“A kukri works far better than any hatchet and is even comparable to a good axe for cutting wood or felling a tree. It would be interesting to carry it on my belt and see what the reaction would be.”
I’ve got a couple I brought back from Nepal. One was made by a smith near Phuplu in the Himalayas and the other was a reproduction military Kukri from Kathmandu. I used the mountain Kukri around the farm (it’s about 14”) to trim branches and it’s fearsome. It’s easy to sharpen (carbon steel) and stays deadly sharp. It just works great and slices through limbs like butter. The Sherpas showed me the correct way to draw it out in case it sliced right through the sheath. They don’t revere their Smiths like we do here.
Mine was made in India and is also carbon steel and sharpens easily. It’s razor sharp and yes it deals with branches like no one’s business. The sheath has fared well so far and hasn’t suffered any damage from the blade. It is a little awkward to unsheath with the belt loop designed the way it is. I have thought about adding a thigh strap to the lower end like a six gun rig has. That would make hiking with it less comfortable though.