Why I Hate the Husqvarna 13" Hatchet-- Review

I really dislike this hatchet In spite of over 280 amazon reviews averaging 4.5 stars

http://amzn.to/1MzKPsV

Examining, feeling and handling this tool has resulted in a lot of expletives, brow furrowing and head shaking. This will be a fairly in-depth review of this hatchet.  That is the point.  It is the review I would’ve liked to have seen before buying it.  But there are other reasons to read this post besides deciding whether to buy this or not.  I will also touch on many points relevant to hatchet design, handles and use that are relevant to anyone interested in acquiring, restoring and using hatchets.  All of that relevant material will be covered elsewhere eventually, but it can be seen as something of a primer for some of the posts and videos to come in the future regarding the selection, care and use of hatchets.
I’m a huge hatchet fan.  I’m frequently shocked that some people I know, who very well ought to own a decent one, don’t own even a crappy one.   To be fair, some of them own large chopping type blades of some kind that serve similar purposes, but many don’t.  A good chopping tool is indispensable to conducting a lifestyle that is very engaged with local resources, and to crafting and making stuff from raw wood without using power tools.  A basic woodworking toolkit to me is a hatchet, a knife, a saw an a rasp.  When it comes to reducing a chunk of wood to the rough shape you want to make something, hatchets are pretty awesome.  I don’t necessarily favor hatchets over all other options, that is a long standing debate, and entirely contextual, but they are great for certain things and very versatile.  I have been on the lookout for many years for a quality affordable new hatchet that I can recommend to people but sadly the subject of today’s review is not that hatchet.  There is a popular resurgence in axes and hatchets but at this point the majority of what’s out there in terms of reviews are still by inexperienced users.  As a result, there is not a whole lot of substantial well considered information to go on when researching this for purchase.  I looked at quite a few reviews of this hatchet before I bought it, but I’ve been generally disappointed at the lack of critical reviews on axes and hatchets in general and just didn’t find that much that was useful.  I found nothing at all like what this review will be, very critical with many points considered in the context of considerable experience.  
Keep in mind in this review that I have quite a lot of experience using hatchets.  I use them for carving, splitting, limbing, chopping and have packed them around a fair amount.  This experience spans over a long period of time, going on about 30 years.  I’ve owned and tried quite a few of them and just chopped my way through a lot of wood over the years, filing, restoring, breaking handles, re-handling, making mistakes.  I do not spend much time reading about hatchets and axes on forums or anywhere else unless I’m looking for something to buy or review.  It’s not a hobby, it’s an extension of my interests and lifestyle.  I expect certain things from a hatchet and it has to perform in my context and not limit me unnecessarily with it’s design or build quality.  I’m just running this design through my experience as a long time hatchet user who has developed opinions based on experience, which I am more inclined to trust than the majority opinion.  I know this hatchet gets a lot of good reviews.  It has over 280 reviews on amazon at an average of almost 4.5 stars.  There are people with websites and youtube channels who seem to have none of the gripes I have with it.  It is not my intent to disrespect anyone else’s opinion or experience just for the sake of it, or for the sake trying to be radical.  The truth is though that I think this design is lame and I feel it’s my duty to say so plainly with no punches pulled. 

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