The rawhide is a good detail, it will help to keep the hawk from cutting thru.
I personally would not carry one on a belt with out some kind of catch/holding system the one that is posted by Sligobill is one example!
I made one years ago that I carried on my trapline as a kid. It consisted of two metal rings, sewn into the bottom of the sheath. Just feed the strap from above, thru the top one and back thru the bottom ring and pull tight.
While if I were fighting Indians it might be just a tad slow to get too....! However I wasn't fighting off renegade Indians,I was trying to keep from getting a scar over my kidney like Rilfleman likes to refer too!speaks of! :stir: :grin:
Sometime practicality has to out way the need to be HC! :idunno: I never lost the hatchet and never got cut by it but, it sure was a handy item on the trapline!