a review: the schrade survival hatchet. @schradeknives #scaxe2 #tools #overland #adventure
A Review: The Schrade SCAXE2
Function and Design:
The Schrade Survival Hatchet or SCAXE2, is definitely one of those tools that you will be glad to have on hand. As you would imagine from a company like Schrade this is a solid hatchet, it comes in a variety of colors and sizes as well. That way you and your buddies can each get one and you won’t have to worry about getting them mixed up. There is a solid black version, one with an orange handle and one has a green grip. There is also a larger version the Survival Axe or SCAXE2L, it has a nylon sheath and is slightly bigger for larger jobs. I have the SCAXE2G, the “G” indicates that it has the green grip, what I really like about this is that the handle is phosphorescent so it glows in the dark. This is helpful when you’re looking for it after dark because you can’t seem to remember exactly where you laid it down, haha, not that I have ever done that.
I like the design of this hatchet as well, its slightly curved handle and head offer great cutting power for its size. It feels very ergonomic in my hand when using it and I have not felt any hot spots yet either. The grip is rubberized and it doesn’t feel like it will come sliding out of your hand when you’re chopping away on wood for the fire. It also comes with a plastic sheath for the hatchets' head that protects the blade and has a belt loop and grommets on it for carrying it on your waist or lashing to a pack. It is compact as well and can be easily carried in a pack or in your vehicle.
Overland Applications:
We use the survival hatchet and axe on a regular basis, you will usually find one of them laying around just waiting for its next task. It has proven to be a great tool for fire starting at the camp site while out on our overland adventures. It has a built in ferro rod that is about 4 inches long which is a good size because it throws a lot of sparks, it tucks neatly into the handle of the hatchet for quick access and you will always know where it is when you need it. The head is stainless steel so you don’t have to worry if it gets wet it will resist rusting quite nicely. It also has a hammer pommel on one end so that you can drive tent or awning stakes into hard ground, or work on your drawer slide should it need a tap or 2 to keep the latch working properly. It is great for chopping up kindling and even slightly larger chunks for the fire. If you ever run into us on the road ask to see one and I bet that we pull out several for you to check out.
Day to Day Applications:
The day to day applications are also abundant as well. I have taken this hatchet hiking on the trails with me as I like to go out and look for my own fat wood for fire starting. It does a good job dissecting the wood as it can be quite dense at times! I have used it a good bit to start fires, I will admit I have had slightly more success using the blade to get the ferro rod to spark than on the spine where the fire emblem is. Although that could just be due to some of the coating not being scraped off well…I plan to test this further. The Survival Hatchet also pretty much lives in my 2008 Toyota Tacoma when I am not out on an overland trip. I think it is a handy tool to keep with you, just in case, because you never know what can happen or when you may need it!
Final Thoughts:
This is one bad ass hatchet, I continue to be impressed by its usefulness and feel that it will last me for years to come. We have several that we take out on the trail and all of them get use on a regular basis. If you’re looking for a reliable tool for your trips I highly recommend the Schrade Survival Hatchet or Axe they won’t disappoint.
Thanks again Schrade for hooking us up with these awesome products, and for being one of our team sponsors for the 2015 season! Look for more reviews to come, and if you're interested in the Survival Hatchet or any other Schrade product check out the links throughout this blog post. The SCAXE2 runs around $57 dollars on the website.
Cheers
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