UL Titanium Hatchet
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Thought you guys would get a kick out of this one. I cut it on the waterjet the other day, sharpened the blade with a benchgrinder, and was surprised at how well it worked. Big hook on the back for camp tasks and a bottle opener cut into the profile. Weighs in at 4.4 ounces.
Here's the link.
Here's the pic.
Enjoy!
A water jet is a nice toy to have at your disposal.
You know what would be cool for a fire making tool? Do you know what a splitting froe is? It is used for splitting cedar to make roofing shingles. I've always wanted a small simple one for batoning wood for campfires rather than a knife. The traditional froe is made with an eye for a handle. Now, imagine one with a straight 6" blade and a thick parallel spine for accurate hits with a thick branch. The handle just needs to be big enough for a good grip and smooth edged (and keep your fingers out of the way). Mora makes a chisel knife that is close. Titanium would be light, and you don't need a shaving-sharp edge for such work.
So, blend these two designs with your ti ax:
Steven wrote: "Dale: I didn't know what a splitting froe was until I googled it, but I actually have one at my cottage, just didn't know it was called. Very useful for splitting logs in the evening hours when there is no light (less likely to hurt yourself) – at least that's what I have used it for in the past. I'll look into it. Appears it would be much more useful as it does not rely on it's own weight to split the wood…titanium blade and carbon fiber handle of course…."
I wouldn't go any farther than a straight handle with lightening holes and a paracord wrap. What you have is a thin wedge with a handle and it doesn't require weight to work– that is supplied by a locally found stick. I wouldn't expect high edge retention for titanium, although I assume some alloys would be better than others. A driven wedge should be less demanding than something that is expected to cut like a sharp knife blade. The idea is to have something light that will take the abuse that you wouldn't want to subject to a valuable knife blade. I see people wanting to carry big knives with the idea of using them to baton firewood, but there really isn't much need for a knife longer than 3.5" for general purpose cutting. A light titanium froe would make a good companion to a smaller folding knife.
Your hatchet design could be used along the same lines if the back side of the head was made flat and parallel to the blade, so the lack of weight could be made up with a stick for a mallet. Hunters will typically use a butchering hatchet that way to split the sternum on large game. the weak point is if someone tries to pry sideways with it, bending or breaking the handle.
Mora of Sweden makes a kindling froe that is pretty much what I had in mind:
FYI, to make shakes, cedar is cut in a block called a "bolt" and it is flipped end-for-end each time a shake is split off to keep the sides parallel and square. The tool is very handy for making kindling too, so it has a good purpose in your wood shed. It is typically used with a home-made mallet– a single piece of wood with a carved handle and a fat tapered head, much like a big carver's mallet.
Excellent tip, Roger. Exactly what I had in mind. A kydex sheath would be good, but you could use a chef's knife blade cover if you carry it in your pack. It can be used as a plain knife— the design is very similar to the Wharncliffe blade. At $15-$20 it could be bashed without too much guilt.
https://www.leevalley.com/EN/wood/page.aspx?p=54871&cat=1,51222&ap=1
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August 4 @ 5:30 PM US MDT: Member Q&A • Backcountry Photography & Cameras
