Choosing a Cold Steel Tomahawk for my first hawk

[theTman1221]

I've changed this thread to a general beginner tomahawk choosing thread as I made a stupid mistake that lead me to thing the CRKT tomahawks were lighter than they actually are lol!

I've changed this thread again to be focused on deciding on choosing a Cold Steel Tomahawk as I feel this may get more people to pop in and offer advice, and I don't know of any other wood handled hawks in my 40$ price range that are not the excessively heavy CRKT hawks.



My girlfriend is getting me a tomahawk of my choosing for our anniversary (she's getting throwing knives from me). I'm trying to choose a good cold steel tomahawk, and decide between the spike hawk or one of the hammer polled hawks (not rifleman as it's too heavy). I decided against CRKT as their only tomahawks in my price range are too heavy.

My main purpose with this tomahawk is fun in general. I want to throw it for sure, and also use it for work around the yard and in the woods (mainly hacking), as well as hacking up junk for fun. I live in the country and have a small wooded section of my property. I don't go out on camping trips, though I do like hiking. I don't really go out on hunting trips either as I used to hunt, but find I can't stomach the gutting process LOL!

I know a lot of people say a hammer is better for utility, but I don't plan on going off in the deep wilderness with this thing, and I don't do much hammering around my property at all. I don't live on a farm or anything like that.

I think that a spike may be more fun, but I'm not sure how much fun it really would be, and what I would do with it. I also wonder if it would just be a initial novelty that quickly fades.

I'm sure many others have faced this same decision. I could use some advice.

Update: I started throwing my Magnum Kukri Machete http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/97MKM/MAGNUM_KUKRI_MACHETE.aspx and found surprisingly that I can stick it way more often than my GI Tanto http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/80PGTK/G_I_TANTO_W_SECURE-EX_SHEATH.aspx that I have been trying to learn to throw off and on for a few years now lol! This machete is much heavier toward the tip so it might be a bit like a hawk balance wise. It is 22 inches long as well. The big difference is that this thing sticks with the tip, while a tomahawk would stick in a position about 45-90 degrees from how the machete does. Just thought I'd throw this tidbit in on the off chance it helps.

 

[dogboye]

Beat with the hammer, dig with the spike. Which are you more likely to do? Sounds like you're only likely to use the blade in either case. If it were me, I'd probably get the original Chogan. Which I did. I like one piece blades. 'Course, I eventually also got the original Kangee. It pretty much never gets used. I've used the Chogan. It cuts good.

 

[theTman1221]

Beat with the hammer, dig with the spike. Which are you more likely to do? Sounds like you're only likely to use the blade in either case. If it were me, I'd probably get the original Chogan. Which I did. I like one piece blades. 'Course, I eventually also got the original Kangee. It pretty much never gets used. I've used the Chogan. It cuts good.

original chogan is out of my price range for the near future (more like my girlfriend's price range since she is getting me this as a gift). I also like the wooden handle with removable head design.

I don't know that I would do much digging, but it sounds possibly more likely than beating stuff with the hammer. Also maybe the spike would be good for hiking in some rougher areas that would be acceptable places to walk around with a tomahawk lol!

I also have heard people talking about how the spike can be a hazard to yourself. Is this really only in combat situations, or is it also a big issue with general use and stuff like I described?

 

[dogboye]

I could see inattention ending up allowing the spike to come in contact with body parts on a back swing. But, the same could be said of the claw of a hammer. Dunno. Have never had that problem myself. BUT, I don't use the spiked one that much. Edited to add -- "and, I don't do combat. So I can't answer that."

 

[ohen cepel]

I would get the hammer version. That said, I would get a Cold Steel hawk over the CRKT, likely could get 2 of them instead of one.

 

[theTman1221]

CRKT seemed better built from the reviews I read, and it's designed by RMJ which apparently is really good.

Edit: OH LOL! I just realized I screwed up when assessing the weight of the CRKT tomahawks. Most tomahawks have their weight listed in oz, and I figured 20-24 oz would be ideal. The CRKT Tomahawks always list's their weight in pounds and ounces. For some stupid reason I was equating 2 pounds with 24 ounces (must be tired from work). I think the CRKT's might be too heavy for me LOL!

 

[dogboye]

I got one Cold Steel hawk. As much as they are liked on here, I was not impressed. I still have it. But unless you're wanting to do upgrades as a hobby, more than just the cosmetics you're talking about in your first post, I wouldn't recommend it. They are, IMO, inexpensive for a reason. One of them cured me.

 

[lazy otter]

The hammer version! It doesn't seem as thick in the head and better balanced or lighter I honestly don't know which than the spiked version, if you ever want to sharpen the beard the hammer version is thinner back there so it would be easier, and wooden handles are easy and cheap to fix and can be fixed in the field. Both versions are worth having IMO for 40$ each and they are both built like tanks I'd go hammer version and have a good time with it. The spike is cool and It is fun but I'm not a huge fan of spikes just due to the fact it's just 1 more way to injure yourself or others or in self defense could be used against you, but they do have uses. That's why I say get both you won't regret it.

 

[theTman1221]

what are your issues with the cold steel tomahawks? I'm already planning to make some changes if I got one. I would for sure be taking off the set screw and fixing up the eye and handle for a better fit. I would also put a wrap of some sort around the handle beneath the head to help keep it on in case it goes head first into a target while I'm learning to throw. I also plan to make a grip of some sort for it as I get sweaty palms a lot that would be slippery on that finished wood.

I own a couple cold steel items already. I have their GI Tanto which has just been awesome, especially for the price. It was the first thing I started throwing with, and is still the only thing I throw at the moment. I also have their magnum kukri machete which I was a bit less impressed with. The factory edge on the first one was so incredibly off I sent it back demanding a different one with a better grind. The second one they sent me was more evenly ground, but it was ground at a different angle on each side. I don't have a grinding wheel so it took many many hours here and there over a few months before I got a decent and even edge using a manual stone sharpener.

 

[lazy otter]

At 40$ price range you could still get the crkt and mod it to get the weight down or save some more cash and get a 2hawks thrower 100$.

 

[theTman1221]

At 40$ price range you could still get the crkt and mod it to get the weight down or save some more cash and get a 2hawks thrower 100$.

Well, I'm not up for cutting away metal from the CRKT hawks to lighten them, and I can't save up for a 100$ hawk because this is a present from my girlfriend with a 40$ limit. If I want a 100$ hawk I have to spend 100$ in return on her present, which I cannot afford lol! Also I would rather not use an expensive hawk when learning how to throw.

 

[Wolf_1989]

The spike doesn't need to be kept needle sharp in order to puncture stuff. Even with a kind of blunt-ish point it can still puncture a steel drum or skull and won't be pokey enough to stab yourself easily.

 

[theTman1221]

Okay, I've changed the thread again to be focused on choosing a Cold Steel Tomahawk as they seem to be popular on here and I don't see much else in my price range besides the CRKT's that weigh too much. I figure I might get more help by choosing this focus as well.

On another note, I found that I can throw my cold steel magnum kukri machete much much better than my cold steel GI Tanto (links to both in OP). It's the same length as a cold steel tomahawk and has a lot of its weight toward the tip, it just weighs a bit less and sticks at a different spot in the rotation. The Machete just seems natural to throw compared to the knife. Maybe it's my rather long arms at play (6 foot tall with 6 foot wingspan). Just thought I would add this info in case it helps.

As far as cold steel hawks, I know I don't want the trail boss, axe gang hatchet, trench hawk (I hear it breaks a lot and I prefer the wood handle), Vietnam Hawk, or Rifleman's Hawk (too heavy). I'm leaning more towards a hawk with a second head of some sort on the back whether it be a hammer or a spike. The frontier and norse hawks seem like I would be missing out on the utility of a second head.

I should also add that I realized I will be doing some wood chopping from time to time. We have a pile of large tree limbs that came down in the past year that need to be broken down and the chainsaw is busted. We also have many more possible limbs and even a tree or two that could drop at some point here, so being able to chop would come in handy, and it would be fun to use my hawk for yard cleanup lol! If a tree comes down though I'll only be hacking the limbs. If the chainsaw is still busted we have neighbors that can saw up the tree in exchange for firewood for their wood stoves.


Update: After watching a video of a guy improvising a handle with just a trail hawk's head I've decided I want a hawk with a hammer poll for doing stuff like batoning and whatnot so I can easily fashion a handle in a pinch. That's especially a good idea since I'm going to be learning how to throw. I think I might fashion my own handles from timber on my property and use that while I hone my throwing skills.

Now I just need to decide between the Trail Hawk and the Pipe Hawk. the Pipe Hawk is heavier and has a longer blade edge from what I can tell. They guy in the video I watched said that the bevel on the hammer poll of the trail hawk helps prevent mushrooming. I'm not sure if the fancy pipe bowl shaped hammer poll on the pipe hawk will have issues with mushrooming since it doesn't have that bevel like the trail hawk. I'm also not sure if 28 ounces will be pushing it weight wise with the pipe hawk. Are there any particular advantages to the smaller blade on the trail hawk other than lower weight?

Edit: I think I'll be better off just creating a new thread debating the pipe hawk versus the trail hawk. This thread is too mucked up now.

 

[dogboye]

what are your issues with the cold steel tomahawks? I'm already planning to make some changes if I got one. I would for sure be taking off the set screw and fixing up the eye and handle for a better fit. I would also put a wrap of some sort around the handle beneath the head to help keep it on in case it goes head first into a target while I'm learning to throw. I also plan to make a grip of some sort for it as I get sweaty palms a lot that would be slippery on that finished wood.

I own a couple cold steel items already. I have their GI Tanto which has just been awesome, especially for the price. It was the first thing I started throwing with, and is still the only thing I throw at the moment. I also have their magnum kukri machete which I was a bit less impressed with. The factory edge on the first one was so incredibly off I sent it back demanding a different one with a better grind. The second one they sent me was more evenly ground, but it was ground at a different angle on each side. I don't have a grinding wheel so it took many many hours here and there over a few months before I got a decent and even edge using a manual stone sharpener.

Well, I've had most hammer claws sharper than my pipe hawks edge. Taking he set screw out was a mistake, as the fit of the head/eye was so bad that the only way to get the head to fit correctly was to take a significant amount of the eye metal off with a dremel tool. If you don't have one of those, good luck getting the head to fit the handle, or probably any handle, correctly. And you can't really fit the handle to the head. It is an eye problem, not a handle problem, or at least it was with mine. The eye really STILL isn't shaped correctly, but I got it good enough that I didn't feel like bothering with it any more. It hangs in my garage, forgotten, until I have nothing better to do than grind on the eye some more. Until then, my Chogan and Kangee do the work. They are good out of the box. Well worth the money.

Don't get me wrong. I think Cold Steel does some good stuff. But their t-hawks are not for me.

 

[Wolf_1989]

You can go budget with a Cold Steel and spend some time and work getting up to snuff, or pay a little extra money for something like an H&B and it will be good to go right out of the box.

That what it comes down to.

You can get a Cold Steel and make it very serviceable. You can even make it beautiful. I've had some good results modifying CS tomahawks. But do be prepared to tinker with it.

 

[shortwinger]

I have a CS Trail Hawk and would recommend it. I stripped the head, stained the handle and made a buffalo sheath, nothing fancy but I love it. They are inexpensive and fun to put your personal touch on them. In my opinion it is a great first hawk.

 

[Street Samurai1978]

If you're going Cold Steel, the pipe hawk has a more usable poll, imho. Used mine till the handle broke, never got around to getting a new one. Solid design, that one.

 

[Street Samurai1978]

If you want, try the CRKT Woods Chogan. Just picked one up good to go out of the packaging. Gonna tinker with it just for shits and giggles. It's got some weight to it, more than all but the CS rifleman's hawk I'd wager. Thinking to sharpen the false edge under the beard. It's not super heavy like some are making it out to be. Granted it has some heft, but not excessively so. I can swing it one handed no problem, just need to choke up on the haft.

 

[theTman1221]

If you're going Cold Steel, the pipe hawk has a more usable poll, imho. Used mine till the handle broke, never got around to getting a new one. Solid design, that one.

You could practice some bushcraft and look up how to make a handle from a dead branch using just the head of the hawk. It would get you a usable handle, and also teach you a bit about handle making if you want to try and make your own. I plan on bushcrafting a handle to use until a new one arrives if I shatter the first handle throwing. I had thought about throwing only with a bushcraft handle while learning, but I should probably use a regular handle to have consistency while learning to throw.

I chose the Pipe Hawk and my Girlfriend ordered it Sunday off of Amazon along with a sheathe and a lansky's dual grit sharpening puck. It was supposed to ship by yesterday or today, but right now it hasn't shipped out yet. On another note, my girlfriend and I picked out some nice cold steel throwing knives that arrive tomorrow and in exchange for opening her present before I get mine she is going to let me throw her knives until the hawk comes LOL!

 

[theTman1221]

Well, I got my pipe hawk today and it is AWESOME! I took out the set screw first thing and cleaned up the curled wood ridge above the hawk's eye, did a bit of reshaping on the handle by the head, and gave the top edge of the hawk's eye a slight taper. The head sticks on decently now, and I'm going to give it a few light taps every day to help it slowly shape the wood of the handle. Right now the head will still pop loose on a bad throw, and after every or every other throw I can shake the handle around and the head falls down so I just pop it back up there quick and it stays for another throw or two.

This thing throws great for me. The first time I threw it (first time ever hawk throwing) I stuck it like 5 or 6 times. I am finding I stick it the majority of the times I throw it, like maybe 3 out of 4 throws, maybe better than that. It is just about the perfect weight and length for me. I think the trail hawk would have been too light, and I'm not sure I would want anything heavier like the rifleman or the CRKT Woods Chogan.

Now what I need to do is buy a round file to put a better taper on the top edge of the hawk eye (I did it with a regular flat metal file so far, then touched up with sand paper). I also may need to do a bit better job on shaping the handle. I used my pocket knife to whittle off the curled up wood and carve away a bit of the shelf the factory fit had dug into the wood. I need to find a way to make the taper more shallow. I've been trying just sand paper without a block or anything but that hasn't done enough I feel. I'm not sure I would want to use a dremel on this thing as it might take off too much too fast. Maybe making a better eye taper will take care of the handle shaping issues?

Eventually I'm going to strip the paint off the head. Once I do that I need to decide on what kind of finish I want to put on the head. I want something that will hold up to throwing and provide a decent amount of rust resistance, and be almost rust proof with the addition of keeping the head lightly coated in WD-40.

So far for head finishes I have heard of forced patina and Cold Bluing, and thought I read somewhere that cold bluing isn't very good for rust resistance, though maybe someone did the cold bluing wrong? I have also heard of something called a "parkerized finish" but from what I could tell it wasn't a simple thing you could do at home.

When I do the head I will also probably want to do something with the handle. I had heard other people talking about the handle having some sort of lacquer on it, but this handle just seems like plain hickory sanded smooth. I guess it's a toss up between stain and lacquer, just stain, or one of those oil finishes

Lastly, I could use a bit of advice on sharpening my new hawk. I got a nice Lansky "Puck" sharpener with my tomahawk, but I'm a little unsure of the proper method of sharpening a tomahawk. I tried holding it to the bevel but it seems like it may come with a convex edge from the factory as the stone couldn't sit flat on the bevel and touch the edge at the same time. There was just a little bit of a gap. I did my best to hold it at an angle that was as shallow as possible while still touching the edge of the blade and then ran it in a circular motion across the edge. Is that a good way to do it?