For about 30 years, I have had a Coleman stainless steel hatchet, that I have used for cutting deer pelvic bones with for years. It's never worked very well, it has been too light, it's made of 1/8" thick stainless, the edge was not very good either. With a lot of chopping you might eventually get through a bone with it. For years, I have said I am going to weld some stainless steel plate on both sides of the head to give the head of the hatchet some weight.
Last week, I was bored and started sharpening knives with a Work Sharp sharpener. I saw the hatchet, got it out and tried sharpening it, I was able to get a much better edge on the hatchet. That was a start to improving how well it works. The reason I have said for years I am going to weld some stainless on the sides of the head of the hatchet, then it never happens. Is I say that, then put it back in the cabinet, then the next time I go to the shop, I don't think about getting the hatchet out and taking it with me. So last week, after sharpening the hatchet, I put it in my truck, so it finally made it to work after many years. I looked through the scrap stainless I had at the shop, and found a small piece of 1/8" stainless. I measured the head of the hatchet, and came up with 2"X3" as a good size for a couple of pieces of metal to weld onto the head. So I measured out and cut out two pieces 2"X3", cleaned them up, cleaned the hatchet up. Clamped one piece on one side of the hatchet and welded it, on the front edge, then the rear edge. Then clamped the other piece on the other side of the head, and welded it on the front, then the rear edges. Then I decided to just go ahead and weld the top side of both pieces and then the bottom sides of both pieces.
After I got done welding, I did a bit of grinding to put a wedge shape on the front side of each plate, then shaped the top and rear sides of the hatchet. I think the weight is now perfect. With the added weight and the new edge on the hatchet, this should be a good tool for gutting or butchering game. Then I found it still fits in it's sheath. So it was simple easy to do and should make a big difference in how well it works.
Last week, I was bored and started sharpening knives with a Work Sharp sharpener. I saw the hatchet, got it out and tried sharpening it, I was able to get a much better edge on the hatchet. That was a start to improving how well it works. The reason I have said for years I am going to weld some stainless on the sides of the head of the hatchet, then it never happens. Is I say that, then put it back in the cabinet, then the next time I go to the shop, I don't think about getting the hatchet out and taking it with me. So last week, after sharpening the hatchet, I put it in my truck, so it finally made it to work after many years. I looked through the scrap stainless I had at the shop, and found a small piece of 1/8" stainless. I measured the head of the hatchet, and came up with 2"X3" as a good size for a couple of pieces of metal to weld onto the head. So I measured out and cut out two pieces 2"X3", cleaned them up, cleaned the hatchet up. Clamped one piece on one side of the hatchet and welded it, on the front edge, then the rear edge. Then clamped the other piece on the other side of the head, and welded it on the front, then the rear edges. Then I decided to just go ahead and weld the top side of both pieces and then the bottom sides of both pieces.
After I got done welding, I did a bit of grinding to put a wedge shape on the front side of each plate, then shaped the top and rear sides of the hatchet. I think the weight is now perfect. With the added weight and the new edge on the hatchet, this should be a good tool for gutting or butchering game. Then I found it still fits in it's sheath. So it was simple easy to do and should make a big difference in how well it works.
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