Estwing Tomahawk

DarkPatriot

DarkPatriot

Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
221
Well I did all my X-mas shopping today, and as a grad present for myself ordered a Khukuri and a Tomahawk to round out my "bush" kit. I went with an Estwing tomahawk since after reprofiling my Estwing sportsman axe, it has replaced my Americanax and my Wetterlings as my favorite hatchet. I wanted to hear opinions, both good and bad on the estwing hawk, or anything else helpful. The hawk is the leather handled version, as I've found melting beeswax and coating the leather makes it almost impervious to weather. Thanks in advance.
 
excellent hawk. Bombproof, remarkably comfortable, and a good fighter, surprisingly. I have a lagana hawk, a CS pipe hawk, a kangee hawk, just so you know I like hawks in general. I almost always take a hawk with me camping, sometimes a khuk or spetnaz shovel. These days definitely a hawk. So, i think the estwing hawk is hands down the most underrated hawk on the market. You get an all-steel bodied hawk that I bet if they did side by side testing would be near as tough as the 500 dollar models but no one wants to think about that. I have the black rubber handled one. Hits like a hammer. Chops well, actually better than I thought it would, say better than a trail hawk. The spike is only good for smashing more than really piecing. As a breeching tool, I have no idea, but to smash or chop things I think it would chew a door up and you def could use it as a pry bar though it is not nearly as well designed for spike-prying as a more dedictaded breeching design like RMJ or helm forge. I say get a few while they last. They may not be around for long and I have a feeling their price would go up alot when discontinued, like the Balck Wind katanas from ontario you could get for 40 bucks, now over 200.
 
ps- for the price, it's one of those tools you buy and toss in a bug-out bag or trunk of your car and forget about till you need it. For that I cannot think of a better example for a do-everything all-steel hawk that can breech (useful for bugging out), wreck, fight, and chop decently.
 
Good to know, thanks Willy. I don't think Ill be using the spike very much, who knows. I saw the double bit hawk by them. They only had them in blue at my usual store. If it turns out I like my hawk I'll probably be getting more, estwings and other models. I know the SOG hawks see a lot of love on this forum.
 
DarkPatriot: the SOG hawk is actually hated on this forum. I like mine. It cuts well, throws well and seems pretty damned tough. I am not a fan of stainless for impact or hard use weapons but so far so good. SOG hawks are another one of those "buy and hide" kinda things where you don't feel too guilty dropping 40 bucks and yet want something on the one and million chance if you need it. I think the estwing is defeinetly the better hawk between it and the SOG but the sog has a sheath option upgrade that is nifty and it's a solid 15 bucks cheaper. I have heard of some serious torture tests onthe SOG and it did well. As for the spike on both, it's only real use is demolition- when you don't want to ruin your hawk edge and you want to tear or smash something up, roots, plywood, a falling apart section of wall etc.
 
Really? It seems like a lot of people have them, but I'm a complete newbie in the axe/hawk/hatchet world. I'm somewhat surprised, I think SOG makes a decent fixed blade, I'm underwhelmed by their folders and I have no experience with any of their other products. My only hatchets are my estwing, my wetterlings wildlife hatchet (a gift from my cousin) and my 1919 Americanax hatchet made by my great grandfather in pristine condition. Like I said after reprofiling the estwing it became my favorite, but I'm very interested in getting into tomahawks (and khuks as well.)
 
Actually my mistake, I was thinking of the cold steel hawks when I said it seemed everyone had them.
 
Just a suggestion but if you can afford a high dollar hawk you might be better off than spending the same amount on a bunch of inexpensive ones.
 
SwampDude said:
The Black Eagle double bit axe looks like a winner, too. I'm not clear about the uses for a tomahawk spike.

http://www.estwing.com/ao_leather_black_eagle_double_bit_axe.php
Click to expand...

Lots of utility uses. Use it for demolition (puncture tires, pierce sheetmetal, put holes in walls) where you either want more concentrated force and penetration or don't want to tear up the edge on your blade. Use it for outdoor purposes - drag around logs without stooping or putting your hands into a briar patch - or use it to loosen up dirt and dig holes.
 
WJC01, what would you recommend? I would want it primarily for wood work, secondarily for defense. I take a lot of 2+ week solo backpacking trips which is why I'm looking for something a little more aggressive than my hatchets and fixed blades. Having said that I'm sure it'll be used for woodworking 99.9999% of the time. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Burke, I didn't even think about those uses for a spike, thanks!
 
if you want a hawk for woodworking more than for smashing, playing navy-seal-out-in-the-abandoned-house, slaughtering zombies, etc, then look at the the Roger's Ranger's Tomahawk. http://www.fortturner.com/store/#rr. There are so many decent 100 plus dollar hawks out there from proprietary hawk makers it boggles the mind. Or try the Kangee. Been using mine and am surprised how well it handles wood. Has a much leaner edge than found on most hawks and definitely not a breecher hawk edge that have more obtuse and less usable edges. Kangee is made by Columbia River. I can directly attest to it's woodworking ability. It is so sharp and ergos so good you can use it as a knife or ulu. I say I must disagree with getting a high end hawk for your first hawk. One, you don't know if you will take to that system. You might find khuks speak to you more. Two, you have to learn to appreciate that 500 dollar hawk or you really won't know why you got it except OTHER people telling you it's the "best" whatever that means. You will find that with modern metallurgy that blows out of the water what our ancestors had to work with, you can get an excellent tool for cheap. Let your skills and love of the tool do the talking, not your wallet or ego. And if you do take to the hawk you WILL buy more than one. Good luck!
 
Better advice I could not ask for. I will keep those names in mind and if I like my estwing I shall look toward CRKT or Fort Turner for the next installment. Who knows, maybe in a couple months I'll be looking for a higher end hawk and khuk. Thanks for all your input, just makes me look forward to the estwings arrival even more.
 
Hey Dark Patriot here's my answer- I have a decent knife collection(mostly users) like most on the forum. Well when I went into the world of Hawks(this past May) I initially looked at the VTAC, SOG,CRKT, Eastwing, Cold Steel, you name it. I have previously handled RMJ Hawks at the Blade Show but thought I cannot spend this much on a Hawk I'd never use. Well I did my homework and decided I now will use one. Instead of climbing my way up the "ladder" I settled on the RMJ Shrike S-13. Since I've had it I've carried it on every outdoor expedition* since May.(almost daily short hikes in the trails behind my house and hunting trips. I've trimmed trails, cut branches, small trees, cleaned fish, killed a copperhead that bit my dog, cut prepped food, and dug into rotten logs, dug footsteps on creek backs you name it. For work I've used it to "get into places" that were boarded up and opened "viewports" as well. If I had to use it like a can opener to extract someone out of a burning auto or whatnot before the real tool guys get there I'll do what I can. Sure you can buy a bunch of eastwings or SOGs and store them everywhere but you can also take the one 'high dollar' hawk and keep it with you. For me it's no big deal to stick it in my wifes van if I'm shopping with the family it, transfer it to my pack if hiking in a populated area, In the truck, take it to work etc.
The only way to figure what you need is find out if it suites your mission. Handle some of RMJ's work. If you go to their shop in Tn they'll give you a tour,let you whack the steel drum, watch them bust a lock and chain-then see if you still want a bunch of SOG's and Eastwings.


Willywonka has some good advise but not an RMJ. . . .


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My friend: I do not want an RMJ. Storw Crow is currently making my next hawk, which i do not need but want, and that is as high a price tag I am willing to go with something that is just not so important in the grand scheme of things or for hiking and prepping. Knife guys make up excuses to use their toys to justify why they aren't making wiser choices with their money and time, but the truth is that tomahawks in forests emptied of predators, with laws that usually discourage free use fires and woodcraft, and with the advent of guns that have more firepower and are small and easy to carry than ever before, the 550 dollar tomahawk seems absurd when cast in a light of practicality. Luxury item? great: go buy it. Practical? NOPE. Where does one stop? 500 dollar boots, 500 dollar jacket, 500 dollar backpack 500 dollar folding knife 500 dollar sheath knife 500 dollar tent etc etc. Also don't assume folks can throw around that kind of coin. You might be embarrassing them with your advise with their otherwise useful but modest tools that bring them great joy. Think about it. I'd rather blow a couple of hundred on a few toys and know they are for fun than convince myself that buying the excalibur of all tomahawks is a practical and wise choice for a normal civilian....
 
I'm not going to waste too much"electronic ink" debating "willywonka"-Dark Patriot asked me a question. WJC01, what would you recommend? I answer and WW chews me up and spits me out!
If you look around enough you can occasionally find a used RMJ from $375 and up. Mine was even less.:). ($550 must be a really special one, not familiar with the standard ones in that price range.)
I say if you can afford RMJ take a look. If you can't you'll be fine with the Eastwing. To suggest buying several is absurd. (in my opinion-now your spending alot on the same thing- what's the point?

In my neck of the woods I can freely practice bushcraft and fire building-Not everyone's wilderness area is "Central Park"-not everyone's a normal civilian.
Dark Patriot if your a normal civilian I apologize. (Somehow I don't think you are ;)
Not sure how modern firepower negates carrying a quality Hawk. We have coyotes and wild hogs in my area but they are no real threat. . .
I am surprised-no I am shocked that in the Tomahawk section of the Blade forum a fellow member would say my choice of Tomahawk is "absurd".



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"High dollar fillet Hawk" in action.
 
Brother you made it a thing when u dismissed my advice cause I didn't have an RMJ. Sorry you couldn't handle the heat. I try to think outside my own vey narrow life to maybe where others are or aren't when giving advice. There's a whole world out there and folks from all walks, not just soldiers and civilians. I know some civvies that would smoke most men in uniform in a stand fight of any kind and bushcraft weeks in the sticks and some soldiers that wouldn't last a weekend on the AT, so the whole justifier of soldier vs civvies to justify a high end hawk is questionable. Even among front line troops I am not hearing a cry for high end breaching/combat tools and I have folk currently over in the middle east telling me so. A very narrow margin actually use such tool even if more might win it and carry it around. Lots of talk- very little use. I am glad you like your RMJ and if you had framed your answer in a less hostile way you wouldn't have gotten a rebuttal.
 
Hey didn't mean to start a war but he did ask my advise. I just pointed out that you don't have that hawk-Willywonka has some good advise but not an RMJ. . . .
As far as soldiers vs Civvies I agree. We have guys straight from the Marines come through our academy that make me proud and some that make "Chesty" roll in his grave.

Truce.

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