BIG Q for the Axe/Tomahawk Fans!!

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pbubsy

Gold Member
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Aug 27, 2006
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5,159
I don't have a Tomahawk....I've been wanting a high quality one for a WHILE and would really like to pick one up sometime in the next month or two. The only Axes I have are a Fire Axe and an old rusty workhorse. I'd like to get my mitts on a great 'hawk for chopping, camp use, maybe a bit of hiking, maybe a bit of throwing. It needs to be carbon steel (I don't do stainless) and tough as nails. Price isn't a big issue, but I also don't want to spend more than I need to. An example of the quality and toughness I like would be the fact that I'm a Busse freak :p...does anyone have any suggestions?

I'm not looking for anything hi tech....I want a traditional style (at least somewhat) hawk with a wooden handle. Preferably a good looking one with good fit/finish, but plain is definitely okay...I'm looking for functionality here, not something fancy.

I'd love to hear you're inputs :D

Thanks in advance!

-Paul
 
check with justin at ranger knives. he has a spike hawk called the renegade that is top notch. i wanted one without the spike so he made a hammer poll for me instead. it only cost me $10 more in about a weeks time. you will have a hard time finding something better than that.

gransfors sells some really nice looking high end hawks too.
 
I have had good luck with cold steel hawks and have a couple of them,if you are rough on handles you can get metal pieces to screw on the sides similar to battle axe sides from them also and they are inexpensive compared to the stuff you like , try them and move up later if you like them to high dollar customs, with a good chopper knife you will not have much use except throwing and driving tent pegs and the scandanavian axe we talked about will probably do all that better.
 
Shotgun said:
I think he's looking for more traditional, less tacticool hawk.:D
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That's most definitely nipping it in the bud :thumbup: the crash rat is cool, but it looks more like a useful backup for a firefighter than for bushcraft.

Thanks all for your suggestions....I've been looking at everything and will come to a decision sooner or later. I really like the hand forged hawks so I might just go for those...though I HAVE heard nothing but good about the Cold Steel hawks and have had good experiences with some of their other products :D
 
+ 1 for the CS hawks. I have been throwing the Rifleman hawk for years now. I love it. If you just want to start out with a beater it can't be beat. Also great because you can get cheap hickory replacement handles.

Another plus is if you like to customize your own gear, you don't have to even bat an eye. Refinish it, gussy up the handle what ever.

As noted above by L Walters above, you can try them out and not feel like you have lost anything when you move up to the higher dollar options.

The H&B's are hand forged and are only about $15 more than CS and look great (not to mention there are some interesting ones there). They have a lifetime guarantee also. (that is one down side to the CS is they are machine made and you can tell)

Another good option would be to buy a hand forged beauty, and buy another beater to abuse.

There is just something entertaining about throwing a hawk with bad intentions (and without caring about ruining it).
 
Shotgun said:
I think he's looking for more traditional, less tacticool hawk.:D
Click to expand...

pbubsy said:
That's most definitely nipping it in the bud :thumbup: the crash rat is cool, but it looks more like a useful backup for a firefighter than for bushcraft...
Click to expand...

Understood...and I have to agree...I suggested it because you mentioned in your initial post that you were a "Busse Freak." ;)
 
CitizenQ said:
Understood...and I have to agree...I suggested it because you mentioned in your initial post that you were a "Busse Freak." ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks :D Have you seen the video where the fella puts it through the car hood several times? I remember seeing it on youtube and also on the swamp rat forums (though I rarely go there).
 
I'd have to say my CS riflemans 'hawk has never let me down. I've owned it since early 1994 and put it through all sorts of hard use and abuse and it's always done what i expected of it.

I saw too many though in the late 1990s which were the victims of poor quality control; HOWEVER I recently saw the pic of a recently manufactured one owned by a fellow forumite and it looked very good.
 
I got one of the new CS hawks (norse) and it was really good as far as quality control. I would suggest buying it from a store in person so you could inspect it. The CS are perfect if you like to mod your own gear but iff not I would go with the H&B.

Can't go wrong with a Ranger ,Justin is supposed to be awesome to deal with and is very popular with the Busse/Scrapyard set.

Wetterling is a cheaper version of Gransforth brooks without all the hand finishing.

Anything with a fibreglass handle sucks.
 
I use the Cold Steel Frontier hawks. Cheap, take a beating and easy to mod or replace. Other than these, I use a Bahco hatchet.
 
MMHW does really beeutiful hatchets (5 designs I think) and the no.4 is a beauty. They also do custom works I heard and the forgemaster (Ted Frizoll/Frizall/???) loves his job and I like to think he's a bit "hardcore"... Me like. His hatchets/axes are made for abuse and if failed/damaged he'll smile and ask how and he'll replace it if he feels he didn't do his best.

If you can wait for Eddie Killian's "two weeks" waiting (more anything from 6 months to a year of "waiting for sheaths") his K5 tactical will definately make you the envy of ur pals! Hammer version for camping use and if the need arises u could slay hordes of zombies or use it a a swat team type breaching tool!
 
Oh yeah, ur a Busse freak, me too (recently) and doing some research I found possibly the most devastating and well thought out Tomahawk made for battle (not too sure about usefullness in woodwork). Mr. Busse called it the MEGALODON and I swear it is scary looking. Made also of Busse's super steel the INFI, the Megalodon is (quoted from website but based on my memory) designed to...

1) Cut deep with it's front hollow grind,
2) Destroy armour with its serrated top edge and...
3) Punch through kevlar helmet with it's wicked spike!
4) Possible hooking axtion through it's beard.

Than man Busse is a genius. Truly.
 
I have a Riflemans. Norse, and a Trail Hawk from CS and they have been great although I have not used the Trail Hawk much yet but I have the Riflemans and Norse and they both work great. If you are doing a lot of chopping the Riflemans does well AFTER you put a decent edge on it but it does weigh a bit more than the Trail or Norse Hawks. They are great deals for the price.
 
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