Camping hatchet recommendation.

[gwinyak]

Can anyone reccomend a good light weight hatchet for camping? Looking for good mix of quality/durability and light weight for carrying on the kayak for multiple day camp trips. It would be for clearing brush for campsite and gathering firewood. Thanks!

[Earl]

After years of using your average hatchet I was sold over on a tomahawk like the one in the link below. They are very light, sharp, and serve a dual purpose, protection. It clears brush quickly and can split, used by hand to carve notches and prep for starting a fire. I also have taken the time to practice throwing it with pretty good results and repeatability. I would not want to see it coming as it is sharp and will stick to what it hits.

https://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f074/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My 2 cents,

Earl

[Fin-Addict]

Whats you budget?

[bowgarguide]

Earl
I thought a tomahawk was illegal to carry in TX.
Ron

[Hirsch]

Yes it is. It is also illegal to carry a club, throwing knives, throwing stars, switch blades, knives with over 5 1/2" blades. Further these are not defined in the statute so if so inclined a prosecutor could probably include numerous kitchen knives, Grandpa's Bowie, machetes, roofers hammers, hatchets and a variety of other tools.

[Earl]

Thanks Ron, I would not have thought that but indeed it is true. Just looked it up. I just got back from a trip to Colorado and we used it a bit. Good thing I did not get caught with that thing.

Guess it is going to a shelf now and I will invest in a good quality hatchet.

gwinyak, I apologize for the bad advice.

Earl

[bowgarguide]

Texas Laws are crazy on some of this stuff.
From my understanding a switch blade is legal now . A bowie knife is illegal but they dont say what a Bowie knife is. A machete is illegal unless you are using it to cut brush or wood Dah.
I try to keep up with most of these laws because I build custom knives but they are super confusing.
Dont take my word for these laws do your own checking because I sure could be wrong on them.
Ron
PS
The hawk may be legal in Colo , I really dont know.

[Earl]

Legal in Colo?? Well, I bet if it had a hemp rope grip it would be

Yea, I looked it TX law clearly states Tomahawk.

Earl

[bowgarguide]

Yep
Ron

[Fin-Addict]

Gransfors Bruks

[Hirsch]

Gransfors Bruks carries a very fine reputation and a price to match. Gerber makes some nice looking axes at a fair price available at Academy. Estwing's one piece design has been around a long time and carried a good reputation also.

[Hirsch]

This one is interesting.

http://www.estwing.com/ao_black_eagle_d ... _black.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Estwing line up.

http://www.estwing.com/axes_outdoor.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bowgarguide]

I cant recommend any hatchets, a few years ago I switched over to a good machete and it handles all my wood working chores.
Ron

[Hirsch]

Academy offers a variety of Gerber hatchets, axes, machetes of different designs and a saw you will find scattered among the knives here.

http://www.academy.com/shop/browse/Sear ... geSize:120&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[rodloos]

I have a Granfors Brucks Small Forest Ax, a little bigger than a hatchet, but if you had some large logs to cut it is nice (and pricey). I too prefer a machete to a hatchet, especially for clearing brush. Just don't get one from Walmart they don't have to be expensive to be good, Tramontina and Imacasa are both pretty decent for the money. A folding saw can be handy for cutting branches for firewood.

Regarding Texas laws, they make allowances for having e.g. a longer filet knife than 5 1/2" while you are fishing, a long hunting knife while hunting/camping, etc. At least they repealed the switchblade ban (you still can't purchase across state lines though due to federal laws) and effective Sept 1, 2015 the Knife Law Preemption goes into effect, meaning cities like San Antonio and Corpus Christi can no longer have stupid additional restrictions such as no locking blades or 3" limits.

I have used an Estwing hatchet and it was pretty decent.

Hey Ron, I haven't been on in awhile, I remember you posting some pics of some of the first knives you made (and they looked pretty good!) have you posted any more of tyour more recent creations? That would be fun to see.

[Coastal Country]

Alot of the laws regarding these are in the eye of the LEO questioning you. Took a pig sticking knife (basically a large bowie knife) to get a scabbard made for it. A Constable was in there having a holster made was reeeeeally interested in it till I said I carried it running hog dogs on ranches not while in town