Mizuno Hatchet Warikomi 100mm w/Cover - Curved Wood Handle

Forged in Sanjo, Niigata, one of Japan’s great metalworking towns, this hatchet comes from Mizuno Seisakujo, a family smithy that has been making edged tools since 1937. Mizuno started out forging replacement blades for Japanese wood planes. Today their axes and hatchets are some of the most respected in Japan, valued by woodworkers, carvers, and campers alike.

The head is made using the traditional warikomi method. A core of hard carbon steel is forged into a body of softer iron. The hard steel at the edge takes a keen, long-lasting edge, while the softer iron around it absorbs shock and makes the head tough and forgiving under heavy use. It’s the same thinking behind a great Japanese kitchen knife, scaled up for the woodpile.

With a 100mm edge, this hatchet is compact, nimble, and easy to control. It’s ideal for splitting kindling, light camp work, and carving, and it’s balanced so you can choke up close to the head for finer work. The head is mounted on a curved oak handle and comes with a leather sheath.

Like all carbon steel tools, it will develop a patina over time. Wipe it dry after use and give the head a light coat of oil, and it will serve you for decades.

Specifications

• Maker: Mizuno Seisakujo, Sanjo, Japan
• Construction: Warikomi (carbon steel core, soft iron body)
• Core steel: S45C carbon steel (approx. 0.45% carbon)
• Hardness: HRC 55–56
• Edge length: 100mm
• Handle: 315mm Curved Oak
• Weight: 870g