Favorite Tomahawk Weight

G

GTS9

Joined
Jan 14, 2017
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I want to get a traditional style tomahawk to go along with my custom Nessmuk when it gets here. There is a great number of Tomahawk makers I'm looking at, but that's not what I'm asking about. I'm wondering what specs you like your Tomahawk to. I was thinking a head weight of 3/4-1 lb (12-16 oz) with and 18"-20" handle.
But what do I know?
How do you like your hawks? Head weight, handle length? What works for you?
 
Head: 11oz to 1lb-6oz (depending if hammer-pole or not).
(some might not consider a hawk with a pole a hawk ... that's kinda specific though)
Haft: Longer haft for heavier head.
Max. 22" haft (total including outside head)
Min. 18" haft (unless something specialized)

Hawk that lives on outside of my pack is 11oz Head on 18" Haft (same hawk used in bow-drill fire-start video, and the planking photos below).

IMG_20150526_205021650.jpg

Hawk Bench - Bench plank, support rounds, shelf in foreground sectioned & finished with tomahawks. This was a great project to see how the different hawk head designs and edge profiles performed in this type of work. I was pleasantly surprised how well the tomahawk works as a wood-plane for finish surfacing.

IMG_20150526_184253389_HDR.jpg

Hawk Bench Planing - Visible references to the bow-saw-kerf used to establish overall depth of stock removal and flatness with the tomahawks.

IMG_20150527_204126640_HDR.jpg

Hawk Batoning - Batoning with a Hawk to section cedar for planks. Dings in haft are from hawk throwing and bit dislodging & sliding down haft.

Triple-LeftSide.jpg


Triple-RightSide.jpg


Firestarting:
[video=youtube;MK0A0rUQN2Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK0A0rUQN2Q&t=230s[/video]
 
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This is my only tomahawk, I've never weighed it though.
I'm more of a hatchet guy, but I think a 1lb head would be about perfect.
 
My crazy crow "trappers axe" head is a little over a pound, including the poll, and it is a very functional little tool. It will do pretty much all camp tasks, though of course it isn't going to split big firewood or fell large trees! I think the handle is 19", currently, maybe 22". I prefer it for most camping stuff over a regular hatchet, now that I've gotten used to it.

I have heavier throwing axes, but never really do anything but throw them.
 
nzedge said:
lol nice. have you thrown it?
Click to expand...

Not yet because I don't have anything to throw it at right now. I made it out of a piece of an old machete, and a generous forum member welded the eye closed for me.
My plan was to get a chunk of insulation foam and throw it in my hallway, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. For now it just sits on a shelf.
 
Nice Tomahawks, Spey. What edge length do you have on those?
I assume you prefer more weight on a polled Tomahawk so you don't have to sacrafice any material from blade and instead just increase the overall weight for the sake of the hammer?
 
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