Good Question!!! Distinguishing to two is not difficult....
From a steel standpoint, Cold Steel used 5150 whereas ATC uses the original steel which Peter LaGana used in the 1960's, 1060 Spring Steel. 1060 is currently used in premium grade axes found at most higher end stores stocking felling axes and hatchets. Its toughness can't be beat and its history, tried and true.
Our information indicates that after the first few hundred Tomahawks were made, Cold Steel began manufactuing the Tomahawk overseas and made that known in their advertising.
ATC's steel is U.S. Steel, drop forged to shape here in the United States.
The hickory handle which ATC fits to each Tomahawk is fashioned from a template which we made from the original handles in 1966...straight tapered and flared at the butt.
The Cold Steel handles were similar, but not identical, and this is evident when
feeling the difference between the two.
The handle "eye" is also reveals a
SIGNIFICANT difference, as the Cold Steel specimens we examined were straight punched....in other words, no taper.
The new ATC Vietnam Tomahawk "eye" provides what we call a "Step Lock", where the upper dimension of the eye is larger than the lower half, separated by a small ledge or "step", over which the wedged hickory spreads and locks.
VERY VERY STRONG
Now, onto some easily visable differences...
Here is a pic of a stripped Cold Steel Vietnam Tomahawk Head and an original Vietnam Tomahawk, made in 1967 that was owned by Paul LaCross...(he tig welded a pipe onto the head for the handle making it permanent).
The viewable differences include:
1) The original Hawk sports five hand ground bevels whereas the Cold Steel has one, which is the primary cutting edge.
2) The Spike dimensions are sharply different...the Spike on the original VT has a point lower than center, for enhanced penetration on a chopping stroke and for what Peter referred to as the ability to "cut on the way OUT of a helmet", whereas the Cold Steel spike, while cleanly done, is smaller in dimension and more diamond like in its point.
3) The leading edge of the original VT sweeps gracefully up to a stark point, which Peter credited to its tremendous slashing capability, whereas the Cold Steel leading edge is somewhat abruptly ended and rounded off.
4) The Cold Steel manufacturing process for the head alone was probably marked by drop forging, flash grinding (cleaning the perimeter), heat treating, shot blasting, primary edge sharpening, then painting.
The ATC process includes a few extra steps...beyond grinding each of the five sharp cutting edges by hand, our heads go through a grinding process which applies a clean taper from the eye all the way out to the cutting edge and tip of the spike...in many cases, it removes any marks from the drop forging process. When we run it THIN, you can't even tell the Tomahawk was drop forged!
Our first few Tomahawks sport what we call Peter's "armor penetrating" grind, which allows the Hawk to crush through helmets and the like with no damage...subsequent Tomahawks will be a bit thinner.
5) ATC bakes its heads with a black, rust inhibitor....the original Heads, as well as that of Cold Steel, were painted in Olive Drab.
6) ATC stains its handles, so if chipped, they still remain non reflective, whereas paint chips and reveals a bright hickory interior.
7) ATC Vietnam Tomahawks include the finest sheath which can be found with a Tomahawk...made by Eagle Industries. The OD Green ambi sheath is an envelope style, made from triple layered, 1000 Denier Cordura, reinforced with webbing at the seems. The Caracci designed sheath is hot formed Hawk plastic covered in 1050 Denier Ballistic Nylon, and is worn on the belt with the handle UP!
Hope this helps!!!
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Andy Prisco,
Co-Founder, Manager
American Tomahawk Company
877-557-5200
http://www.americantomahawk.com
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[This message has been edited by Andy Prisco (edited 06-24-2001).]
