Fighting and survival

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bahulife

Joined
Jan 29, 2013
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Hey guys im curious about the real difference between a Tomahawk and those that are simply classified as Axes. I understand that in the end they are both axes, but what makes a Tomahawk more inclined for fighting? I personally want a good Axe/Tomahawk for self defense/fighting and general survival use. The thing that prompted me to question this is that all this time I've been looking for a Tomahawk but after seeing the Gransfors Bruks Axes I was curious if some of those would do just as well. I do also understand that the Tomahawk is an American version of an axe, but im sure there is more to the difference than that.

Can you guys educate me? Appreciate the time taken to answer. Thanks!
 
Most Hawks I have handled had a point on the opposite side of the ax side, that makes for a great for penetrating and keeps the weight down as apposed to a double bit ax or one with a larger Hammer Pull.
 
Weight, pretty much. An axe is heavier to enable it to chop better, a hawk is lighter so you can swing it easier.
 
I think the main difference is an axe or hatchet looks like an ordinary tool and a tomahawk looks cool for one of two reasons: either it looks like a trade axe from the colonial period, or it looks like an alien storm-trooper's weapon.
No disrespect intended to either type or to its users.
 
OK, I'll bring the wrath of the tomahawk world down on me. Guns are for fighting. Axes are for working. Tomahawks are for making mall ninjas look cool - with one exception. 'Hawks can be an effective breaching/self-rescue tool and are used by professional soldiers for this purpose.

Now let me have it, 'hawk guys!
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The GB small forest axe and outdoor axe would indeed seem to serve well as hawks....and are light enough to nearly be considered so.

However a true hawk general has a drop through eye for the haft. This makes it easier to rehafting in the field, and allows the head to be easily removed for other tasks. Hawks were much higher lighter duty and we're kit for backwoods travelers where cutting kindling and backup protection were more important than chopping and splitting wood, or cabin building.

One must remember that in the hawks heyday rifles and pistols only fired one shot, making the carrying of backup weapons absolutely essential to one's survival. As such the hawk was much more effective than a knife alone.

The hawks that are seeing military use today are for the most part a completely different animal. With heavier weights and steel hafts their primary function is breaching with a secondary roll in combat. A lot of them are very badly designed and executed and won't even cut wood being intended for busting through blocks. Others are indeed just mall ninja crap.
 
Square_peg said:
OK, I'll bring the wrath of the tomahawk world down on me. Guns are for fighting. Axes are for working. Tomahawks are for making mall ninjas look cool - with one exception. 'Hawks can be an effective breaching/self-rescue tool and are used by professional soldiers for this purpose.

Now let me have it, 'hawk guys!
anim_devil.gif
Click to expand...

Amen. Axes are working tools.
 
Square_peg said:
OK, I'll bring the wrath of the tomahawk world down on me. Guns are for fighting. Axes are for working. Tomahawks are for making mall ninjas look cool - with one exception. 'Hawks can be an effective breaching/self-rescue tool and are used by professional soldiers for this purpose.

Now let me have it, 'hawk guys!
anim_devil.gif
Click to expand...

Edwood told a story in which he used a hawk during a raid. His fellow officer was being jumped by a bad guy, and was wrestling for his gun. Edwood was able to stop the bad guy with a hawk, because shooting was not an option.
Guns are weapons, and hawks are for getting back to a gun, or when a gun cannot be used. These have to be rare occurances compared to hawks being used as tools.
 
bahulife said:
I do also understand that the Tomahawk is an American version of an axe, but im sure there is more to the difference than that.
Click to expand...

Actually they are European in origin. Sold and traded with the native americans as they didn't have steel. I think it's fair to say an axe is a working tool, the hawk is generally a light weight substitute to a real axe and things like the pipe hawks weren't really used, they were just novelty items that the antives were fond of.

I'd say a tomahawk makes a better 'fighting' weapon due to it's light weight nature, and usually the hammer/spike poll on the back of the head doubling up as a pretty nasty weapon. Generally axes are too heavy and slow to be used effectively as weapons when everyone else are using swords and spears etc.

This is my GB small forest axe and my cold steel trail hawk tomahawk.

DSCF3825.jpg


which one would you rather take into battle?
 
Samon said:
Actually they are European in origin. Sold and traded with the native americans as they didn't have steel. I think it's fair to say an axe is a working tool, the hawk is generally a light weight substitute to a real axe and things like the pipe hawks weren't really used, they were just novelty items that the antives were fond of.

I'd say a tomahawk makes a better 'fighting' weapon due to it's light weight nature, and usually the hammer/spike poll on the back of the head doubling up as a pretty nasty weapon. Generally axes are too heavy and slow to be used effectively as weapons when everyone else are using swords and spears etc.

This is my GB small forest axe and my cold steel trail hawk tomahawk.

DSCF3825.jpg


which one would you rather take into battle?
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Whats the weight difference between those two?
 
Liam Ryan said:
Weight, pretty much. An axe is heavier to enable it to chop better, a hawk is lighter so you can swing it easier.
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That makes a lot of sense. So if I was looking for one tool for self defense but also to be a tool am I better to lean towards a GB Small Forest axe or their GB Campfire axe? Or should I simply get two, a Tomahawk and an Axe for work?
 
bahulife said:
Whats the weight difference between those two?
Click to expand...

can't remember exactly but the hawk is much lighter and better balancedfor your needs, I use it one handed at the base of the handle with ease to take small branches down/swing. The GB sfa needs to be held much clsoer to the ehad or with two hands. If you wanted one as a weapon, choose the hawk, it's partly desinged to be used that way the GB isn't.
 
Hawks are cool have own one when I was stupid then I bought an axe. to beige both worlds is just silly and personally an axe or boys axe is better for everything out in the woods. I am with square peg on the axe but remember I do not live in a city or ever plan on fighting anything ever and I mean no offense. some of the hawks are pretty cool but do not do the work of an axe.
 
bahulife said:
That makes a lot of sense. So if I was looking for one tool for self defense but also to be a tool am I better to lean towards a GB Small Forest axe or their GB Campfire axe? Or should I simply get two, a Tomahawk and an Axe for work?
Click to expand...

You can get 4 or 5 trail hawks for the price of the GB sfa. The sfa really is a great deal heavier, one handed use it is at the extreme end of the spectrum really. I traded mine in and now have the wildlife hatchet and the Scandanavian forest axe, the jack of all trades sfa just didn't work for me. There are a lot of alternatives to the GB though, for much cheaper. I would get both, a trail hawk (Actually. look at the pipe hawk too) and a nice boys axe, you won't be disappointed.

Comparing hawks to axes is a bit of a stretch, a hawk is really just a hatchet. My hawks can perform as well as any of my hatchets.
 
Square_peg said:
OK, I'll bring the wrath of the tomahawk world down on me. Guns are for fighting. Axes are for working. Tomahawks are for making mall ninjas look cool - with one exception. 'Hawks can be an effective breaching/self-rescue tool and are used by professional soldiers for this purpose.

Now let me have it, 'hawk guys!
anim_devil.gif
Click to expand...


Their are a lot of advantages to a hawk, one is being able to just bring a hawk head along in your pack. I am talking cold steel variety here. Comparing the diminutive hawk to a full size axe is a bit unfair, it really is just a hatchet. When I think hawks, I think Lewis and Clark, not mall ninjas.
 
A tomahawk (also referred to as a hawk) is a type of axe from North America, traditionally resembling a hatchet with a straight shaft.[1][2] The name came into the English language in the 17th century as a transliteration of the Powhatan (Virginian Algonquian) word.

Tomahawks were general purpose tools used by Native Americans and European Colonials alike, and often employed as a hand-to-hand or a thrown weapon, much like the African nzappa zap.[1][2] The metal tomahawk heads were originally based on a Royal Navy boarding axe and used as a trade-item with Native Americans for food and other provisions
 
If you are looking for a tool which will work mostly as a tool, but can be used defensively. Then the GB wildlife hatchet will work just fine.

If you want a tool which is about 50/50 weapon and tool, then gets good manner poll hawk. Steve Lilley at Coal Creek Forge makes some real nice tough ones from jackhammer bits.
 
Pick your hatchet - any hatchet that suits your work. Wouldn't it make a fine weapon? Since your 'hawk-hatchet-axe or whatever will likely never be used as a weapon you might as well get one that works well as a tool. I would not want to be struck by a sharp broad hatchet for example.
 
Carpenters hatchet. Not as good for comfortably cutting down trees due to the straight Edge, but they still chop and cut very effectively.

Most folks who think of using an axe as a weapon honestly have no idea of what a grievous wound they inflict, they make a real mess. A hatchet such as the GB wildlife or a scout axe will easily cripple or kill a person with one hit.

Then you get the fun part.....explaining it to the authorities.
 
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