you seem to be right: the hatchet won't go onto the back therefore i couldn't reproduce that issue with axe/hatchet.

can you provide us with any info on how this will be handled later on?

Hello joe_mcentire.
Did you test this with any other "minor" weapons? As machette is designed to fit into the back slot and therefore the behaviour you describe is correct.
Regards,
Geez

hi,
a design flaw - imo - or at least something that should be hinted in some form to the player (audio clue "drop loot"). i figure 19/20 players would not expect such a behavior.

something which is more or less from the same category is this:

• axe is in main melee slot
• walk up to tree
• cut off branch (branch now occupies main slot, because axe is now in hands)
• stow away axe via hotbar -> main slot is occupied -> axe is dropped

from the system which is implemented it makes perfect sense. from a players' pov it's completely counter-intuitive.
i would not expect to potentially lose my main melee weapon after i harvested a branch from a tree.

so i believe the reasonable thing in the axe-branch scenario would be to either
a. do not allow to stow away the melee from your hands via hotbar. the moment i press and realize nothing happens i probably try it another time and then actually look into my inventory
b. switch between the melee weapons: axe goes back into main slot and branch back into hands and vice versa

would be glad to hear opinions on that
cheers