Our second ever Bdub trip is coming up in a couple of weeks and I want to hear your thoughts on hatchets.

I have a small light hatchet that I’m contemplating bringing, however I’ve seen enough horror stories on this board to make me think twice. Last year I just used the saw the outfitter provided and a fixed blade “baton” style for processing firewood. I wasn’t a huge fan of this approach so I picked up the hatchet earlier this year. Now I’m rethinking.

For one, the hatchet weighs more than a fixed blade and second, it seems easier to make a stupid trip-ending injury with the hatchet. Is it more trouble than it’s worth?

I don't take one for both reasons - injury and weight - but I rarely make fires and they are small when I do.

We just returned from BWCA. You will need to split wood if this moisture continues and you want a fire for cooking purposes. My opinion is that small hatchet is easiest for that chore and we take one. Just make sure sheath remains in place during transport by properly securing. Also, there is no need to swing to split your wood if you incorporate a baton.

I take a small forest axe every time to compliment my saw. But I grew up using these tools and would say I'm proficient. Fires and cooking over them is a big part of my tripping and processing the wood is cathartic so it goes for me.

If this is your first plans with a hatchet I'd leave it at home.

I mostly use mine for light de-branching prior to sawing up with the folding saw. For me, it’s worth the risk and weight. That being said I try to always stay conscious with the tools I bring and use.

I am an axe guy and own a few. I restore vintage axes, and I enjoy using all kinds of them. I do not take them on trips. They're heavy. They're hazardous. And if the wood you're harvesting for fire is so big that you NEED to split it, you're harvesting the wrong wood. Wrist size and smaller. Heck, on many trips I don't ever even use my knife. I don't just mean batoning, I mean for ANYTHING. There are many trips where my saw is the only tool I touch, and there are even trips where I don't even use *that* because I've gotten to a point where I can honestly recognize that having a fire just isn't necessary.

Winter is a different story, and I carry a 2-2.5 lb boys axe on those trips. Hand axes ("hatchet" technically refers only to hand axes that have a hardened hammerhead instead of a flat poll on the back of the head) are not useful enough and are more dangerous than longer-handled axes.

IMO, yes, hatchets are more trouble than they're worth. Some people, like pamonster above, are very skilled at using hatchets and they're very adept at splitting firewood. It's actually a joy to watch a good axe man (or hatchet man) split wood, but the wood still needs to get cut down to the proper length for splitting. That's where a good saw comes in handy.

We've always chosen to only bring a saw and cut wrist-sized firewood to burn. It's been a good method for us.

I would have said a hatchet is not worth the bother, that was until my May, 2022 trip. Heavy snow cover and later than normal thaw, plus days of rain made downed fire wood too wet to burn easily and dead standing was all spruce, almost impossible to baton because of all the knots. A small hatchet would have been a big help. I had to strip off all the bark from the birch trees to get a good bon fire going. (made you look!!)

Seriously now, a hatchet is not as efficient as a saw at processing wood, but does have it's uses. There is the potential to hurt yourself, but there are many other ways to do that too, common sense goes a long way.

Do what you want, but except for shoulder season camping, I would leave it at home.

I bet 95% of the LNT issues I have seen at campsites come from ax wounds on the surrounding trees.

Yeah, I used to be a hatchet guy, til last year.

Been cutting and splitting wood for 40 years. Then one day last year, while holding the wood with one hand and splitting with the other, the axe glanced off the wood and onto my finger. The pictures are before surgery and the pins.

Just sayin'...

I would not have my group carry an axe. Mostly because you don't need one. Second, they add weight and I don't want to carry your axe. And lastly, I don't want another injury. My injury cost me 16k just to fix the finger. Insurance paid 80%. Good times.

Tom

I'm on the fence about hatchets. I think a small axe is safer (longer handle). I do often bring a hatchet but I don't swing it, I use another log as a baton and I'm very methodical and careful, never rushed or in a hurry. I also carry a trauma kit for bleeding because saws and knives are also a concern.

tumblehome: "




Yeah, I used to be a hatchet guy, til last year.

Been cutting and splitting wood for 40 years. The one day last year While holding the wood with one hand and splitting with the other, the axe glanced off the wood and onto my finger. The pictures are before surgery and the pins.

Just sayin'

I would not have my group carry an axe. Mostly because you don't need one, second, they add weight and I don't want to carry your axe, and lastly, I don't want another injury. My injury cost me 16k just to fix the finger. Insurance paid 80%. Good times.
Tom"

Wow, a picture is worth a thousand words and those pics really make a point.

Our crew does take in a hatchet but only my second oldest son uses it and he is extra mindful and careful when it comes to splitting. I will be reemphasizing safety protocols to sons and grandkids on our ride up to the BW this Friday. All this to say that we will continue to bring a hatchet for the wonderful fires that we cook on and end each day.

merlyn: " A small hatchet would have been a big help. I had to strip off all the bark from the birch trees to get a good bon fire going. (made you look!!)"

Oh, so that was YOU who was at my site before me this past weekend...

noodle: "

merlyn: " A small hatchet would have been a big help. I had to strip off all the bark from the birch trees to get a good bon fire going. (made you look!!)"

Oh, so that was YOU who was at my site before me this past weekend... "

Agree.

Tree destruction is a major shortcoming with an axe. Axes don't kill trees, people with axes do.

Take away their axe and that part is resolved. Far too many campers, due to ignorance or whatever, love to kill or damage trees with their axes/hatchets.
The rest of us just end up in the hospital :)

Honestly, I love an good axe and still use one often at home for firewood. But I have not carried an axe camping for decades.

Jackfish: "We've always chosen to only bring a saw and cut wrist-sized firewood to burn. It's been a good method for us."

Just came out from a pretty wet Quetico. Did exactly as you describe, and had great fires every day.

noodle: "

merlyn: " A small hatchet would have been a big help. I had to strip off all the bark from the birch trees to get a good bon fire going. (made you look!!)"

Oh, so that was YOU who was at my site before me this past weekend... "

Lots of great info from everybody here. I'm leaning towards leaving it at home. Splitting wood is nice to help dry it out but I think sticking to the smaller stuff should work just fine. Being an avid backpacker here in CA means I'm just excited to have a campfire. We haven't been allowed campfires for quite some time.

In regards to your picture: I noticed the young saplings cut down around the birch as well. I wonder how much of this kind of damage is due to people who truly don't know/are uneducated about LNT versus people who just don't care. At this point it seems that almost everybody should be aware of LNT principles, but you never know...

noahj: "In regards to your picture: I noticed the young saplings cut down around the birch as well. I wonder how much of this kind of damage is due to people who truly don't know/are uneducated about LNT versus people who just don't care. At this point it seems that almost everybody should be aware of LNT principles, but you never know..."

It is some of both, and I've learned that the ignorance extends farther than I originally thought. There are people who are so ignorant that they legitimately think that cutting down small trees and pruning the big ones is a beneficial service to the campsite and to the wilderness. Their idea of helping is to ruin and sterilize the campsite until it starts to resemble the frontcountry kind of sites in parks they're more familiar with. It's a horrific amount of ignorance, and it makes me wonder why those people even come out to a place like the BWCA at all.

I'm bringing a hatchet, but I don't plan on swinging it. I'll use it as a wedge with a handle, and I'll use another log as a mallet. I've used fixed blade knives to do this in the past, but knives don't split anything over an inch very well.

noahj: "In regards to your picture: I noticed the young saplings cut down around the birch as well. I wonder how much of this kind of damage is due to people who truly don't know/are uneducated about LNT versus people who just don't care. At this point it seems that almost everybody should be aware of LNT principles, but you never know..."

For what it's worth, there were some larger pines cut down at the site, but I'm 99% sure it was forest service that did it given how it looks like carpenter ants had killed the trees (zoom in on the stumps). Still, my first reaction was a negative assumption of someone who just went to town.

Agawa Boreal 21 saw and a Gransfors Bruk Outdoor Axe (it's more like a 1 lb. hatchet with a 15" handle) and I'm good with anything I need to get done. I really enjoy processing firewood as a hobby while in camp. I still stick to forearm or smaller sized wood whenever possible but sometimes it's nice to wood gnome a whole bunch for the next inhabitants of that site. But limbing, feathering, and processing are so much better with that small Gransfors Bruk.

scottiebaldwin: "Agawa Boreal 21 saw and a Gransfors Bruk Outdoor Axe (it's more like a 1 lb. hatchet with a 15" handle) and I'm good with anything I need to get done. I really enjoy processing firewood as a hobby while in camp. I still stick to forearm or smaller sized wood whenever possible but sometimes it's nice to wood gnome a whole bunch for the next inhabitants of that site. But limbing, feathering, and processing are so much better with that small Gransfors Bruk.


"

This exactly. My same setup. Get these two tools and you'll wonder how you ever got along without them.

I do bring one most of the time, unless soloing or really wanting to keep weight down. Not saying I couldn't hurt myself using the method I do, but it would be hard. Cut wood about the length of the handle, set the hatchet along the wood with both hands on the end of the handle and around the end of the "log" (stick, actually, lol) Whack it on a big log and it falls into 2 pieces. I too love to wood gnome!

Only you can answer this question.
Do you have any wood chopping skills? If not, then it at home.
Are you cooking your meals with fire, where smaller wood is needed when cooking like a reflector oven needs? If not, leave it at home.
Do you only have one or two fires a trip. If so leave it at home.
I bring a Sven saw, a small hatchet, and my buddy brings an axe because I answered yes, yes, no.

Leave Molly at home.

A1t2o: "I'm bringing a hatchet, but I don't plan on swinging it. I'll use it as a wedge with a handle, and I'll use another log as a mallet. I've used fixed blade knives to do this in the past, but knives don't split anything over an inch very well."

Same here.

I think summertime, a saw might be enough, maybe. But I did a end of September/beginning October trip once where it rained, sleeted, hailed and snowed and was cold. We had a nice downed pine tree and went through a heck of a lot of firewood, having the fire going most of the time. It would've sucked without the ability to split the wood. Using a knife,...that simply wouldn't have cut it.

I'm amazed that folks spend so much time cutting and splitting wood with hand saws and hatchet. Find a big rock with a sharp edge and break the sticks against it. Fast, efficient and surprisingly effective with even relatively large wood.

Banksiana: "I'm amazed that folks spend so much time cutting and splitting wood with hand saws and hatchet. Find a big rock with a sharp edge and break the sticks against it. Fast, efficient and surprisingly effective with even relatively large wood. "

To each their own I guess. Some of us consider saw and axe wood processing a hobby in camp. I enjoy being a wood gnome and leaving a ton of wood for the next inhabitants of the campsite should they choose to burn it. I even create feather sticks to help light their fires. And you'd better believe that my wood pile is far more impressive than anything that can be done with mere mortal human hands. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!! Of course you'd be smoking with a pipe you've created with just your bare hands too, right?! ;-)

Banksiana: "I'm amazed that folks spend so much time cutting and splitting wood with hand saws and hatchet. Find a big rock with a sharp edge and break the sticks against it. Fast, efficient and surprisingly effective with even relatively large wood. "

That looks like a decent firestarter pile. What about the 3-4” diameter stuff to keep it going? Not so easy to break.

Banksiana: "I'm amazed that folks spend so much time cutting and splitting wood with hand saws and hatchet. Find a big rock with a sharp edge and break the sticks against it. Fast, efficient and surprisingly effective with even relatively large wood. "

There are plenty of risks here too. I've done it before, but woodchips to the face and bruises on your legs are common. It's really rough on your hands too, with or without gloves.

I'm sure I could find rocks to replace many tools, but we use tools instead because they are more efficient and safer. 10 years ago, I would have agreed with you 100%, but I know better now and burning all my energy getting firewood and breaking it into little pieces with my bare hands is no longer as fun as it used to be.

Hatchet and saw are the kinds of things that when you need them, you really need them. I have a small hatchet I keep at the bottom of my portage pack. I keep the sheath on and put a big wool sock over it to prevent abrasion against the inside of the pack.

Be careful when using the hatchet and you'll be fine. When splitting wood with an axe or hatchet the safest way is always the baton method.

A1t2o: "

Banksiana: "I'm amazed that folks spend so much time cutting and splitting wood with hand saws and hatchet. Find a big rock with a sharp edge and break the sticks against it. Fast, efficient and surprisingly effective with even relatively large wood. "

There are plenty of risks here too. I've done it before, but woodchips to the face and bruises on your legs are common. It's really rough on your hands too, with or without gloves.


I'm sure I could find rocks to replace many tools, but we use tools instead because they are more efficient and safer. 10 years ago, I would have agreed with you 100%, but I know better now and burning all my energy getting firewood and breaking it into little pieces with my bare hands is no longer as fun as it used to be."

I put up the pile in the picture in about five minutes. Way less energy than saw and hatchet.

I routinely break large pieces of three inches or more (choose wisely; failure to break is not pleasant).

HowardSprague: "

Banksiana: "I'm amazed that folks spend so much time cutting and splitting wood with hand saws and hatchet. Find a big rock with a sharp edge and break the sticks against it. Fast, efficient and surprisingly effective with even relatively large wood. "

That looks like a decent firestarter pile. What about the 3-4” diameter stuff to keep it going? Not so easy to break."

HowardSprague for the win!

I bring a Fiskars splitting hatchet, and that is all it is used for. Splitting, no monkeying around with it otherwise. *looks down at BW acquired hatchet scar across two fingers*
Shoulder season camper, I like my wood to last for a while, so I tend to go big. Clean up campsites of logs others considered to big to tackle.

I've hurt myself with the rock method, so I don't think a hatchet is in my best interest. I got tired of sawing a piece of wood about half way through, so I propped it on a rock and stomped on it. The loose piece cartwheeled perfectly over to the pile of wood next to the fire grate, but it took a hunk out of my leg on the way by. It was pretty cool to watch, but painful. I'd also be scared that I would turtle on a portage with the hatchet in the pack and land on it. I always blew off my mom's worries about me hurting myself playing football or other sports, but I have to admit, I injure myself a lot, so I spend a lot of time thinking through possible dangerous scenarios. (And yes, she was right, I nearly broke my jaw playing on an intramural flag football league, dammit.)

It’s more potential trouble than it’s worth, IMHO
Haven’t taken one in past 20 years

AdamX

scottiebaldwin: "

HowardSprague: "

Banksiana: "I'm amazed that folks spend so much time cutting and splitting wood with hand saws and hatchet. Find a big rock with a sharp edge and break the sticks against it. Fast, efficient and surprisingly effective with even relatively large wood. "

That looks like a decent firestarter pile. What about the 3-4” diameter stuff to keep it going? Not so easy to break."

HowardSprague for the win!"

Nothing more onerous than being forced to stoke the fire while sitting around it. Oh the horror!

You don't step on the wood, you hold it in your hand and bash it against the sharp edge of a large rock.

Hatchet… More trouble than it’s worth?

For some perspective....

There are many who would say, "BWCA/Quetico trip... More trouble than it's worth?"

I think many of the same arguments apply. There is no right or wrong answer.
In both cases it's the choice of the individual and their desire to pursue, assess & develop the skillset necessary. Ultimately, a risk/reward scenario.

For myself and my upcoming trip I am going with out simply for weight reduction. We will only use a folding saw. You could take it on this trip and you may find it very useful or you may find that you never pick it up. Then you’ll know for sure. Hope you have a good trip.

If forecast is dry I leave it at home. If a lot of rain is in forecast I bring two but rules are must be on knees to split wood. Or just bring a wedge/splitter and a hammer if kids are involved.

I had a hatchet/axe/maul user for around 60 years.

I find one to be of limited use in the BWCA. If the are sharp enough for good cutting they do not work well to split wood.

A small maul wedge type head is better for splitting.

I thought about machining a dove tail into the back end and into a wedge so one would have a detachable maul. Slip and pin in place.

Or just take a small maul.

Either way one has to be careful.

I've switched to a Becker BK2 and a saw, moving away from axes and hatchets, even in warmer winter camping. Although I've a few decades with hatchets, just the idea of being a little cold, tired, then just a little careless or freak accident and I've just ruined my trip or worse. Using a thick splitting knife and baton forces you to have your fingers away from a swinging, cutting edge.

Splitting tough 4 in. is possible when the wood is about a ft long, and longer as I split smaller stuff. That's where an easy saw comes in handy, as well as being a little choosy about what I split and what I burn in the round. Split less off the side instead of plowing through the middle on the thicker logs.

The success comes from such a thick knife, adequate baton, and just taking my time splitting wood while I sit by the fire for a few hours. Carrying the knife also saves a pound over my smallest hatchet, and carries easier.

Bring the hatchet and use it if you need it; just remember the first rule of using a hatchet - if you’re swinging it, you’re doing it wrong. I’ve repaired fingers of fellow campers in the BWCA when they failed to adhere to this rule. It’s rarely necessary (extreme survival situations where no other option exists) to ever swing a hatchet. There are two simple solutions that run opposite of what some may consider “conventional wisdom” in the realm of camping - 1. Don’t want to deal with a wet down sleeping bag? Don’t get it wet. 2. Don’t want to be injured using a hand axe (hatchet)? Don’t swing it. Happy camping!

I bring a hatchet and saw. I could get away without the hatchet on the vast majority of trips, but sometimes if there has been a lot of rain, I like to split larger logs for dry wood inside. I also just like processing firewood while at camp. I cook most meals over fire and have fires every night. If you are not comfortable with a hatchet, you'll be fine without one.

tumblehome: "

Yeah, I used to be a hatchet guy, til last year.
Been cutting and splitting wood for 40 years. Then one day last year, while holding the wood with one hand and splitting with the other...

I would not have my group carry an axe. Mostly because you don't need one. My injury cost me 16k just to fix the finger. Tom"

This. And I'm not judging. Could just as easily be me, and I don't want that.

40 years exp. Holding the wood with one hand. (instead of a stick. Tired, distracted, difficult position, whatever) $16 K. Lucky not to be a lot worse injury or less insurance.

We've never had too much of a problem getting a fire started even when everything is wet. We collect loose birch bark from the ground along portage trails and start with small sticks. My husband swears by Flappy, a plastic fly swatter with a sandwich bag on the end to fan air into the middle of the pile. We use 1 to 2 inch downed wood and keep the next pieces to go on the fire around the outside of the small fire until they heat up and dry enough to put on the fire and keep replenishing them. It takes a while sometimes to dry enough for a decent fire so I guess it isn't great in an emergency situation, but it has worked even after several days of rain. Possibly earlier in the season when everything has been sitting in meltwater from snow it might be harder to find wood that isn't completely soaked.

A1t2o: "I'm bringing a hatchet, but I don't plan on swinging it. I'll use it as a wedge with a handle, and I'll use another log as a mallet. I've used fixed blade knives to do this in the past, but knives don't split anything over an inch very well."

This is what we do. Swinging a hatchet is dangerous, using it as a splitting wedge, not so much.

We take a saw, a good batoning knife, and leather gloves. Never an axe.

I just about cut my thumb off camping with a hatchet. The reason was impatience and stupidity.
That being said I take a hatchet to split wood but I no longer swing it. Just use it to baton the wood as it burns much better split especially when it’s wet. Also comes in handy to drive tent stakes.

TuscaroraBorealis: "
Hatchet… More trouble than it’s worth?


For some perspective....


There are many who would say, "BWCA/Quetico trip... More trouble than it's worth?"


I think many of the same arguments apply. There is no right or wrong answer.
In both cases it's the choice of the individual and their desire to pursue, assess & develop the skillset necessary. Ultimately, a risk/reward scenario.


"

This exactly!

I sometimes bring one for spitting wood and do it kneeling with life jacket protecting my knees.
Sometimes I just bring a felling wedge and use a heavy baton. It splits straight grained oak easily.

I bring a big beefy Ontario survival knife (SP49 to be exact). It's lighter than a hatchet, easier to control and batons wood like no one's business. After doing things this way for years I don't think I'd ever go back to a hatchet; batonning is simply easier and safer. You can basically place the blade on top of a log and smack it to get it to bite and from there you baton away. No risk of a glancing blow into a holding hand.

I'm not sure they make my model anymore but Ontario and Esee both make current versions that look excellent (example: Ontario RAT 7) . I believe mine's a 7 inch blade but I know a lot of people go with a 5 and say it more than gets the job done (and saves plenty of weight to boot).

Freeleo1: "...Flappy, a plastic fly swatter with a sandwich bag on the end to fan air into the middle of the pile. "

LOL! "Flappy." I'm going to name my little telescoping tube, "tubie," or "puff," or something.

"Flappy! Where'd ya go, Flappy?"

Gotta love it.

Xand: "I bring a big beefy Ontario survival knife (SP49 to be exact). ... Ontario and Esee both make current versions that look excellent (example: Ontario RAT 7) . I believe mine's a 7 inch blade but I know a lot of people go with a 5 and say it more than gets the job done (and saves plenty of weight to boot). "

In general I like Onterio blades. They just seem to have a lot of bang for the buck.

I have a RAT 7, and it's a closet queen since my kids gave me the Becker BK2. The RAT 7 isn't as thick so doesn't split as well (though it is much much better at slicing). Also the square handle on the RAT 7 hurts my hand, whereas the Becker is a much more ergonomic grip. I have no problems with the Grivery or whatever Becker uses. Oh, and I like the 6 inch blade better than the 7 inch blade when hanging off my belt.

Also, I pair it with a little, 3 inch fixed blade Cold Steel that looks like the Beckers baby brother.

What use to do plan on getting from a fire? Are you going to be cooking on it every day? Bring a saw and a hatchet, or something you feel comfortable with to process wood.

Just want a fire for ambiance every night? Bring a saw.

GeneH: "

Xand: "I bring a big beefy Ontario survival knife (SP49 to be exact). ... Ontario and Esee both make current versions that look excellent (example: Ontario RAT 7) . I believe mine's a 7 inch blade but I know a lot of people go with a 5 and say it more than gets the job done (and saves plenty of weight to boot). "

In general I like Onterio blades. They just seem to have a lot of bang for the buck.

I have a RAT 7, and it's a closet queen since my kids gave me the Becker BK2. The RAT 7 isn't as thick so doesn't split as well (though it is much much better at slicing). Also the square handle on the RAT 7 hurts my hand, whereas the Becker is a much more ergonomic grip. I have no problems with the Grivery or whatever Becker uses. Oh, and I like the 6 inch blade better than the 7 inch blade when hanging off my belt.

Also, I pair it with a little, 3 inch fixed blade Cold Steel that looks like the Beckers baby brother."

Becker, that was the other one I was trying to think of, thanks! I haven't used the RAT 7 so I can't actually comment on it and was just throwing it out there as an example. The BK-2 looks like a fantastic knife, I'll have to take a look when I'm ready for a new blade.

Worth noting that blade grind matters a lot too. Mine is a half hollow grind and is basically shaped like a splitting wedge so it really does go right through firewood but it's pretty unwieldy for cutting tasks. I'd probably downsize a bit if I were looking for just one blade to do it all.