CS Trailhawk: Hammer poll worth the short cutting edge?

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Aug 27, 2008
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Hey folks. Question for the many of you who own a Trailhawk/other CS hawk.

For wilderness/camping use, is the hammer poll useful enough to make up for the fact that the cutting edge is shorter than several of the other hawks? How does the Trailhawk do as a chopper compared to the others? Would I be better off going with the TH for the added usefulness of the hammer poll, or would I be better off with the wider cutting edge of, say, a Norse hawk?

Thanks for any input.

Frosty
 
As I will soon be in the market for a new Hawk, I'm also interested in what others have to say on the issue.
 
I thought the Trailhawk was the one without the hammer poll...

Anyway, I thought the one with the hammer poll ("Rifleman's Hawk") looked more balanced and would be more useful than the one without. Turns out it's very big and heavy and, for no weight penalty, you could be carrying a much more efficient axe. Mine has never seen duty outside of my yard. I wish I had bought the lightweight version without the hammer poll.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
The Trailhawk and Riflemans hawk both have hammer polls, as does the new Pipe hawk.

I've only ever used a Norse hawk, and I like it, but I could see the value of a hammer poll. The Pipe hawk has a longer cutting edge than the TH, so you may want to take a look at that one.
 
most of the guys in the hawk forum like the TH best. The small edge bites deeper than the wider bits like the norse hawk. Personally i like the wider bits better but with CS hawks being as cheap as they are you could get a few different ones to try out:D
 
Just got into hawks myself, so not enough experience to share.
Got a Trail Hawk and I am pleased with it. Light weight, versatile and fun to use.
I don't mind the hammer poll and I can see how it can be useful around the camp. All in all, a great tool for light tasks.
Gotta agree with crossada:"with CS hawks being as cheap as they are you could get a few different ones to try out"
Don't know what took me so long to get one, but I know what convinced me:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=781730
 
For my money, the classic hawks are cheap, so I say just get one and try it out. If you end up not liking it for cutting...try your hand at throwing it.
 
The Pipe has a longer edge than the Trail, and a better hammer poll than either the Trail or Rifleman's. The Pipe Hawk is probably the most useful one they have in terms of versatility.
 
Just got into hawks myself, so not enough experience to share.
Got a Trail Hawk and I am pleased with it. Light weight, versatile and fun to use.
I don't mind the hammer poll and I can see how it can be useful around the camp. All in all, a great tool for light tasks.
Gotta agree with crossada:"with CS hawks being as cheap as they are you could get a few different ones to try out"
Don't know what took me so long to get one, but I know what convinced me:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=781730

Lol thats what got me too. I just received mine today and I can't wait to use it. He he. I was looking at getting a spike hawk too on the future.
 
The Trailhawk chops a little deeper than the Frontier and Viking hawk, however because the cutting edge is not as wide you need to be more precise in your aim.
I now have 8 CS hawks (3 Trailhawks, 3 Viking hawks, a Rifleman and an old Frontier).
Currently the Viking is my favorite but i vacillate between it and the Trailhawk!
It i was going camping i'd take the Trailhawk.
Need to get a Spike, Pipe, Trench and possibly a Vietnam hawk, lol!
 
I haven't noticed any drawbacks to the length of edge except being more accurate with the chops. But, if you can hit a nail with a hammer you're plenty accurate. I really like my trail hawk and is my most used chopper. As for the hammer poll? I dunno, I'm cutting mine off to make it even lighter. :D I've never used the hammer while camping so it's usefulness would depend on the individual's needs.
 
... with CS hawks being as cheap as they are you could get a few different ones to try out:D

I knew this was going to be the answer! :D

I'm pretty accurate with a hammer/axe/hatchet, so the TH might be ok for me.
I know the Pipe hawk is the best of both worlds. It hadn't appealed to me aesthetically, but the more I look at it, the better it gets. That might be the best bet for me.

Thanks all, :thumbup:

Frosty
 
I've been using a Trail Hawk for about 5 years now. Great little hawk! Yes, the shorter cutting edge does seem to cut deeper then the larger bits. i have a 22" handle on mine and can get a lot of power out of each swing if needed.

I had a spike hawk for a short while but had to get rid of it. I couldnt use the thing without feeling like i was about to impale myself. Couldnt find a safe way to carry it either. Every time I placed it on my belt or sash I was just waiting for it to pierce a kidney!
 
I have the norse hawk. I almost never use it, and recently hung it on a handle traced off a GB carving axe. It's a decent light (very light!) carving axe. I don't miss a poll-if I want to hammer a peg or something, I just bang it with the back of the eye. The eye on mine at least is plenty thick all around to handle some pretty heavy hitting on wood.

It's a decent tool, but if you work on your accuracy, the shorter edge of the Trail Hawk will be making as much contact with the wood as the part of the Norse Hawk that hits the wood on each strike. The Trail Hawk might even sink deeper on each strike because it has less surface area adjacent to the part of the edge impacting the wood, so less resistance. Accuracy does become more important though.
 
Anybody try the Trail Boss? Looks like it has a decent size blade as well as flat back to use as a hammer.
 
Im new to hawks too, but Im jumping on the train.

That post highlighting the trailhawk was great... really caused some stirring in the community.

Anyway... I chose the frontier hawk as I was worried about the short cutting edge on the trailhawk. I hummed and hawed over the poll issue... but decided that its really easy to improvise a hammer, while it is tough to improvise a chopping edge.
 
I have owned CS Norse and frontier hawks in the past.. I liked them enough but ended up trading, selling or giving them away.. I think the hammer poll is a valuable asset I recently ordered a Trail hawk after seeing IA woodsmans video..
Having owned hawks and hatchets, I think that you cannot expect a hawk to chop like a hatchet.. Regardless of blade length. But I don;t think that;s what its for.. I think a hawk (in it;s primary use) fil the same niche as a camp knife.. It;s great for limbing, splitting kindling.. Roughing out a carving project (as well as other versatile applications) but for sectioning serious wood as one would need in a Northern winter.. an axe will win in terms of being a specialized tool... However a hawk coupled with a good saw and a belt knife is a great combo.
Just my 2 cents fwiw
 
Just bought a CS TrailHawk and after I stripped the black paint off it, got rid of the set screw and polished the head, I got it just where I want it!
Sharpened it on a fine diamond stone and now I can slice newspaper
with ease. I'm going to do some chopping with it over the weekend and
maybe even some battoning. If you take the head off the handle and
batton the hammer poll, you can use it to split rounds of wood.
Looking forward to doing some playing this weekend!
Hawk2.jpg
 
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