I like all of the secisions on the belt ax! They get the job done! I will have to get me some of these in the future! God speed to you Ben and your family! David Back.
That does good work for a package that weighs less than a pound. It is far from “worthless”. As a general purpose ,lightweight edged tool that functions as an effective defense weapon , It’s definitely better than a belt knife alone. It’s a good sized wood chisel on a stick that can act as a froe when making kindling from small branches. If one’s task is to fell and process a large white oak tree into fuel and lumber , it’s not the right tool for the job. If your just exploring afield, it’s handy and easy to carry. The only problem I can see with the small tools your showing, is people’s perceptions of them. I bet a primitive man would trade you a couple wives and a winter’s worth of mastodon meat for one of those and hold it as his most prized weapon and labor saving possession. Worthless? I don’t think so. If they were “worthless” ,they wouldn’t have been carried.
I use a very small axe myself for mostly tarp stakes. Was already used to chop kindling from firewood and to cut chickens in half while camping. Small head + small handle (just enough for the hand) I would describe the use as "everything where my knife will get damaged or takes to long"
They mostly used the light hatchet or hawk to cut saplings for poles for building half faced lean-to's and for cooking tripods and for breaking up squaw wood for camp-fires. To cut a pole you bend it over and strike at the bent spot. The blade will sink deep into the stressed fibers so it only takes a few strokes to cut through a sapling. There is very little need to cut big green trees. Use a full size axe for big jobs.
When I was a kid i used something like that for skinning game that my great uncle and I had trapped or hunted. Its got the same blade geometry as a skinning knife, but no point to ruin A valuable fur. We used em' on everything from weasels to elk and bear. They really come into their own when used on big game, but we'd case out any kinda fur bearing critters that we'd be trapping in the winter.
I that this one is below optimum tool size, but as you showed completely usable. I'd choose the one you demonstrated last time as a better balance between frequent chore use and occasional but life or death use as a weapon.
Good stuff, Ben. I was at a shoot once and saw a guy whose belt axe blade was just over an inch. It had a squared pole...kind of Meig's-like. He used it as a throwing hawk, but also for setting "tent" stakes. I doubt it weighed even as much as your example. He was good with it, but I'm guessing the average guy would find it tough to use. IMO- the heft and sharpness of the head is what makes it a good cutter.
Hey Ben, Jack Weeks here. I have enjoyed your on facets of our early times. Beautiful jobs on the guns you have shown. My bag and leather work has slowed down quite a bit, but still doing. Hunts and treks have gotten slower not too intense. Rick is still screaming horns. I think went to 2 shows down state. Seems like Bidenomics may have slowed his business... maybe. I hope you are well. Jack
Hi Ben, I carried a little axe, that Bill Reynolds made, for years and found it useful. It fell out of my bag at Ft. Meigs and the guy that found it wouldn't give it back. So he apparently thought it was useful also.
If I was an American Soldier during the Revolution and having to walk everywhere while carrying a pack plus a rifle that probably weighed around 15 pounds , I would want everything as light as possible but still capable of doing the same thing as a larger one the larger one's . l live in Michigan and we get very humid weather in the summer plus some day's over 90 degrees and the winters can be brutal especially in Northern Michigan at both of the Fort's there , so again I would choose the smaller lighter axe for sure.
@@HoffmanReproductions that's a really light little belt axe. The only thing I have in that range are old Vaughn mini hatchets. I'd say it performs well for its weight and size.
Today, with so many options, everything is a compromise. Do you want to carry a heavier axe and leave something else out of your kit, or carry a lighter axe and add another item for the same weight of pack ? There's no perfect choice, only what you think is best for you. All of the pompous arguments for one or the other are just egocentric BS.
Explain your expert reasoning on yer statement please…….feel free to reveal your experience and direct first hand knowledge regarding this exact hatchet .
Not to mention that frontier men - settlers, soldiers, trappers and explorers etc probably all had to travel light through rough terrain and to escape danger quickly also I’m sure that steel was more valuable and harder to mass produce pre Industrial Revolution
I like all of the secisions on the belt ax! They get the job done! I will have to get me some of these in the future! God speed to you Ben and your family! David Back.
Looks like it would make a fine tool for processing deer (rib cage, tenons, etc.) in camp, kindling, pounding stakes…
Cool little axe…I have a cold steel of a like pattern and find it very useful
Thank you! Nice! I have heard good things about cold steel axes
That does good work for a package that weighs less than a pound. It is far from “worthless”.
As a general purpose ,lightweight edged tool that functions as an effective defense weapon ,
It’s definitely better than a belt knife alone. It’s a good sized wood chisel on a stick that can act as a froe when making kindling from small branches.
If one’s task is to fell and process a large white oak tree into fuel and lumber , it’s not the right tool for the job. If your just exploring afield, it’s handy and easy to carry.
The only problem I can see with the small tools your showing, is people’s perceptions of them.
I bet a primitive man would trade you a couple wives and a winter’s worth of mastodon meat for one of those and hold it as his most prized weapon and labor saving possession.
Worthless? I don’t think so. If they were “worthless” ,they wouldn’t have been carried.
Hoffman Practical
I use a very small axe myself for mostly tarp stakes.
Was already used to chop kindling from firewood and to cut chickens in half while camping.
Small head + small handle (just enough for the hand)
I would describe the use as "everything where my knife will get damaged or takes to long"
They mostly used the light hatchet or hawk to cut saplings for poles for building half faced lean-to's and for cooking tripods and for breaking up squaw wood for camp-fires.
To cut a pole you bend it over and strike at the bent spot. The blade will sink deep into the stressed fibers so it only takes a few strokes to cut through a sapling. There is very little need to cut big green trees. Use a full size axe for big jobs.
Good morning from Syracuse NY brother and thank you for sharing this subject
Morning! Thank you and your most welcome Earl.
@@HoffmanReproductions my friend and I have shared your video with other people who shoot black powder also
When I was a kid i used something like that for skinning game that my great uncle and I had trapped or hunted. Its got the same blade geometry as a skinning knife, but no point to ruin A valuable fur. We used em' on everything from weasels to elk and bear. They really come into their own when used on big game, but we'd case out any kinda fur bearing critters that we'd be trapping in the winter.
I that this one is below optimum tool size, but as you showed completely usable. I'd choose the one you demonstrated last time as a better balance between frequent chore use and occasional but life or death use as a weapon.
Good stuff, Ben. I was at a shoot once and saw a guy whose belt axe blade was just over an inch. It had a squared pole...kind of Meig's-like. He used it as a throwing hawk, but also for setting "tent" stakes. I doubt it weighed even as much as your example. He was good with it, but I'm guessing the average guy would find it tough to use. IMO- the heft and sharpness of the head is what makes it a good cutter.
Thank you! Very true! I think much under this size shown here, would not be much good as a tool.
light and could be used on a trap line . as traps are heavy , less to drag around .
Hey Ben,
Jack Weeks here. I have enjoyed your on facets of our early times. Beautiful jobs on the guns you have shown. My bag and leather work has slowed down quite a bit, but still doing. Hunts and treks have gotten slower not too intense.
Rick is still screaming horns. I think went to 2 shows down state. Seems like Bidenomics may have slowed his business... maybe.
I hope you are well. Jack
Hi Jack! Hope you are well. Thank you for watching and hope things pick up for you. All the best, Ben
Hi Ben, I carried a little axe, that Bill Reynolds made, for years and found it useful. It fell out of my bag at Ft. Meigs and the guy that found it wouldn't give it back. So he apparently thought it was useful also.
Hello! Sounds like a nice axe. Very low of the other guy not returning to you…
Thanks!
Size does not matter
Do you want the willow tree if not iam burnin it for wast
Thank you for the offer! Would have to pass. Thanks again!
If I was an American Soldier during the Revolution and having to walk everywhere while carrying a pack plus a rifle that probably weighed around 15 pounds , I would want everything as light as possible but still capable of doing the same thing as a larger one the larger one's . l live in Michigan and we get very humid weather in the summer plus some day's over 90 degrees and the winters can be brutal especially in Northern Michigan at both of the Fort's there , so again I would choose the smaller lighter axe for sure.
Anything is better than nothing, is what I always say
Ben where can I get those reproduction glasses that you wear?
@@Odawa Got them about 20 years ago through James Townsend & Son Company.
Ok thanks
Is that 12oz overall or just head weight?
@@MJGEGB overall.
@@HoffmanReproductions that's a really light little belt axe. The only thing I have in that range are old Vaughn mini hatchets. I'd say it performs well for its weight and size.
I though it did pretty good for a little guy too. Thank you!
i have two
faster in cleaning game
Today, with so many options, everything is a compromise. Do you want to carry a heavier axe and leave something else out of your kit, or carry a lighter axe and add another item for the same weight of pack ? There's no perfect choice, only what you think is best for you. All of the pompous arguments for one or the other are just egocentric BS.
I feel a small axe and large knife are both competing for the same job. A kukri, parang, or golok can also do light chopping.
This is a cheap fake.
@@svernwarunos546 Nope, tis neither cheap nor fake. Made by my own hand, coming with a lifetime guarantee to the person that just bought it.
Explain your expert reasoning on yer statement please…….feel free to reveal your experience and direct first hand knowledge regarding this exact hatchet .
@@k9six185 Whoops! Forgive me for the mix up!
@@HoffmanReproductions my comment was to the cheep fake guy also……I believed you from the get…..
@@k9six185 Whoops! My apologies!
Not to mention that frontier men - settlers, soldiers, trappers and explorers etc probably all had to travel light through rough terrain and to escape danger quickly also I’m sure that steel was more valuable and harder to mass produce pre Industrial Revolution