I have an Estwing hatchet with the pressed leather handle. It's very, very soft steel. It's on the level of lawn mower blade in softness. I sharpen everything on a big belt sander that I make knives on. If you've got it why not use it right? So you've got to slow way down on the Estwing because material just goes away. I have to say I got a Gransfors Small Forest Ax for Christmas and it is night and day different. I would not use it as a digging tool though. I have a very old yard sale ax that I welded a crack in and shaped the head like a Husdon Bay Ax and stuck on a Boy's ax handle. It goes everywhere with me and I cut roots out of the dirt with it. It is much harder than the Estwing. I can't recommend an ax I don't have but I can tell you the Estwing I have is very soft.
A little fireman's ax would serve as an ax and a digging tool.
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