Hatchets
The word ‘hatchet’, which comes from the French word ‘Hachette’, is used to describe a striking tool which can be used single handedly, for the purpose of cutting or splitting wood. It is a combination of two tools, that is an axe and as well as hammer. Therefore, it consists of a sharp blade, (thus resembling an axe), as well as the head of a hammer (that usually weighs about five hundred to about one thousand five hundred grams.)
There are various kinds of hatchets one may choose from. The most common ones are the lathing hatchet, the carpenter’s hatchet, the shingling hatchet, the broad or the side hatchet, etc. These hatchets are different from each other in the sense that they may be different in size and more importantly the shape as well as the overall structure. The materials used for their manufacturing also vary greatly, depending on the use of the hatchet.
The way the different parts of the hatchet are fixed also differs from hatchet to hatchet. The quality of these hatchet depend on the various essential factors that may be required to be taken care of for making a perfect hatch suitable for a particular job. Also, what may be good for one hatchet may be a disadvantage for the other. For example, while it is essential for a carpenter’s hatchet to have a head that has Kent pattern, an ideal side or broad hatchet has such a head that not only contains the Kent pattern but also has one side of it sharpened.
Hatchets can be used for serving various purposes. For example hatchets like the carpenter’s hatchets, or the so called ‘half hatchets’, can be used for general needs. However, in case of lath, flooring, and the shingling hatchets, the use is much more job specific. They can only be used for serving special purposes, such as installing drywall, or the gypsum boards, or laying the hardwood floors, etc.
While purchasing a hatchet, one should be able to determine its quality on the basis of steel quality, (used at the head of the hatchet), the material used for the handle, the type of sharpening, tempering and the style of attachment used.
