Making a Scout Hatchet for My Daughter

Today in the shop, I am restoring and re-handling a Plumb “National” pattern Scout Hatchet for my daughter, who is a Girl Scout. I pulled it from its old handle, wire wheeled all the surface rust off, and cleaned up and chamfered the pole on the grinder.
Next, I dug into my Osage Orange bow stave stash to find the “best” one for making into a new hatchet handle. I found a short one, that would be the least ideal for making into a bow, and cut a length off for the handle. I cut and shaped it enough to put it in the vise to shape and fit it to the axe eye. Then I final-shaped the handle, set in a black walnut wedge, and trimmed and beveled the top of handle, sitting proud of the hatchet eye.
I finished the end of the handle with a nice curve and bevel, put on a coat of boiled linseed oil, and finished with 1:1 oil/beeswax.
We took it out in the woods and put it to the test. “Mic drop” :)
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[@stacybamon6073]

Birth of a family heirloom. I can just see your daughter handing it down to future generations, with the words "Take care of it your grandpa made that". A job well done.

[@cephasmcpher67peteroutdoorspip]

I think you just won the "Best Dad" award! Beautiful work as always.

[@AleksanderJanus.]

It's true. ;DDD

[@anikethanhathwar2716]

I hope when I have a kid I can do something like this for them

[@JavierChiappa]

I guess the important part is not just the object per se, but the knowledge of how to make it. So no matter if you lose it/break it/get stolen you can make another one. Once you know how to make something, you basically have infinite amounts of that item.

[@darrenbowers3267]

You did a amazing job! What a special gift for your daughter she will treasure it for the rest of her life. Darren

[@thomaswarren222]

This has turned into one of those channels I watch where I hit the thumbs up as soon as the video starts. love it!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

🙏🙏🙏

[@davidduvall4655]

Excellent work, what i liked was the fact you didn't make it into a piece of artwork like some do. Its a tool to be used again excellent work.

[@radnazona3979]

Since you are not often, we go back and watch some old and favorite videos, especially family ones like this one. Beautiful, simple.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

As always, thank you.

[@radnazona3979]

@@TheArtofCraftsmanship Shoot my friend, just shoot. You have a huge charisma, a little energy may be missing and time, but I think people are missing. Nice greetings from Serbia. Marko

[@ronitsingh85]

man the curves in the handle just complement the roundness of the plumb axe so well. so nice!

[@larryligget628]

Really nice job, and an item your daughter will cherish and pass down to her kids, too!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

I hope so!

[@salam.arabic.course]

Dude you’re an awesome dad. Can’t wait till my girls reach the age that I can make them a hatchet 😊

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Yes! Your girls will love it, thanks for watching!

[@jackknows6509]

There is little that is more satisfying than to make something for your child and them to be proud of it. Great job!!!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

True true 🙏🙏

[@MattMadeIt123]

Cool project. I restored a Plumb axe for a buddy of mine a few months ago. He brought it with him when he moved from Minnesota to California many years ago. Keeping old memories alive and creating new ones.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Right on. I love restoring old beauty’s, and I really love giving them to people who I know will appreciate them.

[@kevinaguilar5482]

Dad of the year award! Great job sir

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks🙏

[@aaronwarner2762]

An heirloom for sure. Not to wish time to go by, but I'm sure that will be the first hatchet for generations to come. I have a beauty of a scar on my index finger from my first hatchet. What a lesson learned (by a 6 year old, yeah dumb dad)! Don't hold what your chopping. Perfect channel name!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you Aaron🙏. Yeah, I’ve got some good ones too (and so does my daughter, lol😬)

[@jacobopstad5483]

I love it! What a great way to pass on something amazing to your daughter.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Jacob.

[@philmulrooney7020]

Very few jobs as satisfying as hanging an Axe👍

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

I 100% agree.

[@Traderjoe]

What an awesome little hatchet! Elegant and streamlined shape. Lucky girl!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Trader.

[@taranscott155]

Fabulous - I made my daughter a Damascus axe with a cocobolo handle of around that size for her scouting (like you do) and she loved it, but ended up sneaking a Norlund axe instead that I brought back from Canada and restored... Top dad points for you and I wish your daughter many happy adventures and memories with her 'new' axe :)

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks B! I’d love to see a pic of that damascus axe.

[@daviddeupree7707]

Thanks man that is awesome 👌 I did one for my son last year its a norlund voyager he loves to take it camping. Anyway thanks again and all the best from Northern California

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Dave. A Voyager is a nice axe! Lucky kid😁

[@bobsundquist2039]

A Plumb National pattern for a couple bucks at a yard sale. The was a steal.

[@ztiera]

Beautiful axe, she'll cherish it forever. My dad taught me to check for sharpness by gently holding the blade edge against my thumb nail to see if it will bite or slide.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

That’s a great way to test.

[@egbluesuede1220]

nice hatchet and a beautiful gift for your daughter. That reminds me....I have a few plumbs that need new handles and a chunk of osage in the shop that could be my next heirloom.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Do it!👍🏼

[@franko1372]

You Sir, are for sure, "A Master Craftsman" ......Outstanding Job!!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you Frank

[@m0unstr0]

That is a great gift, I bet it helps her a lot on her cookie sales

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Haha don't mess with the girl with the Axe.

[@gud2go50]

Man, I am so proud of you and your family. God Bless you all.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Doug

[@gud2go50]

The love you put into that hatchet makes me cry. I wish my Dad loved me that much.

[@cpsencik04]

Fan-Dam-tastic! Love your videos for so many reasons

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Lol, thanks. I love that “Fan-Dam-tasitc” I’m gonna have to steal it from you 😂

[@rolandbates6978]

A work of art by a true craftsman!!!

[@Miguel_ON65]

Hi Dustin! What a wonderful job and more if you know the final destination of that work. Congratulations for your job and your daughter whom I am sure is very proud of her father. Greetings from Madrid Dustin, take care.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you Miguel! I always appreciate your kind words.

[@lloydtrotter4057]

Good Dad👍👍👍

[@axemanmike4390]

Beautiful axe! Beautiful video! Great inspiration!! Greetings from Salem, Oregon USA 🇺🇸 🌲 🌲🌲🌲

[@adrianlouviere7650]

thank you

[@mikemeinders6717]

That's a great hatchet glad to see you make it for your daughter ..

[@paullambert4445]

I loved your video. I just restored a Plumb from 1944 that I found at my mother and father-in-law’s house in a bin of old rusted hammers. I also found a 50 year old haft and rehung it with a nice vintage piece of wood. Thanks for sharing your wonderful skills with us! 28:39

[@labrat7357]

Thanks for the video, I enjoyed watching. There is one safety tip my grandmother passed on to me about 50 years ago and I hope you will pass on to your daughter. It is to be aware of miss strikes and the path the axe will follow after the strike. eg splitting wood on a chopping block, a lot of people automatically place the wood in the middle of the block, WRONG! place the wood to the rear of the block so the follow through ends up in the top of the block and not in your daughters leg. all the best.

[@diy-hyrum9842]

So happy to see someone appreciate the mighty Shinto rasp! My favorite of all the rasps I own.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

It’s a true pleasure to use. I’m not sure why it took me so long to start using one. I use one a few time in college, but some how managed to forget about it. My uncle sent me this one a year or so ago and it’s awesome!

[@patho279]

Hey again ! Nice job !!! I am as happy as you and with your result !

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you.

[@rebelyell2741]

Great restoration video. And a tool your daughter will treasure. I wish she was standing next to you learning how to do it.

[@seeingthepattern]

She looks fierce in that thumbnail!

[@seeingthepattern]

Outstanding! A fantastic handle. A real tool that your daughter clearly appreciates, and which will be in use for generations to come. True craftsmanship.

[@Person-uz5lw]

I'm the Dad of 3 girls (5, 6, and 8) and they absolutely love being in the woods too!! My 8 yo has been begging me to get her a hatchet but she's still a little too young and careless at the moment. One day though, for sure.

[@wesleytownsend8214]

They now allow girls to join BSA if you are interested. My boys were Eagle Scouts and my eldest grandsons has almost finished is Eagle Scout badge. My youngest grandson is going from cub scouts to Boy Scouts. I also have a granddaughter that is in BSA as well. We have a pretty poor Girl Scouts program here and since we live in the heart of the (Northern Arkansas & Southern Missouri) Ozarks, my grandkids absolutely love the outdoors, and grew up in the oak/pine forest behind our place. They camp outside in my woods almost every night when school is out, just like my sons did when they were younger. I think you have done a fantastic thing by crafting this hatchet for your daughter. As an electrical engineer I never had the tools to make anything like this. You are a great dad and I am sure you will be a great grandpa as well. I wish you good health, happiness and all the best to you and your family; present and future! Thank you for sharing!

[@jastimbal60]

Excellent job!

[@noexcuses6727]

It' very satisfying to watch you "make" things

[@skyjac92]

Excellent work! Very much looking forward to the leather sling video.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Mike! I’m excited to make it.

[@heikolang335]

Perfect timing on your side. I recently purchased a little hatchet whitch I plan to restore for my little one. Can‘t wait to see your leather mask.

[@rcompton]

Well done sir!!

[@magnumvarunp]

Loved it

[@Richard.357]

That was awesome. Thanks for sharing.

[@rustynail8484]

Beautiful job!!

[@garygraham2974]

That was awesome bro

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Gary

[@leeowen6723]

Absolutely love your channel man. Keep up the great work!!!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you Lee!

[@dustinlerch9272]

Well done!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Name twin😉.

[@ThousandTimesNo]

there's something soothing in this kind of activity. I hope i will be able to spend my retiremend years doing things like that.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Me too. 😁

[@codybunker6287]

I saw that you have a citizen watch just like mine. I remember hearing you say you wished the bezel wasn’t so shiny. I recently went over mine with a small file then cleaned up the scratches with different grits of sandpaper. Now the whole finish is the same on the whole watch. FYI 😁

[@klasjensgard2177]

Thanks man, you're a true inspiration ;)

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you.

[@sherwinpalacio3227]

Beautiful work!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Sherwin!

[@mikedkc]

Beautiful work. A labor of love.

[@bonesjr83]

Beautiful work

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you

[@johanpretoriussouthafrican1142]

Awesome man great to see this video! Huge respect

[@darrinrebagliati5365]

Beautiful!

[@arnenelson4495]

Excellent video, nice work!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you

[@cgraham9727]

Beautiful result! That is an awesome size as well.

[@Thundercat68]

Amazing work, and lasting memories. I didn't realize how tall she's getting.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

It’s crazy, right?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Nice job, Dustin! Beautiful hatchet!

[@bkohn]

Very well done! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@shawnwoods284]

You do BEAUTIFUL work sir!

[@GPenergyhealer]

Love it! Thank you for creating this content. I respect the Girl Scout programs! We were both scouts.

[@dougfairburn2037]

well done, thanks for the experience and ideas

[@tybertimus]

Lucky kid! New here, coming from the K-Tip challenge videos. The care that you put into everything is very apparent, and a step above.

[@johnbailey9682]

Looks like you did a great job . Something you kid will love . I have been teaching my grandkids my hobbies and they love it . Things you just don’t see much anymore .

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks John. Keeping the tradition of teaching craft alive👍🏼

[@DerekScottOHara]

Very nice!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you brother!

[@DuxLindy]

what a cool dad

[@doozerakapuckfutin]

Awesome job sir , absolutely awesome 👏 Especially the wedge when oiled really made it POP .

[@LibertyGarden]

Osage has beautiful grain.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

I agree!! So pretty

[@fredzehring3223]

Nicely done. Love it!

[@petebetancourt7374]

Very nice job beautiful X

[@valborchardt3596]

Greetings from South Africa, that handle looks great....lovely piece of wood i must say....take care

[@lawntofoodforest]

Beautiful job, can’t wait for the leatherwork

[@KeblerKookies]

I was just about to do this for my daughter, this is fricking awesome man 🤟

[@DougPalumbo]

Beautiful job!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks Doug!

[@davidcoats1037]

Perfect! 😃👌🏼

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks David

[@chuckanderson2581]

Well done 👍

[@probuilder961]

You're a great Dad.

[@larissagriffinbeckwith3026]

Beautiful job loved this vid

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks L&G!

[@HelloAdam_]

Incredible job, the hatchet turned out beautifully!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thank you

[@MrMisaKulicka]

Beautiful work, you did a cracking job with that wedge. Hope your daughter is enjoying using it!

[@theguywitheyebrows]

amazing work sir, as always. love that osage orange for a hatchet handle!! very nice work, i hope she builds much shelter and many fires with it.

[@shotgunner11]

That handle is stunning. GB has nothing on you man.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks. That’s quite a compliment.

[@scottsmith3477]

awesome handle

[@zacharywilliams6499]

Yaaaaassssss! Finally, some more axe content!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Lol, thanks Zac.

[@Aleeknives]

Excellent work! The handle shape is perfect! You have a great collection of axes there man!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Thanks brother.

[@jeroldrice7664]

Good times

[@fredbalster3100]

Nice!

[@lewiswereb8994]

Great axe restoration, but the best part of the story is the TOMBOY angle! Have two girls myself who were tomboys growing up. They make the best kind of girls and turn into the most ladylike of ladies.Told the older once that I was going to get her a nice mace sprayer for protection when she went to university at night. She said "Heck no, Dad, I want a .38!"

[@russellblankenship8164]

She should be pretty Proud of that great job

[@exzendar2523]

Hope she can tell the Story of that hatchet her grandchildren

[@edwardmartin4894]

Excellent timing..!!! I have managed to obtain another of that exact model hatchet.....and it desperately needs a new handle... I hope I can find a source of Osage Orange wood around here..(northern Maryland). Their are a few scattered trees here and there out on the backroads here.. I grew up on a farm in southern Oklahoma and we had several nice stands of Osage Orange trees (for the occasional replacement fence post). I made my Dad a new pick handle using this wood in 1964.. He was still using it when they lost the farm to a tornado in May, 2016. I think one of my nephews now has the pick. Fantastic wood - it just takes a lot of time and elbow grease to work it...

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

That’s awesome! I’m in northern MD as well. My stash came from northern VA, where my in laws used to live. I stocked up when I had the chance, specifically for bow making, but this axe called for a unique handle 😉.

[@darrellchitwood9167]

I wish I lived in an area where hardwoods grow naturally. I have to buy all my wood. Nice assortment of sanders even representing Harbor Freight. I see your using sanders to shape the handle instead of rasps. The handle looks great.

[@jons2447]

Hello, Dustin; Nice job, real nice. I thought you might use a "Surform" 1/2-round for roughing in the handle. I just reshaped a Harbor Freight hatchet handle, used a new "Surform"to rough shape it. I don't have belt grinders/sanders, do most things by hand. (Not doing much now.) I' 66 so maybe 'old dog' syndrome. Have a GREAT day, Neighbor!

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

I like the Sureform. I have one and have used it lots of times, but I don’t have the half round. Maybe I’ll pick one up. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@joelkarlsson6726]

Nice one! By the way something Interesting, have a old hatchet head with an inlay of ”var redo” - ”be prepared” in swedish😊

[@neiracorominas]

Dear Dustin: 3:16 lol