Best Sub £50 Hatchet?

[geordie_ben]

Me again

What would you recommend as the best sub £50 hatchet?

I've always liked, tho never tried, the Gerber Sport Axe

I'm gonna allow myself £50 to buy one, whether that's just for a really good axe, or for a not so bad axe and some sharpening kit (tho, I've never sharpened anything other than a pencil in my life), or a proper cheapo (like the Argos once a few people have raved about) and the sharpening kit

It's going to be used for weekends away, splitting medium logs and branches etc 4-8" thickness I'd imagine

Thoughts and recommendations would be much appreciated

 

[andyc54]

Husqvarna hand hatchet is what I use cant go wrong for 20 odd pound have a look on here plenty about them

 

[ozzy1977]

there is a Bahco on amazon for about £12 which is similar to the argos/lidl/aldi one

 

[geordie_ben]

Cheers lads

What your views on steel vs wood vs hollow plastic?

 

[santaman2000]

My first preference is wood. Followed by fiberglass.

 

[copper_head]

Husqvarna hand hatchet is what I use cant go wrong for 20 odd pound have a look on here plenty about them

+1 To that.

 

[Shovel]

Condor Woodworker or Greenland Pattern. Also, Council tool can make some good stuff as well.

 

[ocean1975]

The husqvarna is a good multipurpose axe,good for chopping up fire wood and carving I think.
You will have money left for a sharpening stone too.The axe mask could be better,
but that could be a leather work project for you

 

[geordie_ben]

I'll check those out shovel

I've had a look at the husqvarna, doesn't seem a bad price for some Swedish steel

 

[Hammock Hamster]

I must admit I am biased as I have a thing for gransfors axes but if you can face shelling out an extra £10 for a mini or wildlife hatchet they are superb for carving and versatile for splitting and chopping etc...

They also come up on the sales threads here for sub £50 reasonably often if you don't mind waiting.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Have a look at the tollstation axe, its just ove £4..... I have one and get a good edge on it, its out performed some others i have seen.....

Just a nice cheap one to practice sharping.. And learn to not abuse it

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Landscaping/Picks & Axes/Hardwood Hand Axe/d130/sd3179/p49941

 

[spiritwalker]

i had a GB wildlife hatchet oddly i struggled to keep it sharp, i have a cheap B&Q one thats ace once sharpened but a little top heavy so i keep it at home for splitting kindling in the garden. I mainly take my gerber paxe axe out with me as its small lightweight and great for splitting small logs (which is pretty much all i do as i dont carve) it has an amazing edge and is easy to sharpen. Recently i have also bought the cold steel tomahawk which im in the middle of modding but as yet i havent put an edge on it or used it to comment but they are nice and i like the idea of tomahawk type hatchet...

 

[spiritwalker]

oh and i can make feather sticks with the paxe axe easier than i can with my knife...

 

[geordie_ben]

do you find you get a good swing with the paxe? looks very small and light

 

[dwardo]

Just my opinion and you will get more here believe me but starting out I would suggest a longer hafted axe.
Smaller axes are a compromise and I think take more experience to use safely and accurately. Simply because the sharp bit is closer to you than with a longer axe.

You dont want a head that is too heavy as it will be cumbersome and tiring to use. Its worth trying a few different types if at all possible and getting some advice on what will suit your needs best. If looked after you should never need to replace the axe in your life time. Maybe add more to your collection for different needs but if you have the cash to buy right first time its a good place to be.
So far as sharpening goes look up "British Reds sharpening guide" on this forum its all you should ever need, about a fiver to construct and all i use my self. I use an axe quite a bit for roughing out staves and general woods stuff.

Just as a thinking point, an axe thats good for limbing and carving will be much harder to split round with due to the thickness of the blade. At one end of the scale we have a carpenters axe. At the other we have a "maul" basically a sledge hammer with a an axe looking head on one end.

Same as knives one end a flex cut carving knife and the other a machete. Yes you could carve or hack you way though a jungle with either its just one will be much easier than the other.

 

[spiritwalker]

i would not use the paxe axe for limbing etc for reason mentioned above but for splitting small logs for a tidy fire or stove its ideal, i liken it to a chunky knife razor sharp and good for prepping fire wood nothing more. For cutting branches as you mentioned in the original post i would simply use a saw chopping a branch up with an axe is not as easy as just sawing it up folding saw or bow saw up to you i use a bhaco folding saw for cutting small rounds then i split them with my camp axe. If you are dead set on chopping branches with an axe as above id suggest a longer handled tool, if you mean cleaning the branches of smaller twigs etc then a machete or light chopper will suffice.

 

[spiritwalker]

in light of a more recent post for splitting up to 8 inch logs you may want to consider a froe and saw set up?

 

[geordie_ben]

morning guys, Thanks for the replies.

I probably should have mentioned I've had about 15 years experience using axes as I spent my life from the age of 6 onwards in Scouts. I've still got the skills at using everything from a hatchet upwards. but We never used anything smaller, nor anything different than cheaper wooden hafts. it was back in my scouting days I first spotted the Gerber sport

and as for that sharpening, that guide £5 guide is for knives isn't it? as he's also done a specific axe guide

come the suggestions coming tho.

 

[geordie_ben]

Oh, and I normally use a saw for cutting and an axe for splitting. the branches mentioned about is either limbing or chopping 1"ish branches

 

[woof]

Hultafors trekking axe, from my tool shed, they are a great little axe.

Rob