Best Argument for Tommy

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campandtravel

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What is your best argument for carrying a Tomahawk vs. a Machete or larger "chopper" knife? Assuming it has to be one or the other for some reason.
 
A tomahawk or a more useful regular belt axe ?
I'd Choose a good hachet / belt axe or a boys axe over either two.

If it's even on the table that going to be because the situation will call for chopping and splitting, and that's what an axe is for.

A knife is a cutting or fighting tool, a machete is a brush / bush / vegetation clearing tool, and an axe is a wood processing tool.
 
campandtravel said:
What is your best argument for carrying a Tomahawk vs. a Machete or larger "chopper" knife? Assuming it has to be one or the other for some reason.
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100% depends on the context of use. What are you using it for, where, when, how are you transporting it there, and of the total range of tasks you're using it for, what is their ranked frequency, intensity, and duration? Without that information you're basically asking "what should I use--a screwdriver, hammer, or wrench?" without stating if you intend to use it on screws, nails, or nuts/bolts.
 
I make or modify hatchets to have tomahawk features and vice versa, because I like to. There’s no argument, it’s just what I do. I use them on screws, nails, nuts/bolts, and rivets, without permission from anybody.

I also use machetes, axes, brush hooks, chainsaws and gas powered weedeaters when I feel like it. Sometimes they’re the best tool for the job, sometimes they’re just what I choose to use that day.

I know, that’s not the question you asked, but it’s the answer I have.

Parker
 
Hickory n steel said:
A tomahawk or a more useful regular belt axe ?
I'd Choose a good hachet / belt axe or a boys axe over either two.

If it's even on the table that going to be because the situation will call for chopping and splitting, and that's what an axe is for.

A knife is a cutting or fighting tool, a machete is a brush / bush / vegetation clearing tool, and an axe is a wood processing tool.
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What would you say a tomahawk is for?

Incidentally (since you've gone off track but it's interesting so I'll continue) I have never used a hatchet, despite thousands of days in the woods with fires. I haven't even held one since I was a kid. I'm not saying you're wrong. Obviously people use hatchets. I just can't figure out for what?
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
100% depends on the context of use. What are you using it for, where, when, how are you transporting it there, and of the total range of tasks you're using it for, what is their ranked frequency, intensity, and duration? Without that information you're basically asking "what should I use--a screwdriver, hammer, or wrench?" without stating if you intend to use it on screws, nails, or nuts/bolts.
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You're completely correct. I guess I was hoping that the answer would be along the lines of "if you're doing X then machete, but for Y a tommy" etc. So I agree completely with your point.
 
campandtravel said:
You're completely correct. I guess I was hoping that the answer would be along the lines of "if you're doing X then machete, but for Y a tommy" etc. So I agree completely with your point.
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There's a lot of variation dependent on which specific models you're comparing, but generally a slip fit axe or a tomahawk will be the best suited to chopping immobile woody targets and doing splitting work and has lots of use options with swapping handle lengths or using just the head as a standalone tool. A machete in the default 18" length will be the largest but also the best jack of all trades, in addition to being the only of the three truly well suited to clearing lush vegetation of any meaningful quantity. While still fairly light overall it can chop woody targets, and is better than a 'hawk for small diameter stuff that will quaver when struck, but is the most cumbersome for knife-like use on finer work (though it can still do it.) The chopping knife category can usually best be thought of "a large knife for large knife things, but also it can chop and do *some* limited brush clearing" but it falls short of the slip fit axe and machete in those areas respectively. Both machetes and large knives can still perform modest splitting work, with the chopping knife category generally doing better due to having a greater spine thickness. Making wooden wedges is usually the best way to go if splitting anything calf thickness or up.
 
campandtravel said:
What would you say a tomahawk is for?

Incidentally (since you've gone off track but it's interesting so I'll continue) I have never used a hatchet, despite thousands of days in the woods with fires. I haven't even held one since I was a kid. I'm not saying you're wrong. Obviously people use hatchets. I just can't figure out for what?
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An actual tomahawk is historically a weapon for the most part, however these days they're basically like a hatchet but worse because the head profile isn't right for wood duty.

A hatchet is for chopping, splitting, carving, minor pounding ( only minor unless it's got a hardened poll ).
A good hatchet just choos and splits well, and beyond that the versatility is up to the user to discover.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Depends on the specific tomahawk. While some are not at all well suited to tool use, many on the market today are really better classified as small slip-fit axes, which do off advantages and disadvantages over common hatchet models.
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What is your point? Because that doesn't address my question.
 
garry3 said:
What is your point? Because that doesn't address my question.
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He's saying that tomahawks aren't all very good at being used as hatchets.
Some tomahawks are closer to slip-fit axes, in which case they have distinct advantages and disadvantages over typical hatchets.
One can discern that the question becomes a model-to-model comparison at this point.

One example of how tomahawks might be generally better is that they have slip fit handles which are easily replaced or swapped. That comes with a trade in head and handle profiles.
 
garry3 said:
What would a tomahawk do better than a hatchet?
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They pack a bit easier because you can remove the head. You can theoretically use just the head as a more effective knife.

If you get a spike you can dig with it. Which in our case might be for things like grubs or yams or something. If that is your jam.

 
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campandtravel said:
What is your best argument for carrying a Tomahawk vs. a Machete or larger "chopper" knife? Assuming it has to be one or the other for some reason.
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If I found myself in a jungle-like environment with heavy undergrowth, I'd make sure I had a machete.
I'm not really sure I have a good rationale for carrying "tomahawks", particularly when I think of some of the cold steel varieties.

If that definition of "tomahawk" includes those specimens made by venerable axe companies like Rinaldi, I would have a lot of use for them for any wood processing I needed. This includes, but is not limited to, wood carving, basic carpentry and processing large firewood.
 
Small slip fit axes, including many tomahawks, generally have a longer handle than hatchets tend to (lending more power for their weight, though at the cost of accuracy) while being able to be broken down for transport and/or be used with multiple handle lengths for the same head. They may also be used off the handle in various ways, and are easier to extract a broken handle from. But they incur some design limitations as a result of the use of slip fit eyes, as the entire handle must be able to pass through the eye.
 
garry3 said:
I will buy into slicing.
So a tomahawk makes a better knife than a hatchet does.
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I have one of these . Kinda like a big hawk . :cool:

(For heavier wood chopping , I'd just as soon use my Estwing Camp Ax . Thicker head and steel handle . )

But you can remove and use the head separately , and is fine with the long handle to clear brush and do light / medium chopping .

Slices better , but not as good for splitting .

Much better for martial use . Lighter , handier , beard for blocking and hooking .
 
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