CS Frontier Hawk or Norse Hawk?

T

tychoseven

Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Messages
317
I used to own a Cold Steel Trail Hawk, but gifted it to my sister who needed it more than I. I liked it plenty, but the short edge bugged me and I preferred my khukuri for limbing and brush clearing brush because of that.
Old Trail Hawk:
DSC00731.jpg


Now I've got the bug for a new hawk, and I'm thinking of either the Frontier hawk or the Norse hawk. Frontier seems like what I want: a light hawk with a longer edge. But nobody seems to own this one for some reason: they either have the Trail, Norse, or Rifleman. Is there something lacking about the Frontier that I don't know? I don't recall seeing Vector001 making any Frontier hawks, for example.

This will be a camp tool. I like the Frontier's look better than the Norse, and I won't be throwing it so the Norse's top point isn't that big a draw. I might like a Rifleman with the poll cut off, but I think it'll still be too heavy. Thoughts?
 
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hey, brother!

i have done one proper long Frontier Hawk in Subdued Desert MARPAT, one of my all-time favorite finishes.


i like that head and the other big ones a lot in the longer hawks, but it is still more massive than the Trail Hawk, which surprised me.

a lot of outdoorsmen favor the Norse Hawk head over the Frontiers Hawks for two reasons (at least) in my experience:

1) The Norse is believed to stick better that the Frontiers hawk, due to the bit continuing up in a radius a little beyond where the Frontier Hawk's bit ends.

2) The Norse Hawk is better for processing large game.

both these propositions are dubious to me personally, based on my personal experiences, but what matters is folks are happy.


i still like the little Trail hawk head, especially after we optimize them, because of the small bit, vice in spite of it.

if you slab the side of your handle, control is going to increase, and energy output will decrease. - add those advantages, to how much more a small bit will sink into anything compared to a larger one, all other concerns remaining the same, and you got yourself a winner.

one thing that happens when you have an imbalanced head (like the Norse and Frontier) compared to a balanced head (such as the Cold Steel Trail Hawk, with mass on both sides of the handle axis) which may not be obvious! - is that the Norse or Frontier will track marvelously in reverse, with the bit trailing.

that can be pretty huge in Combatives, if you are inclined to fight with your hawks.

there's a lot to be said for them all.

my advice is go with the Frontier Hawk if ya like it, and never look back.

mine got taken from me by an Air Force Buddy that is a SERE specialist.

i'll have to get another one.

HTH.


vec
 
Thanks, vec! I knew I could count on you.

I really did like the Trail Hawk, and I'll miss the useful hammer poll, but I think the Frontier will be more to my liking overall.

I'm curious about the balance and tracking characteristics of different hawks...gonna have to research that. I haven't yet needed to fight with my blades, but you never know. One of the reasons I picked up the Trail Hawk was the realization that all things firearm were going to be in great demand in the near future (this was early '08 IIRC) and I might not be able to feed my guns with 100% certainty. Hawks don't run out of ammo!

Like you said, I'll just have to get them all and see. :D
 
i own both and the only thing i prefer about the norse is that it sticks when you over rotate, if your not throwing (as you said) then I would say definitly go for the frontier.
 
Vec's definitely right about the tracking.
The Black Mamba I bought from him had about half the hammer poll removed, and it's very easy to make accurate hits with the hammer because the weight of the trailing bit naturally aligns with the direction of the swing. I missed a few times with the bit when I first tried it, but never missed with hammer, despite it being smaller than original.
 
i turned my frontier hawk into a steel blunt because at the time it had the best feel to me for hawk training. very light and fast with a thin bit compared to many of my other hawks. no complaints about it.

i also have the old plainsman hawk from CS. it is a great belt ax and makes quick work around the campsite but it is a heavy head compared to the frontier hawk. the flat hammer poll is a nice utility function but i still prefer the frontier hawk's weight over it.

i recently picked up one of Vec's IGH trail hawks and it is hands down the best hawk i've ever held. like Cpl Punishment's, mine has the hammer poll cut down some which gives it the perfect balance and a "don't mess with me look" to it. it has the stadia lines on the strike plate which i like the looks of too.

i would still like to get a Vectorized frontier hawk for comparison's sake but i think it will be hard to beat this hawk. as matter of fact it goes into the forever pile of knives and tools which i would never trade or sell.
 
crossada said:
i would still like to get a Vectorized frontier hawk for comparison's sake but i think it will be hard to beat this hawk. as matter of fact it goes into the forever pile of knives and tools which i would never trade or sell.
Click to expand...


i think the Plainsman would be just about perfect for a long hawk that was cane to staff length, brother.

no sharp edges or points, as with the others mentioned, and it fits the hand nicely.

it's a thought.

vec
 
You cant go wrong with eaither one, I have both the Frontier and the Norse Hawk, I think the Frontier Hawk Is a Better all around light weight Thowing & Chopping Hawk, My Frontier Hawk has a Thinner Edge on It than my Norse Hawk and took a Coon Skinning Edge, My Norse Hawk would need some reprofileing befor I could get the Edge of my Frontier on It !

339kg05.jpg


2sjgi.jpg


do9z82.jpg
 
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Brody R. said:
trailing?
Click to expand...

meaning: the higher-massed bit (or mass, such as a spike or hammer poll) is facing away from the target in the swing, acting as a stabilizer, especially when the striking side of the hawk head is less massive (as in photo), or completely absent (as with Plainsman Hawk, or similar).

as an example, look at this center-right hawk with the abbreviated hammer poll (compared to its brothers pictured).
01.JPG


it's an even trade.

the bit on a lopped-poll hawk becomes less good at tracking (the Gen 1 Mk 4 handle makes up for it). - it's more like a hatchet now.

the main advantages are, the poll is smaller, the hawk is faster, and it tracks like the Devil when swung poll-first, because of the trailing mass of the bit.


a khukri works on a similar principle when swung spine first.

oh great, now i am going to have Himalayan Imports puppy dreams for the rest of the day....:cool:

HTH.

vec
 
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