An update on that condor hatchet -- I was able to inspect it in person at SHOT. In addition to the shortcomings you point out, the eyelet is too small to get enough wood in to withstand the impact force of a longer haft. The condor is pretty much a no-go as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks for the offer. For the time being, my experimentation is taking a different tack. "Someone" just sent me a very beautiful slightly modernized rendition of a traditional Bowie. This is by far the finest large knife I've ever had my hands on. In addition to being a superbly balanced fighter for "open combat" conditions (rondy attendees from last year will recognize that one), it should make an excellent large camp knife. I often think "cheechako" when I see a big knife on someone's person, but there are very experienced woodsman (bushcrafters mostly) who do advocate and use larger knives. Larger knives have also been a common fixture in many indigenous cultures for a long time. So, I'm going to spend some time living with this bowie and see how it shakes out for me instead of a light hatchet.