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Ft. Bridger Rendezvous
- Thread starter Sender
- Start date
I have no idea what kind of hawks you are likely to encounter at an event like this. I do know that you can get a tomahawk of good quality from coldsteel for about $30.
http://www.coldsteel.com
Keith
http://www.coldsteel.com
Keith
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2001
- Messages
- 1,385
Check out www.hbforge.com. They have a number of products that fall within your price range. They obviously don't come anywhere near the finish level of something that Two Hawks would produce for about $80 + shipping. If you don't want to spend that much, you should ask Two Hawks what he thinks of the hawks from H & B Forge.
Dances with Knives-
Thanks for the kind words!
Sender-
H&B builds some very decent forged-head hawks which are well within your desired price range. The exterior finish is naturally a bit rough, but not near as rough as most of the wrapped-eye forged hawks you will find at Rendezvous. Their hammer weld is solid, and they guarantee their heads. You can expect to spend a bit of time with half-round files cleaning up the inside of the eye to get a really nice precision fit for handles, but again not as much time as you'd have to expend on a lot of the others I have seen. They are a good basic hawk.
TWO HAWKS
http://www.2hawks.net
Thanks for the kind words!
Sender-
H&B builds some very decent forged-head hawks which are well within your desired price range. The exterior finish is naturally a bit rough, but not near as rough as most of the wrapped-eye forged hawks you will find at Rendezvous. Their hammer weld is solid, and they guarantee their heads. You can expect to spend a bit of time with half-round files cleaning up the inside of the eye to get a really nice precision fit for handles, but again not as much time as you'd have to expend on a lot of the others I have seen. They are a good basic hawk.
TWO HAWKS
http://www.2hawks.net
A couple of notes about Cold Steel's hawks... I only have one, a now discontinued Plainsman model, but I have heard others voice similar comments so I know mine is not an anomaly. First, I found the edge to be too thick for utility work around camp. It was an easy fix but I'm silly enough to believe that my sharp objects should come that way, sharp.
The second and more annoying characteristic is that it has absolutely the worst eye to haft fit of any of my hawks. I don't know what degree of taper they used in the eye but it does not match either the handle that it came with or any of the replacement handles that I have tried. Maybe an arbor press, as Two Hawks mentioned elsewhere, would give me an acceptable fit but I somehow doubt it. At the point at which the top of the eye is snug, there is still a gap all around between the bottom of the eye & the haft. I tried sanding a replacement handle down to get a better fit but by the time the bottom of the eye made contact with the haft, the top of the eye was level with the top of the haft. When I'm next in a project mode, I'll probably try Pig Putty epoxy on the inside of the eye to close the gaps.
BTW, you can add my endorsement to the others for H&B Forge. A buddy has a couple & they are a great value. (I got one of this throwing knives as a gift recently & will see how it performs this wekend.)
The second and more annoying characteristic is that it has absolutely the worst eye to haft fit of any of my hawks. I don't know what degree of taper they used in the eye but it does not match either the handle that it came with or any of the replacement handles that I have tried. Maybe an arbor press, as Two Hawks mentioned elsewhere, would give me an acceptable fit but I somehow doubt it. At the point at which the top of the eye is snug, there is still a gap all around between the bottom of the eye & the haft. I tried sanding a replacement handle down to get a better fit but by the time the bottom of the eye made contact with the haft, the top of the eye was level with the top of the haft. When I'm next in a project mode, I'll probably try Pig Putty epoxy on the inside of the eye to close the gaps.
BTW, you can add my endorsement to the others for H&B Forge. A buddy has a couple & they are a great value. (I got one of this throwing knives as a gift recently & will see how it performs this wekend.)
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2001
- Messages
- 1,385
Two Hawks is clearly a real gentleman to speak so well of another maker. And if H & B is your budget limit, you will be happy with their product. However, if you can afford the extra bucks, you should definitely own one of Two Hawks' creations. They are on a different level from both functional and aesthetic standpoints. Just read the comments by owners of his hawks in other threads and you will be convinced.
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2000
- Messages
- 174
This will be my first tomahawk (if you couldn't tell) and I want to start with something basic. Two Hawks convinced me in another thread that a tomahawk was the way to go for my camping needs (thanks for that, by the way Two Hawks).
I'll post back with what I get.
I'll post back with what I get.
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2000
- Messages
- 174
Ended up getting a bearded 2 1/2 lb. with a hammer poll (think I got the terms right). Spent $25, it looks like it was pounded out of a lawnmower blade, but seems to do the job.
I think I put one of my finest edges on it, really worked it over. It quartered 4-5 inch logs easily.
I also bought a 30 lb. bale of leather and made a sheath for it. It came out pertty good for a first attempt.
I think I put one of my finest edges on it, really worked it over. It quartered 4-5 inch logs easily.
I also bought a 30 lb. bale of leather and made a sheath for it. It came out pertty good for a first attempt.