Appreciation post: my $12 hatchet handle beats my old fiberglass one for cutting rope underwater

Wesley Young · 2026-10-01T23:20:03.822627+00:00

Last week I was doing a quick job on a bridge pier in Gulfport and my fiberglass hatchet handle snapped right at the collar while I was cutting some old poly line. My backup was a cheap wooden handle hatchet I bought for $12 at a hardware store in Biloxi, and I figured it would be a one-and-done. Turns out that wooden handle bit into the rope way better than the fiberglass ever did, and it floated just enough that I didn't lose it when I dropped it in the murk. I used it for the rest of the job and the edge held up fine after a quick file. Has anyone else noticed that cheap wooden handles actually work better than the fancy composite ones for wet rope work?

Vivisector

Loading…

Appreciation post: my $12 hatchet handle beats my old fiberglass one for cutting rope underwater | Commercial Divers - Vivisector