Composite or Wooden Handled Hatchet?

Nowadays you can walk into any of your home repair stores and buy a $25 hatchet with a composite handle. So why spend $114 on a Wetterlings hatchet pictured below? What's the difference?

Well, allow me to explain.

First, composite hatchets are heavy. The handle material is often as heavy as the head of the hatchet, making the effort to swing a bit harder, throwing the chopping motion off. After a few chops its just heavy in your hand. This can lead to more accidents. On a well crafted wooden handled hatchet the balance is perfect, with a bit more weight in the head, resulting in great follow thru.

Second, you are buying the blade. Heads on a cheap hatchet are made of lower quality steel. They dull easier and do not retain an edge, unlike a hand forged high carbon steel head on a Wetterling. The Wetterling blade is so sharp you can shave with it. Taken care of properly it will never corrode or rust, and will last you the rest of your life, even if you hit a nail.

Lastly, as a prepper, every tool in your arsenal should have the ability to be repaired. Once the handle breaks on a composite hatchet you throw it in the trash. If it gets melted or bent out of shape, its irreparable. They also tend to give blisters. A Wetterling has a fine hickory handle, which is one of the strongest woods. And if anything happens to it, you can literally carve a new handle on the spot.

Check out this classic video by a legend in Bushcraft, Ray Mears, entitled "Choosing and using an axe, Bushcraft Survival".

#RayMears, #Axetips, #bushcraft, #getarealhatchet