Hatchet
The Hatchet is a common blade melee weapon and multipurpose tool in DayZ. It can chop trees for Wooden Logs and Firewood, cut bushes for sticks, cut clothing into rags, open canned food with 20% to 40% food loss, and help build, dismantle, or destroy certain player-built fortifications.
Quick item summary
Quick answer
The Hatchet is one of the most useful compact tools in DayZ. It works as a light axe-style melee weapon, but its real value comes from construction, wood gathering, survival crafting, and base-building actions.
In-game description
“Single-handed bladed tool with a hammer head on one side. Except for chopping wood, it has a wide array of uses.”
Main Uses
- Build base structures like fences and watchtowers
- Dismantle certain player-built fortifications
- Completely destroy certain player-built fortifications
- Cut clothing into rags
- Open canned food with 20% to 40% food loss
- Cut shrubs and bushes for sticks
- Chop down trees for Wooden Logs and Firewood
- Use as a blade melee weapon
- Repair with a Sharpening Stone
How to use this item
Chop wood
Use the Hatchet to chop trees for Wooden Logs and Firewood.
- Equip the Hatchet.
- Find a valid tree.
- Use the chop wood action.
- Collect the Wooden Logs or Firewood.
Use in base building
The Hatchet can be used during base construction, especially for fences and watchtowers.
- Equip the Hatchet near a compatible base-building structure.
- Use the build action when available.
- Continue construction with the required materials.
Dismantle fortifications
Use the Hatchet to dismantle certain player-built fortifications.
- Equip the Hatchet.
- Approach a compatible player-built structure.
- Use the dismantle action when available.
Destroy fortifications
The Hatchet can completely destroy certain player-built fortifications, but destroyed structures do not return materials.
- Equip the Hatchet.
- Approach a compatible player-built fortification.
- Use the destroy action when available.
Cut rags
Use the Hatchet to cut clothing into rags.
- Place clothing in your hands or on the ground.
- Equip or combine the Hatchet.
- Use the cut into rags action.
Cut sticks
Use the Hatchet to cut shrubs and bushes for sticks.
- Equip the Hatchet.
- Find a bush or shrub.
- Use the cut sticks action.
- Collect the sticks.
Open canned food
The Hatchet can open canned food, but some food will be spilled.
- Hold the canned food or the Hatchet.
- Combine the Hatchet with the can.
- Open the can and expect 20% to 40% food loss.
Repair the Hatchet
Use a Sharpening Stone to repair a damaged Hatchet.
- Place the Hatchet in your hands or inventory.
- Combine it with a Sharpening Stone.
- Repair it until it reaches a better condition state.
How to get Hatchet
- Search farm areas.
- Search villages.
- Check sheds, barns, garages, houses, workshops, and rural buildings.
- Loot players or bases where survival tools are stored.
Spawn info
- • The Hatchet is listed as a common item found in farm and village locations.
- • It is one of the most useful early-game tools because it supports wood gathering, base building, crafting, and emergency melee combat.
Crafting and item conversions
Used in recipes
3 Short Sticks
Result: 3 Short Sticks
Craft 3 Short Sticks using Firewood and Hatchet.
View crafting guideImportant notes
- The Hatchet is both a blade melee weapon and a multipurpose tool.
- It can chop trees for Wooden Logs and Firewood.
- It can cut bushes and shrubs for sticks.
- It can cut clothing into rags.
- It can open canned food, but spills 20% to 40% of the food.
- It can be used to construct fences and watchtowers.
- It can dismantle or destroy certain player-built fortifications.
- Destroying fortifications with the Hatchet does not return materials.
- The butt-end of the Hatchet functions like a hammer for some construction tasks.
- The Hatchet can be repaired with a Sharpening Stone.