Cold Steel hawks

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kidwholaughs

Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
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I was reading a cold steel catalog last night. Their claim sounds pretty good. "5150 drop forged diffferentially tempered heads" I was woundering if anyone has had any really experiences with Cold Steel hawks. Are they as good as they claim? or they trying to peddle b.s. on a stick.
 
I'd go with peddling b.s. on a stick. It's a shame they aren't as good as they claim(false advertising maybe). Do a search here, there are hardly any good threads about 'em.
 
There not too bad for the money. They are cheap and you pay for what you get. I use the trail hawk when i go bush and it comes in very handy.
B.C
 
their claims add up if you have a grinder, table belt sander, and about an hour of free time...

They're fine if you have the time and the tools to work them over.
 
I am eyeing the Rifleman's hawk and the Trail Hawk with particular interest. The Trail hawk seems have a better finish. What exactly would I have to do to rework a cold steel hawk in to working condition. Does the end result really make a good hawk?

Appreciate all advice.
Kyle
 
Hi I have both the rifleman and the trail hawk.
And the one I like best is the trailhawk, and in my honest opinion thet both just need to be re sharpend at the bit.
Have wraped the head with rawhide to stop the head from sliding down the shaft. The rifleman has a screw in the side of the head to stop this but all it did was fu**up the halft.
So if I HAD TO PICK one of the two it would be the trail hawk.
Take off the head clean up inside the eye with a dowle wraped with emerycloth to get a better taper, sharpen head press fit the haft I use a hydrolicpress then wrap the head with rawhide
I got a big dog chew soaked it in warm soapy water then cut it as if makeing a lace but about 3/4" wide and 3' long then throw it and have fun good luck with yours
 
I wonder how Cold Steel's White Wax wood staffs would hold up as a handle.. Maybe too thick but it can be modified.
 
White wax wood were traditionally used on lances in china. They bend instead of breaking. They probabaly won't make good choppers.

CS. Trail Hawks sounds pretty good. Does anyone else have any favorable/negative opinions about it?
 
I've had a Rifleman's hawk for 10-12 years. I've never owned an expensive tomahawk so wouldn't know how this one stacks up to them but it's been a great tool for me. I throw it a lot, cut kindling, pound tent pegs, etc .... Mine doesn't have a screw in the head and the head never has slid down the handle accidently that I remember. I have broken one handle while throwing it. My Gransfors Mini hatchet is much cuter but when I go hunting in AK (self-guided Caribou-Moose) it's still the old, cheap Rifleman's Hawk that makes the trip with me. Listening to the others here, maybe I'd be even happier with a more expensive hawk.
 
Diamond cut 11 I take it you are not a CS fan what quality stuff hawks I mean do you have or like
 
I actually am a CS fan. I plan to get their Special Forces Shovel soon:cool: . It seems like CS's quality has gone down because the older models seem to be alot tougher. Just as they changed to Kobun, for example, from AUS8 to 420. From what I've read about the 'hawks they seemed to be crap. It was disappointing to find that out after their More Proof video said they come with a factory sharpened edge. Just trying to find answers:) .
 
I must agree there changes are not always for the better my rifleman has TAIWAN stamped on the blade the bolo machette has Africa on it and the mini tanto is no longer made:mad: from a company that had pride now looks for profit?
As said before you get what you pay for such is life
 
kidwholaughs said:
I was reading a cold steel catalog last night. Their claim sounds pretty good. "5150 drop forged diffferentially tempered heads" I was woundering if anyone has had any really experiences with Cold Steel hawks. Are they as good as they claim? or they trying to peddle b.s. on a stick.
Click to expand...


I have a pair of the frontier hawks. I use them just for throwing so I can't say how well they work as a hatchet. I have been throwing them for about 3 years now. I like them. They cost me $46 for the pair back in spring of 2001. Pretty good deal in my opinion. Of course I have bought some new handles, (3 so far)


Drew
 
I have a trail hawk, that I have worked over extensively./ Its one of my favorite things that I OWN! NOt because of the manufacturer but because of the time I put into making it unique.


I got mine about three years ago, I dont support CS any longer because thier business ethics seem to be getting more and more pointed towards profit. The reason I think that is I have both an older and a newer model recon 1 folder. The price they wanted was the same ,, but the knives are not. This seems widespread throught there product line.(the new one dosnt SUCK its just not near the quality of the older one. The old madel is about benchmade quality!)

The trail hawk is great (the one I got anyway) but hold one first if you can!

BTW mine said "American tomahawk co." on it!
 
I have a trail, riflemans and frontier hawk which all have the ATC sticker on them.
I dont know how they get away with it. CS service is also non excistent if you deal direct with them.
I wont be buying from them again.

B.C
 
Get one of Cold Steel's offerings, and get it super slick inside and out using a grinder, files, and sandpaper, even if it takes you a few hours. Put a super duper sharp convex edge on it, and then blue finish the head. Get a premium handle made of your favorite exotic wood, and very carefully fit the head following the several tutorials found on this forum's search engine. Get some rawhide, leather, parachute cord, brass tacks, buttcaps, etc., and artfully endeavor to copy what your dream tomahawk would look like...

You'd spend quite a bit of quality time doing something constructive, probably shake off some accumulated stress, and have a beautiful and functional tool or self defense weapon to boot. Plus, the head itself will probably still have a CS lifetime guarantee covering breakage! After that, you'll probably appreciate why makers charge what they do, and know the effort that goes into making what they make.

Dan :)
 
Drdan go on then lets see a pic of your handy work to see how you've changed
your CS hawk
 
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