Cold Steel Rifleman's Hawk

[blackfeetmageet]

Is the CS Rifleman's Hawk a good wood splitter? I have a CS trail hawk and I would rate it low for wood splitting because it is so thin. I have not been able to compare a trail hawk with a rifleman's hawk, and it looks thicker in the CS catalog -looks can be decieving.

If anyone has pictures they could share that would help a lot. Maybe a top view showing the thickness of both the hawks side by side.

I could go with a Fiskars axe, but they are more expensive and I like the idea that I could make a handle for a hawk (in the feild) if it should break.

What do you all think: is it a worthy woods tool? Or more of a throwing/ recreational hawk?

thanks

I know the Fiskars style axe is the right way to go, but I would like to test the Hawk too, at least if it is at all worthy.

 

[ron_m80]

niegther are wood splitters in my opinion. But if i ha to choose wieght and chopping ability on a 30" haft I choose the TH everytime. I thought the rifleman would be the better chopper and since i wanted chopping ability i bought it and the TH just because it wasn't cost prohibitive. I used the rifleman alot, enough to make somne grinds and some new edges, chop off the hammer poll, and put a good convex edge on the rifleman. Later just o try it, I convexed the TH head, made it extremely sharp for an axe, and put it on the 30" haft the rifleman had been on, and to my suprize the very same tree trunk i had been chopping with the rifleman, let loose bigger chunks uner the fall of the TH head.

I don't know why, maybe edge dynamics, maybe momentum, maybe it was the lack there of for the rifleman, but the TH is a respectable chopper when comapaired to the rifleman. And if i were to do it again i would honestly forgo the adition purchase of the rifleman hawk.

 

[vector001]

I don't know why, maybe edge dynamics, maybe momentum, maybe it was the lack there of for the rifleman, but the TH is a respectable chopper when comapaired to the rifleman. And if i were to do it again i would honestly forgo the adition purchase of the rifleman hawk.

PSI, that's all it is.

smaller bits sink deeper with less energy.

the less of a hurry you are in, the smaller a bit you should consider IMHO. larger bits obviously shine in their own way though.


that said, the Riflemans Hawk with the Poll lopped at the neck of the poll is a thing of beauty on a long handle - and also a really short one (12").

it is my favorite War Hammer head currently.


after i made a couple of the early Gen 1 composite handles with the modified Riflemans Hawk, i actually sold my Gransfors Bruks, because the RH's beat them.


yes, it was upsetting.

i still love GB's.

............

i hear a lot of folks talking about losing their handle in the woods to damage, etc. and forming another one. - make sure you own that skill before you need it, is my unsolicited advice.

:thumbup:

vec

 

[Cpl Punishment]

If you're going to cut off the Rifleman's Hawk's poll at the neck, you might as well get the Frontier Hawk, whick is the same thing with no poll.

 

[Blue Sky]

If you're going to cut off the Rifleman's Hawk's poll at the neck, you might as well get the Frontier Hawk, whick is the same thing with no poll.

Not quite. They are similar in shape, but the Rifleman's Hawk is considerable heavier. BTW, the weight listed on Cold Steel website for the Frontier Hawk is not correct. I have one and it weighs about 3 ounces less than my Norse Hawk and is about the same as my Trail Hawk. Even with the poll cut off, I would expect the RH to be heavier due to the wider and longer blade.