Titanium Hatchet?

[C_Claycomb]

I am the founder of Wrango Tools. I never suggested Mecha was involved, he's just our resident expert in titanium, which makes his credibility even stronger as an independent voice.

Thank you. Understood you now. You meant that Mecha is the resident expert on Bladeforum.
Easy to misunderstand you though, because saying that someone is “our resident expert” implies an association. Since you were not here representing or on behalf of Bladeforum it was reasonable to think you meant he was working with your company.

thanks and all the best

Chris

 

[TLM]

usually harder because you're naturally swinging faster with more control... Not to mention titanium transfers energy better than steel).

Mass is mass, Ti does not swing any faster than equal mass steel. Also the claim about energy transfer is such that it should be followed by something much more substantial. (The impolite way of saying is that it is BS with very high propability.)

I am also sceptical about claims of Rc not being usable for Ti, Rc is a somewhat complicated composite of various yield strengths. Ti has plastic deformation in both phases though in very different way. Cementite in steels does deform plastically but only under specific conditons.

In engineering I have very few opinions if facts exist.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Mass is mass, Ti does not swing any faster than equal mass steel. Also the claim about energy transfer is such that it should be followed by something much more substantial. (The impolite way of saying is that it is BS with very high propability.)

I was also thinking about questioning the energy transfer statement. But decided it was too minor to fuss about. It did occur to me that it might be possible to accelerate a lighter axe to higher speed within the limits of arm power and swing length. Higher speed leading to more energy in the head. If a head transfers all its energy too quickly it would not penetrate.

 

[TLM]

I thought about that too but my own experience has been that speed does not compensate for mass generally. I have a light weight Roselli hatchet with slightly personal geometry and that splits ok, actually quite well, at the small end but suffers considerably when bigger blocks come out.

 

[Broch]

We're getting into impact mechanics now - and then we have to take into account material elasticity and deceleration rates; all great stuff.

 

[Toddy]

Am I the only one who's suddenly understanding why a too light hatchet could 'bounce' off the kindling at times ?

 

[Broch]

Nope, it's all in the mechanics - even 'O' Level physics covers the principles.

 

[Pattree]

Once you get into the physics there are so many factors. A 400nm edge or a 300nm edge. The fictional coefficient of tool surface and substrate (why it was worth the agonisingly long job of smoothing a flint axe) etc. etc.

Has anyone used one?
Does it work on the jobs for which you bought it?
Do you enjoy owning it?

 

[TeeDee]

Nope, it's all in the mechanics - even 'O' Level physics covers the principles.

What's this 'O' level thing you speak of ?

 

[slowworm]

I've got a small, light, old Kent pattern axe I picked up for pennies. I tend to use it quite a bit for trimming sticks, splitting small kindling and delicate work. I wouldn't mind trying a titanium axe to see what it's like in actual use as I don't often need all the weight of a big axe.

Looking at it you could always tether a weight to the back if you needed extra weight #canofworms

 

[TLM]

Yup fun stuff impact mechanics, it tends to run around linear or angular momentum, which is not energy. Linear momentum is quite simply the product of mass and velocity, m*v , which fairly fast shows that it is linear to both variables.

That, I think is the important thing in this case.

 

[Broch]

Exactly - you can compensate for lower mass by using the same force to accelerate the axe faster, but the force that ends up on the workpiece is still dependant on the mass and the rate of deceleration and therefor the starting velocity. As they're linear components, I'd rather use a slower, more controlled, action - but that's just a personal preference I guess

 

[C_Claycomb]

I was curious, and found that the Wrangotool website ships only within the US. The only UK distributor for their tools I could find sold their hammers but not the axes. That left just Amazon US, which priced it around £145 including the shipping and duty. That is GB SFA price point.

 

[Tengu]

Id like to see someone use it. see how they get on.

Its certainly ingenious.