Hey, I lucked out and got a Woodsman's Pal for Christmas. I have looked at these for years but could never justify the cost. Nice tool, but I'm trying to figure out a bunch of details, so so I'm looking for advice from people who own them.

I like the short length and the heft. This makes it a N.Am. hatchet more than a jungle machete. The factory angle is very large, again more hatchet than machete. Do you keep that angle? Does the steel hold the kind of edge you want with that angle?

I love the handle, the angles, and the rounded corners on the guard. Whoever designed this has gone out and actually chopped wood, evaluated their blisters, and made adjustments. Bravo! But what do you use to seal the leather handle against moisture? I'm thinking spray silicone, by the gallon. And maybe then wrapping with pure Canadian hockey tape for luck and gription?

BTW, I have a boatload of machetes (Ontarios) and as for axes, I have genuinely lost count. I sharpen my own, and with antique axes/hatchets, I haft my own, and do so for others. So I'm looking for some specific advice and experience re the WP.

Finally, would it be obscene to put a bright red racing stripe on each side of the blade? Paint, I mean. It's awfully easy to lose a tool this size in brush and snow.