I'm talking Hatchet swinging and Machete slashing... Gotta get this in before @sec_monkey shuts this down... As a result of Florence there has ben a number of things that have needed to be cut back.. I have wild grape vines and cat briars surrounding my AO... Unfortunately when a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it due to the storm... the wife still wants it removed... I have had the distinct pleasure of using First a Bear small axe / cutting tool And a Trench Hawk. I was lucky enough to purchase this pair from @Bear notice the fine lines and more importantly the finger grooves near the head... Bear "Fun", "Jungle" Tools, Ideas and Special / Member Projects The bear small axe is a handy tool it is a little large for a standard hatchet and a little smaller than my canoe axe. It fits nicely in the niche between axe and hatchet the longer handle makes it swing and cut with more authority than hatchet or a tomahawk. The Head is all Bear, the handle is pure cold steel... I have used the bear small axe with and without the handle. it is usable to handle assorted camp chores.. in addition to cutting branches and small trees it can be used like a small cleaver for food preparation and as a knife for what I would call gross cutting... it will not allow you to carve a face in a piece of wood but can cut a fuzz stick... (the lower edge has been sharpened to allow this...) over all this is my favorite bug out tool.. Pros: It's Bear built and stronger than most other tools that I gave like this The edge is extremely hard and takes a while to sharpen but really holds it's edge. The handle is nigh indestructible.. ad can be easily replaced with two screws for a fast replacement. the hammer pall while a little narrower than most single bit axes saves weight when you are carrying it while allowing you to use it as a hammer when necessary. The ability to remove it from the handle and use it for other camp tasks is a plus. Cons It is a Bear blade so it is a custom job... I'm not sure Bear is making any more (I think there were a total of 4? made) When splitting wood the bit is narrower than a standard hatchet/axe so unless it is seasoned wood it is a little more work. It is a well tempered steel and as a result it take longer to sharpen some of the cheaper files don't seem to remove any steel. If you have one every one in the area wants to try it out. (might be a pro if you pull a Tom Sawyer) Over all if I needed a small axe for a survival/bug out situation, this is the one I go with... cuts wood like a dream and with the Cold Steel handle is just a little heaver than most tomahawks but with the balance well forward it supersedes any negatives... I also keep in in my Witch Doctor medical kit is I need to remove anything from a prospective patient WD @Brokor I'm still in.....
@Hanzo Sec Monkey is doing a IP swap sometime today... The monkey may be down for a while... and there is a deadline set up by @Brokor to enter gear reviews to win his Kelly Kettle... That's why I was hustling to get this post in...