Cold Steel Trail Hawk good for chopping?

DaleW

DaleW

Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
2,194
I've been eying the Cold Steel Trail Hawk and wanted to see if anyone can give feedback on it. Many tomahawks are marketed for throwing rather than chopping and I wonder how well this one chops. I like the idea of the hammer face, the weight is reasonable and it is cheap enough.

The obvious comparison would be with the smaller Wetterlings and Fiskars axes.

Any opinions?
 
I have the cold steel norse hawk, but never did any chopping with it. I hear the edges need some serious reprofiling before they can cut, but they do well.
Check in the axe and tomahawk sub forum, it's a real favourite over there, and lots of modding ideas too.
 
The CS trail hawk is a good tool for the weight. 19.1 oz . It dose not compare to a Wetterlings or Fiskars They weight more and there for bite deeper. It is however a good cutting tool for its size. The cutting edge is only 2 1/4 inches but the long handle gives you lots of leverage. Dose a good job of driving tent stakes, chopping small fire wood, and its a lot of fun to through.
 
I like mine. It's not the best thing out there, but it's certainly not bad. I consider it the Mora of hatchet/axes. I ditto the remark about seriously needing a really thorough sharpening. It was like trying to cut with a hammer at first. About an hour or two with a file and stone and it is good enough to use on about anything. I love it!!
 
It works well for me, reminds me of using a BK7, but it chops a little better than the BK7. I shortend tha handle aswell, tucks in the belt nice now.
 
It chops well for it's size.the head is small but it delivers the energy of a chop well.The only real "downside" to it is the small cutting edge but it's a small matter...no pun intended.
 
Won't compare with a true hatchet but a tomahawk was designed as a multi-purpose tool. Part chopper, part weapon, part whatever else you needed it do. In addition they were light enough to be carried all the time, something most axes, even smaller ones, fail in.

I have a Trail Hawk and like it a lot after shortening the handle just slightly (improved balance for me) and giving the edge a serious redo. However, since it is a bit limited in it's chopping ability (I believe mostly due to light weight) I just bought a regular hatchet for when I'm camping. If I'm hiking and feel I need a decent chopper then by all means I'll carry the CS trail hawk instead of the hatchet.

Charlie
 
I really like mine. As said before, its not a balls out chopper, but thats not its intention.
Where it shines is as a versitile tool/weapon.
They feel really good in your hands and dont chop all that bad.

Also, if you look around you can pick one up for less than $20.
Spend about $10 on top of that and a little time, and you have a really good tool.
I keep one in my truck, and have a few others spread around.

I usually cut a few inches off of the handle, and I have one that I took about 4in off. Its a great feeling tool.

Here are 2 that I redid.

The black handled one is the shorter one.
the other is about 2in shorter than stock and has a lanyard that I put on there.

hawks1.jpg



Check out the axe and hatchet forum, there are a ton of modded ones on there.
 
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