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Is a hatchet or knife better for survival?

The most significant disadvantage of choosing a knife over a hatchet is simply the fact that it can't cut through wood as intensely as a hardy hatchet can. Although knives are praised for being agile and exact, hatchets are robust and powerful. This makes them the ideal choice for chopping logs and building shelter.

homesteadordead.com - Hatchet vs. Knife: Which Is Better for Survival? - Homestead or Dead

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You’re out in the wilderness, and you can only choose one – a knife or a hatchet. Most preppers swear by a sturdy knife for its light weight and portability. But a trusty hatchet, without a doubt, has some advantages you’d be sorry to go without! Both are crucial tools to have on hand during a survival situation, which is why this perplexing question continues to keep preppers up at night.

So, which is the winner? Let’s weigh the pros and cons of each before deciding, shall we?

Hatchets are sweet survival tools that double as nifty weapons. After all, if they’re good enough to be Rick Grimes’ weapon of choice, they’re good enough for us.

One quick question before we let the benefits commence, though. What’s the difference between an ax and a hatchet?

Well, for starters, an ax is heavier and has a handle about twice as long as a hatchet. A hatchet can do almost everything an ax can. But it’s shrunken down into a fun-size model. This bite-size tool, which is primarily used for cutting wood and chopping trees, weighs about three pounds on average. Before you get turned off by its rather hefty weight and size though, trust us when we say you get what you carry when it comes to a hatchet!

Hatchets Are Great for Chopping Down Trees

One of the most significant advantages of carrying a hatchet over a knife is that you can chop down a small tree and have a fire or shelter up and running in no time. If you have fire and a good old hatchet to cut you some wood, you can survive self-sufficiently with no problem.

Hatchets Let You Smash Things With a Hammer!

Another function of a hatchet that comes in handy is its ability to double as a hammer. Whether you’re pounding a stake into the ground or cracking some nuts, a hatchet can be useful. Sure, the end of a knife could serve as a hammer too, but let’s be real. It wouldn’t yield the same results or be quite as forceful.

Hatchets Enable You To Engage in Some Rough Wood-working

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Hatchets can also make great woodworking tools if used properly. Of course, they aren’t going to be as precise as a knife. Still, if you’ve got a sharp hatchet in hand, it can certainly get the job done, whether you’re making a spear or fashioning wood into any other basic geometric shape.

Hatchets Are Perfect For Self-Defense

Aside from hatchets being a survival tool, they also make for great self-defense weapons.

After all, there’s got to be a reason why ax-throwing bars are all the rage nowadays. Probably because no one wants to mess with a hatchet-throwing psychopath. Can anyone say, “here’s Johnny”?

Disadvantages of a Hatchet

Okay, it’s fun to point out all the positives. But what are some of the warnings worth knowing before picking up a hatchet for your bug-out bag?

Hatchets Can Weigh You Down

We already touched on this one, but hatchets weigh about three pounds on average. This can be intimidating to people who aren’t looking to hike with a lot of weight. Luckily, we live in an age where tools are improving and becoming more lightweight than ever. Believe it or not, some brands out there are carrying hatchets that weigh about half of the aforementioned average size.

For example, check out this 1.7lb hatchet by Estwing!

The truth is, though, even at 1.7lbs, the best hatchets could weigh more than your standard survival knife and can significantly slow you down if you’re in a hurry or out of shape.

Final Thoughts on Hatchets

All in all, hatchets are worth considering over a knife for one reason alone: its ability to quickly chop wood single-handedly. However, a hatchet’s cumbersome weight is something to consider. And don’t forget the fact that it’s unable to provide the same precision as a knife. If you decide to carry a hatchet over a knife, opt for a high quality, lightweight one if possible. Survival knives are knives whose sole purpose is to help you survive in the wilderness. If you’ve ever come into contact with a military man, outdoorsmen, hunter, or hiker — or you, yourself fall into one of those categories — you’re probably used to seeing a survival knife on hand.

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Why? Because these knives are designed to (hopefully) help you outlive and escape any negative situations or environments.

Knives Are Nice and Light

A survival knife is often favored over a hatchet for one major reason, its weight. Average survival knives weigh around 12 ounces and vary in length from 10 – 20 cm depending on the type of blade you choose. Its small and light size makes it an easy, portable tool for the average traveler.

Knives Are Great for Skinning Animals

When you inevitably need to hunt and cook meat over a fire, you’ll want a tool that can make precise cuts, all while being strong enough to chop through thick tendons and bones.

This is where a survival knife can once again come in handy.

A hatchet may work for dealing with larger animals like deer. But you’ll want a knife to make precise cuts on small animals like fish, rabbits, and squirrels.

Knives Are a Good First-Aid Tool

If you or someone you know gets hurt, a small blade like a knife is a must. Whether it’s removing an item lodged under the skin, piercing a blister, or cutting a shirt as a makeshift bandage, the accuracy of a blade over a bulky hatchet can make all the difference.

Knives Are Nifty Fire Starters

With the right technique, a batoning knife can cut through wood and create fine shavings used to start fires. Some blades can also double as a kindling knife with magnesium inside to easily strike against your fire starter.

Learn how to baton wood like a boss in the video below!

homesteadordead.com - Hatchet vs. Knife: Which Is Better for Survival? - Homestead or Dead

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