Great tool for $13 - Harbor Freight hatchet

pirate

pirate

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Great choice to mod. American hickory handle that is very nicely hung with metal barrel wedges, good quality steel head that sharpens and holds a good edge. I lightly sanded to remove the clear lacquer that was applied and did five coats of BLO. I removed the factory black coating from the butt and head area around the eye. I drilled a hole in the handle for a leather thong, and re-profiled and sharpen the bit. I like the way it turned out. hard to beat at this price point.


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Did you see the Wanglestar video too? I ran across it and picked up 2 from my store last weekend. I really had to pick through them to find a good grain in the handle. Most were 90* to the head which I feel would split easier vs running inline with the head. I haven't modified it yet, but plan to grind down the edge some to a narrower angle and wrap the top of the handle in some rawhide.
 
That's what you want, grain inline with the handle. I cherry pick everything up buy at Harbor Freight looking for the good one.
Hadn't noticed these. Will check them out next time I'm there.
 
georgel said:
That's what you want, grain inline with the handle. I cherry pick everything up buy at Harbor Freight looking for the good one.
Hadn't noticed these. Will check them out next time I'm there.
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I went back and got one fiberglass one for 7.99. They look like the same heads and the fiberglass handle feels mehh so I'm thinking of making one out of a dogwood stump. Should be nearly impossible to break that one. I was gifted a dogwood stump mallet for use with a froe and its said to be nearly 100 years old and still rock solid.
 
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Been messing with this one on and off. Ground the head taper down from factory convex to more flat to concave shape. Scrapped and sanded the finish off the handle and finished the head and handle with boiled linseed oil. They finally put an Ace hardware in town and it opened this week. I found some copper rivets, a push snap, and I had some junk leather and put a sheath together for it. I wanted something small enough to pocket easily while keeping the back of the head open for any hammer-like jobs (stakes etc). The leather got a good soaking of Obenaufs oil as I don't want it to hold moisture. I may redo the sheath and put the snap on strap on the top vs the current bottom.

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I also grabbed one for myself and one for a friend a couple weeks after seeing the Wranglerstar video and a couple others.

I had to make 2 visits to find 2 that were straight-grained and hung straight without wood filler in the top. They had 6 or 7 each time. Regardless, for $13 and 20min of filing, sharpening, scraping the handle, and applying a few coats of BLO, this is perfect for the tool bag I keep in my truck.

I need to make a friction fit sheeth with some scrap kydex I have.
 

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tod0987 said:
Been messing with this one on and off. Ground the head taper down from factory convex to more flat to concave shape. Scrapped and sanded the finish off the handle and finished the head and handle with boiled linseed oil. They finally put an Ace hardware in town and it opened this week. I found some copper rivets, a push snap, and I had some junk leather and put a sheath together for it. I wanted something small enough to pocket easily while keeping the back of the head open for any hammer-like jobs (stakes etc). The leather got a good soaking of Obenaufs oil as I don't want it to hold moisture. I may redo the sheath and put the snap on strap on the top vs the current bottom.

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Nice job on the tool and sheath.
 
Nice work! I have one tossed in the trail tool kit in my jeep. I remember looking at it when I grabbed it and thinking the handle would clean up nice….I just never got around to it.
 
I just ordered the Amazon sheath @pirate posted. For $18, it’s not worth my time to make one out of kydex.
 
I got the Amazon leather sheath and gave it a handful of coats of BLO. It’s a perfect fit. The leather isn’t the highest grade (note blotchy section in middle) but it’s perfect for the application and should ride in my vehicle tool bag just fine.

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Heh!

Might as well go all out and sand/stain the handle to bring out the wood grain more!

Nice buy!
 
I watched the wrangler star video last night and had planned to go buy one of these today when I get off work. What a coincidence this thread was bumped the same day.
 
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