log to get one going, but it took a while with just a knife -- probably seemed longer than it actually was, given how wet and cold I was. Anywho, I decided I'd start packing a hatchet for that sort of situation. Now I just have to find a way to eliminate a couple-three pounds from my other gear to make up for the extra weight.

[Bill Rhodus]

Michael, I googled Husky axes and it appears they contract them out to a variety of Swedish manufacturers. They appear to spec them well and produce a good product. As far as the proposed use, I have a boy scout hatchet my father gave me when I was small that hangs on my backpack strap; used for shaving wood to start fires, chopping wood, cutting meat, etc. Having the hatchet allows me to carry a pen knife rather than a large knife.

[Jim Matthews]

Gotcha.

You've got a good one, there.
You're not building a cabin,
just a warming fire.

Last serious hike I took, after 8 days
we started leaving the extras at the
way huts for others to scavenge.

You find out what's essential,
when you've got to lug it around.

I carried cotton cord as firestarter.
I should have brought more socks, instead.

[Mike Holbrook]

Hi Michael,
I sometimes use a Kukri for hiking in and around the Smokies. A Kukri is sort of like a machete but with a shorter wider blade. The short wide blade works more like a hatchet/axe for chopping things yet still retains much of the utility of a knife. Cold Steel offers several models. I have a simple 18" model made from high carbon steel with a baked matte finish that protects the blade. It comes in a cordura sheath for under $25. I use mine for bushwhacking through woods and pruning too.

It appears, from searching Amazon, that Husqvarna makes a Carpenters axe, several small axes and a splitting axe. I'm not sure which one you have? I have two carving axes which are the size of hatchets. Carving axes are often used in green woodworking. The physical features of a carving vs splitting, felling, carpenters... axe are typically different. The carving axes are designed so one can grip the handle right behind the blade. The blades of these axes are frequently curved and longer than those on splitting or felling axes. The shape frequently associated with a Swiss axe is similar to a carving axe. These axes are used to rough out bowls, spoons or just about anything one might want to carve out of wood. The size and weight of the axe usually relates to the work it is designed to do, smaller for spoons larger for bowls...

I split lots of wood for use in the fireplace. I have several axes/hatchets/mauls I use for this work. Splitting axes/mauls usually have a thicker smaller head and cutting surface as they work like a wedge to split wood. The thick heavy blades on my splitting maul and axe are great at making burnable chunks from large hickory and oak logs. The better chunks often end up in my ceramic smoker/grill.

As Jim mentions there are hewing axes which have one or two roughly flat sides that are designed to chop flat surfaces. These axes may be used to rough out a flat surface on a log, make a notch/joint in a log for joining to other logs in a wall....Some people use more conventional carpenters type axes for this work.

Peter Follansbee is frequently considered the modern expert on these tools. Peter has an instructional video on YouTube and I believe he has written a book as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyT87p16m1g

Here are my carving axes. One for smaller and one for larger jobs:

IMG_0109.jpg

[Reinis Kanders]

Belt sander/grinder works great to sharpen these hatchets / axes. I spent 15 min last night working on my old McNeely's Hudson Bay axe and now can slice paper with it, but steel does seem soft. I just got Gransfors carving hatchet that could slice paper direct from the box so it inspired me to do the same with my old axe. Will see how well it holds an edge.

[Daniel Rode]

Here's an axe video by the USFS, but some good stuff there that might apply to hatchets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz3rs-eaN3E