The Hatchet.

Lets start small, the Hatchet is at the bottom of the scale, and it primarily used for traveling, and camping. It is small, usually 12-14 inches with a 1-3 lbs head.

I like hatchets. They have been my favorite hand tools for a very long time. I found my first hatchet. I was about 8 years old my family lived in a old farm house The house, was no longer a farm, or no, we didn't farm the land it was on. The house came with 2 large barns, a Chicken barn, and a small shed for tractors and tools (see fig.1). We (my two brothers and I) used these barns for games, and to test bravery. One evening we were called in for dinner, and were coming back from playing out in the fields beyond the barns. I remember the sun was crisp, it must have been fall, the grass was high and coarse, and the trees were just beginning to loose their leaves. We were passing behind the shed and I was falling behind my brothers, when I noticed a shadow on the old boards of the shed. There was something lodged in the wall. I actually remember not knowing what it was. I climbed through the brambles and got next to the wall. Just within my reach, at the tip of my fingers was the handle of long forgotten small, axe. I leapt once or twice and managed to pull it from that north barn wall. 

It was rusted, and dull, it had a hook on the underside of the head meant for pulling nails of cutting rope. The handle was smooth black rubber, over a welded steel tube. The rubber was damaged by the weather and sun. Regardless it was an amazing find, by far my most memorable find from that farm. I brought it home and presented it to my Father. He promised to fix it up for me, the next day he disappeared early in the morning for work. He returned home with the tool wrapped in newspaper. He had wrapped the handle in red duct tape, and used a wire brush and grind wheel to clean the rust and sharpen the blade. It was sharp, it could shave off tiny white flakes from you thumb nail. I took it camping and used it to carve and cut branches and chop firewood. I got really good at chopping tiniest pencil sized kindling the kind that would light up like a matchstick. 

I am now on my 4th hatchet, the first one and the 2nd were both left in the weather by different members of my family on many different occasions, it was usually my mom, who took it out to do gardening. After a few rounds of grinding and cleaning they were restored to duty over and over. I believe both are still outside of my parents house under the picnic table my mother uses as a potting table. My 3rd hatchet was a last minute purchase from Canadian tire before a canoe camping trip this past summer. I was enthralled to have one again and promptly put it to use. But I was quickly disappointed in the blade. It dulled immediately, and my arm tired shortly there after. 

Christmas this year brought me a beautiful new hatchet. It is a Wetterlings Wildlife Axe. Made in Sweden its handle is American Hickory, the head hand-forged steel. The blade is sharp enough to shave with. This Axe may be the most beautiful tool I have ever held in my hands.  

My new hatchet