Woodworking Hatchets

[John Isgren]

My father in-law gave me these hatchets. I am not sure about the broad hatchet, the the carpenters hatchet was his fathers. His father was a carpenter and carried his large toolbox on the train into Chicago every day.

i will clean these up, replace the handles, and add them to my tools!

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[Nicholas Lawrence]

Always good to see rusty old tools being cleaned up and put to work.

[Jim Koepke]

The first hatchet looks like a hewing head. These will have a bevel on only one side unless a bevel was added to the back. There is usually a slight curvature to the 'flat' back at the edge.

A quick consult with Dr. Google indicates a carpenters axe/hatchet being somewhat like a hewing axe/hatchet but with a flat instead of curved backside. Everyone needs at least one of every type, no?

The second hatchet looks like what some call a shingling hatchet. Hammer head for driving roofing nails. The sharp edge if for splitting wooden shake shingles and there is a nail puller.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

As a side note, my hatchet/axe accumulation is starting to grow. Maybe my self control can keep it from growing like my plane accumulation.

There is always hope...

jtk

[Tom M King]

Handles look good to me, as do the hatchets overall.

I keep a pair of hewing hatchets, that face opposite directions. I use them when we're hewing a beam, on large knots. I have an easier time trimming a big knot with the hatchets than with the big hewing axe.

[Richard Jones]

That Keen Kutter is a great hatchet with excellent steel. Very sought after, especially with that exceptional etch/stamp. Great gift. Perhaps you can rehang it on the same handle?

[Rob Luter]

Dad had those same two when I was growing up. I preferred my genuine Boy Scouts of America field hatchet. It was shinier. I sure wish I had the two old ones now, especially the hewing one, known at the time as the bent one that was only sharpened on one side. If I had only known :o

[Mike Cornwall]

Don’t mean to hijack but can anyone point me towards an article on sharpening a right handed hatchet? I might be using it wrong but it is really fighting me.

I did search for info but struck out

[Stewie Simpson]

This early Shingling Hatchet was made by Robert Sorby & Sons (Sheffield, England).

https://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Sorby%20shingling%20hatchet/_DSC0046_zpsgh5jcz73.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Sorby%20shingling%20hatchet/_DSC0046_zpsgh5jcz73.jpg.html)

https://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Sorby%20shingling%20hatchet/_DSC0047_zpsuez5e8yy.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Sorby%20shingling%20hatchet/_DSC0047_zpsuez5e8yy.jpg.html)

[John Isgren]

Don’t mean to hijack but can anyone point me towards an article on sharpening a right handed hatchet? I might be using it wrong but it is really fighting me.

I did search for info but struck out

Leonard Lee has a whole chapter on axes in his book.
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Also Google either “sharpening hewing axe” or “sharpening side axe” turns up several videos.

[Kurtis Johnson]

Dad had those same two when I was growing up. I preferred my genuine Boy Scouts of America field hatchet. It was shinier. I sure wish I had the two old ones now, especially the hewing one, known at the time as the bent one that was only sharpened on one side. If I had only known :oMaybe you and the OP are long lost in laws? LOL!

[Tom Bender]

As a side note, my hatchet/axe accumulation is starting to grow. Maybe my self control can keep it from growing like my plane accumulation.

There is always hope...

jtk

Hi Jim
If you start to loose control on this slope maybe you can just switch tracks and unload the planes.

An axe collection would be fun.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Jim
If you start to loose control on this slope maybe you can just switch tracks and unload the planes.

An axe collection would be fun.

First off, if it is called a "collection," all hope is lost.

Unloading the planes is a difficult proposition. All of mine are used. Just sold one of my #8s and there is a little regret. The #8 that remains feels a touch heavier than the one with a corrugated sole.

It is becoming clear to me with planes larger than a #5 there isn't a need for multiple set ups.

The #5 is one of the sizes where multiples can be useful.

For hatchets and axes, it is nice to have a few smaller examples for the wife and grandkids. Then a few specialty axes/hatches for hewing or wood splitting.

jtk